Can The 'Net Do This?

I'm pretty sure -- I might be wrong, but don't think so -- that I haven't set foot in a department or retail store this year -- Home Depot is as close as I came.

And for the second consecutive year, every Christmas present was bought online, mostly Amazon, which has been great for me.

And there are coupons and discounts on the 'Net, too.

And understand, I read the print newspaper every day. Just never been a coupon guy.

 

There's a difference between Web sites that have cache as go-to places to buy, and ads on the Net that try to get you to visit a business. Ads on Web pages are ignored, pop-up ads are nuisances that are quickly x-ed out or blocked, and adware makes people hate Internet advertising. Those are things that the Internet isn't going to overcome anytime soon.

 

Couldn't agree more dooley.

It just kills me that advertisers don't understand this. I think they continue to advertise on the net 'cause it's cheap.

 

Why don't advertisers simply put their stuff in .pdf form on the newspaper website? I know some already let you download the weekly newspaper ad from their own website. Make it a perk for subscribers with a "Download this week's ads" banner. Subcribers can download it and then print of the ads they want without having to sort through the stack of paper on Sundays. Plus the cost of printing is transfered to the consumer.

 

That's the reason I would NEVER print a PDF ad/flyer. I'm not paying to print an ad and then spending money in the store after that.

 

I've actually heard people say that the piles of paper they've accumulated and not necessarily read but have to be disposed has been a factor in deciding to cancel subscriptions.

 

Even if you don't it print it, you have still looked it, and have not has to wade through piles of ads to find it. It doesn't matter whether youchoose to print it or not, as long as you look it at. However, for those who do chose to print the ads, the cost is passed on to them.

 

I'd have to say they are in the minority. Most people want the ads/coupons. In fact, they are a big selling point for Sunday papers. Many papers have signs/cards promoting the fact that you can save $50 (or whatever) with the coupons in the Sunday paper. In fact, one of the papers around here will sell you the regular Sunday paper packaged with the early Sunday edition. People buy it because that way they get twice the ads/coupons -- God knows there is little to nothing worth reading in most of those early Sunday bulldog editions.

 

That's a good point.

 

As a consumer, I shop at Bluefly.com, Zappos.com, drugstore.com, Amazon... etc.

Here's what gets me to buy:

Periodically, I will get an e-mail from these sites saying,

"You haven't bought anything from us lately. Please come back and take 15% off your next order. Enter coupon code UYHXBF."

That kind of "coupon" is highly effective at getting me to place an online order.

Free shipping is another pretty good enticement.

 

Internet ads already are tailored to specific readers. The popups that appear on your computer - depending on the sophistication of the site - are different than the guy next to you.
The site reads your ISP (or whatever it's called that distinguishes your computer from all the others) and keeps track of sites you visit.
So if you play on-line poker, for instance, you will get poker related advertising.
The woman next door to you might get a women's retailer, depending on what she has looked at on-line.
It's not illegal, and its happening.

 

... and more and more sites (and advertisers) are using video, whether imbedded in the page or as a commercial before playing that latest The Office deleted scene (for example).

There's also a site - not sure if it is still around and can't recall the name off the top of my head - which has grocery coupoons. Boodle maybe?

I sure do prefer those 20% online coupons over the save 50 cents off some product I'll never buy.