Target is rolling out a series of promotions to bring more customers into their stores nationwide. The program which goes by the name Cartwheel, allows consumers to receive coupons through Facebook. Before claiming these coupons there is a catch! The coupons you claim will automatically be posted to your Facebook news-feed For now, these deals will only be available for use in actual stores but could expand in the future depending on its success. The beta version will run off the Target website. They will also be rolling out apps for both Apple and Android that are set to launch sometime this summer. Customers will have the option to scan a bar-code with their phones to use at the checkout. This will be very helpful for consumers like myself looking to get a deal at the very last minute.
So do you think coupon claiming on social media is something that will become more popular in the future? In my opinion, companies are going to make you earn discounts online unlike those traditional coupons we receive in the mail. Target may wish to add Cartwheel to other social media sites that are becoming more popular. With the younger generations constantly using smart phones and Ipads it seems like Target has the right idea. They are reaching a wider audience when these coupons are shared through Facebook. They will also be able to team up with certain vendors for these specials. One concern I have is that certain products may be personal and consumers will not want to share with Facebook friends. Although, when it comes to food products, I don’t believe many customers will have a problem posting to their newsfeed. My Instagram feed gives me hourly updates on what most of my friends had for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Another problem with using social media is they are excluding customers not using Facebook. Target may need to utilize other promotional strategies to make sure none of their customers are feeling left out. I figured I would give Cartwheel a try and see if there are some actual savings. Below is what I found useful for myself. Keep in mind I am a young guy and the majority of my interests at Target revolve around food.
If successful, I would imagine there will be many more options that consumers will be able to choose from. So the question I leave you with is will you claim these coupons from Target knowing that all your Facebook friends are going to see?