Quick Pitch: A mobile marketing platform delivering on-demand, location-based coupons to smartphone users for savings at the point of sale.
Genius Idea: We all love to save money, but if you're anything like us, you can't stand the idea idea of clipping coupons or spending hours scouring the Web to find discounts in your area. Coupious, a free coupon application for iPods, iPhones, and Android devices, is in the process of transforming the way we think about using coupons.
Currently being beta tested with users in Lafayette, Indiana (yes, the rest of us will have to wait patiently), Coupious works by using your phone's GPS to provide location-based coupons relevant to your immediate whereabouts. Essentially, all you need to do is launch the application to find deals within walking distance or up to 50 miles away.
Since carrying coupons is so passé and a bit of a hassle, Coupious definitely makes using coupons sexy again. The process is simple: just browse nearby deals, select the coupon of interest, hit "use now" when you're ready to cash in your coupon, and show it to the cashier. Isn't that neat (and certainly more efficient than 8coupons)?
Coupious is also a perfect vehicle for hyperlocal retailers who want to reach nearby patrons. Merchants can use Coupious' Coupon Management System to create, manage, and track (in real-time) their mobile coupon campaigns. It's a pay-for-performance system, which means that participating businesses only pay when their coupons are actually redeemed.
At this point, we love the proof of concept and hope to see Coupious rolled out to our neighborhoods as soon as possible.
Sponsored by Microsoft BizSpark
BizSpark is a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. There are no upfront costs, so if your business is privately owned, less than three years old, and generates less than U.S.$1 million in annual revenue, you can sign up today.