BUYING GUIDE.
Apps, or downloadable applications for mobile devices, expand your phone's capabilities to handle the coupon hunting and price comparing you'd typically tackle on a home PC. (They're also helpful for daily money management on the go.) Consumers are taking advantage of the growing technology to grab better deals -- iPhone app usage rose 59% during Black Friday, according to mobile ad exchange network Mobclix, which tracks app performance.Availability varies by phone, but generally you'll need an iPhone, BlackBerry or other smartphone with a wireless data plan to take advantage. “People gripe about the $30 monthly data charge,” says Heather Tenney, a spokeswoman for Cincinnati coupon site CincySavers.com. “I’ve found that apps save me at least that each month.”
Better still, many of the most useful shopping apps are free. Here are five avid savers like:
1) ShopSavvy
Phones: iPhone, Android
Use your phone’s camera to take a picture of a product barcode. ShopSavvy hunts down prices and reviews of that item online. What if the item isn’t a great deal? Users can set alerts to be notified when prices drop, and an online history and wish lists save searches so you can easily find the item again from your home computer. ShopSavvy isn't the only app to take advantage of such technology, but it's one of the few good free options, says Allan Warms, the chief executive of Appolicious.com, a site that offers expert and consumer app reviews.
2) Shopping.com
Phones: iPhone
A price-hunting app is only as good as the site it turns to -- and Shopping.com is thorough in its search for the best prices on the web, says Megan Berry, a spokeswoman for Mobclix. (It fared well in our tests, too.) Simply type the name of the item into the search bar, and the app returns price comparisons and reviews. You can also see what other users have searched for in a broader category (say, digital cameras) to compare.
3) WalletZero
Phones: iPhone
Walk around with a wallet or key ring full of loyalty cards, and sooner or later you'll arrive at checkout only to realize you don't have the one you need. With WalletZero, you can create a barcode to store on your phone by entering the numbers of your loyalty swipes and other scan-able membership cards. Cashiers can scan the barcode just as they would the card itself, says Tenney, who has successfully used the app at CVS and her local library, among other places.
4) MobiQpons
Phones: iPhone, BlackBerry, Android
Never miss an available coupon. MobiQpons uses your phone's GPS to determine where you are, and then finds available coupons for the stores, restaurants and other businesses nearby (including some deals exclusive to the app). Using the coupon is as simple as clicking once to bring up the deal and showing your phone to the cashier to scan or enter in, says Berry. You can also filter searches to bring up your favorite retailers first.
5) Coupon Sherpa
Phones: iPhone
Coupon Sherpa uses your location to pull up available coupons, but it tends to include more local businesses in addition to big chains. (It also has its share of coupons exclusive to the app.) Tenney recently used the app while out of town to find a nearby mom-and-pop restaurant offering a 15% discount. Just click on a deal and let the cashier scan it or enter the code. Share coupons with friends, and create a favorite stores list to keep up with the latest deals.
(Deal of the Day by Kelli B. Grant )
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For more on retail outlets, check out our where to buy Bestsellers in Phones
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