Reply to this students discussion post with remarks and comments to what has been stated below:

what do you think of the free offers used by online retailers or marketer? Do you think the free offers would be more effective than coupons?

One thing that I am sure about, NOTHING is free. Free in advertising and marketing is every effective at creating a buzz and the urgency to buy.

Coupons are effective as well. Companies rely on breakage when dealing with coupons. Not everyone will use a coupon to purchase a product, but the message is still received when someone sees a coupon, that the item or brand is on sale.

The article was interesting and hit home I am a spender, my wife is a shopper. We can not go to the store together EVER we have different motivating factors when buying a product.

Coupons and FREE try to invoke the same buying sense in different types of people. Buyers, shoppers, savers, all have their justifications on making a purchase and all are legitimate none are right or wrong. I dont see that Free are better than coupons as they appeal to different types of shoppers. My wife will jump on free, but I am more conservative and realize that nothing is free. Companies cant survive by offering free product. Free is a marketing term used to get someone to use a product, but the free is built into the cost of the product or another product. I work for a manufacturing company that periodically offers free product as a promotion. The free product has a cost associated with it and it is absorbed elsewhere. For example, a product is free if you buy another product. Famous Footwear offers by two get one free. That is really 33% off. Free is more effective, many times, than offering a coupon for 33% off. But the company is also moving 3 pairs of shoes which helps get inventory off the shelf.