Online coupon tracking

One of the trends we have been watching in this space has been the imperceptible blurring of online and offline shopping.

Usually this has taken the form of mobile phone tools that allow shoppers to compare in-store prices with online competitors' or mobile apps that display discount vouchers as scannable barcodes. But it can all be more accessible to the vast majority of consumers who don't have access to high-end mobile gadgets.

Interactive coupon specialist Couponstar' s printable coupon site beforeishop.co.uk allows customers to plan their shopping at their computers before setting out to bricks-and-mortar shops. For retailers - including Asda and Tesco at launch - it provides a platform for engaging with customers online.

Retailers using the site, or publisher-branded white-label versions, can use traditional ads or " how-to" videos or games to engage users and then track the coupons to assess the long-term effectiveness of the online campaigns to bring customers in-store.