Introducing Shortcuts - Click, Shop and Save

AOL's new Shortcuts service makes it easier than ever for grocery shoppers to save money. Shortcuts lets shoppers link online coupons directly to their store loyalty cards. The Kroger Co., which operates nearly 2,500 stores in 31 states, has signed on as the first retail partner. Users simply go to Shortcuts.com, enter their loyalty card information, click on coupons they want, and the savings are automatically applied at checkout. Read more in the release. Below is a Q&A with Sharon Baker, Executive Director, Shortcuts.

How did the idea for Shortcuts originate?
We looked at the coupon marketplace and saw that it was woefully antiquated – consumers spend hours on weekends clipping coupons. And we wondered why there wasn't an effective online solution out there for consumers. And what does AOL do so well? We bring easy-to-use consumer solutions online. We simply connected the dots, and that’s what put us on track with the idea of paperless online coupons.

How does it work?
Consumers can go to Shortcuts.com for coupons. The coupons they select automatically link to their store loyalty cards and are redeemed at checkout.

Will this be a game changer?
Absolutely – that prospect has been reinforced for us by consumers. As soon as we put it in front of them, the response was off-the-charts positive. The feedback was, “I can’t wait to go to the store to use this.” And here at AOL, we’ve responded the same way – we want to use this product.

What stores will participate in the Shortcuts program?
Our launch partner is The Kroger Co., which has around 2,500 stores in 31 states under local brands including Kroger, Ralphs, King Soopers and Fry’s. And we’ve signed up General Mills, Kimberly-Clark and Kraft to participate with coupons for their consumer brands. We’re also having conversations with several other major grocery retail and chain drug stores that we expect to include in the program as the year progresses.

Why is Shortcuts better than other online coupon services?
Other online coupon services out there today are download-and-print applications, and there are several major challenges with that. Consumers have to print the coupons, and once they’ve printed them, they’re very much like what you clip out of the Sunday paper – you sort them, they have an expiration date and you have to remember to bring them with you to the store. On top of all that, some retailers don’t accept them because of the potential for fraud -- it’s almost like printing currency. Coupons can be replicated, and before you know it, manufacturers have distributed far more coupons than they intended. As a result, many consumers, along with some manufacturers and retailers, are not big fans of the download-and-print solution. Shortcuts eliminates these hassles by linking coupons directly to store loyalty cards.