“What if we really went local?” That’s the question Austinite Eric Knittel asked himself when he had the idea to start Weird Coupons, a new, local coupon and deal provider that’s available ONLY to locally-grown Austin businesses.
Weird Coupons was conceived as a companion to Austin’s unofficial slogan, "Keep Austin Weird," a concept originated by Red Wassenich who claims to have made the comment while pledging his support for a local radio station. Now symbolic for supporting Austin’s vibrant local business community, “weird” is an idea that Austin business owners have embraced as a way to differentiate themselves from national franchises moving in to capitalize on Austin’s growing economy.
Weird Coupons is seeking to be the first and foremost coupon company that supports the health and growth of locally-born and raised businesses. As Eric sees it, “Why go to a Starbucks when you’ve got Austin Java, Juan Pelotas, Mozarts, Progress, Joe’s, and on and on.” He goes on to say, “And think about the restaurants, clothing stores, movie theaters, entertainment, bars, bands and more. The Austin joints smoke the competition.”
According to the Austin Independent Business Alliance (The ibuyaustin.com folks), “For every $100 spent locally $45 stays in Austin. Opposed to just $13 when shopping at a national chain.” As Eric puts it, “I saw the big group couponers coming into Austin and making deals with local businesses that sounded great for consumers but ultimately were harmful to the Austin economy.” He goes on to explain, “When a business offers 50% off it’s product or service through a group couponer, they are really giving away 75% of their product. Because after all is said and done, the business has to split the price the consumer pays for the coupon (which is really a gift certificate). How many businesses do you think can survive by giving away 75% of their product?”
To add insult to injury, the money spent with the big discount programs goes to Chicago, D.C., etc. Eric says, “I saw this and thought to myself, this is silly. There has to be a way, using today’s technology, that Austin small businesses can attract more customers without losing their shirts.”
At www.weirdcoupons.com, consumers can download the [free] app for both iPhone and Android (www.weirdcoupons.com/getapp.php) and businesses can open a free account to create and push their coupons or deals to the smart phones of Austinites with the app. “We’ve designed Weird Coupons to be super easy for business owners to use, as well as consumers,” states Eric. For the business owner, Eric says, “All the control is in your hands. You decide the discount or deal, you set the terms, you determine how long the deal lasts, and you push it to the app. For customers, all you have to do is download the app. There’s no account to open, no password to remember, no big brother watching what you buy. Simply download the app, check it when you’re ready to eat, shop or have some fun, and look for the best deals. That’s it.”
Weird Coupons is a local business focused on growing the local economy. It’s aimed at helping Austinites discover all the incredible businesses we have in our city. Eric puts it this way, “I sometimes take for granted how blessed I am to live in Austin, Texas. As our city grows, Weird Coupons is going to help me remember how lucky I am that I live in a city that appreciates and supports the entrepreneurial spirt – the American spirit.”
As Weird Coupons ramps up, they are giving their service away for free to all Austin-born businesses. So if your business is born and bred in Austin, you’re eligible to run all the advertisements, offers, discounts or deals you want to. Simply go to www.weirdcoupons.com and signup, and as Eric says, “Start sending Austinites a little love.”
If you are interested in partnering with Weird Coupons to offer your deals exclusively through Weird Coupons please contant Eric at eric@weirdcoupons.com for assistance in setting this up.
