There are few greater joys in life than scoring a great bargain. Today I am going to share how you can use the Internet to save real dollars on dining out – and demonstrate a cool interactive concept, to boot!
Studies tell us that Americans in growing numbers are doing their shopping and making other consumer choices online. I probably did 90-plus percent of my Christmas shopping on the Internet – for the past three years!
Now there are many sites set up to explain Internet shopping do's and don't's – and I will just add that you need to make sure you are dealing with a reputable organization that uses a secured server to protect your financial information. As much as I have switched to online shopping, I was a victim of identity theft – but only as a result of using my debit card while shopping at a local retailer the morning after Thanksgiving in 2004. So far, I've not run into any negative experiences online.
There are great bargains to be had online and many websites set up to alert you of these bargains. My favorite is www.slickdeals.net but there are others that serve a similar purpose. More importantly, there are several sites set up to monitor online coupons. Let me explain: Retailers often offer a coupon – usually a numeric code or a combination of letters and numbers - which can be added during the checkout process to increase savings. A site like:
Savings-Center.Com
is a great resource since it seems to feature an inexhaustible collection of "free coupons" from every conceivable retailer. One retailer is
Restaurant.Com
Now, Restaurant.com is a unique business marketing concept which features $25 gift certificates from thousands of restaurants to purchase for $10 each. After purchasing, you simply print the coupons on your home (or work!) printer. Usually, the certificate will require a purchase of two entrees and a minimum of $35. So, while you save $25 off $35 – you've spent $10 for a total savings of just $15. Now, that's not bad, but it's not great.
Enter Savings-Center.com! Search for Restaurant.com and you will discover coupon code 91971 which will save you 60 percent off your $10 restaurant.com certificate when you are checking out. So, you will now pay $4 for the $25 gift certificate and a savings off those two entrees totaling $35 is now $21! Sure, the taxes and tips normally associated with dining out still apply and drinks are not included in the coupon, but a couple of nice entrees at a quality restaurant for $7 each is a heckuva deal, bloggie.
Now, when Mary and I go the Las Vegas – as we do each February to celebrate our birthdays - we like to hit the Las Vegas Hilton's Star Trek-themed "Quark's" restaurant. There we enjoy a 110-ounce drink for two called the "Warp Core Breach" which is awesome! And it costs $25. Now, since Quarks has a gift certificate on Restaurant.com, we can have a couple of nice entrees for just $14 more!
Play around with your Zip Code or the Zip Code of a planned destination at Restaurant.com and you might be surprised at where you could be dining more cheaply tonight. Think of me when you are having a terrific time!
What's more, this concept is ripe for customization (or cannibalization) by traditional media like newspapers who already have standing relationships with many of the establishments on Restaurant.com. If you think about it, this is really just a gussied up buy-one-get-one-free entree deal that restaurants have traditionally offered to build traffic. However, with clickable maps and menus, Restaurant.com has put that age-old concept on steroids for a total user experience. Plus, because the user has invested $10 (or, if they listen to me, $4), they are more likely to use the certificate.
The Restaurant.com team took an old idea, added a twist, offered options to a motivated audience and created a sustainable revenue model that also builds invested restaurant traffic. And consumers are better for the experience.
More later,
Mark
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