June 21, 2025, 5:45 am | Read time: 2 minutes
Discount apps from major retail chains promise price advantages and savings opportunities. However, what initially appears to be a clever savings tool often turns out to be a financial trap in practice. A closer look at how these apps work reveals why users often spend more money than planned, despite using coupons.
Loyalty points, digital brochures, and coupons–discount apps are now standard at almost all major supermarkets and discount stores. But do the promised shopping benefits really pay off?
Discount Apps as Bait–savings are rarely the case
Whether it’s a discount store, supermarket, or drugstore, almost every chain now offers its own app that includes more than just shopping lists and brochures. Loyalty programs, discount coupons, and special offers are designed to motivate customers to buy. However, real savings are usually absent.
“Not really,” says Markus Montz from the IT magazine “c’t” when asked if these apps actually save money. The e-commerce expert further explains that bargains are hardly possible through digital offers–even with high purchase amounts in a single store. According to Montz, the actual monetary advantage from discounts and coupons is generally less than one percent of the purchase value.
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Savings potential is neutralized by app-driven impulse purchases
Even this small advantage is often quickly lost, warns Montz. The reason: lack of shopping discipline. The supposedly saved money is often immediately spent on additional purchases prompted by the app.
“In the end, led by supermarket apps, you end up spending more money than originally planned,” Montz continues. Discount promotions and coupon notifications not only draw more attention to certain products but also lead to more unplanned expenses.
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More marketing tool than savings instrument
Instead of genuine savings tools, most discount apps turn out to be effective marketing instruments for retailers. The psychological effect of small savings motivates larger or additional purchases–resulting in more money being spent by the end of the shopping trip.
With material from dpa