Visits to coupon sites grew 46% year-over-year as of December 2008

Online coupons are gaining popularity fast. Almost 60% of shoppers are using coupons more often to cut expenses, according to a recent survey from market-research firm comScore Inc. About one of every three respondents said they use the Web to find printable coupons and promotional codes; visits to these sites grew 46% year-over-year as of December 2008, comScore reported.

"The recession has definitely accelerated the demand" for online coupons, said Greg Sterling, an Internet analyst and a principal at San Francisco-based Sterling Market Intelligence.

"People don't have the same resistance or inhibition to coupons online," he added. Or, for that matter, with coupons sent directly to a mobile phone -- which Sterling sees as the up-and-coming trend in coupon-clipping.

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