No more paper cuts

Coupious, a mobile marketing platform that delivers on-demand, location-based coupons to smartphone users, is testing out its service at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.

After downloading Coupious from the App Store (for iPhone and iPod Touch) or the Android market (for T-Mobile G1s), smartphone users browse deals in their immediate location (or up to 50 miles away), identified using the phone's GPS technology.

Once they find a coupon of interest, they select "use now" and simply show the coupon to a cashier for redemption. Coupious' coupons are listed by business - unlike internet deals, newspaper inserts, or direct mailers - so it is less likely to cause confusion at the point of sale. Keen on improving ease of use for the consumer, part of the company's agreement with merchants is to ensure employees are fully trained on what its mobile coupons look like and how they can be redeemed.

Coupious positions itself as a hassle-free, privacy-protected service. There are no text messages involved, and the company collects phone numbers and geographical data but says it will not disclose that information to third parties.

For hyperlocal retailers that want to reach nearby patrons, Coupious is ideal, claims Mashable. They can create, manage, and track in real-time their mobile campaigns. And because it's a pay-for-performance system, they only pay fees when coupons are actually redeemed.

Coupious is cautious about rolling out too quickly, noting that building relationships with local businesses takes time, and it wants to be sure coupons are 100% legit before availing them on its system.

The company plans to introduce versions for Blackberry, Windows Mobile and webOS (Palm Pre) later in 2009.