Google unveils Zavers, a new digital coupon based on your phone number

originally appeared in VentureBeat:

Google will be showing off a new digital coupon product tomorrow that lets you more easily redeem coupons targeted to your interests.

Google announced the product, called Zavers by Google on Friday, but said it will be showing off the product first-hand to visitors of Google’s booth at the annual National Retail Federation (NFR) Convention & Expo in New York, which starts tomorrow and runs through Tuesday.
Google is investing a lot of resources into e-commerce, and so it’s easy get confused by the various projects it is working on. Google has already launched something called Google Wallet, but that is a virtual wallet that lets you pay with your mobile phone from an account that is linked to a major credit card company. It uses NFC technology, which lets you scan your phone next to an in-store reader to pay for something.

Zavers is quite different. It lets you visit your favorite retailer websites, and save digital coupons to your accounts, according to the announcement. You can then shop for those products and check out as usual. Redemption occurs in real time, Google says, with savings automatically deducted at checkout when shoppers provide their rewards cards or phone numbers. Manufacturers only pay when a product is moved off the shelf.
Since transactions are stored in the cloud, it give manufacturers a real-time look at the pace of redemptions, and easier ways to target and plan coupon policies to maximize profits, according to Google.

According to the statement:
Unlike traditional media, Zavers’ real-time data gives manufacturers new ways to measure coupon redemptions and analyze consumer preferences so they can manage distribution, tailor campaigns, and optimize budgets for maximum ROI. Zavers also offers access to an extensive network of manufacturer coupons, opening up new retail revenue streams.…Zavers by Google is growing fast. This month we are thrilled to welcome New York’s Original Grocer, D’Agostino, as the latest partner in our retail network. In the coming months, we will be announcing partnerships with a number of other major retailers.

Manufacturers or retailers searching for more information can find it at g.co/contact.zavers.
The Zavers product follows the acquisition by Google of digital coupon company Zave Networks in 2011.