The Association of Coupon Professionals (ACP) is a dynamic group of manufacturers, retailers, processors, and vendors who work together to address industry-wide issues to ensure the vitality of coupons as a valuable promotional tool.

The digital coupon and redemption guidelines address digital coupon promotions for which the current coupon clearing process’ requisite paper trail is not possible. A digital coupon, as defined by the task force, is a coupon that traverses the full coupon process (set-up and communication, discovery, presentation, validation, redemption) without the requirement to manifest itself as “paper” or in other hard-copy form. Digital coupons, by definition, can be stored and presented via numerous digital devices. Examples include: mobile phone, electronic key fob, USB drive, magnetic card, RFID card, camera, mp3 player, etc. The transmission of digital coupons from one step to another may occur physically (e.g. swiping of a card, hand entry of a visually presented coupon code), electronically (e.g. via near-field communication (NFC), Infrared/LED strobing, etc.), or a combination of these, as well as other implementations.

The nature of a digital medium gives rise to extensive variability in how it may be used. The task force defined a general framework for digital coupons while allowing for flexibility in technological and campaign implementation.

The stages involved in a digital coupon process are:

• Set-up and Communication
• Discovery and Acquisition
• Presentment
• Validation and Redemption
• Reconciliation

The guidelines go into details of the digital process within the framework of the stages listed above in a 22 page document.