About Us

ICN was founded by a team of software engineers and business managers who realized that the efficiency and fraud related to coupons was well documented and persistent. While digital couponing is by far the most efficient way to process incentives at the POS, it remains small and fragmented and will take a number of years to gain significant adoption and market penetration.

But two factors have now converged to make the processing of paper coupons through the same POS connection more efficient and less prone to mal-mis-redemption and fraud:

• First, the introduction of the new GS1 Data-bar coupon will be rolled out throughout 2010 and most likely will be fully phased in during 2011. The expanded GS1 coupon will permit POS validation of expiration date, SKU level data and any number of unique identifiers permitting fully electronic validation at the POS.
• Second, retailer POS systems can now be reliably connected online, with speed in milliseconds well established, permitting the real-time flow of data between parties and the seamless 3rd party clearing of both digital and paper coupons.

ICN’s Digital and Paper Solutions…

For the CPGs...

Consumer packaged goods companies using the ICN technology for digital can plan, manage, and monitor their promotion activity on a real-time basis through an Internet-based Promotions Manager. For the first time, promotions managers have:

• Up-to-the-minute redemption information by chain or groups of stores down to an individual store level. No more waiting up to 90 days to determine if the promotion was successful!
• Results on a real-time basis that provides the ability to take action to continue or change a promotion activity when there is still time.

CPG companies will be able to electronically validate and clear paper coupons at the retailers POS eliminating the mis/mal redemption and fraud that occurs today with paper coupons. CPG companies will also be able to monitor real time redemption information down to the individual store level.

For the Media Companies…

Executing promotions electronically should not require separate IT integrations for every retailer they work with. Media Companies should be empowered to run electronic digital promotions in a unified way at any retailer, regardless of their IT capabilities or supported POS platforms. With ICN, for the first time Media Companies have:

• Ability to set up promotions directly through the ICN Promotion Manager Web portal or through the ICN Web Service for real time activation and consumer opt in.
• Real time integration directly to a retailer’s loyalty card.
• Up-to-the-minute redemption information and reports by chain or groups of stores down to an individual store level. No more waiting up to 90 days to determine if the promotion was successful!
• Results on a real-time basis that provides the ability to take action to continue or change a promotion activity when there is still time.
• Out of stocks or non-compliance issues in a specific store can be identified and addressed within hours. You don’t need to wait weeks later after a promotion is already over to know an in-store display was not up.
• Better promotion success through the use of the ICN Real Time analysis and reporting capabilities.

For the Retailer…

Most retailers today have a number of media partners who execute incentive programs in their stores. Incentives can come through the retailer’s website, a kiosk located at the front of the store, a sign on a shopping basket, an in-aisle tag or dispenser, or one delivered through the Sunday newspaper’s Free Standing Inserts (FSIs).

ICN brings the retailer

• Increased sales and profitability through better promotional management.
• Simplicity…of having just a single promotion connection to service all 3rd party promotions.
• Real time direct to loyalty card applications
• Easy IT implementation.
• Reduction of IT overhead associated with new and ongoing 3rd party electronic promotion programs.
• Faster clearing credits.
• Visibility and controls on all promotions running through the ICN network.
• Timely notification of modifications made to any promotion within the ICN network.

Since the ICN technology is a single promotion connection to the Retailer’s POS system, it allows ICN to electronically clear all the retailer partners’ promotion activity, both digital and paper, with one connection. No hardware in the stores and no need to download and upload incentives daily or weekly to support each promotion event.

For the Consumer…

The process of cutting, sorting, saving, organizing, and remembering to take the coupons to the store is cumbersome and time-consuming. That may explain why less than 1% of coupons are actually redeemed, and why most households don’t take advantage of the more than $4600 of savings offered to them each year. It shouldn’t require work for the consumer!
ICN brings to the consumer:

• Ability to have all their coupons attached directly to their retailer loyalty card.
• A single view of all their coupon offers on their retailer’s website.
• Electronic clearing of all their coupons.
• More savings at checkout.
• Convenience!

With ICN the consumer just needs to see the promotional material or opt into a promotion then just buy the product to get the savings. No need to cut, save or remember to bring the coupon! Just bring a shopping list and buy the product. That’s it. The ICN technology processes all the incentives electronically. And the consumer sees the savings right on the receipt. Ask your local retailer today if they are a part of the Intelligent Clearing Network!