Google Shutters Zavers Digital Coupon Biz

Google is shutting down its Zavers digital coupon platform, which has been used by a number of supermarket chains, the likes of which include A&P and its subsidiary banners, Price Chopper, Raley's, Harris-Teeter, Bi-Lo/Winn-Dixie, C&K Market, D’Agostino's and Macey’s.

The tech giant will shutter the digital coupon service over the course of the coming months, per published reports, including tech news website Re/code, which said Google decided to pull the plug on Zavers after encountering resistance from some retailers over providing key customer information, which in turn slowed the growth of the service. “Sources say the program did not expand as quickly as Google had hoped, in part due to some retailers’ uneasiness with giving Google access to information about their best customers,” according to Re/code.

Price Chopper confirmed the closing of the platform, though the grocer said it continues to work with Google on other initiatives and will continue to use its other products where it makes sense. "Zavers is our current coupon aggregator, although we get offers from a number of different sources," Heidi Reale, Price Chopper's director of digital marketing told Progressive Grocer. "We will be replacing the Zavers coupon platform technology with another company's coupon technology in the near future and expect the transition to be fairly seamless for our customers."

The change in direction for Google will not change Price Chopper's digital roadmap, however, according to Reale. "It reinforces Price Chopper’s strategy that having the ability to connect and integrate with a multitude of different technology providers is critical for this dynamic digital landscape."

Other vendors that retailers may reach out to in filling the gap left by Zavers include Coupons.com, Inmar, Cellfire, and Valassis.

Google had originally launched the digital coupon platform in January 2013 to enhance benefits from its search engine business and expand its online shopping business.