AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- RetailMeNot.com (www.retailmenot.com), the largest online coupon site in the United States, today released a white paper examining consumer purchasing trends and suggestions for merchant promotional offers that will drive sales and savings for the 2012 holiday shopping season. 

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120308/DA66724LOGO-b)

The paper, which provides an overview of research conducted in the last year by RetailMeNot and other partners like Ipsos Public Affairs, demonstrates how a significant number of consumers, fueled by a still challenging economy, are shopping earlier for the holidays.

"Welcome to the shopping season of OctoNovemCember™, where nearly 40% of consumers begin their holiday shopping before November," said Jill Balis, senior vice president, marketing, WhaleShark Media, Inc., operator of RetailMeNot.com. "Our goal is to help early shoppers understand that RetailMeNot is a place where consumers can get Black Friday deals every day as a part of the OctoNovemCember campaign."

According to research commissioned by RetailMeNot over the last year, consumers are shopping and seeking deals earlier this holiday shopping season and retailers have a significant opportunity to capture the attention and business of these deal-seeking shoppers beginning as early as October via online, in-store and mobile offers.

Click here (http://whalesharkmedia.mediaroom.com/RetailMeNot_OctoNovemCember) to access the full RetailMeNot OctoNovemCember white paper.

Highlights include:

• Nearly 4 in 10 parents with children under the age of 18 (39%) are beginning their holiday shopping prior to November.[1]
• More than 7 in 10 parents in the same group  (71%) still have a dismal view of the economy, and 1 in 4 worry about being able to make all the necessary purchases in the coming months.
• We believe increased search traffic for RetailMeNot demonstrates that deal-seeking behaviors have become more of the norm within the consumer purchase cycle.
• In 2011, consumers using RetailMeNot.com reported saving more on Thanksgiving than they did on Black Friday.
• In a recent study of 1,600 RetailMeNot newsletter subscribers, more than 90% said that they are more likely to make a purchase when a coupon or deal is available. Additionally, a December 2011 survey from RetailMeNot and Ipsos Public Affairs, which studied the behaviors of the general population, showed nearly half (47%) of adults surveyed reported that they had used a printable coupon in-store or a promotion code on-line when making purchases during their holiday shopping.[2]

"The reality is that holiday shopping is officially in full swing, and the chances that deal-seeking shoppers will be contained to one weekend in late November is likely a thing of the past," added Balis.

For more information on OctoNovemCember, stay tuned to RetailMeNot.com for more information!

Click here (http://whalesharkmedia.mediaroom.com/RetailMeNot_OctoNovemCember) to access the full RetailMeNot OctoNovemCember white paper.

About RetailMeNot.com
RetailMeNot.com (www.retailmenot.com) is the leading consumer destination for collaborative online coupon, deal and promotional code hunting and sharing. Our mission is to help consumers save money and enjoy a hassle-free discount shopping experience. Since November 2006, our users have shared hundreds of thousands of deals and offers from retailers from across the globe. Online coupons are rated and ranked by users, ensuring that quality deals rise to the top and expired coupons drop down the list. RetailMeNot.com is operated by WhaleShark Media, Inc., the world's leading marketplace for online coupons and deals.

Shopping on the go? Download the RetailMeNot Coupons App for iPhone and Android phones to access Hot Deals, browse top coupons, popular stores and categories and get thousands of online and in-store coupons to shop when you want, where you want. Make sure to "like" RetailMeNot.com on Facebook, follow the company via Twitter @retailmenot and add us on Google+.

About WhaleShark Media, Inc.
WhaleShark Media, Inc. (www.whalesharkmedia.com) is the world's leading marketplace for online coupons and deals. The company's websites enable consumers seeking to save money to find hundreds of thousands of offers from retailers across the globe. WhaleShark Media experiences more than 400 million consumer visits to its sites every year. The WhaleShark Media portfolio of coupon and deal websites includes www.RetailMeNot.com, the largest online coupon site in the United States; www.VoucherCodes.co.uk, the largest online coupon site in the United Kingdom; www.Deals.com in Germany; web.Bons-de-Reduction.com and www.Poulpeo.com in France; www.Deals2Buy.com; www.CouponSeven.com; and www.CouponShare.com. WhaleShark Media is a fast-growing, profitable company funded by venture capital firms Austin Ventures, Norwest Venture Partners, Adams Street Partners, Google Ventures, J.P. Morgan Asset Management and Institutional Venture Partners (IVP).

Be sure to "like" WhaleShark Media on Facebook and follow the company via Twitter @whalesharkmedia.

Media Contacts:

media@rmn.com

[1] RetailMeNot Shoppers Trend Report, August 23, 2012, http://whalesharkmedia.mediaroom.com/holiday_economy_shoppers_trend_report

[2] RetailMeNot Shopper Trend Report, December 15, 2011, http://whalesharkmedia.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=34012&item=30661

SOURCE RetailMeNot.com