After 20 years of coupon hunting, RetailMeNot reinvents itself for the AI era

RetailMeNot is marking its 20th anniversary with what it calls the largest product transformation in its history: a rebuilt Rewards app, available Wednesday on iOS and Android, that moves the savings brand away from one-off promo codes and toward loyalty, personalization and AI-powered discovery.

The pivot tracks a shift in how people shop. A study promoted by the company found that only 7 percent of consumers buy without researching first, while 59 percent compare prices and 43 percent search for coupons. One in three now cite cash back and rewards as their primary reason for using a savings app, and nearly a quarter would rather have savings applied automatically than hunt for codes.

"We are transitioning from a transaction-centric model to one defined by relationship-first principles," chief commercial officer Magali Darling told FashionUnited. "Rewards represent a strategic investment in customer lifetime value."

Darling said the change builds on RetailMeNot's affiliate business instead of replacing it. "While affiliate commission remains a standard component of our retail partnerships, our 'rewards-first' approach allows us to pass a portion of those earnings directly back to the consumer," she said, describing "a more sustainable and value-driven loop for both the retailer and the shopper."

The app guarantees a minimum 1 percent cash back across more than 3,500 merchants, stackable with promo codes — a floor the company positions as an industry benchmark. A Working Code Promise verifies every code before it reaches shoppers, targeting the "checkout letdown" of expired offers, while the rewards program pays 5 dollars for every two qualifying purchases of 25 dollars or more, up to 50 dollars a month. Personalized feeds and curated recommendations tailor offers to each member's behavior.

Two AI features round out the launch

Scout Price, in beta, calculates a product's true final price after discounts and cash back, and Smart Search offers conversational, natural-language product discovery.

The relaunch also responds to a savings category that has faced scrutiny over affiliate transparency. Darling positioned trust as the differentiator. "Trust serves as the cornerstone of our operations and its significance has only intensified in the current market," she said, pointing to the Working Code Promise and guaranteed cash back as features "specifically engineered to mitigate consumer uncertainty."

Coupons still have a place, she added, but no longer define the experience. "Our objective is not to replace the traditional coupon, but to ensure every stage of the shopping journey is seamless and interconnected."

As AI reshapes discovery, Darling argued the case for a savings app rests on verified data rather than automation alone. "The emergence of AI has amplified rather than diminished the necessity for trust," she said. "AI should eliminate friction rather than introduce complexity."

RetailMeNot introduced its first native app in 2012, helping move coupons onto smartphones. Two decades on, it is betting its next chapter on the convergence of trusted savings, personalization and AI in a single platform.ence of trusted savings, personalization and AI in a single platform.