Forever 21 is attempting to drive in-store sales through social media by sharing a digital coupon with Twitter followers, who can redeem the discount at bricks-and-mortar locations by scanning their mobile screens.

As customers become more comfortable with scanning bar codes on mobile devices, more retailers are taking to mobile to share discounts and coupons in a more convenient manner. Forever 21 is attempting to clear out the last of a collection through a one-day coupon on Twitter, which users can redeem for a 21 percent off discount.

“Forever 21 using Twitter for bar code coupons is a smart move to entice its 2.2-plus million followers to go into one of its locations to purchase the item,” said Marci Troutman, CEO of SiteMinis. “If the deal is enticing enough, the process will drive foot traffic to the stores versus the usual millennial process of using a coupon code online to have the purchase shipped.”

Mobile scanning
Twitter users who follow Forever 21 were treated to an in-store discount yesterday through a mobile coupon on the social media platform. The retailer is attempting to clear out the rest of its festival collection and is hoping to entice fans to visit its locations to grab the rest of it with a discounted price.

The tweet, reading “last chance to get your fave festival styles, enjoy 21 percent off,” prompts users to find their nearest location to redeem the scannable social media coupon. Shoppers can receive 21 percent off on purchases of $50 or more.

The mobile coupon push is cognizant of users’ current comfort with mobile scanning. Many mobile users in the past were not as comfortable with the technology, but as more and more benefits arise, more consumers are adapting to the experience.

It is almost imperative now that retailers incorporate a mobile redemption policy with coupons and discounts. Forever 21 is taking the convenience factor higher by sharing it on social media, eliminating the need for users to download or save the coupon.

Forever 21 and spring
The retailer has been heavily promoting its festival collection leading up to and during the spring season. Forever 21 weaved social media platforms together for a comprehensive campaign to appeal to the music festival fans, also integrating with a shop devoted to what to wear as an attendee on its mobilized site (see more).

Forever 21 also previously launched its first Android shopping application, offering features such as horizontal swiping to move between products, Scan & Shop, one-page checkout and social integration (see more).

“One clear reason to drive its customers to the bricks-and-mortar locations is to allow them to touch, feel and browse the spring/summer line in real time to push the ‘impulse buy’ buttons that are easier to enable when the products are live and in person vs. a cart online that can be saved and possibly abandoned as an afterthought,” Ms. Troutman said.