Currently consumers can get 15 percent off a purchase of $75 or more at Gap Outlets and 15 percent off $100-plus purchases at Banana Republic Factory stores. The savings are being tested in the San Francisco Bay area and Austin, TX.

“So far the response has been tremendous, even in the few days their offers have been live,” said Greg Grunberg, cofounder of Yowza, Hollywood, CA.

Yowza is a location-based mobile coupon network for the iPhone and iPod touch. The company was founded by Mr. Grunberg, an actor from such programs as “Heroes” and “Felicity,” August Trometer and Rick Yaeger. The three of them met on Twitter.

Coupon convenience
Gap Outlets and Banana Republic Factory stores join other retailers such as Guitar Center, Sports Authority, The Container Store, REI, Pier 1 Imports, Toys”R”Us, and Babies”R”Us on the Yowza platform.

Crate and Barrel and CB2 recently started serving exclusive mobile coupons (see story).

At this time Mr. Grunberg said he is not sure if Gap and Banana Republic will add any new coupons to the mix.

“However, having these great brands on board is very important for us and we are going to make every attempt to let the world know just how easy it is to save money at these as well as all our other great brand partners such as Crate & Barrel, REI, Pier 1 Imports, Container Store, Ulta Beauty, Hobby Lobby, Loehmann’s, etcetera,” Mr. Grunberg said.

Right now Yowza serves advertised coupons for Toys”R”Us and Babies”R”Us, but soon exclusive mobile coupons will join the mix.

Mr. Grunberg said Yowza is more than just a free application to find deals, it is an advertising platform.

Yowza does not aggregate the deals and coupons. All the offers are digitally controlled by the retailers.
 
Recently Yowza has expanded and is now part of uLocate’s Where application on Android and BlackBerry devices.

Mr. Grunberg said that mobile is an ideal platform for coupons because of convenience.

“The idea that you can click on Yowza for free, or now click on WHERE for free on your Android and BlackBerry at any time and have thousands of deals at your fingertips where you need them when you need them makes it a no brainer,” Mr. Grunberg said.

“And for the brands it is a green solution and a very controllable option compared to old-fashioned circular advertising,” he said.