Google’s new service: click and clip

Google is getting into the coupon business, even if many of us are growing a little leery of this move.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Google Inc. is making it possible for users to find and print coupons from merchants listed in the on-line search leader’s index of local businesses, adding to a slew of free features designed to attract more traffic to its website.

More than 20,000 coupons are expected to be available Tuesday when the new service has its debut on Google’s popular mapping service.

The initial coupon supply is being provided by Cox Enterprises Inc.’s Valpak Direct Marketing Systems, which has been mailing envelops stuffed with coupons and discount offers for nearly 40 years.

Valpak, based in Largo, Fla., plans to provide Google with nightly updates to expand the supply of coupons from a list of neighbourhood merchants that will include pizzerias, auto shops, dry cleaners and handymen…. Source: globeandmail.com