Introduction
Scount, developed by Coupolino, emerged as a new solution in the discount app market. Unlike traditional coupon platforms geared toward advertisers, Scount specifically targeted buyers by merging geolocation technology with immersive Augmented Reality (AR) features. Despite its originality, senior stakeholders sought a comprehensive picture of how Scount measured against existing platforms and an assessment of potential design refinements. To meet these objectives, an analysis of the competitive landscape was created. This generated data-driven battlecards, and consequently AR interface improvements.
Key obstacles
- Absence of formal benchmarking: Scount’s standing in the discount-app arena lacked a structured, side-by-side comparison, making it difficult to gauge where its unique features might outshine or lag behind existing solutions.
- Unclear differentiation strategy: Although Scount employed augmented reality (AR) to engage buyers, there was no clear framework to communicate its value in a market where many competitors focused primarily on advertiser-centric models.
- Limited internal clarity: With no existing “battlecards” or reference points, internal teams faced challenges in aligning on product strengths, potential improvements, and strategic directions for Scount’s buyer-focused approach.
The objectives
- Comprehensive competitive mapping: Develop a clear overview of the discount-app landscape, highlighting features and market positions of direct and indirect competitors.
- Battlecard creation: Produce a series of concise, visually engaging battlecards that outline Scount’s offerings relative to competing platforms—covering features, pricing models, user engagement tactics, and more.
- Strategic positioning: Analyse Scount’s unique selling points—particularly AR technology—to determine how best to differentiate and appeal to a buyer-centric audience.
Strategy in place
- Initial market research: A research plan was devised to evaluate competitors’ functionalities, user demographics, and marketing angles. Traditional discount apps were examined alongside those experimenting with new tech, ensuring a thorough understanding of Scount’s potential peers.
- Battlecard framework: Based on the research plan, battlecards were structured to highlight each competitor’s unique attributes—ranging from pricing, features, perks, to any form of location-based services. AR capabilities were a special focus, given Scount’s distinctive reliance on this technology.
- Buyer-centric lens: Throughout the research and comparison process, emphasis remained on how well each app served the buyer, rather than the advertiser. This approach aligned with Scount’s mission to deliver direct value to end-users.
Tangible results
- Clear competitive overview: The final battlecards offered an immediate, visually oriented reference for comparing Scount’s AR-driven features with other discount apps, enabling teams to see precise gaps and opportunities at a glance.
- Informed positioning: Through the analysis, it became evident that no direct competitor leveraged AR in a similar capacity, highlighting Scount’s potential to capture a niche segment of savvy, mobile-first shoppers.
- Unexpected opportunities: While evaluating Scount’s AR feature set, certain aspects of its user experience emerged as potential areas for optimization. Though outside the primary mandate, these observations were documented for the client’s consideration, illustrating how a competitive review can surface secondary insights.
- Data-backed strategy: Comprehensive research provided the numerical and qualitative insights needed to prioritize features, refine marketing language, and target specific user segments.
Key takeaways
- Focused mandates yield clear deliverables: When a project’s primary goal is well-defined—such as creating battlecards—teams can concentrate on gathering the exact data and comparisons necessary for strategic insight, minimizing scope creep and confusion.
- Even simple mapping reveals strategic gaps: Laying out competitor features and metrics side by side unearths unexpected insights about market positioning. Scount’s AR reliance stood out strongly once framed against traditional discount apps.
- User-centric approaches differentiate offerings: Distinguishing an app by focusing on buyer needs, rather than advertiser demands, can serve as a compelling differentiator. Consistent emphasis on end-user value can guide everything from feature design to marketing messages.
- Secondary findings can be valuable: Observations that fall outside the initial project scope—such as unanticipated design or user-flow enhancements—may create additional benefits for stakeholders, demonstrating the flexible value of a thorough analysis.
- Even a technologically advanced feature like AR must center on user benefit. Recommendations to enhance the AR experience underscored the importance of intuitive design flows and interactive prompts that keep buyers engaged and drive repeat use.
- Data-driven roadmaps facilitate growth: Transforming raw research into actionable battlecards helps align decision-makers on priorities. By referencing hard data, teams can plan near-term improvements and set longer-term development milestones with confidence.
