It is distributing online coupons, including ones from ValPak, without charge to the local businesses.

It also has an area where online coupons and special sales are announced.

Retailers and consumer goods manufacturers are, however, growing more interested in online coupons.

Significant hurdles remain that would prevent me, and presumably many other shoppers, from regularly using online coupons.

But online coupons are still a tiny share of the coupon market.

Indeed, one benefit of using online coupons, he said, is the ability to track such statistics.

"There's still some skepticism out there," she said, "but those who ignore online coupons are doing so at their own peril."

Many stores offer online coupons that can be printed out for in-store use.

Cuponzote is a marketing business that gives exposure to mainly small, local businesses through the use of online coupons.

Hotcoupons.com and clickrewards.com, among other sites, give you incentives ranging from frequent-flier miles to online coupons for local stores.