Mobile Marketing Expands
Mobile phones have become so ubiquitous that most consumers feel naked without them. In fact, 88 percent of Americans are cell phone subscribers. Businesses of all sizes are finding ways to connect with these mobile consumers. One growing option is text marketing or mobile coupons.
Mobile coupons wherever you are, wherever you need them allow the savings to follow you. It is estimated nationwide that 10 million cell phone and email coupons were redeemed in the first half of 2009 alone.
A survey conducted by Harris Interactive and reported in eMarketer reveals 42% of 18-to-34-year-olds and 33% of 35-to-44-year-olds are at least somewhat interested in receiving opt-in mobile alerts from their favorite brands and businesses.
Among respondents who would opt in to location-based alerts on their mobile phones, more than one-half were interested in messages from restaurants, followed by movie and event tickets, weather, and clearance sales.
Harris Interactive researchers also found that about 90% of consumers have made impulse purchases while out shopping because of a sale, and 22% of mobile users did so weekly. Marketers that let consumers know about local offers at the right place and time might take advantage of such behaviors.
Vehicle Tax Deduction
With 2010 models arriving in dealer showrooms, the Internal Revenue Service reminds taxpayers that purchasing a new car, light truck, motor home or motorcycle could qualify them for a special deduction for the state and local sales and excise taxes on their 2009 tax returns.
Purchases made before Jan. 1, 2010, will qualify for this deduction under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).
The deduction is limited to the sales and excise taxes and similar fees paid on up to $49,500 of the purchase price of a new vehicle. The deduction is reduced for joint filers with modified adjusted gross incomes (MAGI) between $250,000 and $260,000 and other taxpayers with MAGI between $125,000 and $135,000. Taxpayers with higher incomes do not qualify.
Taxpayers who make qualifying new vehicle purchases this year can estimate the deduction with the help of Worksheet 10 in IRS Publication 919,
The special deduction is available regardless of whether taxpayers itemize deductions on their returns. Taxpayers who do not itemize will add this additional amount to the standard deduction on their 2009 tax return.
For those that have questions about the deduction for sales tax and other fees, these questions and answers might help. A video on the IRS Youtube.com channel and audio podcasts in English and Spanish are also available to help taxpayers take full advantage of the deduction.
