Microsoft Bing is updating its shopping features to include details about active coupons or promotions directly in the search engine.
With these new annotations, Bing hopes to make it easier for consumers to feel confident that they are getting the best price on a product without installing third-party extensions or other tools.
As the company explains in a blog post:
“Ever wondered if you were overlooking coupons or special promotions when you shop online? Or perhaps you didn’t even consider that a discount might be available, and you missed out! Bing now provides you with this information within shopping searches – annotations neatly nested within your search results, without the need to install a browser extension or plugin (third-party cookies must be enabled.)”
As the screenshot below shows, the coupon annotation is a small icon listing how many promotions are available which can be expanded to learn about the specific offers. If you click on Copy & go, the coupon will automatically apply during checkout.
“Let’s say you are shopping for a new outfit for a girls’ night on the town. Or maybe you are just window shopping for some back-to-the-office fashions. A search for the Eileen Fisher website on Bing reveals that some coupons are available, even before you click to enter the site. No need to do a separate search for a code.”
The company announced this update as part of a series of changes to annotations including bringing the “ethical choice” annotations for eco-friendly or fair trade products to more regions:
“Powered by the ethical fashion app Good On You®, the Ethical choice ratings are based on a brand’s impact on three areas: people, planet, and animals. For more information click on any Ethical choice annotation found within your search results”