Dex One's Digital Coupons: Solution Without a Problem?

Local business marketing purveyor Dex One has given its customer the ability to create and publish customized digital coupons Via DexKnows and DexKnows Weddings. But will it work and does it matter? 

According to comScore, 36 million people visited at least one coupon site in December 2009. But according to a new Ipsos Public Affairs survey conducted on behalf of Offers.com, Three-quarters (73%) of online shoppers are not regularly looking for online coupons or deals before making a purchase. 

Frequent online shoppers report looking for online coupons or deals: "sometimes" (22%), "once in a while" (19%) or even "never" (18%). Less frequent shoppers (those who make online purchases monthly or only a few times a year) are seeking online coupons or deals even less often.

The sorry state of online coupons didn't seem to slow down Dex Knows. It's new online coupon service allows local businesses to reach out to consumers by giving businesses an opportunity to create digital coupons and post them on their DexKnows or DexKnows Weddings profile pages. Businesses using Dex Knows can develop customized, printable, online-only coupons that include unique messages and logos. Dex One will also continue to convert print directory coupons into digital format and highlight these coupons in results listings and profile pages.

"The purpose of DexKnows is to allow active shoppers to make informed buying decisions about where to purchase the products and services they seek on a local level," said Sean Greene, senior vice president of interactive, Dex One. "We know that digital coupons, similar to video and ratings and reviews, are a critical piece of the decision process for consumers, and allow local merchants to differentiate themselves from other providers."

What say you? Are Dex One's Digital Coupons a solution without a problem?