Perhaps for Google AdWords customers..

Or maybe they just use it internally.

It might have something to do with this:

Generating and/or serving dynamic promotional offers such as coupons and advertisements
http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-adv.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&d=PG01&p=1&S1=20060143080&OS=20060143080&RS=20060143080

I wrote about it more here:

http://www.seobythesea.com/?p=233

It would be fun to see Google attempt to develop this.

Odd example to use given Hello is actually a Google product. I wish that Google would have more redirects e.g. http://www.google.com/spreadsheets

It serves yet another different 404 page for /coupons (no trailing slash), which includes a link to "http://maps.google.com/local/add", with the text "Business Owners: Create and distribute your coupons"

I haven't seen any coupons on google maps; perhaps it's an upcoming feature?

Actually I can say that this is a actual product which ties into a system where coupones are dynamically served depending on a specific targeting of the query.

The reason I can confirm is that my friend works at a media firm and Google had come in and pitch it to his hotel client.

Well it looks like we got our answer from Reuters...

http://yahoo.reuters.com/news/articlehybrid.aspx?storyID=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20060815:MTFH53883_2006-08-15_04-00-10_N14267241&type=comktNews&rpc=44

http://yahoo.reuters.com/news/articlehybrid.aspx?storyID=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20060815:MTFH53883_2006-08-15_04-00-10_N14267241&type=comktNews&rpc=44

Confirmed as a product, Google has teemed with Valpak to offer coupons through Google Local listings:

http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=3623154

Nice find Christian :D

Checkout the coupon site for business developers
http://www.google.com/local/add/lookup?hl=en-US&gl=US

I found this link of the googe coupon page (hint: use http://www.google.com/coupons instead of http://www.google.com/coupons/ ;notice the lack of the last foward slash in the first link)

Here's some screen shots:
http://picasaweb.google.com/topdawgnate/Web/photo#4963345497291030546
http://picasaweb.google.com/topdawgnate/Web/photo#4963345494816522258

Looks like the coupons right now are going to be limited to a few countries
See screen shot:
http://picasaweb.google.com/topdawgnate/Web/photo#4963355548370468882

From the source code it looks like the question marks are Japan and China
<quote>

<option value="ja_JP">
<option value="zh_CN">

</quote>

(I'm guessing zh_CN is for China, can anyone back this up for me?)

http://www.google.com/coupons (withouth the trailing slash)

And the reponse header is 200, not 404

If the pic doesn't show up try the album link below

http://lh4.google.com/topdawgnate/ROFkY09DABI/AAAAAAAAAHI/1gPC31-rQLU/blogscopecoupon.JPG
http://picasaweb.google.com/topdawgnate/Web/photo#4963358642033328146

One extra thing to add, apparently the [Edit-spelling Nate] term Google is not allowed nor double punctuation.
http://picasaweb.google.com/topdawgnate/Web/photo#4963359486527209490

LOL, the word filter didn't pick G00GLE (notice the "0" intstead of "O")
http://picasaweb.google.com/topdawgnate/Web/photo#4963360543779454994

Ok, I know I have posted alot on this subject, but only one more thing (for now ;) Looking at the source JS for the coupon edit page the infamous project caribou rise to the surface again!

<quote>
hit 'D' inside the main caribou window
</quote>

answer to a potential question:
Q: Why was I looking at the source code for a "coupon" edit site?
A: I'm wierd like that :D

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/15/business/15google.html?ex=1313294400&en=af4fdc627f4ade15&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

NYTimes on Google Coupons

Starting today, Google will let any business offer discount coupons to people who use its Google Maps service, which also acts as an online yellow pages. A business will be able to upload information for coupons, including images, and Google will display a link to those coupons when the business name is displayed. Users can then print the coupons and take them to the merchant.

Problem, solved :-)

I can't believe people were able to pick this service up just before it launched! Nice work Blogoscoped.

Does anyone have a live example location on Google Maps showing coupons? I can't add coupons in Germany...

yea, here's one – http://local.google.com/coupons?did=0_13461883133735628321

So is giving out and using coupons big in the US? I don't think we have that (a lot) here in Germany.

Thanks Or, I updated the post with your info.

I've just gone to the Google Coupons site with whilst logged into my UK-based account, and it also offered me the option of United Kingdom

<<So is giving out and using coupons big in the US? I don't think we have that (a lot) here in Germany.>>

yes.. it is.. most of the local papers do the coupon thing, and we get a lot of coupons in the mail.

FYI – I've just realised that this service is linked to one of the ones that I discovered in the sandbox:

Service Name: Local (AKA Local Business Center)
Code Name: lbc

(This wasn't previously available under Google Accounts but it is now...)

The first time you login using this URL, you get redirected to the "Locations" tab of the "Local Business Center" where you can also add your coupons:

https://www.google.com/accounts/Login?service=lbc

Google needs to implement alot more into Australia...google maps would be a fantastic addition...yet just the "maps" barely work in australia!!

[Signature removed – Tony]