MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Digital coupons provider Coupons.com Inc. is taking aim at supermarket, drug stores and mass merchants with a new shopper targeting and analytics platform called Retailer iQ.

Coupons.com said Thursday that Retailer iQ is designed to make consumers and retailers "digital, mobile and personalized" by fundamentally changing the promotions and checkout experience.

One of the first retailers to use Retailer iQ is Walgreen Co., the nation’s largest drug chain, which began rolling out the platform early this year and now has it running in more than 8,000 stores, according to Coupon.com.

Coupons.com added that it’s currently deploying Retailer iQ at four other retailers representing more than 20,000 stores, which the company expects to announce before the end of this year.

"This technology pushes crumpled, indecipherable receipts and irrelevant coupons into the digital era," Coupons.com founder and chief executive officer Steven Boal said in a statement. "It’s an incredibly powerful tool. We spent three years building it, and we’re proud to be working with Walgreens and our other brand and retailer partners to lead the future of promotions."

Retailer iQ combines several components into an omnichannel platform to spur consumer engagement, activation and shopping behavior for retailers and consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies. Those components include digital e-receipt via SMS and e-mail, personalized recommendations for products and coupons, integrated shopping lists, extensive targeting capabilities, real-time analytics and a range of integrated digital media experiences.

Coupons.com noted that the platform integrates into the retailer point-of-sale system to manage the entire flow of digital couponing, encompassing creation, issuance, activation, redemption, validation and clearing.

In particular, Retailer iQ lets retailers and brands engage seamlessly with shoppers and offer them relevant discounts across multiple touch points, according to Coupons.com. The technology helps retailers and brand marketers reach consumers when they’re preparing to shop, while they’re shopping and after they make their purchase — whether that’s via a desktop computer, tablet or mobile phone. Retailer iQ also delivers comprehensive analytics so retailers and marketers can provide more relevant and personalized offers.

At Walgreens, the chain’s more than 100 million Balance Rewards loyalty program members can now access paperless coupons and digital receipts and "clip" digital offers from Walgreens.com/coupons and within the retailer’s mobile app. Users can redeem offers at point-of-sale by simply swiping their Balance Rewards cards.

"Our customers live in a digital world, and providing them with valuable offerings such as paperless coupons or digital receipts is an example of how we make the shopping experience even more convenient," stated Rich Lesperance, senior director of personalization and CRM at Walgreens. "Walgreens is excited to be on the forefront of digital and working with Retailer iQ supports our ability to deliver relevant rewards and savings through an omnichannel approach."

Coupons.com pointed out that the chief benefit of Retailer iQ is its replacement of paper receipts and promotions with an integrated, omnichannel digital experience "that keeps the shopper and retailer connected beyond the register."

At checkout, shoppers have the option to receive an e-receipt delivered in a text message or an e-mail. Besides listing items purchased, the e-receipt includes digital coupons that can be added directly to their account, loyalty card or rewards program for paperless savings. Shopping lists can be created and managed, incorporating personalized offers based on purchase history. And a dashboard shows shoppers potential savings available and which coupons they have yet to use.

Retailer iQ is built on a personalization platform that evaluates shopping baskets and shopping history, along with other data, to deliver a highly personalized experience for consumers, Coupons.com said. The digital promotions company noted that the platform’s data engine makes every interaction shopper-specific, whether on a PC, with a mobile device or in the store.

"More and more consumers are electing to receive digital receipts when offered the option at checkout," Boal added. "Retailer iQ creates a powerful connection from those e-receipts to highly relevant digital coupons, with benefits for shoppers and retailers alike. This is a significant step toward our goal of transforming the multibillion-dollar promotions industry."