What? (New to me) wording on coupons & coupon discussion

[Belle0101]

I know, I read too much. Or maybe only recently I've been reading too much because I never paid much attention to this before.

I received some coupons the other day and noticed some bolded, all caps and red print on them. I'll type it out exactly as it is on the coupon.

Line per line -

LIMIT ONE COUPON PER PURCHASE of products and quantities stated.

LIMIT OF 4 LIKE COUPONS in same shopping trip.

Coupons not authorized if purchasing products for resale.

Void if transferred, sold, auctioned, reproduced or altered from original.

Any other use constitutes fraud. You may pay sales tax. Do not send to Procter & Gamble.

That was on a P&G coupon and I wondered if it could be on other coupons. I checked. At a quick glance, I didn't check every coupon I have,

SmartSource says "... Void if altered, reproduced, scanned, transferred, sold or acutioned."

Redplum seems to be a compilation of different sources. They have P&G coupons (see above wording), Sara Lee ( "Void if copied, sold, exchanged or transferred. Not redeemable in Thrift or Outlet Stores."), and others with similar wording.

General Mills states the same with regard to altering, copying, selling, purchasing, tranferring and exchanging.

I'm not a lawyer, I don't even play one on TV , but if I'm understanding all that legal talk right, pretty strict rules for using coupons. Not that I think companies will be sending employees to stores and questioning you on how you came to have your coupons or following you home and making sure you're not reselling the products. That'd be a little creepy.

 

[Scurvy]

I know, I read too much. Or maybe only recently I've been reading too much because I never paid much attention to this before.

I received some coupons the other day and noticed some bolded, all caps and red print on them. I'll type it out exactly as it is on the coupon.

Line per line -

LIMIT ONE COUPON PER PURCHASE of products and quantities stated.

LIMIT OF 4 LIKE COUPONS in same shopping trip.

Coupons not authorized if purchasing products for resale.

Void if transferred, sold, auctioned, reproduced or altered from original.

Any other use constitutes fraud. You may pay sales tax. Do not send to Procter & Gamble.

That was on a P&G coupon and I wondered if it could be on other coupons. I checked. At a quick glance, I didn't check every coupon I have,

SmartSource says "... Void if altered, reproduced, scanned, transferred, sold or acutioned."

Redplum seems to be a compilation of different sources. They have P&G coupons (see above wording), Sara Lee ( "Void if copied, sold, exchanged or transferred. Not redeemable in Thrift or Outlet Stores."), and others with similar wording.

General Mills states the same with regard to altering, copying, selling, purchasing, tranferring and exchanging.

I'm not a lawyer, I don't even play one on TV , but if I'm understanding all that legal talk right, pretty strict rules for using coupons. Not that I think companies will be sending employees to stores and questioning you on how you came to have your coupons or following you home and making sure you're not reselling the products. That'd be a little creepy.

I don't think they're saying you can't sell the products. I think they are just referring to the coupons themselves. You can only use one coupon per item (so no combining multiple $0.50 off coupons to get a $2.00 item free), and you can't buy 5 or more items with 5 or more of the same type of coupon, and you can't alter, copy or sell/buy/trade coupons. Those seem like reasonable restrictions to me. I can remember seeing a thread - probably several years ago - where someone was upset that somebody on ebay was selling batches of coupons, but they were ones you could actually get for free online if you knew where to look. The seller was printing out bunches of them and making money on them. Then there are coupon dispensers in stores, and I've heard people complain before that someone will come in and take all the coupons and the theory was that they were probably selling the coupons online. I can also remember people saying that they were trying to combine multiple coupons to get their item for free, which obviously isn't the intent of the coupons since the company would still like to make money on their products. I imagine businesses got sick of this sort of thing, and maybe printing those rules on the coupons makes it easier for them to control or eliminate that kind of behavior by shutting down coupon auctions or making sure the stores understand that they won't be reimbursing them if the coupons are used incorrectly.

 

[pilesoflaundry]

It's "illegal" to sell coupons. People do and trade them etc. but that is what they are talking about. They all say that, always have. Some now include wording about online auctions.

The p&g limit 4 per trip thing started a few months ago.

 

[DisneyScraps]

I used be an extreme couponeer just like the TLC show. I had to stop because it got obsessive. P&G has always been the wet blanket of coupons and rebates.

Most coupons say something about void if sold but you can't do extreme coupons without buying them. Personally I can't imagine why P&G would care of I am buying 4 or 5 bottles of their shampoo.

Because of their attitude I rarely buy their products. That is the only way to stand up to them. Sure, my not buying their laundry detergent isn't going to hurt their company but if everyone that used coupons did...maybe.

Lisa

 

[poohfriend77]

I noticed the "limit 4 like coupons" line in today's ads too! It was funny, because we watched the Coupon Addicts show last night. DH kept asking why I can't do that. Sorry, hon... I'm a Dis addict, so I don't have 70+ hours to hunt for coupons.

Seriously, I'm all for using coupons to save money, but who needs 200+ boxes of pasta in their house?

 

[mafibisha]

How about coupons that have the Target logo? They were from Target (duh LOL) but they don't say *must redeem at Target*. So would other retailers accept them?

 

[kaytieeldr]

I used be an extreme couponeer just like the TLC show. I had to stop because it got obsessive. P&G has always been the wet blanket of coupons and rebates.

Most coupons say something about void if sold but you can't do extreme coupons without buying them. Personally I can't imagine why P&G would care of I am buying 4 or 5 bottles of their shampoo.

Because of their attitude I rarely buy their products. That is the only way to stand up to them. Sure, my not buying their laundry detergent isn't going to hurt their company but if everyone that used coupons did...maybe.

Lisa

Probably they want to have enough product for all their customers, and avoid complaints of "P & G issued these coupons AND X store(s) had the right items on sale - but everywhere I went, they were all sold out!"

They're not saying you can't buy 400 packages of whatever - just that you need to make 100 separate trips to do it if you're using coupons. And, well, that you can't be buying the product in any quantity with any intent to resell the product.

How about coupons that have the Target logo? They were from Target (duh LOL) but they don't say *must redeem at Target*. So would other retailers accept them?

Probably not. Back in the olden days, store coupons had the store logo and were accepted only by that store, while manufacturers coupons had bar codes and were accepted anywhere that took coupons. Even if a store-logo coupon has a bar code allowing it to be scanned, Walmart/Walgreens/Meijer/Kmart/etc wouldn't be programmed to read the bar code.

 

[RangerPooh]

Maybe it's an attempt to stop the extreme couponers like on the show. Essentially the people who are buying all of the stores products and paying almost nothing for them.

 

[CajunDixie]

How about coupons that have the Target logo? They were from Target (duh LOL) but they don't say *must redeem at Target*. So would other retailers accept them?

Maybe.... Last week at WalMart I used quite a few coupons and bought 2 All You magazines. The girl that checked me out asked why 2 All You's. I explained it had coupons in it. She said she had used "Kroger" manufacturer coupons at Walmart. They didn't scan but the cashier over-rode the register and pushed them through.

 

[3boymthr]

I think they're aimed at people like ME! I will use a P&G B1G1 Bodywash with a B1 Bodywash G1 Deodorant with a B1G1 Deodorant with a $4 off Bodywash so I get it all FREE plus get $4 in ECB at CVS And CVS will let me as long as the cashier doesn't sit there and read the all the wording on the coupons. Yes I really have worked this deal plus I actually made money as the item was on sale for $4 and they rang the b1G1 coupon thru at the regular price of $5 and, no, I'm not an extreme couponer just and extreme CVSer.

 

[crisi]

I think they're aimed at people like ME! I will use a P&G B1G1 Bodywash with a B1 Bodywash G1 Deodorant with a B1G1 Deodorant with a $4 off Bodywash so I get it all FREE plus get $4 in ECB at CVS And CVS will let me as long as the cashier doesn't sit there and read the all the wording on the coupons. Yes I really have worked this deal plus I actually made money as the item was on sale for $4 and they rang the b1G1 coupon thru at the regular price of $5 and, no, I'm not an extreme couponer just and extreme CVSer.

They are. Not only does no one make a profit when you do that, both the retailer and the manufacturer lose money. How long will they stay in business if they regularly loose money?

The idea with coupons is to get people to try products they don't normally try and build brand loyalty - so that you buy General Mills cereal even without the coupon. That isn't the behavior of extreme couponers, so they've started putting rules in place to stop what - in their minds - is abuse of the system and a way for them to lose money.

 

[njmom47]

I work in the office of a supermarket company, and deal with vendor (mfg) coupons. There was one store who's manager would let a single customer buy pallets of an item with coupons! Obviously, the manager just cared about the increase in sales for his store, but we were losing money on transactions like that, and it was not allowed any more. And I'm sure the items were for resale to boot! I can understand the limit (and I am a decent coupon-shopper) but realize companies have to make money as well as allow the consumer to save money.

 

[pilesoflaundry]

I think they're aimed at people like ME! I will use a P&G B1G1 Bodywash with a B1 Bodywash G1 Deodorant with a B1G1 Deodorant with a $4 off Bodywash so I get it all FREE plus get $4 in ECB at CVS And CVS will let me as long as the cashier doesn't sit there and read the all the wording on the coupons. Yes I really have worked this deal plus I actually made money as the item was on sale for $4 and they rang the b1G1 coupon thru at the regular price of $5 and, no, I'm not an extreme couponer just and extreme CVSer.

Probably. If it's only allowed if they don't read all the wording, you're couponing wrong.

 

[couponclary]

Probably. If it's only allowed if they don't read all the wording, you're couponing wrong.

I agree...and it ruins the deals for the rest of us who do it right!

 

[couponclary]

I work in the office of a supermarket company, and deal with vendor (mfg) coupons. There was one store who's manager would let a single customer buy pallets of an item with coupons! Obviously, the manager just cared about the increase in sales for his store, but we were losing money on transactions like that, and it was not allowed any more. And I'm sure the items were for resale to boot! I can understand the limit (and I am a decent coupon-shopper) but realize companies have to make money as well as allow the consumer to save money.

We have a group who uses coupons to stock our church's food pantry and our grocery store is very happy to help us buy large quantities for very little money! We place orders the first day of the sale (as not to clear shelves for the other shoppers) and they call us when our orders are ready for pick-up. They get the increase in sales and 8 cents for each coupon in handling fees & the food pantry gets some amazing deals, so it is a great deal for everyone! The store isn't losing any money on us buying large quantities, and is in fact MAKING money off of us after the handling fee. If anyone is losing money it is the manufacturer, but isn't that why they distribute coupons, to get people to purchase their products? We only use coupons that are donated to our cause (maybe 25 inserts each week if we are lucky) and never purchase coupons to get more of a particular deal.

 

[DisneyNutMary]

We have a group who uses coupons to stock our church's food pantry and our grocery store is very happy to help us buy large quantities for very little money! We place orders the first day of the sale (as not to clear shelves for the other shoppers) and they call us when our orders are ready for pick-up. They get the increase in sales and 8 cents for each coupon in handling fees & the food pantry gets some amazing deals, so it is a great deal for everyone! The store isn't losing any money on us buying large quantities, and is in fact MAKING money off of us after the handling fee. If anyone is losing money it is the manufacturer, but isn't that why they distribute coupons, to get people to purchase their products? We only use coupons that are donated to our cause (maybe 25 inserts each week if we are lucky) and never purchase coupons to get more of a particular deal.

Supermarket companies actually aren't benefitting as much as you think from that handling fee. They pay people to sort the coupons and prepare them to be sent to the manufacturers. Eight cents might seem like a lot per coupon, but it is not really all that much when salary and overhead (benefits, pension, etc) are counted in for the people who are actually doing the handling of the coupons.
You have a great deal going with the supermarket you work with, it benefits your food pantry, and the sales totals for the store. But make sure you always have proof of your organizations non-profit and fundraising status available for them, with copies they can keep. The store I work in (which is part of a very large, very high sales chain) has been charged back for thousands of dollars from manufacturers (mostly Proctor & Gamble) for what they call "gang cut couponing" which is the pattern of the purchase and redemption of a high volume of coupon items in a single order. They want to make money on the sale of their products, not lose money on couponing.

 

[Belle0101]

Ok, how funny is this. I posted just about the same thing on a particular coupon / savings board. I was wondering if they had noticed the wording and how it would affect future shopping habits. My post was deleted!

They have members that openly post about their stockpile sales. (Coupons not authorized if purchasing products for resale.)

They post how you can buy coupons from clipping services and get them from via auctions. (Void if transferred, sold, auctioned, reproduced or altered from original.)

I was told that doing so is not illegal, and as a matter of fact, they've consulted lawyers to make sure.

I'm not the coupon police, no thanks, I don't want that job. But for a site that claims how honest they are I found it really funny that when I mentioned the (new to) me wording, my thread was deleted.

 

[DisneyNutMary]

Ok, how funny is this. I posted just about the same thing on a particular coupon / savings board. I was wondering if they had noticed the wording and how it would affect future shopping habits. My post was deleted!

They have members that openly post about their stockpile sales. (Coupons not authorized if purchasing products for resale.)

They post how you can buy coupons from clipping services and get them from via auctions. (Void if transferred, sold, auctioned, reproduced or altered from original.)

I was told that doing so is not illegal, and as a matter of fact, they've consulted lawyers to make sure.

I'm not the coupon police, no thanks, I don't want that job. But for a site that claims how honest they are I found it really funny that when I mentioned the (new to) me wording, my thread was deleted.

LOL.
Officer, I swear I didn't know it was illegal. My message board has nothing posted about there being limits J/K

I agree, it is funny that you were deleted. I'd hate to see the honest coupon users lose out because of the dishonest ones out there. Manufacturers are smarter than they think, and retailers are rapidly catching on too.

 

[daughtersrus]

I can see how stores that double or triple coupons can loose money but for us in the midwest where none of the stores this, I don't see how someone using 10 of the same coupons is costing the store to loose money. Unless the item is a major loss leader in their ad, the markup is probably more than the cost of an employee to process the coupons.

I was happy yesterday when I used 4 coupons yesterday at CVS. They have Reeses on sale B2G1 free. I had coupons for B1G1 free. I was able to buy 12 get 4 free with the sale and 4 free with the coupons so I only paid for 4. I'm not a hoarder. I give DH a candy bar in his lunch every day so these will last a few weeks when added to the others in the snack bin.

 

[Belle0101]

I think what we might be seeing is the manufacturers and retailers becoming more aware.

Example -

Two weeks ago I emailed Kroger, one of the stores shopped at on the "Extreme Coupon" show, for their coupon policy. Question being, indirectly, can I shop like those folks did and buy large quantities of items.

The response came this morning and, in short, the answer is no. Here are snips from that email -

*There is a limit two (2) identical coupons per item, per shopping trip.

*One shopping trip = 24 hours

*The store manager has the right to accept, decline or limit the quantity of coupons or items used or purchased in a single transaction, by a single customer, or in a single day.

Now on the other board they say that to use more than 4 like coupons, referencing the limits on P&G coupons, is to make multiple transactions. Kroger only lets you use 2 like coupons in a shopping trip and a trip is every 24 hours. So can you get in line multiple times?

Yesterday we received a coupon for free oatmeal at McDonald's. DS wanted a cinnamon melt and it was attached to that. The coupon is good for a future visit and it clearly defines a future visit as 2+ hours from initial visit. So even at McD's, at least with that coupon, you can't just get back in line.