coupon problems

I love this site!!! I check out the brags and think these people are amazing. I have so many friends hooked on this site and the other coupons sites.
The problem is our stores are starting to put a lot of restrictions on the coupons because people are using so many coupons at once. Maybe we could start limiting how many of the "same" coupons we use so that all of us can use our coupons. Buying 10 shampoos with our coupons is great but can't you use tsome of those shampoo coupons the next day or even at another store. Our fear is that eventually the stores are going to say no more coupons because it has been abused. Now don't get me wrong I use 2-3 of the same coupon but that is my limited otherwise the cashiers give you a hard time, cause a scene and make it worse for everyone. I am just saying it use to be so easy to use coupons and lately it is getting harder and harder to use. We just don't want to see signs on the doors of stores "Sorry No Coupons".

Thank you for pointing this out! We are having a similar problem in B.C. with people spending $400 - $1000 dollar shopping trips all with coupons and it's not cool. No one needs that much stuff :( unless they live in Syberia and are never going to see civilization again LOL!

I don't see that happening. The coupons are issued by the manufacters and I don't see the stores wanting to refuse the coupons because to do so would have an impact on sales and thus hurt their sales and the sales of the manufacters. If you look at the US (and many of the companies are US) they have way more coupons and alot more people use the coupons.

I find lost of times it is the front end staff that are the problem and not the managers and store policy makers. The front end staff have issues taking the coupons and are making up their own rules to avoid taking the coupons because it means more work for them.

There have been some bumps with the printed coupons and I can understand that some policies have been put in place because of that.

I have to wonder if this all is not growing pains for the industry here in Canada.

I have never used a ton of coupons at one time because not able to carry a ton of stuff at one time.I think it's okay for one person to buy tons of stuff use tons of coupons.It's not the customers fault the store didn't train the cashier.

I think that some people definitely go overboard with coupon usage.

I think it's great to "hear what's going on on the inside" so to speak. I think the OP is giving us this information to help us all out. It's hard to tell because of this site, but not that many people actually use coupons, so if a store were to put a limit on the number they accept per person per day, even if they lost a bit of buisness I don't think they would care that much since I'm guessing most of their customers don't use coupons to begin with. What's worse choosing to use less coupons per shopping trip or being forced to use less coupons by a store? I understand a sale only lasts for so long and coupons expire, but sometimes it can get excessive (with the amount used in one transaction ie 400-1000$ worth). I understand both points of view to a certain degree.

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Originally Posted by Poirot

It's not the customers fault the store didn't train the cashier.

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I don't think it's about that at all.

The issue with this line of thinking is that somehow someone using a coupon is taking advatage or cheating. When coupons are used properly and are legitimate they are no different than cash. The store is reimbursed completely.
Can you please explain to me how using 10 legitimate coupons is abuse?
What is abusive about it? You may deem it unnecessary, or excessive.. and you may very well be right, but the word abuse would denote that some tyoe of scam is going on and it's not.

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Originally Posted by meta42

The issue with this line of thinking is that somehow someone using a coupon is taking advatage or cheating. When coupons are used properly and are legitimate they are no different than cash. The store is reimbursed completely.
Can you please explain to me how using 10 legitimate coupons is abuse?
What is abusive about it? You may deem it unnecessary, or excessive.. and you may very well be right, but the word abuse would denote that some tyoe of scam is going on and it's not.

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I think what the OP is trying to say is to use less coupons per visit. If someone has 10 coupons--use 3 or 4 not all 10 at the same time.
At some WM stores they are only allowing 1 printed coupon at a time or something like that. I haven't used printed coupons yet in fear of being rejected.

I think it's just because of to much work at the cash! the coupons are $$ so the store gets 100% back.
I myself never have many coupons in one shot, wish I had ;)

I'm one of those customers who will someties use 10 coupons all at once for sale items not always for the same item but i'm very organized with my coupons and i feel i have every right to use 10 coupons if i choose to do so, for some people like myself who don't have every grocery store in town we do have to drive to a differn't city i will use as many coupons as i can for those sale items but only when it's a really good sale lol

Quote:

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Originally Posted by meta42

The issue with this line of thinking is that somehow someone using a coupon is taking advatage or cheating. When coupons are used properly and are legitimate they are no different than cash. The store is reimbursed completely.
Can you please explain to me how using 10 legitimate coupons is abuse?
What is abusive about it? You may deem it unnecessary, or excessive.. and you may very well be right, but the word abuse would denote that some tyoe of scam is going on and it's not.

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Agreed 100%

Since the store is reimbursed for any coupon used correctly, I don't see the difference between buying 10 items on sale with coupons or 10 items on sale without coupons.

Maybe the issue is more the quantity of items people are buying that are on sale?
By now a lot of stores have limits on the quantity someone can buy on loss leader items anyway.

I think what the OP is also pointing out is some stores are being cleaned out of their sale items resulting in limits. Is it right that one person swoops down and buys 10 items and clears out the shelves (I've seen it done at my Zellers). The "coupon hounds" usually are very specific in what they target. Other shoppers wind up unable to purchase anything even at the sale price.

I mean, coupons are issued to promote products. I really don't think any company wants you to stash 12 bottle/packs of whatever in the basement and then "resell" them at yard sales. A while back, a rep from a shelter even posted and said they'd rather have the coupons so they could buy what they need, when they need it. Gift bags are great but the shelter I volunteer at only has room for a certain number of products.

I guess I can see both sides! True, I'd hate to clear the shelves of a certain item, but I'm also one that will use a couple hundred dollars in coupons at once at LD. This is because it's a 30+ minute drive for me and I have to do careful planning once or twice a month to get to go while someone is watching my baby and toddler. I don't have the luxury of going back day after day, unfortunately!! Thankfully I've never had a bad coupon experience (yet!!), and most of the cashiers (and folks in line behind me!) are thrilled with my savings!!