Help!!! In need of assistance please

[tjrioux]

I had just boughten a 16pk of Pop tarts - no coupon but i noticed there was a coupon on the box so i grabbed it quickly and threw it in the cart.

I just looked at the box today and noticed the coupon had expired Feb 28 2011?? Do you think i could call Kelloggs and complain?? The box shouldn't have been on the shelf if the coupon has been expired don't you think??

SOOO CONFUSED

Can i do anything or just suck it up?

[hollyquaiscer]

You shouldn't call and complain. First off, if you could see the coupon you should always check the date, and if it was one of the few boxes with a coupon on the side, it is probably left over stock from an old promo. Calling and complaining just causes manufacturers to wonder why they even bother. We should be greatfull that they even give us the chance to get discounts on their products. I am not trying to sound mean and I certainly hope I don't come off that way, but PLEASE do not call and complain, unless you have a valid complaint, not to get a free coupon.

[DEAL4ME]

I personally would call and find out why the coupons expire before the product does.. thats my story.
I would call either way, and tell them you bought a box and you wanted the coupon as a bonus thats why they put them on there to persuade u into buying the poptarts.. but the coupons expired.. they will most likely feel bad in the situation and say sorry and send u a replacement coupon.
They dont look at people and get mad for them wanting what is rightfully theres... sometimes the coupons are not seen and there located in the box so you cant even check the expiration date unless u buy the product.

[orv]

I think as long as the product it self wasnt expired, they can still be sold. As for the coupons, you could email kelloggs and mention it, they might send you some non expired ones.

[jjandmob]

I had the same problem but the coupons was on the inside of the box so I could not see the expiry. I email them and told them. They sent me back an email the every next day and also put free coupons in the mail.

It never hurts to let them know.

[tjrioux]

You shouldn't call and complain. First off, if you could see the coupon you should always check the date, and if it was one of the few boxes with a coupon on the side, it is probably left over stock from an old promo. Calling and complaining just causes manufacturers to wonder why they even bother. We should be greatfull that they even give us the chance to get discounts on their products. I am not trying to sound mean and I certainly hope I don't come off that way, but PLEASE do not call and complain, unless you have a valid complaint, not to get a free coupon.

you don't sound mean at all. i don't want to take advantage of any manufacturer for FPCs i just didn't know what i should do... Your answer was very helpful. Thanks so much i will just suck it up i know for next time to double check the coupons on the boxes.

[crowsnest]

I would check the expiry date on the product and possibly complain to the store you purchased from if they are near/past expiry. I bought some cereal from superstore when they were advertising the 'free breakfast' campaign in the flyer, I got 2 boxes of special K with banana coupons. When we finished the cereal I cut the coupons and found that not only were they expired, the PRODUCT was already expired when I purchased it as well! Thats pulling one over on the customer imo, putting expired product with similar promotional material on it to get rid of it without having to pink sticker it.

Its not Kellogg's fault, though.

[abbasgirl]

It's fine to call or email. Just keep a friendly tone. The whole point of them putting the coupon on the box was to entice people to buy the product and that is why you bought it. Manufacturers are not that sensitive that they will want to stop offering coupons if someone mentions that they found an expired one. They want to sell more of their products. That's why they offer coupons.

[hollyquaiscer]

Just wanted to post a note, I have a friend that works for a manufacturer. He has told me that within the last 2 months they have been inudated with calls and emails either complaining about the products or requesting coupons. They now have a policy in place that they are not going to send out any more coupons for any reason. He said that they are hoping this coupon craze that seems to be stirred up by the extreme coupons show will die down. They are not sending out anything for the next 6 months. I would imagine that all manufactures are feeling the same about now and the last thing they need is another complaint.

[katie333]

Just wanted to post a note, I have a friend that works for a manufacturer. He has told me that within the last 2 months they have been inudated with calls and emails either complaining about the products or requesting coupons. They now have a policy in place that they are not going to send out any more coupons for any reason. He said that they are hoping this coupon craze that seems to be stirred up by the extreme coupons show will die down. They are not sending out anything for the next 6 months. I would imagine that all manufactures are feeling the same about now and the last thing they need is another complaint.

I'm sure the coupon demand has gone up considerably. It would be interesting to compare the numbers of new SC members since EC vs. new coupons in the same period last year.

I also noticed on one of the sites listed here as a 'recommended' place to email to request coupons that they had a notice on their contact us form that said "We do not send coupons out by request".

OP - if it makes you feel better, early in my couponing excitement I too bought a product that ended up having an expired coupon inside. I took it as a lesson learned not any fault of the manufacturer.

[abbasgirl]

This is a bit different than emailing a company and asking for coupons. It always bothers me when someone announces that a company sent them coupons on their request and then that company gets flooded with totally unexpected requests. I never contact the companies for that reason. But this is a coupon that the manufacturer put on the box in order to entice people to buy it. I probably would have checked the expiry date too. But it's reasonable to assume that a coupon on a product that is still in the store is still going to be good.
It really comes down to how you approach the company. If you speak to them in an angry tone and blame them for what happened, of course it's going to be draining for them to deal with you. But there is absolutely nothing wrong with bringing it to their attention in a friendly tone and asking them if they can send you a replacement.