newbie questions...

[cupcakescoupons]

First off I really hope I am posting this in the right place. I searched around and this seemed like a good spot to ask some questions.

I've been on this site for a few weeks, and just started to use coupons. My questions are:

Are coupons supposed to scan? I mean, they have a bar code, but the cashiers always try to scan them, but then have to enter them in manually. I'm referring to websave, save.ca, printables...anything and everything with a barcode. I would assume it wouldn't scan unless it was a coupon made specifically for that store.

Also, where does everyone find FPC's??? I see so many people with FPC's on their trade lists, but I don't understand where they get them from. Why would a manufactuer even make a FPC, because then they wouldn't even profit from them (unless it's a new product they want you to try, or if you are a dissatisfied customer needing to be reimbursed).

Thanks in advance!

[xssavings]

[QUOTE=cupcakescoupons;3898923]First off I really hope I am posting this in the right place. I searched around and this seemed like a good spot to ask some questions.

I've been on this site for a few weeks, and just started to use coupons. My questions are:

Are coupons supposed to scan? I mean, they have a bar code, but the cashiers always try to scan them, but then have to enter them in manually. I'm referring to websave, save.ca, printables...anything and everything with a barcode. I would assume it wouldn't scan unless it was a coupon made specifically for that store.

Also, where does everyone find FPC's??? I see so many people with FPC's on their trade lists, but I don't understand where they get them from. Why would a manufactuer even make a FPC, because then they wouldn't even profit from them (unless it's a new product they want you to try, or if you are a dissatisfied customer needing to be reimbursed).

Thanks in advance![/QUOTE
To the best of my knowledge coups can't be scanned. They do need a bar code though. FPC usually have come on other products eg. my cereal box had coup inside for free cereal bars, others had free bananas ( the coup will make you buy their product) a lot of people won't hand in the coup cuz they forget etc. Sometimes companies give out FPC as advertising. Hope that helps.

To the best of my kn

[hollyquaiscer]

If you call certain manufacturers, they will mail you out either FPC's or discount coupons for their products. Juice jugs this summer had a FPC for Ice tea inside, FPC's can be on ceral boxes, hot chocolate and tons of other items.

As for the scanning, the only store that scans coupons currently is RCSS and it is only their CS coupons that will scan, none of the others will. Not enough people in Canada use coupons currently for stores to invest in the software to enable them to scan all coupons. We just don't have the population here.

Hope this answers most of your questions.

[cupcakescoupons]

okay! Thanks a lot for the answers! Very helpful.

[Lynx123]

You can also get FPC's from promotions. Sunlight is currently running a promotion where you buy a bottle of specially marked detergent with a PIN number on it and then enter the PIN online. You can win a number of prizes including a FPC for another bottle of detergent. So far I've won 16 bottles.

[marstec]

There are some coupons that just have a coupon code, no scanning code...ie the Dove ones. I think in Canada, the scan code is for the coupon clearing centers when they are processing the payments to stores. My theory anyway...