sad news re: finish quantam

[Super Mel]

I miss the good old days... Ordering Pampers coupons in French and English on save.ca and then stacking them with brandsaver and inserts....

I haven't been to LD in months because of all the changes... I was planning a trip before Christmas to get some Scrubbing Bubbles and Finish and now there is no point! What can you even stack anymore?

I think LD is missing out thou, as I would almost ALWAYS buy things without coupons at LD for the convenience of a one stop shop, even if it was more expensive there. I bet their sales have dropped HUGE with many stackers not going there anymore. At least back in the day they would get reimbursed $ from the manufacturers for our stacks.

[littlebean]

[QUOTE=peachblush;4200729]

Wait a sec. London Drugs wouldn't have allowed stacking in the first place if the companies like p&g and quantum finish etc didn't allow it right? QUOTE]

actually, stacking was never "allowed" by any companies. it was something LD came up with as a perk to customers. kind of sneaking around the coupon wording to please the customer & increase sales at the same time. once this EC thing got out of hand & customers started flooding LD & even making media reports about it, it got back to the companies therefore bringing on the new wording on coupons to avoid stacking. no company wants people getting their products for free. no company wants customers clearing shelves & ordering excessive amounts only to get it all basically free. where's the profit for them? in my opinion this priviledge has been abused to the max. & i really don't see stacking being a part of out shopping future at all. in this case, more press is definately bad press. sure sucks.

ok, but I'm sure all companies have caught on by now, right? how long has stacking been going on at LD anyway? i only started 2 months ago. Why hasn't it completely been put to a stop if companies do know about it??

[BVOGT30]

it takes time for the companies to evaluate their coupon use and the affects on their profit margins. the higher used items will be found first. P&G then Quantum and vitamin/drugs..next? dove and loreal, IMO

[Tiffany12345]

I am sorry but I have to politely disagree, the company makes their profits either was, as they reimbursed for the coupons. As well, companies DO expect customers to stack because I have a number of older P & G coupons that CLEARLY states no more the 4 like coupons per item. So there intentions was for customers to stack.

[QUOTE=peachblush;4200729]

Wait a sec. London Drugs wouldn't have allowed stacking in the first place if the companies like p&g and quantum finish etc didn't allow it right? QUOTE]

actually, stacking was never "allowed" by any companies. it was something LD came up with as a perk to customers. kind of sneaking around the coupon wording to please the customer & increase sales at the same time. once this EC thing got out of hand & customers started flooding LD & even making media reports about it, it got back to the companies therefore bringing on the new wording on coupons to avoid stacking. no company wants people getting their products for free. no company wants customers clearing shelves & ordering excessive amounts only to get it all basically free. where's the profit for them? in my opinion this priviledge has been abused to the max. & i really don't see stacking being a part of out shopping future at all. in this case, more press is definately bad press. sure sucks.

[littlebean]

it takes time for the companies to evaluate their coupon use and the affects on their profit margins. the higher used items will be found first. P&G then Quantum and vitamin/drugs..next? dove and loreal, IMO

ya dove and scrubbing bubbles for sure....

[peachblush]

[QUOTE=Tiffany12345;4202174]I am sorry but I have to politely disagree, the company makes their profits either was, as they reimbursed for the coupons. As well, companies DO expect customers to stack because I have a number of older P & G coupons that CLEARLY states no more the 4 like coupons per item. So there intentions was for customers to stack.


yes, LD makes their money back but p&g & other companies do not. and i'd have to say no way do compaines expect customers to stack. infact the "4 like" coupons do not say limit 4 coupons per item, they say limit 4 coupons per shopping trip (or something very similar). companies do not want us stacking that is why they are now more strict in their wording, so LD cannot get around it any further. also LD has been told by p&g that if they continue to accept the coupons with the strict wording they will not be reimbursed.

as far as how long stacking has been going on, i'm not actually sure 3-4 years maybe. i had a chat with Christa at cs one day about it & i can't remember exactly. i personally have been stacking there for a little over 2 years. i miss the good ol' days too. not really worth the trip there anymore for me but it would be great to have the option & unfortunately it really looks like stacking days will soon be a fond memory.

[littlebean]

Having never stacked in the good ol days of stacking, I think what we CAN stack is amazing! Even though theres a limit when pricematching. And even though we may stand in a line-up. I never stacked p&g ever, so the restrictive wording is normal to me. Only now, with the change in the wording from the latest p&g coupon mailouts (less size restriction wording) I am using several coupons, as opposed to none, or very few.
I am fortunate I live fairly closeby. It's still worth it to me. At least we can save a little bit more than we could anywhere else.

[JacobandJenelle]

So it's just LD we can't stack those at anymore right? They'll still do it at SOF?

[pamjcoupon]

So it's just LD we can't stack those at anymore right? They'll still do it at SOF?

Wpg doesn't have a SOF, so...

[shirl57]

[QUOTE=peachblush;4200729]

Wait a sec. London Drugs wouldn't have allowed stacking in the first place if the companies like p&g and quantum finish etc didn't allow it right? QUOTE]

actually, stacking was never "allowed" by any companies. it was something LD came up with as a perk to customers. kind of sneaking around the coupon wording to please the customer & increase sales at the same time. once this EC thing got out of hand & customers started flooding LD & even making media reports about it, it got back to the companies therefore bringing on the new wording on coupons to avoid stacking. no company wants people getting their products for free. no company wants customers clearing shelves & ordering excessive amounts only to get it all basically free. where's the profit for them? in my opinion this priviledge has been abused to the max. & i really don't see stacking being a part of out shopping future at all. in this case, more press is definately bad press. sure sucks.

also seventhwave's comments ...
I can tell you from what I heard... the companies are not stupid, they troll our forums because it is so active. Someone preordering 100+ and stacking for free is KILLING us. STOP BRAGGING EXCESSIVELY and this stuff won't happen!

and some of littlebean's comments.

I have always been a couponer for a good 35 years, always respected their wordings, never tried to skirt around them. Was always grateful for any cents/dollars I have gotten off a product with them. I still coupon. With Extreme Coupon show, I have learned some valuable legit methods to use with my coupons ie price matching with coupons for even a better discount. I had planned on learning to stack at LD this coming summer. Because I believe if one is conservative, it doesn't tick anybody (companies off). Some may agree or disagree with me that we should stack as many cpns as we want. I must disagree for this reason.

When a good thing is presented before us, it is better to be safe than sorry. Safe in using cpns, stacking, but not going to extremes in this manner. Why? Because sooner or later, the greediness (and I know some will disagree with me which I respect your views on this too), but it appears that bit by bit by bit, just like a house crumbling brick by brick, we as couponers are slowly losing a lot of cpn privileges being directed by the manufacturers. I've only been on SC for a few months this year, and I have read common sense comments and some others, well maybe questionable.

I would like to present this to you. If no rules were put on cpns, how many of you and me would be willing to live with say up to no more than 2-3, at most 4 stackable cpns on any one item? I would, heck, even if they allowed 2, because 2 is better than none.

If no rules were put on cpns, how many would rather get any dollars/cents off a product vs getting a trial product for free, let alone say 20 or more at a time? I would rather get a couple non trial products at a better price with a cpn than none at all when I get to the store and the shelves are empty and I'm standing there holding a cpn that is worthless because there is no more product left.

Another issue example that was abused was when aspirin put out their cpn for $6.00. Getting an overage is fine, provided it's used respectively. How many bottles of aspirin does one need. Yes some might have been given to donations, but as sure as I'm sitting here, I am sure that the landfills will see many many bottles of aspirin this and the next couple of years. Aspirin will last for a long time but like any med, it changes its chemical consistency over a long period of time. Someone with 20-30 bottles of aspirin, yes you may have gotten a good overage, but that is not what aspirin's goal was when it put out that coupon. Again, it was abused and I don't think you'll be seeing such a cpn in the near future with any other cpn for a very long time.

I could be wrong, but I too believe that manufacturers have more than caught on to the ways of some people. I believe manufacturers would like all citizens to be able to have a fair chance with their products.

In my neck of the woods, if you're not at WM by 7:30-7:45 am, then it's no use going by 9 or 10 am as the cpn and/or great priced products are gone .... empty shelves. I've heard many comments from friends and strangers alike at the store commenting in this way.

This creates headaches for the stores who make for bad customers. Angry customers then say, "screw the store and the product", I'll go somewhere else and/or buy some other product" and off they go. So in this way, yes, maybe a few people got the "jackpot" but the rest are left high and dry.

Now as for the Extreme Coupon shows. There is a saying, things are not always what they appear to be. And it is so with these shows. I've done a lot of internet research on these particular shows this and last year. I've learned that many US couponers are really mad at the show for the very reason we are grumbling about now, that what was a normal state of affairs with coupons and couponers, is now resulting in cut back after cut back after cutback of deals relative to coupons. For example, J'aime ?? of one show (unless I'm wrong) has been charged for fraud with the clip on her fraudulent ways of couponing (last year). I've also read that some stores are doing damage control with their regular customers because many of those store only allow what we see on any given program, strictly for that program, and not even their regular customers can get double the value for a coupon or buy x number of products at a time. Remember what the word extreme means and remember that something out of the ordinary sells. TLC won't get many ratings if we were to watch the same humdrum way normal couponers shop, a few coupons at a time with a minimal discount off their products.

Years ago, a coupon (I still have many of those that don't have dates on them, that's how old they are), either had very little or maybe a line or two of clarification. And how I need a small magnifying glass to read all of their restrictions.

So please, you don't have to agree with anything I've writen on here, but please, sit back, take a breath, and try to rationalize that if we continue at the clip we're going now, SC and coupons and couponers will be a thing of the past sooner rather than later. I see a gradual downhill fall and then everybody will be affected.

And with seventh wave's comments, I totally agree with her. It is nice to tell someone when we have received something and we are happy and we want to spread the news. And I too have learned good ideas from the Brag column, but with those folks who have possibly gone well overboard, it also sadly acts against us, because as others have mentioned in their posts, I too believe that manufacturers watch our posts.

I am writing from our local column but I believe these concerns are widespread across all of Canada.

Koodoos to those who use their cpn skills wisely and conservatively. I am hoping the manufacturers will give us all a second chance. If we get that second chance, please folks, let's not mess it up for the rest of Canada.

I realize this has been a very long post, but for those younger couponers, I would like to see you on SC another 20 years from now and still couponing and coming home with great sales. The only way we will achieve that goal is to be conservative in our coupon skills today.

Thank you for your patience and good luck to all.

[Deb1197]

Hi there,
I am new to coupons before know I went the other way seen a deal bought a few of them ,Avon had specials on sunscreen and u receive free products I bought every year and had so much that the past 4 years never had to buy anymore,and exp dates still good,as the same with bubble baths,I know use coupons and hand what I do not need to others in the store etc,I myself find it frustrating when I show up at 9 on some days and everything is gone,;{I am learning about stacking ,long way to go ,lol anyways realize I can stack some to use for DW tabs and was going to get 5 boxes for I need to buy for me, in-laws and friend ,then found out this was stopped before I could get any :{and had someone tell me they had 60 boxes and no DW,seen the pictures,the same know goes for the scrubbing bubbles found out that is stopped and was going to get 1for my in -laws,I also notice with coupons being less then before,
I use to buy mag as a fundraiser for my son 3-5 mag a month x by 4 years they piled up and looking at them I cannot believe at how many coupons were in there especially it being Christmas there would be 8+and free products ,which I never used and wish I did and the same mag know a days I only see a few not even .I am also hoping for the best,and still learning what I can and cannot use together that stacking will not be a thing of the past,I shop for me ,mom ,my -inlaws ,I mat grab 5 things of shop but only have 2 for myself,
I also found it interesting reading about the EC u had written I never knew any of this:}Thanks sorry all for my long post Deb

[littlebean]

[QUOTE=shirl57;4221925][QUOTE=peachblush;4200729]

I could be wrong, but I too believe that manufacturers have more than caught on to the ways of some people. I believe manufacturers would like all citizens to be able to have a fair chance with their products.

In my neck of the woods, if you're not at WM by 7:30-7:45 am, then it's no use going by 9 or 10 am as the cpn and/or great priced products are gone .... empty shelves. I've heard many comments from friends and strangers alike at the store commenting in this way.

This creates headaches for the stores who make for bad customers. Angry customers then say, "screw the store and the product", I'll go somewhere else and/or buy some other product" and off they go. So in this way, yes, maybe a few people got the "jackpot" but the rest are left high and dry.

------In response to the above-------
But when an item goes on sale for example, the scrubbing bubbles at walmart for $5.97 - there probably wasn't a limit, so yes i totally agree on putting a limit on these items - but how will walmart, or any other store, know which items to put a limit on? Like, you see LOT of SB items, but you don't necessarily see a lot of Lysol or Tilex etc, so ya would they put limits on everything that goes for a good sale price? Or just limits on items that we see a lot of coupons for...
I think if they start putting limits on a lot of items - to help "control" the shelf clearing, people are going get pi$$ed off and start bringing in their family members/friends/whoever - to stand in line for them so that instead of getting the limit of 4, they will still walk away with 16 if they have 3 other people with them, OR they will get 4, go to their car, come back and get 4 more, repeat...
So actually although it is a good idea to put limits, this won't stop the shelf clearing in my opinion!
I do fully agree with lets stop bragging so much on here - lets brag to our family members and friends, but lets not post EVERYTHING we score on here - it is quite excessive...i mean a seperate section for brags? thats a little too much I think!

[shirl57]

Hi there,
I am new to coupons before know I went the other way seen a deal bought a few of them ,Avon had specials on sunscreen and u receive free products I bought every year and had so much that the past 4 years never had to buy anymore,and exp dates still good,as the same with bubble baths,I know use coupons and hand what I do not need to others in the store etc,I myself find it frustrating when I show up at 9 on some days and everything is gone,;{I am learning about stacking ,long way to go ,lol anyways realize I can stack some to use for DW tabs and was going to get 5 boxes for I need to buy for me, in-laws and friend ,then found out this was stopped before I could get any :{and had someone tell me they had 60 boxes and no DW,seen the pictures,the same know goes for the scrubbing bubbles found out that is stopped and was going to get 1for my in -laws,I also notice with coupons being less then before,
I use to buy mag as a fundraiser for my son 3-5 mag a month x by 4 years they piled up and looking at them I cannot believe at how many coupons were in there especially it being Christmas there would be 8+and free products ,which I never used and wish I did and the same mag know a days I only see a few not even .I am also hoping for the best,and still learning what I can and cannot use together that stacking will not be a thing of the past,I shop for me ,mom ,my -inlaws ,I mat grab 5 things of shop but only have 2 for myself,
I also found it interesting reading about the EC u had written I never knew any of this:}Thanks sorry all for my long post Deb

I note here that Deb is actually confirming a lot of what I've been trying to express in my post. I am really sorry that this happens to you too. As for DW incidents, again a good example of product coupon abuse. Now, we won't have to worry about that happening, the manufacturer has fixed that problem for us because some people wouldn't fix it themselves. Deb, I am sorry that you too come to the store and the shelf is empty. I'm sure there are many people like us in this same situation.

[Peachykeen2007]

Everyone should be happy that we even were allowed to stack it in the first place

[MangoFruit]

Everyone should be happy that we even were allowed to stack it in the first place

+1