Went to LD...

[rewogd]

Could not use my printable huggie coupon. Was told that they would only allow stacking on the first item and gave me a hand out to read which didn't say that at all. Was only allowed one coupon on windex... Does any one know if SOF is getting to be this strict? I mean really, I have a whack load of coupons that I wanted to put on my list to update it but is it even worth it anymore?

[DolceBella]

I was told back in December that you couldn't stack SC Johnson products any longer and in January was told you can't stack Huggies.

[idonovan]

its not LD's fault eather its the manufactuars

[rewogd]

They were going to let me stack huggies but they wouldn't take my $3.00 coupon so it wasn't really worth it to me.

I'm not saying it's LD's fault I just want to know if SOF is starting to be hard to stack because my time and energy are important to me and if this which is fun becomes a chore I need to stop.

[alwaysdaddysgirl]

I don't think it is worth the effort to try stack coupons anymore it is way to restrictive. I just watch for good sales and use my coupons then. I rarely shop at LD anymore. I now shop at places where the items are on sale, stock up, use my coupons, and get some kind of reward points.

[couponcrazy86]

same here some SOF depends on your store are pretty good with stacking you just really have to ask at customer service at your local store and then if you get a good answer always come back when that ones working lol

[Blk_rose]

I never have probs at LD for anything I stack..but I have yet to have any luck at SOF lol

[Mrsjen]

I'm the same as alwaysdaddysgirl. I have a baby and a business and a hubby out of town, trying to figure out the stacking and all the restrictions etc that go with everything now is not worth my time. I read my flyers and get my coupons and do what I can and it works for us.
Unfortunately LD has lost a lots of my business though and yes it's unfortunate because it's not even LD's fault.

[rewogd]

The thing is is that maybe I just can't see the big picture. The manufacturers are changing things because they are losing money... That's what I get told every time a change happens. I'm a walmart shopper and I also have a bad habit of looking into peoples shopping cart and seeing if I have a coupon for what's in their cart. I see many people going through out the check out with stuff like Quantum, Tide, sunlight.... and not to many of them are pulling out coupons. With all the people that don't use coupons and pay full price how is it possible that the amount of people that use coupons these days have that much of an impact that they are losing money?

I just can't see that. Maybe I've just got a bad way of thinking but I just can't see it.

[RedEng]

I don't think it is worth the effort to try stack coupons anymore it is way to restrictive. I just watch for good sales and use my coupons then. I rarely shop at LD anymore. I now shop at places where the items are on sale, stock up, use my coupons, and get some kind of reward points.

Ditto. I still look for stackable coupons, but they are few. I don't blame anyone (well maybe extreme couponing a little). The stores and manufacturers are just trying to run a business, just because they are large companies doesn't make them immune to financial hardship.

We are Smart Canucks and we can still shop wisely and get good deals with or without coupons.

[Tweetybird999]

I haven't been to LD once this year and don't plan to go. If they won't let me use a coupon on a sale item, why would I ever shop there? It's not as if their products are good prices. I also don't stack at SOF as I've had success doing that only to find that the stacked price was the regular price at RCSS. Much better to find a sale and use 1 coupon.

[krempy]

In my opinion the manufacturers have clamped down on LD because they can't justify the quantity of coupons (submitted for reimbursement) because they just can't sell a high enough amount of products chain-wide. LD obviously can't argue because they are smaller and thus the coupon stacking limits are being put into place at the store level to protect themselves. I also haven't shopped at LD since 2011.

SOF on the other hand is a much larger chain with more stores/and more sales so when they submit their coupons they get reimbursed they can prove they are selling those products (abiding by the one coupon per purchase rule). Their volume allows them to 'sneak' past the rules and accepting coupon stacking gives them a competitive edge over their competitors (which are local grocers with prices such as theirs like sobey's and Safeway, and NOT big retailers such as WM and RCSS/Loblaws and Costco).

I think this is the how US retailers allow stacking too--they can justify the amount of coupons accepted--whether they get them all from one customer or 100 customers doesn't matter--they can prove they sold the product. Btw, most US coupons say "one per purchase" in the fine print too.

Looking at coupon stacking from the retailers' perspective might help people understand.

IMHO, I think as more retailers come to Canada (eg: Target) it puts more competition in the marketplace for the retailers--they need more incentives to entice the consumer to shop at their stores. This can only lead to better changes for us--they need to fight harder for our dollar and we reap the benefits. It's been easy for Canadian retailers I think--they have gotten away with highway robbery when it comes to a lot of merchandise sold up here--their profit margins are huge, and it doesn't cost "that much" more to get items here from china or the US...but they've been using that excuse too long. I mean don't you think it's odd that the exact product in the states costs way less??? It's because down there the competition for the sale drives the price down. I guess that is what we can hope for here in Canada.

I personally LOVE SOF, and I appreciate their willingness to listen to the marketplace and realize that stacking is something that brings more customers in the door and thus more sales. It's a great proactive business move! I support them for not only that reason but also their empowerment of store managers to have the discernment to accept coupon stacking. I like their stores and the sales and love the 15% off days, as well as their multiple canadian products including Alberta beef. It only makes sense to me now to take my coupons to them and stack and get the products at ridiculously low prices, which in the end makes me a happy customer as well as increases their bottom line!

I would suggest if you've had problems stacking at your local SOF that you call and speak to the store manager--they are very responsive to customers needs. Or send them a nice email via their website and encourage them to take a look at coupon stacking as an edge over their competition (eg: vs collecting air miles at safeway) and that if stacking was to be permitted and encouraged then they will win you as a customer, and you would probably encourage others to shop there as well using coupons. Remember, coupons actually are a profitable thing for the retailer--they get the money back--so it is a win-win for them as well. It makes a lot more sense than price-matching (which is another common tactic used to win customers...but like coupons not many people take the time or even learn how to do it) because it doesn't cut into their profit margins. Plus, think about if they eagerly accept coupon stacking--how many customers would actually take the time to learn or even know about it? We know from SC that most of the population couldn't be bothered...so chances are because they are a larger chain, they will continue to prove the sales necessary to justify the coupons accepted. Sometimes just reminding store managers of this and letting them know that they need to "fight" for the consumers' dollar is enough to make them change their store policy and start accepting coupon stacking.

Sorry for the long post...I hope this was helpful...and now my iPhone battery is almost dead


posted with my iPhone & Tapatalk

[rewogd]

You wrote all this on your iphone... wow.

You made a lot of good points. I go to SOF more often then I used to but I still find that for a lot of things WM is cheaper. I just don't have enough coupons for the products that I use to make it worth it. I do however like stacking there. I've never had a bad experience unless I'm at fault like not reading "can not be combined with another coupon"

[DianneS]

I find this thread very interesting. I have zero problems stacking at London Drugs as long as I watching the coupon wording. On the other hand, I find Save-on-Foods impossibly difficult for stacking. No matter what their coupon policy says, the managers at the stores in my area refuse to stack any coupon that says "one coupon per purchase". That of course, includes 99% of all coupons issued. They are so unfriendly about it that I dread even trying...and I am a pretty confident person. I shopped at SOF every week for 20 years but I refuse to go back there. There is a Save-on about 20 minutes away that apparently is more stacking-friendly but 40 minutes of driving and the cost of gas outweigh the savings for me. I am fortunate that my PriceSmart stacks and I value and appreciate it every time I go in there. Like most Western couponers, I wish stores would abide by their stacking policies. When they don't, it creates a lot of ill-will.