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Extreme Coupons: TV Show Draws Extreme Backlash
Farnoosh Torabi
Monday, June 27, 2011
Last month I described five reasons to steer clear of extreme couponing, and
now I think I have a sixth: It brings out the worst in both consumers and
retailers.
Industry watchers say TLC's popular reality show, Extreme Couponing -- which
depicts coupon-obsessed men and women spending 30 to 40 hours a week
cutting coupons to net pounds and pounds of groceries for pennies on the
dollar (exhausted yet?) -- may be causing more harm than good in the real
world.
On the retail front, some big retailers -- wary of couponing copycats -- are
pushing back on former coupon allowances for ordinary shoppers:
? At Rite Aid, shoppers can no longer combine buy-one-get-one-free coupons
or promotions -- a strategy that, in the past, allowed customers to get two
free items. The chain is also limiting the number of coupons a shopper can
use per item to four, as long as there is enough stock. Before, the store
accepted "multiple identical coupons for multiple qualifying items."
? Target now forbids "stacking," the act of combining manufacturer and store
buy-one-get-one-free coupons, in order to receive both items for free.
Meanwhile, viewers are trying to take on the TV show's tricks to no avail --
and becoming depressed by their inability to replicate the savings achieved
by the pros on the show. "Is Extreme Couponing Hurting Self Esteem?" asks
Leah Ingram on her blog Suddenly Frugal. Phil Lempert, food industry expert
and editor of Supermarketguru.com, told her that "shoppers no longer feel
good about saving $10, or 10-to-20 percent. They're becoming depressed that
they are not able to buy $1,000 or more groceries for 25 cents."
And, believe it or not, some of the coupon-obsessed across the country have
reportedly turned to newspaper theft to take advantage of as many coupon
circulars as possible. Some subscribers complain that their papers are
missing coupon inserts, while some regional newspaper companies report
papers have been stolen from coin-operated racks. Now, that's extreme.
Coupon Dos & Don'ts
Still, as wary as I am of coupon mania, I'm willing to concede that there
are some smart ways to use coupons -- as long as you're buying something you
actually want or need. Many stores still have lenient policies. Here's some
advice for tactfully getting the most out of coupons and some coupon
etiquette Do's and Dont's.
Do Know Your Limits. Save time, energy and embarrassment at the register by
playing with the rules established by retailers and manufacturers. Visit
their Web sites to learn if there have been any updates or changes to their
coupon policies.
Do Ask Friends and Neighbors to Leave Aside Papers. Some people actually
subscribe to newspapers for the articles, not the coupons. It's perfectly
acceptable to ask these friends and family members -- politely -- to set
aside the coupons for you to pick up at a later time.
Don't Barter for New Papers. According to a report in North County Times,
local publishers say customers are asking to return papers for new ones with
fresh coupon circulars. I'm all for trading up, but, really?
Do Start a Small Coupon Swap. Rather than stealing your neighbor's Sunday
paper to benefit from the extra coupon circular, create a support system
through a small, local coupon exchange. Members can meet once a week in
person for 30 minutes to exchange coupons for things they actually would buy
anyway. (One person's buy-one-get-one-free instant oatmeal is another
person's 50-cents-off cold cereal.) Online exchanges also exist at
savingsadvice.com and thriftyfun.com.
Don't Copy Coupons. Many stores mention in their coupon policies that "
coupons are void if copied, scanned, transferred, purchased, sold ?" etc.
Again, stick with the official policy. You'll still manage to save a good
chunk of change -- and by skipping a long debate at the checkout, you'll
also avoid unnecessary delays both for you and the shoppers waiting behind
you.
Do Ask Manufacturers to Send Coupons Directly. If you can't find
manufacturers' coupons readily on their Web sites, email or call them to
request coupons be sent directly to your inbox. That's what many successful
couponers claim to do. It sometimes earns them freebies, as well. |
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