Ping!
Coupons for beer fail.
I print grocery coupons at least once a week using PPGazette (Smartsource, Coupons.com). They use tiny fonts as a border and beneath the expiration date to prevent them from being photocopied, and the website itself uses a special printing program to keep you from making multiple copies.
I haven’t had any trouble redeeming them at Meijer or Kroger, at least not yet.
Something doesn’t smell right with this. Most manufacturers send out the coupon program to retailers in advance. Included are the code ranges, begin and end dates, description of the offer, and example coupons, at minimum. The retailer needs to input this into their POS system, so the scan picks it up and the system verifys and computes it.
Many retailers are never reimbursed for their coupons returns, as the manufacturers claim fraud or invalid dates or whatever. From my experience, it’s the retailers that do the most defrauding, causing the manufacturers to eliminate or more tightly control their coupons and offers.
I guess this story may be just a way for manufacturers to lay some blame on crime, so they can reduce or eliminate coupons, and they are prepping us. Then the consumer will just say...”yeah, too much fraud, I read about that”, and move on.
Woodman’s is such an exceptional supermarket, that I am happy to continue shopping there with or without Internet coupons. It is huge, prices are low, no tracking cards, clean and excellent selection (except in meats).