That reminds me of a time when we used a coupon at a local, family owned pizza joint. We heard the owner giving his cook hell for putting too many toppings on the pizza "for a coupon order."

I think he missed the point of advertising. They got us in the door but we never returned.

Why do we care if a retailer costs itself an extra fee by splitting a sale into two transactions so long as it doesn't cost the customer extra? As for the retailer who wouldn't accept e-coupons, that kind of behavior deserves to be the headline. Let customers reward these decisions with the lack of sales.

My local Bed Bath and Beyond never gives me a hard time about coupons. They'll take coupons for as many items as you have in the transaction, even if they're outdated.

Their stuff is by and large overpriced, but when you can combine a clearance sale and a coupon? It becomes a pretty good deal.

bed bath and beyond is great about coupons, they accept competitor coupons and they will apply it to price matched items, i saved almost 250 on a dyson using one there.

@andrewe: I tried a local Italian place last week with a coupon. There was 4 of us and my wife and I told them upfront we were using the coupon. Our friends didnt use a coupon and there food not only looked better but was almost double what we recived. Food was ok but not better than our usual place so no going back for us.

sometimes clerks just like to piss people off, it's there way of saying "I'm in control now". Not that i've done that at any previous places of employment.

@Reid Antonacchio: And they also accept expired coupons. How much better could you get?

@fantomesq: E-coupons are prone to fraud, though. Target had a problem with this a while back.

@fantomesq: Why do we care? Because higher costs because of stupid coupon policies leads to higher prices which means we need more coupons which leads to higher cost because of stupid coupon policies which lead to higher prices....

CVS and Kroger are both great about coupons. CVS lets you combine their coupons with newspaper coupons, and Kroger lets you load internet coupons onto their shopper's card (which gets around the fraud problem). I'm more likely to shop both places because of it.

I have two local grocery stores where I live--Giant Eagle and Shop 'N Save. The Shop 'N Save is a nicer store, but they also won't take Internet coupons. I often download from www.coupons.com so I shop Giant Eagle.

@KStrike155: Well, they could just knock 20% off their prices and stop with the coupons already. I won't buy anything at BB&B without a coupon -- so when I don't have any coupons in the glove compartment, they lose a sale. Target's just one door down.

Having dealt with the dirty looks and the hassles from checkout people in the past, I usually stand in the checkout line with the youngest-looking (usually teenager) worker; I've found that they don't really give a shit about you using coupons. They get you in and get you out without looking at the coupons to make sure you are following the requirements to the 'T.'

On the flip side, though, these folks are usually the LEAST able to solve a potential problem with a coupon on their own. So, take the good with the bad.

As an aside, OTHER CUSTOMERS seem to act stupid about coupons. That is, I've gotten dirty looks and hassles from people in line behind me, too! I'd like to know what that is all about!

Every cashier at my nearest Wal-Mart are uberdicks about coupons, especially internet coupons. They just look put out about the regular kind. I really enjoy being treated like a thief for doing something that is a) legal b) complies with your company policies! I used to be bothered by this until I realized that I could get better deals if I watched the fliers for stores that aren't staffed with (and managed by) assholes. I stack coupons with sales and get better deals. This has the added benefit of me rarely darkening Wal-Mart's door, well, ever.

I don't think I've ever bought something at BB&B without a coupon. Their prices are atrocious.

@KStrike155:
Plus, if you don't have one of their 20% off coupons, do not worry. They'll send you another one in a few weeks! (Then another one after that, and another after that, etc.)

Rite-Aid is another victim, I tried to use an internet coupon there, and they said they don't take internet coupons because its company policy, unless its printed directly from their own website. Yes they take internet coupons, but only with the rite-aid logo on them. Despite the fact that it was a manufacturers coupon I was trying to use printed directly from the manufacturers website.

I made sure I left my item right on the counter and did not purchase it, an item I would have otherwise bought if I was allowed to use the coupon.

one of the reasons some stores will refuse cupons is because often the parent company treats each store as an independent company.

what this means is that any reductions in profit that the store may have as a result are deducted from the pay of the management at the store itself.

OMG, I can't believe someone is actually complaining about BBB's coupon policy. I used to work there for several years. They don't bother with ANY of the exclusions on the bottom of the coupon (except the one that says you can't use it on gift cards) and they take up to five normally, but will usually accomodate a customer with more. Which they did here. What's the problem? We always bent over backwards for our customers. It was awesome to work there because I rarely had to say, "No, we can't do that."

Overpriced? ok, yeah.

@Coles_Law: This.

Electronic coupons are -very- prone to be fraudulent. Though to be fair, there are a lot of coupons people get that are prone to fraud (the free Alli ones come to mind). :(

@Coles_Law: I LOVE Kroger too! Their coupon policies rock and the wine section at the Huntsville, AL stores beats Wal-Mart hands down.

In October I stocked up on a years worth of laundry detergent for $5 when Kroger knocked Purex down to $2 a bottle and combined it with multiple doubled coupons. Its just my husband and I so we can stretch a 35 load bottle for about 3 months.

The cheaper brands work just as well as the expensive stuff and my husband isn't allergic to it. I switched from Tide to Purex and didn't notice any difference.

@Yoko Broke Up The Beatles: I haven't had the dirty looks from other customers, more like looks of surprise when they see how much I save with coupons. Of course most of the other customers are so busy blabbing on their cell phones that they don't even notice what is going on in front of them. I follow all coupon requirements and don't try to fraudulently use coupons (like some people do on a certain website).

@Juliekins: You shouldn't be having a problem with Walmart, their policy is to take internet coupons. With that being said I have gotten cashiers at Walmart that asked me what the internet is. Walmart also has the highest prices in my area on toiletries and other things I might be using coupons on, while I do buy certain other items there (like their sugar free applesauce for 1.78 a 3lb jar), I try to avoid buying the overpriced toiletries.

I occasionally use internet coupons at walmart and I really haven't had huge problems with them, but I must be one of the lucky ones.

@Fujikopez: OMG it was awesome to work at BBB, LOL!

@Yoko Broke Up The Beatles: prolly their assumptions that your coupons are expired, poorly organized, not had their requirements met, etc.

fools. most coupon user i've seen have none of those issues :)

@Juliekins: Same thing here, a lot of Wal-Mart employees are dicks. I try to use my coupons at Kroger if I can help it. They seem to like them and allow more than one (different) coupons to be used on one product. I hardly ever pay more than 50 cents for deodorant because of the Kroger double coupon policy.

I used to be a cashier in an independent supermarket in Dover, DE and I'll admit that there are coupon scammers but there's not that many of them and they should become well known to store employees. We had this one British woman who was a complete pain! She would literally bring in 50 to 100 coupons at one time and would always seek out the newest cashier so she could pull a box of expired coupons on them.

People like her give coupon users a bad name!

the policy about not accepting internet coupons is perfectly reasonable because there is huge fraud involved with lots of people photoshopping discounts that are higher than the manufacturer intended. the bed bath and beyond coupons are reasonable because all they had to take was 1 since it says limit 1 per customer, they were being extremely generous to lether use all 10.

@Dan Ritchie: Um, it's illegal in most states to deduct operational expenses (including even theft in some states, but definitely promotional costs) from employee base pay. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but it's nowhere near standard practice. Now bonuses are a different beast, if they are based on profit then losses can factor into that.

@Megan Squier: Yeah 50-100 coupons is a little ridiculous and would definitely get you noticed. Trying to use an expired coupon is just absurd, unless the store specifically states they take expired coupons. I would think they would track these people on camera, and I imagine if the amount was large enough they could arrest you for fraud, since it really is fraud if you are using coupons in an illegitimate manner. It seems like the coupon fraudsters like to brag on the internet about how much they saved too so that might be why it seems like there are more of them than there really are.

I wish people would quit it with the fake/altered and expired coupons too, because the more times companies are frauded with coupons the less they will be willing to issue coupons, and the less we all save in the long run.

@Yoko Broke Up The Beatles: We use them for coasters. Even at 20% off, their clearance is limited, yet we are never without coupons.

@missdona: Same thing here. BB&B always takes my expired coupons.

@KStrike155: The last time I was there (a few weeks ago), I was told I couldn't use my expired coupons anymore. According to the cashier, their policy changed in July. She said some stores still accept them though. It sucks because that's one of the reasons I shopped there. I might have to reconsider my support of their business now.

@missdona: Their stuff is kind of overpriced...but not so much compared to department stores. They're the bridge between the department stores and Target, especially now that Linens N'Things is gone. I've always been able to use my coupons at BB&B, and after my wedding BB&B sent me a gift certificate to complete my registry. A lot of places do that, sure, but still.

@mxjohnson: The tactic is to associate BB&B with coupons, and coupons are always a good deal if they give you 20% off. The key is to research the product, and make sure you're getting the best product for your money. I was going to buy a new set of sheets at BB&B, but even with the 20% off coupon, it was still going to be more expensive than Target, and the thread count and materials weren't very different.

What was extremely stupid is when Linens N'Things was liquidating, they stopped accepting store coupons. The only thing I bought was a $7 seasonal thing, and I never looked back because their prices and discounts didn't add up, and they didn't take any of their coupons. I think they would've gotten more people in the door if they still took coupons.

@missdona: I commented to one of the women at a BB&B about the constant 20% off. She said it's great because they don't need to advertise or offer many other sales.

@Nemesis_Enforcer: I'm sorry that your Pizza wasn't as good as your friend's. But I just have to say...it was local pizza place. It's most likely family owned as well, and it is a business... I dont think that these family owned business realize that coupons help the business.
Expect corners to be cut, if your using coupons at restaurants.

Right? im not trying to make an argument, but just a thought...

My local HEB (grocery store chain in Texas) takes internet coupons, but only if they scan. In other words, they won't punch in the coupon manually if it doesn't ring up properly.

Lol, we must have an outlier Bed, Bath & Beyond here. Ours even accepts all these expired coupons.

@AL Briones: If they didn't know or think coupons helped the business, there wouldnt be any coupons in the first place.

BBB is awesome with coupons. They take expired coupons, multiple coupons, coupons on items their coupon says you can't use it on, etc. We registered there for our wedding and have nothing but praise for the store.

I did coupons for years and got tired of dealing with stores that didn't like dealing with coupons . That drove to generics . I still use the occassional coupon but I just look for sales and generics now instead of clipping .

I do tons of couponing and I think it's basic self-preservation on the part of cashiers. Managers threaten to fire anyone who takes a fraudulent coupon. Coupon beeps for some reason (sometimes because the manufacturer put on the wrong bar code) and cashier refuses it. It's easier to say no and then let the manager decide than to be fired over a mistake.

@Nemesis_Enforcer: Local places have to be competitive, and for some reason, people like Dominoes and Papa Johns. Convincing them that spending $18 on one large pizza is better than getting three larges for $20 is a good deal can get difficult. And I support my local pizza place - to the point where I haven't purchased a pizza anywhere else for the last two years.

As far as coupons go, coupons are fine and dandy - but the pizza places do get people who only go in when there are coupons, and the cost of printing the coupons might not offset the money they lose.

I was given a "buy one get one free" coupon for a 20oz Mountain Dew not too long ago, and it didn't have a barcode or a specific store listed and the checkout person went and got someone older and she said they couldn't take it. Obviously they should have, I don't know where it came from, and I hate to say it, but whatever happened to the whole "the customer is always right" theory?

@pgh9fan1: Yeah its nice of us to look after the retailer's expenses but if there's one thing most retailers are VERY good at is looking after their own expenses.

If we're going to complain about the retailer costing itself an extra credit card base fee, then we should definitely be complaining about all the extravagant lighting and air conditioning expenses, the employees standing around being non-productive and customers walking away with shopping carts. Basically everything that retail management is paid to deal with.

As for me, I'll worry about issues that actually affect me and leave managing the box to the retail managers.

The BBB near my house in Santa Monica allows me to use multiple coupons per purchase, and once or twice, I've used one of their coupons at the register when I didn't have my own. I've done price comparisons and they can be a lot cheaper on certain items (deodorant, cold medicine) and the same price on many things (shampoo, fans).

Are you really bitching about a store not allowing you to use an expired coupon? You're really justifying your entitled attitude by claiming that their prices are SO much higher?

@mxjohnson: You can go ahead and buy at BB&B anyway. They'll retroactively apply the coupon if you bring in your receipt and a coupon later on.

@Dan Ritchie: Most of the time it is tied to bonus payments to the store manager/s.

Case in point An employee asked a Division manager about a certain discount, he said check with your store manager to see if he wants to be able to afford it.

@pecan 3.14159265:

There was a mixer me and my wife wanted, and target had the same exact price as BB&B, but the 20% off took the price waaaay below :-)