I'm always disappointed when I see the "noobs" being blamed for the changes in coupon policy. Just because you started couponing after you watched Extreme Couponing, doesn't single handedly make you responsible for the coupon revolution taking place! I would say TLC's spot light program IS to blame for coupon policy changes, at a retail level. But, it's not the "noobs" trying to save a buck who have forced the changes to happen. Retailers are changing policies to ensure that, at the end of the day, they are going to be reimbursed for the coupons they accept. Remember, if you redeem your coupons in accordance with your stores coupon acceptance policy, you have committed no wrong!
But at the same time, a lot of new couponers are getting into the game just as we are beginning to witness more cohesive changes in the coupon industry. And this is surprising since coupons have been around for a really long time (1894 according to the web). In a few weeks, a new coupon bar code is going to be put into effect. It's called the GS1-Databar, and the process began in 2007 (thank you wikipedia). This new barcode will make it virtually impossible to decode a coupon and use it fraudulently, and was put into motion four years before TLC premiered it's show Extreme Couponing.
So, the coupon veterans out there coupon-whipping the "noobs" for destroying the coupon game need to turn those binders on themselves. Please stop cyber-bullying the "noobs" for something that isn't our fault. Veteran couponers have shaped the atmosphere in which we coupon, not the "noobs".
Thanks again, and happy couponing!
--The Hopkins County Couponer (7/8/2011)
A couple of interesting articles, which fueled my fury:
http://consumerist.com/2011/07/target-riteaid-publix-change-policies-to-cripple-extreme-couponers.html
http://blogs.smartmoney.com/paydirt/2011/06/27/extreme-couponing-now-extremely-prohibited/?link=SM_hp_spend
No comments:
Post a Comment