SUPER-COUPONING: Manufacturer coupon questions concern shoppers

I obtained a manufacturer coupon from a supermarket. This store’s name appears on the front of the coupon. However, at the top of the coupon states "Manufacturer coupon.” Can this coupon be used at any store or does it have to be used at the store that issued it?

Denise C.

Manufacturer coupons are typically easy to identify. They contain text outlining the coupon’s offer and terms, along with instructions for the store to redeem that coupon. Deep in the fine print, you’ll usually see a physical mailing address where the store can send the coupon for reimbursement from the manufacturer.

You’ll also see an expiration date and the words “Manufacturer Coupon” printed somewhere on the face of the coupon too.

That said, stores sometimes partner with manufacturers to issue manufacturer coupons branded with the retailer’s own name or logo. They may be designed as part of a store promotion for shoppers to pick up in-store, cut out of the ad, or receive in the mail. Of course, the store intends that the shopper uses these manufacturer coupons at the store that promoted these coupons to its shoppers. However, a store accepting a manufacturer coupon can submit it for reimbursement, even if the coupon happens to have another store’s name on it.

There are exceptions to every rule, of course. Some stores’ coupon policies specifically exclude manufacturer coupons with another store’s name printed on them. At times, you may also see manufacturer coupons that state “Redeemable only at [Store’s Name].” In this case, while another store might accept it, I’d advise following the terms of the offer. It’s likely that the specified store and manufacturer partnered to create a manufacturer-funded intended solely for that store’s shoppers.

Dear Jill,

Recently I saw some coupons in the newspaper inserts that looked unusual. They were coupons for canned soup and broth, and while they showed the product, the 50-cent discount, the expiration date and barcode, and the words "Manufacturer Coupon," there was no other text at all. In some ways, they were nicer than usual. They were easy to read and uncluttered. But they seemed so strange, having no fine print whatsoever.

I took the broth coupon to the store, as my supermarket had this product on sale for 50 cents, and the coupon would make it free. The cashier would not accept the coupon though, because of the lack of any terms.

Dan E.

I’m familiar with the coupons this reader has written about, as they certainly caught my eye when they arrived in the newspaper too. Indeed, they were wildly simple: Product, discount, bar code, and expiration date — sans any other terms. It’s unusual to see a large amount of white space on a coupon, but that’s exactly what these coupons had.

As Dan noted, they were remarkably easy to read because there was no block of fine-print text at all.

That said, any couponer who’s spent any time clipping coupons could look at these and know that something was “off.” Some retailers’ coupon policies prohibit them from accepting coupons without a redemption address printed in the terms, so it’s understandable that a store might not accept these.

In this instance, industry watchdog blog “Coupons In The News” reached out to the soup manufacturer, which acknowledged that these coupons had errors which somehow eliminated all of the coupons’ terms from the design before they were printed and reached the newspaper! The brand stated that the coupons would still be reimbursed if stores chose to accept them.

If your store accepts these coupons, you can certainly use them — despite their odd appearance, they’re legitimate offers. If your store declines them though, they’re also within their rights to do so. No one requires stores to accept any coupons at all.

To determine what kinds of coupons your store will accept, visit your store’s website and view their coupon policy. If your store does not have its coupon policy on the web, ask to see a copy at the store’s service counter.