[queenofthehivemomof5]

The word "transfer" is pretty open. How can they regulate what you do with a peice of paper? Once I buy a newspaper I should be able to do what ever I want with the coupon. If I want to pass it along to a friend, put it in a coupon swap box at the public library, or hand it to a fellow shopper at the grocery store I should be able to do that.

Transfering a coupon is not illegal. You can not go to jail if you transfer a coupon. Theoretically the coupon becomes "void" if transfered. Meaning that if the store can prove that YOU used a coupon that was transfered to you from someone else that they can refuse to accept it.

Herin lies the quandry...how does a store know if your next door neighbor gave you a coupon. How does a store know if you traded a coupon online with a friend? How does a store know if you even bought a coupon on ebay?

They don't, they have no real way of knowing where you got a coupon from. If transfering a coupon was actually against the law (as in law on the books) it would be illegal for a public building like the library or school to have a coupon swap box, or the military commissary to have a swap box.

Do companies like to have thier coupons sold on ebay? Nope. Do they like having thier coupons traded online? Probably not because it messes up thier demographics in thier advertising. The wording on the coupons is nothing more, in my opinion, than a scare tactic. And as far I know not a single person has ever gone to jail for transfering a coupon.

Trading of coupons has gone on since the begining of the coupons. And it probably is not going to stop. We really feel that companies need to get over the advertising in certain markets and level the playing feilds and to stop worrying about demographics and care about thier products getting sold. If have a coupon for diapers and no baby and you have a coupon for pet food and no pets. We swap coupons and now you just purchased brand name diapers over generics and I just purchased name brand pet food over generics and its a win win. I am happy, you are happy, and the manf sold a product that they otherwise might not have.

Anyways...if you feel uncomfortable trading coupons, then don't do it.