Coupon Wording Question

[prayerbear]

Well, everyone will hate me for this because I was extremely excited too especially when I saw some canned wild harvest vegetables on sale this week for $1.25!!!

However, (you may not want to read the rest of this) I've noticed that some companies have started adding a "consumer" note on their coupons saying not to exchange or transfer. I emailed different companies and was given different replies. Here's my email to Albertsons and their reply. You choose how to use the information. I'm also sure some of you veterans can put a perspective on this that as a newbie I may not have.

My email to them:
Looking at your recent insert coupon for wild harvest, I see that it says in the Consumer section, "may not be...transferred". I am new to coupons and am wondering what that means. Does that mean I can not transfer the coupon from a neighbor to myself nor from myself to a friend?

Their reply:
Thank you for contacting Albertsons Customer Care. We received your email regarding our coupons.

You are correct. That means that the coupon cannot be given to someone else.

Again, thank you for contacting Albertsons Customer Care. If we can provide any information or be of service to you in the future, please do not hesitate to contact us by e-mail or by calling 1-877-932-7948.

When I first notice that wording I contacted a company and they said it applied to the retailer, but now I see some companies have added a consumer note. An email today from Kimberly-Clark said it had to do with the value and product bought so I assume each company is different. I'd love everyone's experienced feedback.

[jujubee]

Hi prayerbear! I moved your question here so it can be better seen and not lost in the trading forum.

[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.

[jujubee]

Thank you, Heidi. I feel the same way you do. I feel as though if I purchase a newspaper, I have also purchased the coupons inside the newspaper. I mean, you can't just have the coupons - you have to buy the paper to get them, so you are in fact purchasing them. After that, it's my property to do with what I please. Same with coupons given out in a store. No, I'm not buying them from the blinkie machine, but once you give them to me for free, they are my property to do with what I please.

And the other question that must be addressed, is how in the world could they control who gives away coupons and who doesn't? The wording is merely scare tactic, indeed.

[prayerbear]

Wow, thank you so much for your perspective! I REALLY appreciate you taking the time to explain things (probably for the millionth time) for us newbies!

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Granted, a company that has that wording on thier coupons could theorticaly contact a website that is allowing the selling or trading or other transfering of coupons and could ask the webmaster to remove the listing. I have heard it done on ebay before. Have not heard of it being done on a coupon trading board though. And the worse thing that would be done is that the webmaster removes the listing.

If company really wanted to sue you for transfering a coupon they would need to prove that you did it and take you to court for damages. The value of the coupon/s probably would not be worth the legal fees or the damaging press the company would have by going after a consumer.

The wording does not say that it is illegal to transfer coupons it says that the coupon is void.... each person must decide on thier own what they want to do.

[prayerbear]

I received kind of a funny note from Kashi (cereal, TLC crackers, etc):

Thank you for contacting us regarding our Kashi coupons. Typically, may not be transferred means that coupons may not be transferred in any way, including but not limited to, in connection with an auction, barter or other trade. No adjustments will be made to prior sales. And they are not valid toward purchases of gift certificates/cards and/or phone orders.

Enjoy your coupons Mrs. xxxx! The coupon police are on summer vacation!!

We appreciate your interest in our company and products.

[jujubee]

Enjoy your coupons Mrs. xxxx! The coupon police are on summer vacation!!

If that's not a ringing endorsement to ignore the legaleese, I don't know what is!

[kristen.c]

That's cute! So they just put the legal mumbo-jumbo on there so they can go after people who are running the big operations and to protect themselves.

[prayerbear]

I hope this is not boring everyone as I have found it a very interesting pursuit to see so many different answers to the same question. Here are two more replies (P&G, GM) I received with very opposite answers:

From P&G:
Thanks for writing.

"Void if Transferred" means coupons should not be sold or traded. We adopted this policy because of gross abuse by some individuals and organization.

Hope this information is helpful.

P&G Team

From General Mills:
Dear Valued Consumer:

Thank you for contacting General Mills with your inquiry.

The "Void if transferred" statement on our product certificates pertains to the store in which the certificates are redeemed. The stores are unable to reuse the certificates or allow consumers to use them more than once.

We hope you find this information helpful. Please let us know if we can help you again.

[derketchup]

Weird...