Although online coupon sites have been around for a while, they are now making a come-back due to the weak economy. Manufacturers and retailers also consider Internet coupons to be those that resemble traditional offline coupons, but can be printed from a user’s computer and redeemed in-store. Some of these Internet coupons employ print-controls and other security technologies in order to mitigate coupon fraud risks unique to online channels (postings to “freebie” sites, unlimited prints, etc.)Whoever said money can’t buy happiness simply didn’t know where to go shopping. ~Bo Derek
Printable coupons have been both a blessing to consumers and a curse for retailers. For several years, printable coupon fraud was rampant because the technology was behind the concept and users were savvy about saving coupons to PDF files. Saving coupon files to PDF is considered fraudulent use of coupons and goes against the manufacturer’s intention behind issuing the coupon. These days, printable coupons are easier and safer to print, but that doesn’t ease the rules for some retailers who’ve opted not to accept them anymore. Another movement is to see local coupons brought to users online. This is giving small local businesses better online exposure to communities across the world.Buying something on sale is a very special feeling. In fact, the less I pay for something, the more it is worth to me. I have a dress that I paid so little for that I am afraid to wear it. I could spill something on it, and then how would I replace it for that amount of money? ~Rita Rudner
Depending on where you live, you may have noticed that almost all coupons have small print stating their worth often in fraction of a penny, usually something like 1/10th or 1/100th of a penny.
A bargain is something you can’t use at a price you can’t resist. ~Franklin P. Jones
So why the difference, why don’t coupons have the same $15 off value as its worth when you redeem it for purchasing merchandise? This stems back to the days of trading stamp collecting. In their prime, the trading stamp systems ware considered to be a brilliant customer loyalty program just like your typical store card used by various businesses starting around the 1800s in the United States and later spreading to other countries. The concept is also the same as today, in exchange for spending a certain dollar amount, the retailer would give out otherwise worthless stamps and stamp books that they had purchased from certain stamp companies. The more you spent, the more stamps you’d get.