Giant Eagle no longer taking frees over $3

[marrelam]

On another site there's a big discussion about a new "policy" GE has issued with regards to "Frees". They will no longer accept coupons from customers to get something for free if it's over $3.00.

Digging deeper - it is supposed to be internet coupons for items free over $3.00 but this is going to be a YMMV type of thing I think. There is alot of talk about not accepting B&W internet q's, making sure customers don't "make money" off of a coupon, and matching a coupon to the product to check for right size, etc.

This is happening in the NE Ohio area. Curious if anyone has run into this yet or if the GE employees on this board could give us more info??

[neekyme]

I havent heard anything at my store - other than when I first started 'super couponing' there I asked about IPs and the girl said to make sure they're in color. Well, tonite I used the 2$ off 7th generation baby wipes and it prints in B&W no matter what - well, the cashier took it no problem.

And I can totally see why they might not want to take an IP for a 'free' item which retails over 3$ - I mean, how often do you see that? Almost never. Yeah, I just got the same one she (if it's the same site I'm thinking of) got - the free boost for kids - in the mail, and I'm leaving it attached to the whole piece of paper showing my mailing address so I can show it was mailed directly to me.

Otherwise though, it's business as usual at my GE. Scan it - if it goes through, you're good. If it doesnt they check and if you got the right stuff they manually enter it. No big deal. Heck, I accidently tried to use a coupon for Ziploc a few months ago and I didn't even have Ziplock in my cart...I had put them back and forgot to pull the coupon. Oh well. I apologized and life went on. No big deal.

[marrelam]

I worry this will lead to other things... like not accepting IP's at all. Or misinterpretation of a coupon that isn't an IP but it's being judged as one. In our area the RP inserts are no longer included with our paper as of last week. We are only getting them in the mail - and worse, some area are not getting them at all. An email campaign to many of the manufs. that normally advertise in RP has started but unfortunately the manuf.'s are telling us to use their IP's.

Personally, I don't like being told I can't use B&W IP's. I think it's too simple of a cop-out by the stores to not accept IP's. I want to print in B&W, color gets too expensive.

[Emmy's Mommy]

I sure hope this isn't the case. I won some "free" coupons from the Kraft game a few weeks ago and just got them. They are printed on the same paper as the Kid Essentials FREE coupon. I am taking them to the store this week, but I am so afraid they are going to cause an issue. I am taking the top of the paper congratulating me for winning them. Don't know if that will help.

I am in Alliance, OH and I think our area is one that is no longer getting RP at all. I haven't seen any RP coupons in 2 weeks.

[gr8tdiva]

I just used a free coupon for coke (received it from the manufacturer for a packaging problem) and it was valued over $3 no problems and I'm in NE Ohio. I did run into problems several weeks back trying to use B&W IP q's. They refused them.

[TerryTerrific]

...

And I can totally see why they might not want to take an IP for a 'free' item which retails over 3$ - I mean, how often do you see that? Almost never. Yeah, I just got the same one she (if it's the same site I'm thinking of) got - the free boost for kids - in the mail, and I'm leaving it attached to the whole piece of paper showing my mailing address so I can show it was mailed directly to me.

...
Many manufacturers have high value free item coupons already printed up for issuing when a consumer writes to them about an issue.

Fortunately, they have a difficult to duplicate holographic logo or a watermark on them.

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It gets my goat when a cashier checks my paper money with a marker or holding it up to light.

I want to mark or hold up to the light all the paper money they give me back a change.

:rolleyes24:

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Terence in Brook Park, oHIo

[MamaSvs]

It is a shame but it is a sign of the times. There have been far too many coupon scams and way too much counterfeit money pushed into the system. It is far easier for crooks to scam using relatively low value q's or by printing up a bunch of $20's and $10's. They don't stand out then.

I haven't heard anything like this yet but it would not surprise me if it does happen.

[demiris]

It gets my goat when a cashier checks my paper money with a marker or holding it up to light.

I want to mark or hold up to the light all the paper money they give me back a change.


It's nothing against you. Most stores now require cashiers to check every bill $20 or larger with the counterfeit pen. They're supposed to do it for everyone, so if you don't like it, the easiest solution would be to pay with smaller bills, a gift card or your debit card.

[pittsburgh24]

I redeemed a free q ($5.99 large maxwell house) on Sunday - no problem

[coupongirlie]

good morning all

I also won the Kraft free coupon giveaway. I planned on using them this weekend. I have a lousy inkjet printer and therefore miss out on many of the IP coupons. I have been toying with the idea of getting a laser printer (the price has come down so much) but now I wonder if I should make sure it's a color laser printer (which is more expensive). What is your opinion?

It seems that grocery stores are coming down on coupon users just at a time when various studies are showing a 30% increase in coupon usage. Wouldn't you think the stores would welcome couponers as a way to increase traffic to the store?

[TerryTerrific]

good morning all

I also won the Kraft free coupon giveaway. I planned on using them this weekend. I have a lousy inkjet printer and therefore miss out on many of the IP coupons. I have been toying with the idea of getting a laser printer (the price has come down so much) but now I wonder if I should make sure it's a color laser printer (which is more expensive). What is your opinion?

It seems that grocery stores are coming down on coupon users just at a time when various studies are showing a 30% increase in coupon usage. Wouldn't you think the stores would welcome couponers as a way to increase traffic to the store?I am a laser printer kind of guy.

The pros vs cons of both printers (inkjet and laser) is what has won me over (my first laser printer was an HP model that cost me a whopping $900+).

Nowadays, you can purchase a decent black and white laser printer for less than $50.00 when it is on sale.

The next sale might be a Presidents' Day sale at stores like Staples.

Monday, February 16 = Presidents' Day

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Q) Black and white vs color laser printer?

Right now, I would go with a black and white laser printer.

With a color laser printer you are dealing with four different cartridges.

• black
• cyan
• magenta
• yellow

Maybe in the near future color might be worthwhile, price wise.

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One current business model is to give away the printer at cost and make money on the inkjet / toner cartridges.

For a black and white laser printer that retails for $80.00 you can expect to pay $80.00 for a new toner cartridge.

I get around that by purchasing a refilled toner cartridge over the Internet for half that price plus free shipping and no sales tax.

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Regarding accepting coupons at the store ...

You have cashiers that insist that if the coupon is printed in black and white that it is a photocopy.

I do not tell them this but the technology used in a laser printer is very similar to that used in a photocopier (both use a toner cartridge).

If you try to explain it to them, they just get confused.

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As the economy goes south, retail establishments feel the pain in lower profit margins.

They start taking a closer look at things like accepting coupons and reducing loses.

So, they pick on coupon users and coupon acceptance policies, fine tuning them and tweaking them.

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Terence in Brook Park, oHIo

[Emmy's Mommy]

I used all my frees from the Kraft instant win plus the Kid Essentials free and had no problems today.