Crazy question about the major clipping services....Where do they get them?

[kremsh]

I'm not sure where to ask this question, and this seems just as good a place as any so here goes!

I was talking to a couple friends about how I use clipping services to get extra coupons and started wondering where they get so many coupons. I'm referring to the sites that are listed in the link on the home page for clipping services.

Do they buy them from the source, ie, smartsource, redplum, P&G? Do they buy them from the local newspaper company? Or do they buy full newspapers?

I'm not looking to open my own clipping service, I was just trying to figure out how they get so many!

[wealthybarney]

I have wondered that as well.

[shelleyf]

I wish I did know where they got them, I want some more coupons too. I am not willing to pay their outlandish prices.

[joshmamabear]

One that I know went into the business for a while quit in less than a year because she found it labor and time intensive for small profit, if any. Her DH is a subcontractor for a paper company. She sold only complete inserts from unsold papers.

I am amazed with those who can cut, clip, sort and mail out thousands of coupons while charging .05 to .10 per coupon.

[Britt5116]

Im not sure where to post this, if this is the wrong place im sorry! I've always wondered how clipping services or anyone selling on ebay or anything like that get soooo many coupon inserts? I would love to be able to get insets in bulk some how but have no idea how to other then clipping services or ebay, or asking around. Just something ive always wondered about.

[lfrh]

me too!

[anaj06]

2 ways that I know of - you have a connection with the paper - delivery person or sorters and get the leftovers or you are dumpster diving to retrieve the unwanted inserts.

[Jillee]

2 ways that I know of - you have a connection with the paper - delivery person or sorters and get the leftovers or you are dumpster diving to retrieve the unwanted inserts.

I don't know how they do it either! If I knew of a dumpster with unwanted inserts in it...I would SO be in there! :giggle2:

[danicab]

I pay for all of mine.

I have a coupon clipping service that I started from home. Five years ago I started by buying 20 papers out of the boxes (yes I pay for each one) and now I buy 200. About 2 years ago, I ended up connecting with a grocery store who put an order through with the delivery driver and it saved me tons of time b/c I could just go to one place & pick up all 200. It's still an 80mile round trip drive on Sundays but it's all in one shot.

On occasion I do go around to our recycling bins if I'm short one or two since I normally don't know I'm short until the next day (takes a long time to pull apart 200 papers & manage a family & a orders) but I buy my papers from a different town so the papers locally usually have differnt inserts. Most of the coupons are the same but sometimes their are differences.

So I'm not sure how the other service's do theirs but mine are bought & paid for w/receipts to prove it.

Good luck,
Danica

[Britt5116]

I pay for all of mine.

I have a coupon clipping service that I started from home. Five years ago I started by buying 20 papers out of the boxes (yes I pay for each one) and now I buy 200. About 2 years ago, I ended up connecting with a grocery store who put an order through with the delivery driver and it saved me tons of time b/c I could just go to one place & pick up all 200. It's still an 80mile round trip drive on Sundays but it's all in one shot.

On occasion I do go around to our recycling bins if I'm short one or two since I normally don't know I'm short until the next day (takes a long time to pull apart 200 papers & manage a family & a orders) but I buy my papers from a different town so the papers locally usually have differnt inserts. Most of the coupons are the same but sometimes their are differences.

So I'm not sure how the other service's do theirs but mine are bought & paid for w/receipts to prove it.

Good luck,
Danica

Thanks! Wow how much do you pap per paper? Do you make your money back in orders?

[foggierbard9]

Thanks! Wow how much do you pap per paper? Do you make your money back in orders?

I'm going to guess that she makes her $$ back and then some or she wouldn't still be doing this bulk buying.

[$Saving!]

Many moons ago (late 80's) when my children were little and in preschool, I was on the purchasing committee to make sure we had snacks, juices, food stuffs etc. It was a non-profit preschool co-op so our budget was lean. Monthly fees were really meant to cover teachers and building rental, of course as well as toys, teacher supplies, food stuffs etc.

I made a deal with my local Washington Post newspaper delivery guy. (We now live in North Carolina) I left him a note in the newspaper box one Saturday night so he would find it Sunday morning. I told him I would happily pay him for any coupon inserts left over, $5/week.

He left me as many as 30 inserts and sometimes as few as 10, but it was very much worth every penny as you can imagine! Not only for the preschool but for myself and friends I shared them with.

So, perhaps you can contact your newspaper delivery person and make them an offer for inserts? I would always leave an envelope unmarked, in the newspaper box for him and he would deliver them sometime Sunday, wrapped up with a rubber band :biggrin:

I've been thinking about doing the same with my current delivery person - worth the money, especially knowing what weekends won't have inserts so you can plan ahead.

[Britt5116]

[quote=$Saving!;2247674]

I made a deal with my local Washington Post newspaper delivery guy. (We now live in North Carolina) I left him a note in the newspaper box one Saturday night so he would find it Sunday morning. I told him I would happily pay him for any coupon inserts left over, $5/week.

So, perhaps you can contact your newspaper delivery person and make them an offer for inserts? I would always leave an envelope unmarked, in the newspaper box for him and he would deliver them sometime Sunday, wrapped up with a rubber band :biggrin: quote]


Great Idea!

[$Saving!]

Britt, it worked beautifully and I can't help but think those who need massive amounts of coupons couldn't enjoy building some kind of relationship that benefits both carrier and customer :wink7:

Even offering a flat price per insert or per set of inserts from one paper, up to a certain number per week so that you don't go broke :giggle2: if he/she comes up with a couple hundred!

Since my needs have decreased due to kids grown up and even handing off items to them I don't have the tremendous needs I did when they were younger/in school etc, I don't need to get more than one or two extras on a good insert weekend and can do that buying papers. Plus I do get second round on my sister in laws coupons - we rotate between us every week.

So, get to know your newspaper carrier :biggrin: ! They would enjoy the extra money and most of them have kids that would do the sorting for his Mom or Dad and help make the extra money!

Let me know if you can work that out with your carrier!

[Britt5116]

The thing is I don't have a paper box. We live kinda in the Country so I dont know how I would get in contact with the carrier if they would just drive by and toss out the paper since we dont have a box to put anything in. We have a mail box (obviously lol) can we request they put the paper in the mailbox?

[jaws1]

Many moons ago (late 80's) when my children were little and in preschool,
I made a deal with my local Washington Post newspaper delivery guy. (We now live in North Carolina) I left him a note in the newspaper box one Saturday night so he would find it Sunday morning. I told him I would happily pay him for any coupon inserts left over, $5/week.


I've been thinking about doing the same with my current delivery person - worth the money, especially knowing what weekends won't have inserts so you can plan ahead.

If I had home delivery out here in the country, I'd do that ... maybe ... last time I had home delivery, the carrier couldn't seem to get the one I was paying for delivered ..:hysterical: not sure it wouldn't be a waste of MY time and money to give extra $ not to deliver extra inserts (somehow, I figure he/she would be able to pick up the $!) -- maybe I'm just cynical!
If the news carrier was as good as my mail lady, I'd do it in a "NY minute!" ... then, again, I live in the country in an old neighborhood, so I don't have a problem putting $ in an envelope for someone ... it better stay there, or somebody's tail is gonna get "tanned"!

[$Saving!]

The thing is I don't have a paper box. We live kinda in the Country so I dont know how I would get in contact with the carrier if they would just drive by and toss out the paper since we dont have a box to put anything in. We have a mail box (obviously lol) can we request they put the paper in the mailbox?

They can put the coupons in your mailbox on Sunday, provided the mail carrier doesn't find them in there on Monday :whistle67: Because some USPS carriers and offices do get testy about anything they didn't deliver occupying space in the mail boxes.

Anyway, if you can talk to your carrier, ask them how they would like to work it out? You can call your newspaper and ask to have your carrier contact you by phone - they will usually pass that request along to your carrier. Then you can ask your questions and possibly work it out.

Worth the try, the worst they could say is "no" :shrug7:

[$Saving!]

If I had home delivery out here in the country, I'd do that ... maybe ... last time I had home delivery, the carrier couldn't seem to get the one I was paying for delivered ..:hysterical: not sure it wouldn't be a waste of MY time and money to give extra $ not to deliver extra inserts (somehow, I figure he/she would be able to pick up the $!) -- maybe I'm just cynical!
If the news carrier was as good as my mail lady, I'd do it in a "NY minute!" ... then, again, I live in the country in an old neighborhood, so I don't have a problem putting $ in an envelope for someone ... it better stay there, or somebody's tail is gonna get "tanned"!


:hysterical: I can understand catching someone taking that money getting 'tanned'!

Perhaps if you say you will pay (cash) the minute they show up with the inserts, you might very well see an increase is good delivery :wink7:

Money is a great motivator to many people and the opportunity for the carrier to make a little cash for throw away inserts could be a great motivator.

Always worth a try. Just protect yourself by making it an in person transaction - pay when he/she hands you the bundle :biggrin:

I certainly understand being skeptical of someone with poor service history and not trusting them, but you can make it work and protect yourself I think.