Beyond upset....thanks so much TLC....

[434Teresa]

Yes...but aren't those one of the things they are trying to control? Haven't the companies gone after places like eBay to try and get coupons off there? Aren't the new barcodes coming about to try and stop all the trading and selling?

There was even an article on "gang" cutting and how the redemption centers are refusing to reimburse the stores. Looks to me like they are taking the steps to stop the out in the open things and the use of large quantities of multiples.

To be honest that is something I have ALWAYS wondered about. I see people on here, people on eBay, clipping services, etc with literally hundreds of a coupon for sale, trade, auction, whatever and I've always wondered where they come from.

Don't get me wrong....I'm not making any accusations or anything. I know I've had times (years and years ago) where I've gotten 60-80 inserts because paper sales were slow that day but never on a consistent basis. I think I average about 20 of each a week coming from 10 different area papers.

nope right now the "NEW" GS1 bar codes are so that so many people cant decode the coupons and use them on the wrong products and sizes then its to keep them from doubling when they say do not double on them and I saw somewhere that it will beep even if the date on them has pasted..

There is no telling what all they can do with the bar codes..The new bar code has been in the works for a few yeara now so it did not have anything to do with the TLC show and now all these other coupon issues out there. So I dont know what all they could do with the new codes if they really wantted to...

[434Teresa]

To be honest that is something I have ALWAYS wondered about. I see people on here, people on eBay, clipping services, etc with literally hundreds of a coupon for sale, trade, auction, whatever and I've always wondered where they come from.

If you have been getting the inserts from the store and not buying the papers all those years then you should not be wondering about this for if you can do it then there has to be others that is able to do it also...

[$Saving!]

DH was told that the newspaper companies representative came to the store and the store manager was made to sign a contract agreeing not to give away, leave in the outside trash or leave bundled on the side of the building any "garbage" papers.

They will not sell them at a discount and I am not asking someone to put their job on the line to go against the contract they signed. I need coupons to feed my family, they need their paycheck. I'm sure you get where I'm coming from.

From what we (DH and I) are being told they (the newspaper companies) are doing this nationwide. Part of the reason for the crackdown is that the amount of coupons being redeemed exceeds the amount of papers being sold.

I guess its easier to go after the retailers that sell the papers then the consumers that use the coupons.

Ahh, so these were freebies at the end of the day, okay, now I understand better.

Here is a quote from a recent article in our local paper concerning the coupon inserts (and theft from paper boxes/stores)

Puryear says people have also taken coupons from outside stores after trucks drop papers off, and that N&O employees have found people digging for coupons inside bins at company recycling centers despite "no trespassing" signs.
Under its agreements with advertisers, the newspaper is prohibited from giving away coupons in unsold papers, and the coupon-handling process at the paper is closely audited. Sunday copies of The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer cost $2 and can contain between $100 and $300 in coupons.
"People are getting real creative about this," Puryear said. "They watch this 'Extreme Couponing' show where people buy $300 worth of groceries for $1.20, and they start figuring out ways to get newspapers and coupons without paying for them."

Read more: Coupon craze tied to thefts of newspapers - Consumer - NewsObserver.com

So it seems to me that RP, P&G and SS have contracts with the newspapers that the unsold inserts through newspaper sales are not to be given away, but destroyed or thrown away in such a manner as to not allow them to be collected/used by anyone.

Used to be the only portion of the paper that stores had to return to the carriers was a torn section from the top half of the front page to get credit on unsold papers. Apparently, no longer true for many of them.

[Gertie2u]

I guess they just haven't made it out to my local store yet, because as of today, I can purchase old Sunday papers going back about six weeks including the inserts. Only one grocery and a couple of quick stops have been allowing this in my area, usually the stores make the newspaper guy pick up the expired papers just to not have to deal with the mess. Or so I was told by several managers and the delivery guy for most of the commercial places. They all say the contract with the paper for being able to sell them and take a portion of the proceeds requires unsold papers be picked up by the paper guy. This may explain why about two months ago I stopped being able to buy the Sunday paper on Saturday nights, though. Never got any free locally. We have no recycling in our area. Last May I got a bunch of free inserts at my daughter's by diving in the newspaper recycle bin behind her apartments when they had a big 10 day free trial of her local paper. For several days the next week I found unopened Sunday papers in there. Wonder what's going to happen now with the ones the delivery guy does get back unsold. He has been giving the coupons to the buyers for local charities up to now, but it sounds like that is about to become a no-no.

Darkwing, do you happen to get very many blinkie, wine tag, and tearpad coupons in your area?

[darkwing932]

I guess they just haven't made it out to my local store yet, because as of today, I can purchase old Sunday papers going back about six weeks including the inserts. Only one grocery and a couple of quick stops have been allowing this in my area, usually the stores make the newspaper guy pick up the expired papers just to not have to deal with the mess. Or so I was told by several managers and the delivery guy for most of the commercial places. They all say the contract with the paper for being able to sell them and take a portion of the proceeds requires unsold papers be picked up by the paper guy. This may explain why about two months ago I stopped being able to buy the Sunday paper on Saturday nights, though. Never got any free locally. We have no recycling in our area. Last May I got a bunch of free inserts at my daughter's by diving in the newspaper recycle bin behind her apartments when they had a big 10 day free trial of her local paper. For several days the next week I found unopened Sunday papers in there. Wonder what's going to happen now with the ones the delivery guy does get back unsold. He has been giving the coupons to the buyers for local charities up to now, but it sounds like that is about to become a no-no.

Darkwing, do you happen to get very many blinkie, wine tag, and tearpad coupons in your area?

There is nowhere I know of in my area that sells that days papers after 11pm. Anywhere you go later in the evening and the paper racks are cleared out.

No, I'm in NJ so no winetags at all, ever and its not worth it to trade for them because around here they are impossible to redeem.

Blinkies, some, but I usually don't use them because the values stink.

Tearpads are hit and miss. Believe it or not I find them more in convenience stores than grocery stores. However, the grocery store I shop at won't take manufactures coupons if they have another store's logo or if the coupon says "available at" or any such wording. The CSM told me the redemption center is refusing to reimburse the store for them so they won't take them.

Whether that is true or not....I have no idea, I can only go by what I'm told and since I like having a good relationship with my primary store I thank them for letting me know and move on.