At HT what determines what catalinas are spit out by the machine and how many?

[cpnmaniac44]

I got 10 packages of Dole fruit bowls and 2 bananas.
Here come catalinas, 3 of them.
The 1st was .75 off Dole Fruit bowls, then when I looked closer it was .75/3 > trash can.
The 2nd said $1 off Dole Fruit bowls and I'm thinking ok with Super Doubles and a sale of $2.25 that works good.....
WRONG.....it was $1/6 > trash can.
Then the 3rd catalina I was not expecting anything good, but it was $2/1 as in "ONE" Pillsbury Grands any size.

So, what did I buy to get 3 catalinas?
5 Dole for 1 Dole catalina and 5 more Dole for the 2nd Dole catalina and 2 bananas for what should be free pillsbury biscuits?

What determines what catalinas HT gives out and when and how many?

I'd say the $2/1 Pillsbury is the best I've ever gotten and I do not get that many catalinas because most of my orders are small in volume.

[jenjacobs]

Cat qs don't double or triple FYI. What triggers cats seems to be the product you buy - get another q to rebuy, a competitor q to try their product and a higher dollar/free coupon for a newer product that is probably based on prior purchasing habits. Now why you got a $2/1 grands I'm not sure. Is it for the frozen biscuits? Those are pricier than the cans.

[cpnmaniac44]

Cat qs don't double or triple FYI. What triggers cats seems to be the product you buy - get another q to rebuy, a competitor q to try their product and a higher dollar/free coupon for a newer product that is probably based on prior purchasing habits. Now why you got a $2/1 grands I'm not sure. Is it for the frozen biscuits? Those are pricier than the cans.

the pillsbury is refrigerated......
so maybe the 2 bananas triggered that......
and the dole triggered the dole.
Maybe I should go back and buy 2 more bananas.........:shrug7:

[uummm]

Sometimes it is just triggered by your vic card. A few months ago it seems like every time at the begining of the month I would scan my vic card and a bunch of cats would come out. I would scan my moms card and she would get the same cats-and my moms card doesn't have nearly as many items purchased on it. Hers is only used seasonally (or when she gets a good evic item).

[jenjacobs]

the pillsbury is refrigerated......
so maybe the 2 bananas triggered that......
and the dole triggered the dole.
Maybe I should go back and buy 2 more bananas.........:shrug7:

I think the $2/1 Pillsbury was just a one time deal but I could be wrong. It seems when I get a freebie or high dollar q it is only one time.

[anaj06]

I always get $XX/4 from the CAT machine...which is always one more than I bought this time (I usually buy in 3's because of their coupon policy). So, if I buy 3 Lean Pockets so I can use the coupons, my CAT is $xx/4 Lean Pockets. I hope that makes sense. They are trying to encourage me to buy more.

The other main way I get them is by the competitor of what I bought. So if I buy Beechnut a Gerber CAT will print out for the competitor product...etc.

I also have gotten random coupons for new products and other things I can't trace back to anything in particular. I figue everone is getting them or they are randomly handed out to so many customers or they are based on what I have bought in the past on my VIC card??? Not really sure...I bet it is some of all 3 of these possibilities.

[cpnmaniac44]

I need glasses.................my coupon was SAVE up to $2.00........
so buy 3 grands save $1, 4 save $1.50 and buy 5 save $2.