IP and DND Double at Ralphs

[jeff992]

Hi. I'm still getting to know everything about using coupons at Ralphs. Should all IP coupons double at Ralphs as long as they are not DND?

Also, I thought I read that DND coupons should actually double if the bar code starts with 5. Is this true?

I'm asking because I went to the Ralphs in Aliso Viejo and I had three coupons not double that I thought were going to. One was an IP that definitely did NOT say DND. It was for $2 off Honey Bunches of Oats Chocolate. The manager agreed that it should have taken off the $2 plus another $1, although he did look at the coupon very strangely, as if he'd never seen an IP.

I believe the other two that I had that did not double may have both said DND but had 5 as the first number of the barcode so I thought they would double. I believe one was an IP and one was from the Sunday coupons.

If anyone can clarify, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

Jeff

[BabyBlissProducts]

Hi Jeff,
On a coupon you will see two seperate barcodes, the first set are store codes, they will either start with a 5 or a 9.
All coupons that start with a 5 WILL double, even if the coupon states "dnd" it will only NOT double if the cashier overides it. I rarely have a cashier that will do that.
The coupons that start with a 9 will not double, even if it doesnt state DND, because the first number on the barcade starts with a 9, the nine is a code that auto tells the register NOT to double that coupon, that is why catalina coupons do not double, they all start with a 9. (though in rare cases i have seen some that start with a 5 but i havent seen them in along time).

Tip: if you get blinkie coupons from Ralphs or Vons they 99% of the time will start with a 9, but if you go to Albertsons or Stater bros to find your blinkies 60% of the time they start with a 5 but are the SAME coupon, only the coupon code is different and the ones that start with a 5 will double, so i get my blinkies mostly from those stores.

Here is another tip for you,
Becareful of coupons that have the SAME coupon code but are good on different products. Coupon creator companys get "lazy" and they will recycle other coupon codes for other products, here is the problem with that, if you are someone that shops at ralphs and you go in with two different deoderant coupons, for example: You have a $1/2 and a $1/1 suave deoderant coupon but when you get to the register one didnt double. Why is this? Because if you check your barcodes on your coupons, they were most likely the same coupon code, now Im not saying thats the case with suave, im just letting you know that if you have more than one coupon for that product, even if the coupons state different things then you should double check the first set of coupon codes to make sure they are different, to make sure both will double. I have run into this before many times.

Ok, i hope i didnt confuse you at all, hth. Ask more q if you have any. Natalie

[BabyBlissProducts]

PS, Manufacture coupon codes.. read them left to right...
The first coupon code on the left side of the coupon is your store coupon, this is the coupon codes you should be reading, the other is for the manufacture, that doesnt effect the coupon at all in the store. So just the first set of barcodes on the left hand side you need to be checking.

[BabyBlissProducts]

Ok, i was thinking more on this,

How to read a coupon code... so im gonna break it up to explain a coupon code, which can be very helpful when your in the stores....


You can see that the coupon's bar code starts with a 5 (reading your coupon left from right) to indicate that it is a coupon. The next set of numbers should be 5 digits, this is the Post's manufacturer ID. The next three digits of a coupon are called the family code. The next two digits are a value code. The final digit is the normal check digit.
The family code and value code are set up arbitrarily by the UPC coordinator for the manufacturer. It must be done that way because a coupon will often be usable for a whole family of products. For example, a coupon might be good for four different kinds of soap made by the same manufacturer. In the same way, the value code represents the value of the coupon arbitrarily. The manufacturer sends the retailer the data that tells the retailer's computer exactly which products fit the family code, and exactly how much to take off. When the coupon is scanned, the POS computer:

1. Decodes the family code
2. Checks to make sure the customer purchased an item from the family
3. Decodes the value code
4. Sends the discount back to the cash register

It is good to look up the coupon codes online and get a better understanding on what the coupon is good for, sometimes coupons will say "$2/1 good on any sundown vitamins" well Spiderman vitamins are a sundown product, however with out having looked that up on a coupon decoder i wouldnt have known that as the picture on the coupon doesnt show them as a sundown product. I just happen to know that from looking up the coupon codes.

Ok, this will open your eyes alot on understanding coupons once you "get it"

[ocean_brez]

I agree with BabyBliss. Keep an especially open eye with cereal coupons as well, because those are the ones that seem to have the most generic barcodes and when you combine them, only the first one will double.

[BabyBlissProducts]

oh yeah cereal coupons are notorious for this! that is a good example

[jennifer6183]

Because the PRINTABLE coupons that DO NOT say DND look so much like the ones that DO say DND, maybe the cashier didn't read it closely enough and pushed the DND button on the keyboard. Whereas you must watch the monitor when it's being rung up and say "That didn't double, but it should have". I went to a store yesterday where the cashier made sure the DND's didn't double.... but she WAS reading the top of the coupon closely to see which ones said it and which coupons didn't. But I go to different stores, and sometimes they will double them.... It really depends on your cashier (so YMMV). Engage them in conversation, and sometimes they can't do 2 things at once, so they scan them all without reading them =)

-Jennifer

Nat - Have fun at Disneyland!!

[ocean_brez]

Originally Posted by BabyBlissProducts It is good to look up the coupon codes online and get a better understanding on what the coupon is good for, sometimes coupons will say "$2/1 good on any sundown vitamins" well Spiderman vitamins are a sundown product, however with out having looked that up on a coupon decoder i wouldnt have known that as the picture on the coupon doesnt show them as a sundown product. I just happen to know that from looking up the coupon codes. Ok, this will open your eyes alot on understanding coupons once you "get it"

I just learned something else new today. Thanks for that. Repped yah already today, but if I could rep you again in the same day, I would!

[BabyBlissProducts]

Originally Posted by jennifer6183 Nat - Have fun at Disneyland!!

Thanks Jen, plan on it!

Thanks for the rep ocean :) Its amazing how when you think you have figured out the coupon workings you then find something you never knew, I have been couponing for years and still learning new things.

Its great ha? i remember when I discovered coupon codes, OMGOSH! lol it was another world to me then, I would spend half a hour just entering coupon codes just to see what it was good on, use to amaze me what was a participating product, "good on kraft" and then there would be a million kraft products i didnt even know was a kraft product, its invalueable information that you just cant get enough of lol

[jeff992]

Thanks for all the great info. I think the cashier in my original question may have punched the key to override the double on those coupons.

A few people said to look up the coupon codes online to see what they are actually good for. Where online do I look up the codes? Thanks.

Jeff