Re: Coupon Inserts in the local paper

**Rosebush3** · 05-29-2011, 09:26 AM

I work in a supermarket and our local paper is the Bangor Daily News. The weekend paper carries the coupon inserts, naturally. It sells for $2.00. We cut the headers off the papers that don't sell to get credit for unsold papers from BDN.
Something has changed.
The other day, the rep came in to count up the 'returns' and hands us a letter stating a new policy effective with today's paper. We must return the entire weekend paper to get credit, any papers with any missing inserts will not be eligible for credit.
So every time someone steals the insert for a paper, the store will have to eat the cost of that unsold paper. I asked the rep if this was due to people taking the coupon inserts, he said it was. Apparently a problem that has gotten HUGE since Extreme Couponers.

**Contrary Housewife** · 05-29-2011, 10:25 AM

I can't imagine why they would care about the ads being missing. They are paid for by the advertiser.

**pollypurebred39** · 05-29-2011, 10:38 AM

I'll bet it has to do with the fact that instead of purchasing a paper to get the coupons people are stealing them, and thus they are losing newspaper sales.

It's going to get where newspapers will have to be sold behind the counter, or at the counter like a regular news stand. I have a relative who steals the coupons every week. She steals them from EVERY paper and is not in the least bit ashamed of it.

**stinkbug** · 05-29-2011, 11:16 AM

WTH is wrong with people???

**Momto5RN** · 05-29-2011, 12:13 PM

alot of fraudulent stuff has come out of extreme couponers - i have always known it was out there though .

**Paws** · 05-29-2011, 11:06 PM

Yep, my opinion of that show remains the same...a bit entertaining, but really bad news for us that legally and morally use coupons on a regular basis. Since that show started airing, I've had to deal with rude sales clerks, cashiers, and that's not even counting the staring and whispering, nor the swiped shelves...

Never had to deal with such negativity with coupons before that show aired.

**khaski** · 05-30-2011, 11:17 AM

Stealing is stealing...I don't know how some folks justify stealing coupons when they wouldn't otherwise steal. And nevermind returned papers-it hurts the honest person who buys the paper for the coupons only to find they're gone. I check each paper before I buy it now! Clerks must think I'm crazy, but I have wasted $ before buying 'empty' papers that shouldn't have been.

**pollypurebred39** · 05-30-2011, 11:51 AM

Me Too! I've had it happen more then once.

**shoiji** · 05-30-2011, 06:23 PM

I always stand there every week checking the newspaper to make sure I have all the coupons I should have. Only reason I buy the paper is for the coupons. Have no need for the paper without them. The convience store finally got used to me checking the paper every time I come in.

**mh3rdwheel** · 05-30-2011, 07:25 PM

I noticed over the last 4 weeks, the sunday papers (The Times Leader and The Intelligencer) both local only had coupon inserts 2 out of the last 4 weeks.

I found a great deal at Save A Lot, it has a 10 for $10 deal on ground turkey 16oz pkg., butterball turkey bacon, Knorr side dishes, plus bologna, and hot dogs (Eckrich), 3liter of Deer Park water (normally $2.49 before tax), and I got really good coupons for a lot of the stuff, I plan on going maybe on Monday when I am off.

**Dancing Lotus** · 05-30-2011, 08:03 PM

that show is really getting on my nerves, I pray it's short lived. but on the plus side I am kinda glad to see the loop holes getting closed because I hate seeing coupon fraud and maybe just maybe this will stop a few folks from being dishonest.

**pop goes the weasel** · 05-31-2011, 08:18 AM

Where I worked we were told it was the same as shoplifting to take the papers even from the trash. But if they gave you the papers for packing or gardens then it was ok.

**stinkbug** · 06-02-2011, 10:02 AM

Article in our paper today

Treasure Valley coupon frenzy has a darker side | Local News | Idaho Statesman

**Jets Jewelry** · 06-04-2011, 02:14 PM

In my area, you use to be able to get the inserts from the old newspaper. Since Extreme couponing, companies and stores are fight backing. Somehow they think they are being robbed.

**Rosebush3** · 06-04-2011, 04:20 PM

They're fighting back because they ARE getting robbed. It's no more right to take inserts from newspapers you haven't bought than to take a slice of bread from each loaf or something else equally ridiculous. It's like someone taking the sports section out of every single paper they find. If someone hasn't paid for the paper, they haven't the right to take out any part of it. The newspaper companies pay SmartSource, RedPlum, P&G, etc. for the inserts, the papers charge more for the weekend paper to help cover this. People come along and feel entitled to all the coupon inserts they can get their grubby mitts on leaving a stack of newspapers without coupons and the next person/people who come along and pay their $2 for a paper to get those coupons has been 'robbed'. People catch on and the learn to look first to make sure the inserts are intact, if they aren't, the papers are left. Now it's the newspaper companies who are left hanging with piles of pillaged papers they can no longer sell.