There has been quite the stir in social media over the past few days (especially Facebook)  with regards to new changes in the OWFG coupon stacking procedures. Many are claiming that Overwaitea, Save On Foods, PriceSmart & Cooper’s Foods locations no longer “Stack” coupons, meaning using more than one manufacturer coupon on an item has been eliminated.

Although there have been recent changes to the coupon policy as current as October 29, 2012, let me assure you that OWFG STILL allows stacking of coupons, however, there are more restrictions as to which coupons we can now stack.

Changes in any coupon policy for any store is a reflection on two things. (1) How the store is managing and handling high volumes of coupons being redeemed both by service clerks & management. (2) How couponers are behaving. Any volume of negative participation trying to redeem coupons will result in policies being reviewed to help solve situations.

Negative impacts on couponing are:

  • Shelf Clearing by couponers gone wild
  • Trying to redeem coupons that are not for the exact product purchased
  • Using expired coupons. Stores will not be re-embursed for submitting expired coupons
  • Using high volumes of coupons during peak store hours. This clogs up the tills & puts tension on cashiers to work faster, and stresses other customers who need to get places.
  • Stacking coupons that are not stackable
  • Tear Pad stealing. Although this does not impact the cashier at the till, stores like to keep all their customers happy by giving everyone the opportunity to use discount coupons.

Below is the coupon policy that I recieved today from OWFG that states exactly how customers can continue to stack coupons. I have highlighted some important points that WE as consumers & couponers need to pay attention to.

Coupon Acceptance Practices
Our coupon acceptance practices are designed to help extend more savings to our customers while ensuring we continue to offer an exceptional customer service experience to everyone in our stores.
We don’t limit the number of coupons redeemed per transaction necessarily, but rather, we focus on our responsibility to follow the directions clearly stated on those coupons.
To receive your coupon discount please:
• present your coupon at the time of purchase
• ensure all conditions stated on the coupon are met (product to purchase, limits etc.)
• ensure all product specifications are met (size, flavour, etc)
• ensure your coupon is redeemed prior to the expiration date
• if printed from the internet, your coupon is legible
• ensure your coupon is not a photocopy
• ensure your coupon is not issued by one of our competitors Store issued coupons: store coupons are distributed through flyers, email, in-store kiosks, social media and direct mail.
• Our store system reinforces the conditions of every coupon we receive to ensure that specifications are met (including banner, date, product specifications, limits, combinations, etc).
• Can be combined with manufacturer coupons
• Only one store issued coupon can be redeemed per item (no stacking)
Manufacturer issued coupons:
• Can be combined with a store issued coupon
• Must have a Canadian address; US coupons aren’t accepted
• The total value of the coupons cannot exceed the value of the product
• Multiple manufacturer’s coupons can be redeemed per item (stacking), only if each coupon comes from a different media source (e.g. manufacturer, newspaper, website, etc) and has a different code (or UPC)
• Stacking isn’t allowed on ‘buy one, get one’ free (BOGO) products
• Stacking isn’t allowed if the fine print says:
o One coupon per purchase
o Use of more than one manufacturer coupon per product is strictly prohibited
o Only one coupon valid per purchase
o Limit one coupon per customer, limit one coupon per purchase
• While more than one vendor coupon with the above descriptions cannot be used together, they can be combined with store coupons/promotions.
• Splitting coupons across multiple products is not allowed
• All taxes are payable on the full value of the item, unless the coupon specifications state it’s for a ‘free’ taxable product
• Deposits and fees are payable on applicable products regardless of the coupons’ discount
• Manufacturer’s mail-in-rebates will be honoured by the manufacturer, not the store (and are not considered coupons)
Guidelines for high volume coupon redeemers:
• Please call ahead to ensure we have adequate team members available on our front end at the time you plan to shop so that we can accommodate your needs while providing great to service to our other customers.
• At checkout, please ensure that coupons are placed with each item to speed up the coupon validation and checkout process.
• If you hope to purchase large quantities of individual items, please provide 2 – 3 days notice to your local store manager so we can properly manage inventory requirements
• Please note that we reserve the right to limit quantities purchased based on inventory available for all customers.
• Please note that we will not accept large quantities of multiple coupons during any special promotional days. For more information, please see your manager.
• We reserve the right to amend the above mentioned practices at any time, in consideration of the best experience for our customers.