CONSUMER CHAMP: Redeeming value
Suddenly finding coupons is worth the effort as consumers 'clip' via computer
By Bill Clarke, Special to the Rocky
Originally published 03:00 p.m., July 20, 2008
Updated 07:03 p.m., July 20, 2008
Do rising food prices have you clipping coupons?
"Come one, come all. . . . Savings galore on just about everything you need . . . even savings on the brands you know and trust and want."
Sound like a carnival barker's pitch? Nope. Not at all. Cents-off - or dollars-off - coupons still offer the promise of good deals. And lately the increasing cost of food has prompted more shoppers to turn to coupons.
Last year, for the first time in 16 years, coupon redemptions increased over the previous year. But lately, clicking has become the alternative to clipping as growing numbers of consumers head to the Internet.
Mostly they want to selectively seek out discounts on just the products they need. You can buy or bid or bargain for someone else's coupons, or you can just go to Web sites and pick and choose coupons based on what you need when you make up the shopping list.
Newspaper coupons are still big and account for about 80 percent of the savings, one Web-site operator says, but more shoppers are turning to the Internet for coupons on everything from tires and ink cartridges to meat, dairy and other staple grocery items.
As a result, the growth of coupon consolidators is nothing short of phenomenal. Coupons.com reports business was up 100 percent in May from a year ago. CoolSavings.com says its number of hits is up 87 percent in the past six months.
Coupon Web sites fall into two categories: those that charge a modest fee for sending you coupons or providing access online, and those without a fee. Best-known among the free sites is CouponMom.com, started by Stephanie Nelson. Ms. CouponMom reports that traffic has more than doubled in the past year for a service that tracks store sales and pairs them with available coupons.
Of course, as is the case with anything that could save you money, coupon nirvana isn't always easily achieved. If you pay for a Web-based coupon service, spend a little time following its deals before you sign up. And watch out for added fees based on the "savings" you'll get from using those coupons. You might also want to check manufacturers' Web sites to find coupon deals that fly under the coupon consolidators' radar.
Finally, beware of sites that may try to work a little value voodoo on your computer. The classic example is TraderJoes Coupon.com, named after the popular California-based gourmet food chain. There are some troublesome signs that this one might try to install spyware in your computer. The site is owned by a third party and has only a post-office box for a mailing address, according to the Chicago Tribune. Even worse, the e-mail address hasn't replied to inquiries.
Ready? Set? Click!
Web sites to clip and save!
Here's a rundown on some of the better - and better-known - coupon Web sites. If you know of any others, e-mail me at consumerchamp@q.com and we'll add them to the Web site. Remember, most have deals for more than just what you'll find at your local supermarket. So it's a wise idea to check before buying anything you know is too expensive at the regular selling price. Printer-ink cartridges come to mind.
CoolSavings.com
A free Web site that requires registration. Cluttered, tough to understand and navigate, but some good deals. No fee
CouponMom.com
Good, thorough, easy to navigate. Lots of practical advice and info. No fee.
Coupon Mountain. com
Cluttered, tough to navigate. This one gave me a headache. Short on grocery deals, strong on some others. No fee.
Coupons. com
About as simple and straight- forward as possible. No fee.
Eversave.com
Limited selection of grocery items. Easy to navigate. No fee.
Grocery Coupons.com
Easy to navigate, simple to get results. It clips coupons and mails them to you; also has restaurant coupons you can print. Costs $9.95 a year, plus 10 percent of the coupons' face value and 75 cents per shipment.
Mommy savers.com
Mommy- friendly Web site, long on advice. Limited grocery coupons. No fee.
MyGrocery Deals.com
Tracks deals by ZIP code and supermarket chain. Some coupons. No fee.
TheGroceryGame.com
Free coupons, access to coupon auctions. Weekly newsletter costs $1 for the first four weeks. Main site? No fee, but nothing special.
Final words
Coupons are worth something only if you in- tend to use the product.
Often, they're used to boost sales of established products, generate interest in new products or counteract a competitor's promotion.
Be sure to check unit prices to make sure something else on the shelf isn't a better deal.
If tracking your coupon purchases with the rest of your shopping is too much of a hassle, consider making a separate coupon-shopping trip.
For years, King Soopers has redeemed coupons at twice the face amount, up to a total of a dollar off. Most other chains generally redeem coupons at face value only, but along the Front Range, a limited number of Safeway stores match King Soopers' offer.
A spokeswoman says it happens where competitive situations warrant, and that usually means in a handful of locations where the two big rivals are nearly next to each other. The best example is between 13th and 14th avenues in Denver's Mayfair neighborhood, where the two stores are separated by Krameria Street and Safeway's gas station is in the King Soopers parking lot. You can't get much more competitive!
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