Why do stores honor competitors coupons?
Couponing seems simple enough — until you take a closer look. Shoppers learning to Super-Coupon come up with all kinds of questions. Here’s a good one: Q: “Your column explaining how stores are reimbursed for coupons made me think about whether or not I should use one store’s coupon at a competing store down the street. For example, I received a coupon good for a $5 discount on a $30 grocery purchase at Store A in my area, but I used it at Store B, since they will honor it. But don’t both stores lose in this case? I can’t see Store A reimbursing Store B for this coupon. And I can’t see Store B even bothering to submit the coupon to Store A. How does this work?” A: Many store coupon policies contain provisions for handling a competitor’s coupons. Your store-issued “$5 off $30” coupon is different from a manufacturer’s coupon. Coupons are always labeled at the top, either “Store Coupon” or “Manufacturer Coupon.” When shoppers use a manufacturer coupon, the manufacturer of that particula
Why do stores honor competitors coupons?