Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Beware the Coupon Trap

By Robert Mann


At first glance, coupons seem to be a wonderful thing that everybody should make use of, and when they are used correctly, that's true. But consumers can make mistakes while shopping with coupons that can ensure they are wasting money instead of saving it. When shopping, all should be really cautious when using coupons so that money is not lost on the deal.

A common mistake when using coupons is buying something that one doesn't really want or need. The temptation to save money on something can be strong. However if the product is something that the buyer has never bought before or doesn't have a strong desire to buy, they shouldn't buy it regardless of the discount.

Another problem is buying too much of a product even if the buyer uses it regularly. If the buyer already has a full supply of a product then it shouldn't be purchased. If the coupon requires you to buy more than one item first consider if the quantity is required or needed. The buyer is often pressured into making hasty decisions because of expiration dates on coupons. The buyer should remember not to buy something if they already have enough of it on hand.

Money is also wasted if the coupon causes a customer to buy a new brand that they end up being dissatisfied by. Trying new brands isn't always a bad thing but one needs to make sure that the coupon doesn't lead to a product that sacrifices quality or features.

The last thing to remember is that just because you have a coupon for a product that doesn't automatically make it the best deal. One should check sale papers and ads from local merchants to see if the same product is available at a cheaper price. It's important to be familiar with general prices too because they can be lower in some cases.

Coupons aren't bad in and of themselves, yet a person shouldn't forget that coupons are a marketing tool for companies that are attempting to sell their product. The reason for coupons is to persuade purchasers to buy the marketed brand, rather than providing savings to consumers. Whether using clipped or online coupons for printing, a purchaser needs to make intelligent decisions in order to ensure that his or her objectives are attained, and not those of the vendor.




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