Just what exactly is a coupon you ask? It is an item with a specific value which provides a discount to your purchase. Coupons come in many varieties and forms, from paper, to printable, to strictly online. Some discounts are 10% while some can be as high as 70 or 80%! Besides a discount on cost of the product, a coupon can also discount the whole total of a purchase with a sum of money that is taken off, such as $10. Another option of coupons are shipping discounts, many of which are free! These are just a few examples of the many different kinds of coupons that you can find.
A promotional code is a coupon that you can only find online. Think of a traditional paper coupon that uses a barcode to identity its value. A promotional coupon is exactly the same, except instead of a barcode it uses a series of letters and numbers that is used to mark its value.
How Do I Use it?
Simply input the code in the designated box during checkout. Double check your itemized list on your bill to be sure that your discount has been applied and bask in the glow of savings.
A coupon code is identical to a promotional code, it is simply a different name. These two terms are interchangeable and you’ll find many discount sites using both of these terms frequently.
How Do I Use it?
Use a coupon code the exact way you would use a promotional code.
An ongoing promotion is coupons that do not have a specific expiration, unlike promotional or coupon codes. What is particularly great with ongoing promotions is that they are a staple of online retail. Most retail sites have at least a few ongoing promotions all the time, such as free shipping for example. Ongoing promotions are available to only online shoppers, so it is a great advantage to traditional retail shopping.
How Long Do They Last?
To put it simply, ongoing promotions last for as long as the retailer wants it to. That means that the discount can be available for quite some time or it can end as soon as tomorrow. With these deals, it is best to strike while the iron is hot before the promotion disappears.
For online shopping, Paypal is a great alternative to using your credit or debit card. If you’re familiar with Ebay, you have probably seen the use of Paypal accounts. To use, simply go to www.Paypal.com and follow their instructions to establish your account. If you have any questions, be sure to contact them through their “Help” button.
What is So ‘Great’ About it?
The advantage of Paypal is that it is a method of payment that doesn’t require your bank information. If you are nervous about shopping online due to fears of identity theft, this may be an ideal option for you.
Bill Me Later is an alternate form of payment that you can find via the checkout page. Check out their website at www.bill-me-later.com for more information.
How Does it Work?
Select ‘Bill Me Later’ during the checkout process. Follow the instructions provided. You’ll need two pieces of information; your birthday and the last four digits of your social security number. Enter this info and you’ll be approved. Within a few weeks you will be billed in the mail all of the purchases that you’ve made with this option. You can pay this bill with your checking or savings account.
A word of warning: Bill Me Later does not currently accept Paypal or credit cards as a form of payment so if these methods are your only form of payment, this may not be the ideal option for you.
A paper coupon is the traditional coupon that you are most likely familiar with. Paper Coupons can be found in publications such as advertisements, catalogues, magazines and the newspaper, just to name a few.
How Does it Work?
Clip your coupon and bring it with you to the specific store it applies to. Find the exact product that matches the coupon. Make sure that you’ve read it thoroughly so you know what it applies to. Hand the coupon to the cashier so they may scan it and deduct the coupon’s value to your bill. The coupon will then be discarded once the transaction has been completed.
A printable coupon is a cross between a traditional paper coupon and an online coupon. Many websites offer free printable coupons so be sure to use this great promotion.
How Does it Work?
Double click on the printable coupon that you want. An image of the coupon will load. Once the image has finished loading, simply print the image out from your printer by clicking “file” and “print” on your toolbar. You now have a paper coupon and to redeem it, simply take the printed coupon to the retailer and use it for your purchase.
Don’t forget to have enough ink in your printer for the coupon. If the barcode isn’t fully printed, it may not be scannable and/or the retailer may not accept it.
Online Gift Certificates are gift certificates that are given and redeemable online. They are also just like online coupons in function.
How Does it Work:
Enter the gift certificate’s code as you would an online coupon code in the appropriated box. To be sure that you’ve gotten the full value of your gift certificate, check your itemized bill before checkout. Your bill should read, “$0.00”.
If you have any remaining balance, it will remain in your account for your next purchase.
As always, read the fine print on your gift certificate to be aware of exclusions, inclusions, and expiration dates.
A rebate is available for online and retail store purchases. What makes a rebate different from a coupon is that its value deduction is taken at a later date, not instantaneously as a coupon functions.
How Does it Work:
To redeem your rebate, first make sure that your desired item is applicable to the rebate. Then purchase your item with paperwork that comes with the item. Every rebate is different and is conditional in relation to your bought item.
Some require receipts or other forms of verification to prove that you have bought the item. Therefore, be sure not to throw your receipt away!
After completing your paperwork, mail everything to the location given to you by the company. Once the rebate has been processed, you will receive your check in the mail.
This process can take only a few days to a few months so remember that you have to pay the full price up front.
Reward Points come from a variety of places. They are usually a bonus incentive for spending money. An example of a reward point system is credit cards that reward every dollar you spend with a certain number of points.
After accumulating a number of points, these total points can be redeemed for certain benefits. Benefits are varied and are relative to the source of the reward points. One such benefit may be a free plane ticket, as redeemable through frequent flyer miles.
There are also different reward systems that can be found online which function in the same way. For every dollar you spend at a particular retailer, you’ll earn a certain number of points in return that can later be used for a particular benefit.
Find the list of available rewards and see if the reward point system would interest you. Search the individual site to see just what is offered and what is necessary to qualify.
Coupon Alert is a easy to use tool on www.Couponwinner.com that enables the user to sign up for alerts on their favorite retailers and any coupons that apply to them.
How Does it Work?
The tool is extremely customizable about alerts that would be of specific interest to you. What is so beneficial about this tool is that it doesn’t spam your e-mail box and it saves you time and effort on searching through many pages of internet coupon deals. Coupon Alert sends the great deals that you would be interested in directly to your inbox, saving you a lot of hassle while also saving you some money too.
A blog is a form of publication on the internet. It is an easy way for a website to get in touch with its customers or audience. Many blogs are also written by everyday people who simply have something to say. Think of a blog as an open journal that everyone can see. Blogs also have interactive features that are available only in a forum like the internet. As you would find on a website, blogs can have hyperlinks, or words of text that you can click on that will take you to another page of that word’s interest. Blogs can be specialized and you can always find a blog that features your interests. For example, if you’re interested in the latest shopping deals, check out www.couponschool.com. Or, if you’re interested in fashion and the latest styles, try Shopping Bag Hags for a taste of what internet blogging has to offer. Many blogs also have a feature that enables readers to add their own comments to a specific post. This is a great opportunity to interact with like minded people and to learn! Blogs are a invaluable source of information, one that is very new, fresh, and always changing. Stay smart and hip with your shopping while also staying informed.
So by now you must be thing, “There has got to be a catch.” There is, but most likely not in the way that you think. Retailers don’t see the money that they’re losing with these discounts. Rather, they see the money they are earning by the promotional value of this effective means of advertising. In this scenario, everyone wins; the retailer has your excellent business, and you get a great deal from the retailer.
Coupons have great value for not only advertising but for establishing good customer service that will make you want to come back again to their business for great products and savvy deals. |