Their coupons are confiscated and their website is no more, but the three Phoenix women accused of operating a multi-million dollar counterfeit coupon ring say they’re innocent. Robin Ramirez, Marilyn Johnson and Amiko Fountain all pleaded not guilty Wednesday, in Maricopa County (Arizona) Superior Court. Johnson and Fountain, whose families claim they didn’t know the coupons they’re accused of helping[Read More…]
Here are a few tips for retailers who want to issue a high-value coupon to their best customers: Don’t forget to put some restrictions on the coupon Don’t put it online, allowing unlimited prints Don’t encourage recipients to “forward to a friend” Men’s clothing chain Jos. A. Bank learned all of this the hard way, when it retracted a coupon[Read More…]
Love it or hate it, much of the credit (or blame) for the current coupon craze has to go to TLC’s TV series “Extreme Couponing”. It’s been a hit for TLC, but a lightning rod for critics who say it glorifies hoarding, displays questionable couponing ethics and even seems to condone outright fraud. But if any of it phases the[Read More…]
When it comes to privacy in this age of data collection and identity theft, many savvy consumers are careful about what personal information they’re willing to share. That said, we’re apparently willing to lower our guard for a Cheez Doodles coupon. A new poll commissioned by digital advertising company Placecast asked how people feel about companies’ use of their personal[Read More…]
Once upon a time, 61-year-old Molly Perry went into a Fayetteville, North Carolina grocery store, ignored the sale ad, grabbed more than $500 worth of stuff – and didn’t use a single coupon! What is she, Fayetteville’s richest retired nurse?? No, she was just the winner of a contest that awarded her a two-minute shopping spree. As reported by the[Read More…]
If you were thinking of buying a bunch of fake coupons from the SavvyShopperSite, think again! A week after three women were arrested and charged with counterfeiting the coupons sold on the site, it’s been shut down. The site was registered with Go Daddy and hosted by Act Now Domains, both of which state in their terms of service, “You[Read More…]
Because we just can’t get enough about the crooked coupon caper, here’s another update on the case of the alleged counterfeit couponers in Phoenix. Phoenix TV station KPHO spoke with the lead investigator of “Operation Super Coupon”, which resulted in three arrests and the seizure of $40 million in fake coupons. Sgt. David Lake of the Phoenix Police Department told[Read More…]
No more coupons, no more customers? Given department store JCPenney’s dismal performance since doing away with discounts and coupons, might CEO Ron Johnson consider bringing back coupons? “No,” he says. Ok, might JCPenney consider doing away with its CEO then? “Yes,” says one retail analyst. The company’s credit rating retreated further into junk status this week, as it laid off[Read More…]
Here’s a followup to the case of the alleged coupon counterfeiters in Phoenix: Did everyone who purchased the extremely-suspicious-in-retrospect “free product” coupons offered by the SavvyShopperSite, really believe they were the real deal? Not necessarily, but it seems some customers didn’t want to spoil a good thing by questioning it. Phoenix TV station KTVK spoke with a South Carolina woman[Read More…]
It’s nearly back-to-school time, and maybe Chicago-based ShopperTrak needs to go back to coupon school. As reported by Crain’s Chicago Business, the retail technology company says the “back-to-school outlook is rosy, unless you’re a coupon fanatic.” The firm predicts national retail sales, and retail foot traffic, will increase this back-to-school season. “Parents will fill their carts with more pencils, supplies[Read More…]
