Printable coupons are online coupons that can be printed at home or at the office, then taken to retail stores for value-added discounts. Though not all retailers accept printable coupons, they are expected to gain wider acceptance as fraud is reduced through imbedded security strategies.
Printable coupons are commonly offered through “coupon websites.” Some of these sites require member registration and personally identifiable information. At a minimum, this typically includes full name and address, gender, age, number of children, and email address. The registration process might also involve survey questions.
Where member profiles are required, they are used to market items deemed statistically probable to be appealing. In return for membership, one can search the site for printable coupons and online redeemable coupons. Categories include grocery coupons, travel-related coupons, pet product coupons, and many other types of coupons.
Though printable coupons are not as plentiful as product code and activated link coupons, some places you can find printable coupons include SmartSource, ValPak, CoolSavings, Funtasia, TheCouponClippers and eSmarts. One site that offers printable coupons and many other types of discount coupons gives its members up to 25% cash back on every coupon the member redeems. This site, eBates boasts the GoodHousekeeping seal of approval. According to the Terms of Service contract as of August 2006, cash accrues in an online account with every qualifying sale. The money is paid out by check once every three months, providing the member has earned in excess of 5.01 US dollars (USD).
If you’d like to avoid the chore of taking printable coupons to the store, some grocery stores now offer “click” coupons. At Upons.com, surfers choose the grocery store, enter the number from the club card they would normally present to the cashier, and simply click on the coupons they want. The discounts are automatically credited to the shopping card. Just pick up the items in the grocery store the next time you're out, and the coupon amount(s) will be applied automatically at checkout with a swipe of the card. This avoids fraud issues associated with printable coupons and is more convenient for the customer.
Many sites that offer printable coupons require that members first download a proprietary printing program. The printing program is very small and easy to install. It ensures printable coupons pass scrutiny at the point of sale by incorporating fraud-protection schemes. Still, not all retailers accept printable coupons, so check with local merchants.
This article is informational only and not intended as endorsement of any of the sites mentioned. Conjecture is not affiliated with these sites in any way. Before volunteering personal information or participating in online programs, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) urges consumers to read respective Terms of Service and Privacy Policies carefully.