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Ali Shops Blog

Posts Tagged ‘coupons’

Coupon overload?

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009

I've heard from a few independent retailers that have been surprised by the dismal response to various coupon promotions this holiday season. Everyone wants a deal…but not so much that they're willing to carry a flier or an email or a postcard into a store? I carry a zippered pouch in my handbag, stuffed with $10 rewards cards and 25% off vouchers…and still, they don't always make it to the cash register. I forget or I don't have the right card at the right time – all that paper can be a pain. But I certainly don't want to discourage stores from extending deals – especially the ones that reward frequent shoppers, which seems to be the targeted direction retailers are heading. I do find that sometimes mentioning a discount received in the mail or via email or Twitter is enough to get the credit at the counter. But not always. What's the answer? What types of promos work best for you?
(AliShops Holiday Passport holders, you still have two more days to take advantage – don't let those discounts go to waste!)

Gap binging

Wednesday, December 17th, 2008

The coupons are working. I've shopped Gap more in the past few weeks than the past year. I do find the current collection of sweaters, scarves and basics more appealing than the past several rounds of merchandise, but the real draw: constant discount offers at the stores, in the mail and in my in-box. Just picked up two scarves, regularly $30 to $40 for $10 apiece. In my car are three Gap sweaters, all marked down, plus I had an extra 10 percent off voucher (could have bumped that up to 25 percent if I'd signed up for a Gap credit card). Even as I paid, I found myself thinking: these will probably be marked down further next week. Decided I'd evaluate at home and most likely, will return one or two. I'm expecting to bump into my friend Kirsten at the return desk. "I have found myself buying things because they are cheap, but when I get home, I feel like, 'Do I really need another sweater from the Gap?" Spending might be down, but returns are expect to reach an all time high this holiday season as buyer's remorse gets the best of us. Are you feeling it?

No coupon? No problem.

Tuesday, June 26th, 2007

"Is there a coupon offer today?" I asked the sales associate in the contemporary department at Macy’s, and we both burst into laughter. Is there ever not a coupon offer? So I fished around in my bag and came up with a couple of expired 15 or 20 percent off cards . I needn’t have bothered. Krista, the sales associate, had a stack of them sitting at the counter. Same thing happened to me in shoes. So don’t miss out. Basically there is never a reason to pay full price at Macy’s – you know, the department store that promised to be less promotional.

Interesting addendum: Krista did have an ulterior motive. She wrote her name on the bottom of my receipt and asked me to go online and say nice things about her. (Does this count?) I’ve been told by company officials that this employee recognition program is not new, but someone must have recently clued in the front line staff because suddenly they’re all begging for accolades. No one seems to have many of them that they’ll need to actually work for it.


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