Store coupons vs. manufacturer coupons

I have gotten a lot of requests lately to explain the difference between a store coupon and a manufacturer coupon.

This confusion seems to arise mainly from people who have tried to print off manufacturer coupons from the Target website and been unable to use them at a store other than Target (usually due to the Target logo on the coupon).

I am writing this article with the intent that you can clip it from the paper and present it to a cashier to demonstrate the difference between a store coupon and a manufacturer coupon (and hopefully help you get your manufacturer coupons redeemed easier). Remember, though, it is at a store’s discretion what coupons it will accept, so even with this article in hand you might still have your coupons rejected. I’m just writing the article with the hopes that a couple more coupons will be accepted (and thus save you a little bit more money).

A manufacturer coupon will from time to time have a store logo on it. This is usually because that particular store helps to sponsor said coupon in the hopes that you’ll use that certain manufacturer coupon at their store. But, if it is a manufacturer coupon, store name on it or not, you can use it at other stores.

One of the biggest differences between a store coupon and a manufacturer coupon is that a manufacturer coupon will have a company’s remit-to address on it. A store coupon will instead have wording such as “for in store purchases only” or something similar on it in place of a remittance address.

A manufacturer coupon will also say at the top of the coupon “manufacturer coupon” on it, while a store coupon will say something like “store coupon,” or more commonly it’ll have the store’s name, such as “Target coupon” or “Fred Meyer coupon” printed at the top. This is to let the consumer know that a particular coupon can only be used at that certain store.

The biggest thing is that a store coupon will not scan on another store’s system due to the fact that a store coupon is linked directly in with that store’s inventory system. A manufacturer coupon will scan at other stores. So, if your coupon has all the right information on it and a cashier is still wary to try it, see if they will at least scan it to see if it will scan. If it scans, it’s a legitimate manufacturer coupon, not a store coupon.

Erika Buswell runs a blog dedicated to coupons and deals in Alaska (alaskanbargainhunter.blogspot.com) and lives in Palmer with her husband and two children.