Have you ever really took the time to look at your coupons and wondered what the heck all those different codes and numbers mean?! Well, my goal today is to break down the “secret” coupon codes, so that you are more confident and educated when using your coupons! Please note that I am in no way trying to provide information that allows you to use coupons inappropriately or for an unintended use!
A typical coupon barcode looks like the image below on the left that says “UCC Coupon Code”:
(Thanks to AccuGraphiX for this image)
UCC Prefix – This portion of the code will be either a 5 or a 9. It deals with doubling. If your store doesn’t double coupons, then this number has no purpose. If your store DOES double coupons, then any coupon coded with a 5 will double (up to your store’s doubling limit) and any coupon coded with a 9 will not double.
UCC Company Prefix – These numbers identify the manufacturer of the couponed item and MUST match positions two through six of the UCC Company Prefix on the product that is being purchased (this is the way that the register can validate you are purchasing the right product(s) for the coupon being used).
Family Code- Most manufacturers break their products into families and the family code allows the coupon to be coded for a specific product that the manufacturer sells (i.e. Crest may have a coupon that is only good for Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste so the family code on the coupon would validate this at checkout and would beep if you purchased a different variety of Crest toothpaste).
Value Code-This code tells the register what you need to purchase and how much to take off at checkout. The are over 100 value codes, so I will not be listing them all. Here are some examples:
00: Free product Coupon– will beep and require the cashier to manually input the amount to take off.
14: B1G1
50: $0.50 off
99: $0.99 off
*Keep in mind that coupons will occasionally scan successfully for items not listed on the coupon or even excluded by the terms written on the coupon. Just because the coupon scans does NOT mean that it is okay to use coupons for unintended items…this is actually coupon fraud and is illegal!
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OK, so now that you understand coupon coding, do you really know how the process of coupon redemption works for stores?! What do stores do with those stacks of coupons that they collect from all of us savvy shoppers?
Coupon Redemption Process:
-Manufacturers design coupon promotions with their sales/marketing teams
-Coupons are distributed via newspaper inserts, direct mail campaigns, via the internet etc.
-A very “hip” shopper excitedly enters the store and proudly uses all of his/her coupons at checkout 
-The cashier scans the coupons and puts them into the cash drawer. Typically, at the end of the day the coupons in each cash drawer are added up as if they were cash, and that amount is added to the cash sum to be sure the overall total for the drawer is accurate.
-Once per week, all of the manufacturers’ coupons (and any coupons issued by the grocer) are sent in plastic bags or pouches to the store’s corporate headquarters.
-There is a very lucky person at headquarters in charge of processing the coupons. That person boxes all of the bags of coupons and ships them to a third-party clearinghouse.
-The clearinghouse is then responsible for doing the most important part of the coupon redemption process– separating the coupons by manufacturer or by scannable coupons versus damaged/torn coupons. Most of this process is done by hand. Sometimes coupons are put face up on a conveyor belt and move under a scanner that reads the UPC codes and tallies the amounts. However, damaged and torn coupons have to be tallied by hand. The clearinghouse then sends all the sorted coupons with an invoice to the manufacturer.
-The manufacturer will reimburse stores the face value of coupons or if the coupon calls for free merchandise, for the retail-selling price up to the stated maximum value printed on the coupon PLUS 8¢ for handling each coupon properly redeemed (this 8¢ value may vary slightly). Many times manufacturers, such as ConAgra Foods, will also reimburse retailers that are using a clearinghouse or billing agent at a rate equal to $5.50 per thousand of coupons redeemed.
-The manufacturer either reimburses the clearinghouse for the amount of the invoice, and the clearinghouse mails a check to the store for the amount of the coupons OR the manufacturer sends a check directly to the store and the store then pays the clearinghouse. (The clearinghouse is paid a certain amount per coupon by the store, plus shipping and handling).
Thanks Collin for writing this great post! I've taught this in some workshops, but never displayed it.
Community Coffee invites you to experience the genuine flavor of New Orleans by entering the New Orleans Great Taste Getaway Sweepstakes.
One lucky grand prize winner will win a trip for four to New Orleans valued at $5,000! Twenty-five second place winners will win a prize package valued at $200 that is guaranteed to bring the taste of New Orleans direct to your home.
Simply fill out the form click here and you're done.
Winners will be notified via mail by July 20, 2010.
The above is a national contest.
LOOK FOR Special Community Coffee Give-Away for My Memphis Mommy Readers Coming in April!! You will not want to miss out on this!!
It must be coupon day! Coupons.com just added a new coupon for $0.75 off of Jell-O Gelatin Snacks!
Save 40% off the Imaginarium Transporation Train Set TODAY only at Toys "R" Us for their Deal of the Day! This offer is valid in-store only. To find a Toys "R" Us location near you, click here.
Note: Procter & Gamble moved their insert to 4/4. Keep in mind coupons may vary depending on region.
$1/10 Breyers Yogury 6oz cups (exp 6/20)
$.50/1 Breyers Inspirations Multi-pack (exp 6/20)
$.75/1 Breyers YoCrunch 100 Calorie Yogurt Pack (exp 6/20)
$.30/4 Campbell’s Condensed “Great for Cooking” soups (exp 5/31)
$.75/1 Chock full o’ Nuts Coffee (exp 5/31)
$1 off Clean & Clear product, any (exp 4/25)
$.55/2 Duncan Hines Cake, Brownie Mix, or Frosting (exp 6/27)
$1 off Energizer Brand Batteries or Energizer Brand Flashlight (exp 5/1)
$.75/1 French’s French Fried Onions (exp 6/30)
$2/2 Glade Sense & Spray Refills (exp 5/6)
$3 off Glade Sense & Spray Starter Kit (exp 5/6)
$1 off Huggies Little Swimmers Disposable Swimpants (exp 4/25)
$1 off Huggies Little Swimmers Suncare product (exp 4/25)
$1 off Johnson’s Body Care products (exp 6/5)
$5 off Lysol No-Touch Hand Soap System, starter kit (exp 5/25)
$.55/1 Martha Stewart Clean product (exp 9/30)
$1.50/2 Martha Stewart Clean products (exp 9/30)
$2 off Pull-ups Training Pants, jumbo pack+ (exp 4/24)
B1G1 Purina Busy Brand Chew Treat 7oz or smaller (exp 6/27)
$1.50/2 Purina Friskies Party Mix, any (exp 6/30)
$1 off Purina Mighty Dog canned Dog Food Variety Pack, any (exp 5/17)
$3/5 Purina Mighty Dog canned Dog Food, 5.5oz (exp 5/17)
B1G1 Purina Mighty Dog canned Dog Food, 5.5oz (exp 5/17)
$2 off Schick Quattro Titanium Razor, Trimmer, or Refill (exp 5/9)
$1.50/2 Skintimate Moisturizing Cream Shave or Shave Gel (exp 5/16)
$1 off Zantac product (exp 6/30)
$5 off Accu-Chek Aviva Blood Glucose Monitor (exp 7/31)
$1 off Activia 4pk, 8pk, 12pk or 24 oz (exp 5/15)
$1 off Air Wick Aqua Mist (exp 5/9)
$1 off Air Wick Scented Oil Refill twin pack or (2) single refills (exp 5/9)
Free Air Wick Warmer wyb any Air Wick Scented Oil Refill (exp 5/9)
$.50/1 Apple & Eve Fruitables Juice Boxes, 8pk (exp 6/30)
$.50/1 Betty Crocker Box Muffin Mix or Fiber One Box Muffin Mix (exp 5/22)
$.25/1 Betty Crocker Box or Pouch Potatoes, excludes Potato Buds (exp 5/22)
$.75/2 Betty Crocker Cake Mix and Betty Crocker Frosting, any (exp 5/22)
$.40/1 Betty Crocker Cookie Mix, 17.5 oz+ (exp 5/22)
$.75/1 Betty Crocker Warm Delights Bowls or Mini Bowl (exp 5/22)
$2 off Bic Disposable Shaver (exp 5/9)
$.50/1 Bisquick Original or Heart Smart Baking Mix, 40 oz+ (exp 5/22)
$3 off Biz Liquid, any size (exp 5/23)
$1 off Biz Powder, 37.5 oz (exp 5/23)
$2 off Biz Powder, 50 oz + (exp 5/23)
$1 off Chinet Cut Crystal Cups or Plates (exp 6/30)
$4 off Claritin Non-Drowsy or Children’s, 15ct + (exp 4/30)
$.40/1 Colgate 360 Adult Manual Toothbrush (exp 4/17)
$.35/1 Colgate Toothpaste, 6.4 oz + (exp 4/17)
$.75/1 Colgate Total, Max White, Max Fresh, or Sensitive Toothpaste, 4 oz + (exp 4/17)
$.50/1 Colgate Wisp 4 ct product (exp 4/17)
$1 off Colgate Wisp 8 ct + multipack (exp 4/17)
$.50/1 Daisy Brand Sour Cream, 16 oz + (exp 5/31)
$1 off DanActive 4pk or 8pk (exp 5/15)
$1 off Danimals Dan-o-nino Yogurt (exp 5/2)
$1 off Danimals Smoothie 6pk, Smoothie 12pk, Crush Cup 4pk (exp 5/2)
$1 off Dannon 32 oz Yogurt product (exp 4/25)
$.60/6 Dannon 6 oz Single Serve Cups or (1) Light & Fit 4pk or 6pk (exp 4/25)
$1 off DeMet’s Stixx or Treasures, 3 oz + (exp 6/30)
$1 off DeMet’s Turtles, 3.5 oz + (exp 6/30)
$1 off Everybody’s Nuts, 8 oz or 13 oz bag (exp 7/31)
$.50/1 Flipz, 4 oz + (exp 6/30)
$1/3 General Mills Cereals (exp 5/8)
$1 off Gold Bond Ultimate Hand Sanitizer Moisturizer, 2.7-12 oz (exp 7/31)
$1 off Gold Bond Ultimate Lotion, (exp 7/31)
$.40/1 Green Giant Frozen Bagged Vegetables, 19-24 oz (exp 5/22)
$.40/1 Green Giant Steamfresh Vebetables, (exp 5/22)
$.60/3 Green Giant Frozen Boxed Vegetables (exp 5/22)
$1 off Halls Cough Drops, 20 ct + (exp 5/30)
$1/3 Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers (exp 5/31)
$1/2 Healthy Choice Frozen Meals (exp 5/31)
$1 off Herr’s 9oz Baked Crisps (exp 8/31)
$.25/1 House Foods Tofu Shirataki, any shape (exp 7/31)
$.70/1 House Foods Tofu Steak, any flavor (exp 7/31)
$.40/1 House Foods Tofu, any firmness, includes organic (exp 7/31)
$1 off Kool-Aid Fun Fizz product (exp 4/25)
$.50/1 Litehouse product (exp 6/28)
$1 off Melitta Cone Filters, any (1) 100ct or (2) 40ct (exp 6/30)
$.55/1 Mini Babybel Cheese (exp 6/30)
$.50/1 Murphy Oil Soap product (exp 4/17)
$1/2 Mussleman’s Totally Fruit or Healthy Picks Apple Sauce (exp 5/31)
Free Olay Total Effects Body Wash wyb Total Effects Facial Moisturizer (exp 4/30)
Free Olay Total Effects Facial Cleanser wyb Total Effects Facial Moisturizer (exp 4/30)
$.50/1 Palmolive Liquid Dish Soap, 20 or 25oz (exp 4/17)
$.35/1 Pam Cooking Spray (exp 5/15)
$.75/2 Parkay products (exp 5/15)
$4 off Science Diet Nature’s Best Dry Dog or Cat Food, (exp 6/30) *Petco store coupon
$.40/2 Pillsbury Crescent Dinner Rolls (exp 6/19)
$.75/2 Pillsbury Frozen Grands Biscuits, Cinnamon Rolls, or Mini Cinnamon Rolls (exp 6/19)
$.40/2 Pillsbury Italian Meal Breads, (exp 6/19)
$1/3 Pillsbury Refrigerated Cookie Dough (exp 6/19)
$.30/2 Pillsbury Refrigerated Grands Biscuits (exp 6/19)
$.50/2 Pillsbury Rolled Refrigerated Pie Crusts (exp 6/19)
$.40/2 Pillsbury Sweet Rolls or Grands Sweet Rolls (exp 6/19)
$6 off Prevacid 24HR, 14 or 28 ct (exp 4/24)
$10 off Prevacid 24HR, 42 ct (exp 4/24)
$.50/1 Reddi-Wip (exp 5/15)
$.50/1 Sister Schubert’s product (exp 6/30)
$1 off Softsoap Brand Body Wash, 12oz+ (exp 4/17)
$.50/1 Speed Stick or Lady Speed Stick Deodorant (exp 4/17)
$1/2 The Laughing Cow Cheese Wedges (exp 6/30)
$.75/1 Total Cereal (exp 5/8)
$.50/3 Totino’s Crisp Crust Party Pizza products (exp 6/19)
$5 off Whole Body Cleanse internal cleansing system (exp 6/28)
$1 off Xtra Laundry Detergent, 150oz (exp 4/30)
$.30/1 Yoplait Greek Yogurt cups (exp 5/22)
$1 off Ziploc Brand Vacuum Pump or Refill (exp 5/22)
$1 off Ziploc Zip’n Steam Bags (exp 5/22)
RedPlum 3/28
$1 off Advil PM 16 ct + (exp 6/25)
$2 off Advil PM, 80 ct + (exp 6/25)
$1 off Betty Crocker Cupcake Icing (exp 5/2)
Free Carefree 22ct wyb Carefree product 38 ct + (exp 6/30)
B1G1 Carefree Ultra Protection product 14-16 ct (exp 6/30)
$1 off Caress Daily Cream Whipped Souffle Body Wash 12 oz + or 6 bar pk (exp 4/25)
$1 off Caress Tahitian Renewal or Cashmere Luxury Body Wash, 12 oz + (exp 4/25)
$1 off Centrum Ultra (exp 6/30)
$3/2 Centrum Ultra (exp 6/30)
$.75/1 Dove Deodorant and/or Body Mist (exp 4/25)
$.75/1 Dove Beauty Bar, 6 bar pk (exp 4/25)
$1.25 Dove Body Wash, 10 oz + (exp 4/25)
$2.50/2 Dove Hair Care Products (exp 4/25)
$1.50 Dove Hair Daily Treatment Conditioner (exp 4/25)
$1.25 Dove Men+Care Body and Face Bar, 6 bar pk + (exp 6/20)
$1 off Dove Men+Care Body Wash, 13.5 oz + or Scrubber (exp 6/20)
$1.25 Dove Ultimate Beauty Care Deodorant(exp 4/25)
$1.50/2 Dunkin’ Donuts Coffee, 11 oz + (exp 4/30)
$1 off ERA, any size (exp 4/30)
$1 off Folgers Gourmet Selections product (exp 4/30)
$1/2 Folgers Instant Coffee Crystals (exp 4/30)
$1/2 Folgers products, 7 oz +, includes Singles and Pods (exp 4/30)
$.50/1 Hellmann’s Product (exp 4/25)
$.60/2 I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter products (exp 4/25)
$.60/1 I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Sticks (exp 4/25)
$1/2 Jimmy Dean Sausage Rolls (exp 6/13)
$1.25/3 Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts, 8 ct + (exp 5/23)
$1.50 /2 Kellogg’s Rice Krispies, Crispix, All-Bran and/or Kellogg’s Corn Flakes Cereals, 10 oz +(exp 5/9)
$1 off Kellogg’s Smart Start Cereal, 14.7 oz + (exp 5/9)
$1 off Kellogg’s Special K Granola, Raisin Bran Extra! or Frosted Mini-Wheats, 14 oz + (exp 5/9)
$2/2 Kellogg’s Special K Granola, Raisin Bran Extra! or Frosted Mini-Wheats, 14 oz + (exp 5/9)
$1 off King’s Hawaiian products, excludes 4 pk rolls (exp 5/31)
$.50/2 Knorr Recipe/Sauce/Gravy Mix products (exp 4/25)
$.50/1 Lever 2000 Bar Soap, 2-4 bar pk (exp 4/25)
$1 off Lever 2000 Bar Soap, 6 bar pk + (exp 4/25)
$.70/2 Lipton Tea Bags, or Iced Tea Mix (exp 4/25)
$.60/2 Lipton Recipe Secrets products (exp 4/25)
$2 off L’Oreal Preference, any (exp 6/20)
$1 off Maybelline Great Lash Mascara (exp 4/28)
$2/2 Met-Rx Big 100 Bars or Protein Plus Bars (exp 5/8)
$1 off O.B. product (exp 6/30)
$1 off Pedigree Good Bites Treats for Dogs (exp 5/23)
$1 off Pond’s Cream, Toweletts or Cleansing product (exp 4/25)
$1.25 Pond’s West Cleansing Towelettes, 30 ct (exp 4/25)
$1/2 Rhodes Cinnamon Rolls (exp 6/30)
$1/2 Rhodes Warm-N-Serv Rolls (exp 6/30)
$.50/1 Sally Hansen Nail Color (exp 5/31)
$1 off Sally Hansen Lip product (exp 5/31)
$.50/1 Sally Hansen Nail Treatment or Hand Care product (exp 5/31)
$1 off Sally Hansen La Cross Beauty Tools, any $2 or more (exp 5/31)
$2 off Stayfree product (exp 6/30)
$3 off SlimShots Liquid Portion Control, excludes 2 ct (exp 6/30)
$1/2 Smucker’s Jam, Jelly , Preserves, or Fruit Spread products (exp 6/27)
$3 off Snuggle Fabric Softener Liquid 32 ld + or Dryer Sheets, 70 ct + (exp 5/2)
$1/2 Stella Brand Cheese cup or wedge (exp 6/30)
$1.50 Strap Perfect Bra Strap (exp 6/30)
$1 off The Goodlife Recipe Treats for Dogs (exp 6/20)
$1 off The Goodlife Recipe Food for Dogs (exp 6/26)
$1 off ThermaCare, 2 ct + (exp 6/30)
$1 off Tide Stain Release (exp 4/30)
$3 off Tide Stain Release, 26-50 oz or 15-34 ct (exp 4/30)
$.50/1 Treasure Cave Cheese, 4 oz + (exp 6/30)
$1/2 Tums, 24 ct + (exp 6/30)
$2 off Tums Dual Action, 25 ct + (exp 6/30)
$1 off Uncle Ben’s Long Grain & Wild Rice box (exp 5/23)
$.50/1 Whole Fruit Sorbet (exp 5/28)
$.50/1 Whole Fruit Fruit Bar (exp 5/28)
$1 off Whiskas Dry Cat Food, any (exp 5/23)
B1G1 Whiskas Tray, any (exp 5/23)
$1.25/2 Wish-Bone or Wish-Bone Western Dressings (exp 4/25)
