SnipSnap Quick Tip: Can I Snip it? Store Sales Vs. Store Coupons

We did it! With SnipSnap 2.1, now more than ever, we’re purging more coupons which might not work. We’ve seen our succScreen Shot 2013-01-24 at 1.17.26 PMess ratings for many retailers soar, because we’re more effectively curating your search for the best possible coupons to your favorite stores. The system isn’t perfect (yet), however, are there are still some guidelines you should follow when snipping a coupon.

Which coupons should you avoid snipping? The first type isn’t actually a coupon at all. I’m talking about store circular advertisements. These block advertisements in store circular ads may look like coupons, but they’re actually just advertisements for store sale prices you’ll pay without needing to redeem a paper (or mobile) coupon. The main problem with SnipSnapping store advertisements is they won’t help you save any money at the register. Store advertisements (unlike store coupons) also don’t have bar codes, expiration dates, or even retailer names on them, so there’s no information for SnipSnap to capture. Ads without expiration dates can’t auto-delete, so they stick around much longer than they should.

How can you tell the difference between a store ad and a store coupon when you’re searching the SnipSnap database? It’s easy. Today is National Peanut Butter Day, and I had a craving for some of the stuff, so I typed “peanut butter” into the SnipSnap search bar. I discovered this great store coupon for peanut butter and jelly at Target that’s current and contains a bar code for easy redemption. This is a valid store coupon.

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I also found this store ad for peanut butter.

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If you take a look at the store ad that was snipped, you can see it sort of looks like a coupon. The trick to avoid snipping ads for coupons is to look for the words “store coupon,” as well as an expiration date, store logo and (sometimes) bar code. Valid coupons will have this information.Screen Shot 2013-01-24 at 2.21.08 PMIt’s that simple! Avoid snipping store ads, and you’ll have a much easier time redeeming SnipSnapped store coupons at the register. If you, like me, love peanut butter and want to take the Target coupon for a spin, make sure you follow me in SnipSnap and subscribe to my Target Top Picks coupon bundle for more great grocery deals!