Tesco's Coupons

MSE_Martin wrote: »

I know there have been a number of threads on this while I've been away. I am slightly confused that after MSE Archna posted the response from me, in my name, that I wrote while on my break people are saying they want a response from Martin.

I think those people wanted a 'proper human response' as opposed to a public relations style message?

So in case it was missed here it is again.

I do not think anyone missed it, MSE Archna posted it on every related thread, on your behalf?

"I'm saddened to hear of some nasty posts I do not think any were 'nasty' per se, I think they were critising your actions, simply vents, nothing personal from what I saw(including the deleted ones) on here about Tesco's change of policy (see the Tesco changes coupon policy and would ask those whose vitriole may’ve overtaken them to step back a second and think about it.

• Do you want MSE and I to become a discrete users club?
  
  Is this what people want. A small club of those in the know pushing the system. If we did – who would be in the in-crowd, when would we’ve locked the forum down so only existing members could share hidden info? How many is enough? Nobody would EVER want that, more members = more tips, hints, bargains, support etc!
  
  The policy of the site (and I) has always been to reach as many people as possible and spread information, both on hard and soft financial subjects. I believe we’ve done it well and the vast range of users is a great credit to that. We’re very proud of it and don’t intend to change it – this will never be a private members club only for those in the know. I think that your online users are often very different to your viewers on television. Let's be frank, I suspect that a lot of your viewers are simply sitting on their backside oggling the beautiful Lorraine Kelly and their ears pricked up when you mentioned 'Printing money' lol. Gosh, that is generalising, but I am sure some MSE'rs may get my drift?!
  
  Yet of course, with some of the techniques, which mean perhaps a disproportionate amount of money going into people's pockets and out of companies, there comes a critical mass reached where it ends (and here it's only for one supermarket so far). But surely by telling the masses, instead of letting the masses find the info, meant that you were obviously going to attract the attention of the lazy type who can not be 'bothered' with coupons, which was going to draw unwanted attention to the coupon policy?
  
  We’ve had it with countless issues before – intro bank account freebies with no need to change salary – balance transfer bonuses payments – cashback on 0% deals – bonus points boots on low costs goods. People use them then at some point someone in an organisation realises that financially it doesn’t add up. Whilst you wish to share the things that the members of your forum find, of which of course you are entitled to as per the T&C's, do you think that in future it should be only short term deals, so that if the masses join in too it does not matter as it will get busted anyway? Possibly some things are not sustainable when the medium of TV is used and it would therefore be advisble to refrain from sharing certain deals etc?

• There’s been a push from manufacturers for this to happen
  
  The change of policy by Tesco has been a long time in the coming. There has been a huge amount of pressure put on the supermarkets by the Institute of Sales Promotions – they originally contacted us making threatening noises equating people using the wrong coupons as theft (See the ISP theft news story). So you already knew that the use of coupons was already a very fragile thing, yet decided to publicise it? If that is correct, then I think maybe a lot of your regular loyal contributers would have thanked you for not putting further pressure on the supermarkets to change their policies?
  
  The trade press who cover this have made a splash of the use of these coupons for the last year, and the manufacturers displeasure. The ISP has undergone a lobbying change to stop supermarkets accepting them for non-use – as it's the manufacturers who pay.
  
  This was targeted as I remember at the users of the MSE forums and some individuals who pushed the boundaries on it as well as our coupons guide – where the possibility of being upfront and asking if vouchers were accepted has always been a part.
  
  From that moment there has been strong lobbying on the ‘misuse’ of vouchers to the supermarkets – as it is the manufacturers who bear the brunt. So again, you are saying above, that the industry was up in arms and it was very fragile, possibly waiting for the straw to break it's back?
  
  Of course we robustly defended the forum users. To start trying to point the finger at anyone isn’t of any use at all – and it certainly isn’t what this site or this forum is or at least should be about. I think that a lot of the MSE'rs do feel that the GMTV appearance did spur Tesco into immediate action and sources have spoken of it certainly playing a role in the policy change. I think the MSE'rs who are pointing fingers feel let down and confused by why you chose to talk about the policy on national TV considering the already fragile situation.
  
  However at that time my aim was to try and hope that those who used the ‘non-purchase’ coupons route would do it within limits and not go overboard. We worked hard on the prose used on the site to about it – i’ve been consistent in my broadcasts on it – as well as doing the story about the ISP to try and stop mass abuse e.g. multi-using the same voucher or using self-service tills – or anything else which breaks terms or is dishonet. I saw the gmtv broadcast and of course you did say that people should not go overboard, but I think some viewers were never going to pay any attention to that as they just saw £ signs.
  
  Apparently in the last week there’s been a specific high value voucher that’s been used and from what I understand – quite substantially abused – and sadly when these flood through the tills – someone sits up and takes notice – Tesco is a bottom line organisation after all.

• Growth and publicity has of course contributed to it.
  
  The growth of easy to print online coupons means that voucher repeatability has grown rapidly. There are now a wide number of coupon sites as Im sure you’re aware – and of course our own Grocery Coupons page. There are also a wide number of forums big and small, where people discuss the use of coupons for non bought products.
  
  As apparently some vitriole was aimed at my GMTV appearance, before doing so it is worth watching what was said (watch it yourself) – all of it is balanced about how and whether you should do it rather than a big encouraging factor. I think your body language screamed 'whoopppieeeee someone run to staples and rob me 24 ink cartridges and a new printer' but then I am no expert lol
  
  In fact the influence of that appearance is no where near as big as you may assume, certainly it doesn’t even register compared to the traffic from putting the grocery coupon note in the weekly email. Possibly not advisable either considering the fragile policy situation?
  
  Yet of course it is publicity for the issue, and there is a chance that it had an effect, So you do believe that you may have contributed to the policy withdrawal that was executed in a near blind panic by Tesco? though if you do a press search you can see the issue of coupons and vouchers has grown from zero about 18 months ago to a regular stream now. All the newspapers have got in on it – with most now running their own voucher sites.
  
  All of this combined of course changes the critical mass of voucher usage and quite possibly played a role.

So who’s to blame? Is it the site and I for telling people? The people who abused the high value vouchers? Forum users for sharing tips which the ISP monitored? All the new people who’ve started doing this who want to save money? The manufacturers for protecting their bottom line? The supermarkets who did it in the first place?

Why do we need to blame someone... the fact is Tesco has changed its policy, the issue is one that’s obviously grown for the supermarket. We know there’s been inconsistency branch by branch in the past – we’ve even asked and helped intervene for forum users about this.

Now there is consistency and we don’t like the answer; but frankly in the same way you can’t blame the shop that says no to haggling; this was always possible. Hopefully we can stop pointing the finger and carrying on looking how people can save.
[FONT=&quot]
Martin"[/FONT]


Frankly I hope we can leave this behind now - we've been telling people about this for a good 18 months and while it lasted many gained, but as with all loopholes sometimes they come to an end (at Tesco at the least). Of course its a pity this one did, but that's the way these things work. Apparently some Tesco staff have been saying its my fault - Im slightly surprised MoneySavers buy this line - the company that changed the policy is Tesco?

For those who continue to berate the fact I "dared to tell people on GMTV" I'm very sorry you feel that way. The site and I will continue to spread MoneySaving techniques to as many people as possible - that's our stated aim and if you don't support it then unfortuntely this is probably the wrong site for you to use.
I think everyone is fully aware that you started and own this forum(picture of you helps us!), but forums are built by members. The sheer information that comes from those that may not support your actions on gmtv would be greatly missed.

All the best

Martin