Tesco Coupon policy Complaint thread

alared

What ML said on GMTV even made Lorraine Kelly`s eyes pop about PRINTING off coupons from their site and saving about a tenner a week on shopping whether buying the product or not.

What did ML expect Tesco to do when he broadcasts this info to millions of viewers.

Archna Luthra, MoneySavingExpert.com consumer products analyst, says: "It's a shame Tesco has decided to enforce the terms and conditions of these vouchers where it has not always done so before.

The fact of the matter is, if ML hadn`t of spilt the beans to the whole nation on GMTV, then Tesco would not have changed it`s policy about taking vouchers.

Tesco`s new policy appears to be a direct result of what ML said.

Former_MSE_Archna

Martin is away at the moment but has asked me to post this message from him...

“I'm saddened to hear of some nasty posts on here about Tesco's change of policy (see the Tesco changes coupon policy) and would ask those whose vitriol 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 have locked the forum down so only existing members could share hidden info? How many is enough?
  
  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.
  
  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).
  
  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.

• 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).
  
  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.
  
  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.
  
  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 dishonest.
  
  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 vitriol 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.
  
  In fact the influence of that appearance is nowhere 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.
  
  Yet of course it is publicity for the issue, and there is a chance that it had an effect, 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.
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Martin"[/FONT]

madmuppet5

MSE_Archna wrote: »

Martin is away at the moment but has asked me to post this message from him...

“I'm saddened to hear of some nasty posts 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.

Nasty posts or fair criticism?

hnscott

When all is said and done a simple apology from you would go much further than your rhetoric about the ins and outs of Money Saving for Everyone. Whether Tesco had been thinking about changing its coupon policy or not you were the catalyst that spurred them on in to such a radical change. It is your "telling it to the masses" on GMTV that brought the change in with such speed.

Did you not stop for a minute to think about the many people who used coupons to put food on the table and stay one step above starving?

Did you not think that for some using coupons to buy basic food items was a way of them getting through a difficult time with job losses and redundancies due to the recession?

Princess_Coupon

For obvious reasons the policy was never public it had never been advertised in store, on Tesco's website, on leaflets, in magazines and not on TV, after almost 20 years of Tesco's coupon policy it appeared on TV on Tuesday 72 hours later it was over.

Stores had no prior knowledge, most were told minutes before the 3pm cut-off, surely a huge policy change like this would should be briefed to store managers then in turn to staff weeks before the start to ensure consistency?, clearly there was a huge urgency.
Putting it on TV put Tesco in an impossible position with the manufactures.

You asked should we keep info exclusive? No definately not, 4 million people receive the newsletter which the policy appeared in more than once and that wouldn't jeopardise it.
This policy was very different to offers such as get £50 for a bank acc, this policy was fragile and unfortunately has now been broken.

Domthemon

I feel sadly we are wasting our breaths here as none of the moderators or Martin himself seem to get the simple point many of us are making. It is easy to talk of vitriol etc, that is rubbish. It is simple and fair criticism. Take it maturely and stop defending the indefensible with spin and inaccuracy.

We are not asking for this to be made an 'exclusive site' or anything to be made a secret..... is this not a public site and are any of us asking for this to be changed? No we aren't. What we are asking is for a bit of common sense to be used. Martin himself uses the word 'loophole' for many things then blabs about them to millions. A 'loophole' is usually something that is not sustainable for millions, and consistently when Martin blabs about 'loopholes' on TV they are quickly closed down.

There is a difference between advertising the site, which contains both offers and loopholes, and going on TV and pinpointing the exact 'loophole' and flagging it up to millions on a plate. The site is open to everyone, it is not a secret, anyone can sign up and come and read it can they not? has anyone asked for that to be changed? I haven't seen it, so why twist what we are saying??!!!

The coupon policy at Tesco, it was there for anyone who wanted to use it but not advertised. Why do you think this was Martin? Possibly because it retained the loyalty of a relatively small number, but a significant number, of savvy customers who would (will) shop elsewhere without it. A status quo prevailed. But no more.

Regardless of 'blame', Martin continually spouting off about specific 'loopholes' (known about and posted about on here and taken advantage of by a few who can be bothered to frequent the site and search out the info) on national TV to millions, continually sees such 'loopholes' closed down very quickly.

Basically it is this we are fed up about. Yes go on TV and advertise the site, advertise the money saving tips available to all that are sustainable to all, such as low utility prices/cashback sites/unclaimed benefits/ways to claim back fines etc etc. But PLEASE will you stop flagging up to everyone on National TV the glitches and 'loopholes' and matters such as the coupon policy which were and are not sustainble for millions to take advantage of. The info is on here if people want to bother to find it, lets leave it as that and stop spoiling it for everyone by shouting it from the rooftops and inviting millions to take advantage, please?

Can we please have a mature response to this point which has been made over and over by several members now, rather than twisting our words to talk about it being made a private site etc which is not what we have said. I don't think I can make it any clearer despite having restated it several times along with others.

master_of_puppets

I would like to express my thanks to martin for screwing it all up for people like me who rely on using coupons in tesco. i was able to feed my family of 4 on a budget of £40 a week using £15a week in coupons. now i will struggle.
i found using coupons through finding ways to save and cut back-searching the internet, i found it because i needed to find a way.
By mouthing off on tv and constantly splashing it all over emails, people who did not 'need' to find a way to cut back exploited the coupon policy and greed took over.
yes you've bigged yourself up and got your self on to tv-more money for you- you won't go without. but many shall now. i hope you got more tv slots and sleep well at night.

missielizzie

:mad::mad::mad::mad:

Just want a rant!!! I have spent the past 2 weeks back and forth emailing Tescos about their store specific policy on this very point - totally without using this site (I only really go to the comps board! ).

I understand many would 'never dream' of presenting vouchers for things they don't buy. But my view is this, since having a baby (and yes, money is tighter after giving up work), the world and his wife seem to be sending me money-off coupons for things I'll never use ...branded nappies, ready-made baby foods etc etc. If Tescos are prepared to accept them, I get a few quid off my shopping where's the problem.

I wouldn't dream of hunting thru the internet to print off coupons, but if they land in my lap, why not make the most of them.

Now I've completely missed the boat, and have a purseful of vouchers I can't use :mad:

I don't think this site should be a secret club, but I do think anyone who's serious about saving money will have found it by now.

Going on national TV and telling the nation that you can spend a while trawling the internet, printing free money is reckless. Obviously Tesco couldn't allow it to carry on after this. You've spoilt it for everyone now.

BTW, the Customer Service Manager who replied to me on Friday morning had no idea this was coming, nor did the instore managers he spoke to :rolleyes:

Edinburghlass_2

Chantalle wrote: »

But what you and Martin don't seem to realise that if "everyone" saves then NO-ONE saves.

Any model of good deals or savings can only work if someone IS NOT saving but getting a raw deal somewhere.

That is how capitalism works, we on this site capitalise on the general publics ignorance and therefore save money.

Bringing the coupons to the unsuspecting public was suicide.

Speak for yourself, I don't capitalise on anyone's ignorance and if this is what you think MSE and the majority of its users is all about then perhaps its not the website for you.

Domthemon

Edinburghlass wrote: »

Speak for yourself, I don't capitalise on anyone's ignorance and if this is what you think MSE and the majority of its users is all about then perhaps its not the website for you.

How can we all save then? If we are 'all' saving then by definition we aren't saving!! We can only be saving if others are paying more elsewhere, otherwise there would be no point in MSE! And if EVERYONE saves then nobody saves. Think about it for a while!