Wanted:Early Tip-Offs for Newspaper Scannable Coupons

Quiet_One

Are there any MSE's who work for daily newspapers or printers who could give us early tip-offs about any coupons printed in the Dailies?
Am I the only one who gets frustrated at missing the coupons in the Times, Mail and Mirror recently?
Maybe regular subscribers could undertake to check them out for the rest of us............
Or has anyone else got any bright ideas?

quoia

I was thinking about this a few days ago after I found rather late in the day, that The Mail contained vouchers for FREE CHOCOLATE bars.

I had to dash out and only just made it to the newsagents before they shut, grabbing the last 2 copies they had left on the shelf.

Part of the problem was that the post was "buried" amongst many others, it was potentially in the "wrong" category and it was not immediately obvious that it was only vaild for a few hours since it "expired" as soon as you could no longer buy the newspaper.

The "wrong" category issue is....
Do you put it in GRAB IT WHILE YOU CAN? Since if you don't buy the newspaper on the day it is published you dip out.
Or does it go in in Online/Offline Discount Vouchers? Since it would be one of these.

What I did think was that perhaps either of these particular boards had a sub-board DEDICATED to NEWSPAPER coupons, vouchers and other "freebie" offers (CDs, DVD,s or similar)

This would solve quite a few issues as I see it.

1. A single place for these offers to be posted and hence no problem in them getting "lost" amongst loads of other posts if you're trying to find them.

2. Any "new" NEWSPAPER BOARD post could be assumed to be VERY URGENT and relative to that particular day in the vast majority of cases - the issue (expiry) date could be in the title to make it clearer. This might be more applicable to weekly or monthly periodicals.

3. A single board (sub to "GRAB IT" ? ? ) to save the "argument" of where they should be posted. Since any daily newspaper is rarely available anywhere after the day of publication, then "Grab it while you can" seems suitable. But then again if it refers to a discount voucher or coupon then surely "Online/Offline Discount Vouchers" is the place to put it.
Then again many newspaper offers are not strictly vouchers or coupons in the sense of the "Online/Offline Discount Vouchers" board.

Because of this often the "Freebies" board is used for things like "FREE" DVDs, CDs, packets of seeds or similar. Sometimes collecting tokens over a few days and then maybe taking then to a supermarket or video shop or similar.
However many people "complain" that these "are NOT FREE" because you have to BUY the newspaper. Others "complain" that these are not FREEBIES if you have to post your application form and/or tokens to claim said goodies. Afterall that then costs the price of a 2nd class stamp. Worse still if you also have to include a STAMPED self addressed envelope, that makes it TWO 2nd class stamps AT LEAST !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Having a DEDICATED NEWSPAPER (& Magazines?) OFFERS board would solve all these issues and anomalies in a single blow.

What does everyone else think?

MSE Mods? Possible? Viable? Suitable? Mods opinions please?

wirm

I think that vouchers go in the vouhcers board. Even if they are available for a limit time they should go in the vouchers board. If people would search the site more they would be able to see if something has been posted before or something similar, they would then know where it is supposed to go.

To be honest I don't think a sub-board would be any more beneficial....

Just my opinion though, I can't make sub-boards etc.

lucylou

In tomorrow's daily mail (5/03/05)Free gorgeous gift book for girls.22 gifts and treats worth over £300!Free Frank Usherperfume+free revlon lipgloss+free Gatineau face cream+free books,cds,dvds+and oodles more gorgeous gifts.Hope this help and let me get a least a copy please!

viney

I read this as well in the metro and it said you need to collect 8 tokens and the first one was free in the metro, so I think it may be next week.

zzzLazyDaisy

I would like a sub board for newspaper freebies, vouchers etc. As these offers are for one day only - the day the newspaper is published - it would be great to have an early warning system. Just my two-pennorth

wirm

I think for now we should use this thread....

wirm

this is really one for the vouchers board....

redfox

wirm wrote:

this is really one for the vouchers board....

Moving to the Online Discount Vouchers board

over to you, wirm

wirm

thanks redfox!

poorcat

I was sent a preview of the Daily Mail's Gorgeous Gifts promotion, arrived in the post yesterday (Friday) - basically a smaller version of the full-size voucher book you can send off for. Still have to collect the tokens from the paper to get the full-size version, although it includes three bonus tokens as a head start. Had some good offers in its own right - including a free bottle of house wine when you buy two main courses at Caffe Uno - as luck should have it, where we're going for mothers' day tomorrow! Have to include a Daily Mail masthead (from March 5 onwards) with each voucher.

Some of the offers and freebies look pretty good, it's always a buzz getting a freebie in the post even if you have to supply the envelope and stamps (luckily I can get used jiffy bags from work, which keeps down the cost - I can also get hold of any newspaper for the vouchers, although cutting off the masthead might be a bit cheeky).

I think I got on the Mail's mailing list because I took advantage of the free item of Benefit make up offer they ran last month. It was a bit of a cheek - £2.99 p&p for a discontinued lipgloss (RRP about £11.50) I think - but it still brings a touch of class to my makeup bag!