I hate going into a store for a great deal and finding the shelf bare. Sure I get a rain check (see my tips about rainchecks here) but if I have a large amount of the coupon I wanted to use it worries me that I may clear a shelf myself and disappoint other deal seekers.
The solution: Pre-ordering or Special ordering.
Most stores would much rather know that you are coming to buy 65 6-pks of Pepsi then find the shelf bare and have to deal with 30 other shoppers wanting rainchecks. Placing a special order doesn’t need to be time consuming or frustrating.
- Talk to the customer service representatives. Usually, a cashier will not be able to assist you but a member of management should be able to take your order.
- Place your order as early in the sales cycle as possible. This allows time for them to place the order and receive it before the sale ends.
- Be sure to pick up your order. If you ask them to order 60 of an item and never pick it up then the store is stuck with that item that may not sell. This could cause them to take a loss (having to trash or return the item) and they won’t be as accommodating the next time you have a request.
- Be specific. If you want Vanilla Slim fast be sure to specify that. Otherwise you might end up with cases of Strawberry.
For example- I placed an order for 20 of the Pure Protein Shakes at Harris Teeter (they were 49¢ each). The store ordered me 20 vanilla shakes and told me when they expected them to arrive. When they came they were put aside for me, I arrived in the store and told customer service what I needed and the cart of them was pushed out to me. No clearing a shelf and I left happy!
Keep in mind that many coupons have daily limitations on them. Pre-ordering does not override these limitations – so ordering 50 bottles of Tide would not allow you to use 50 Tide Coupons since they have a limit of 4 per day.
Share your pre-ordering tips with us!
I keep checking the shelf for those protein drinks at two of my Harris Teeter stores (I actually have two rainchecks now and 7 total coupons for $4 off each). If you pre-ordered twenty of the protein drinks and you can only use 3 “like” manufacturer’s coupons at a time, did you pay the $4.50 for the other 17 sets of drinks? I’m just trying to figure out the scenario in my head. Or did you just take the 3 drink sets you could use with coupons and they held the other 17 for you in their storage area – so you could get 3 more each day with coups? Thanks for any details.
You can use as many of the $4 coupons as you want- the limit 3 is just for DOUBLED coupons 🙂 The coupon itself has no restrictions so you should be able to get all 20 at once without any problem!
This was a fantastic tip! I also thought you could only use 3 coupons for a like item whether they doubled or not. What an awesome moola saving tip!!!! I have just started couponing since my husband lost his job and have been saving a lot of money with your website. I have even been able to still donate items to my church food pantry during this financial crisis. God has used you to help my family and those that come to the food pantry!!! Many blessings to you and your staff.
Lori- per HT Policy on the first 3 like coupons will double. So you are ony limited to amount of coupons doubled. From unindertanding there is no restrictions on amount of coupons used.
I was wondering the same thing that Lori just ask. How did you get these? All at one time or several trips. Thanks for all your help.
So can you as many internet coupons as you’d like, as long as you don’t need them to double?