A few months ago Walmart updated their policy to allow for coupon overage. Coupon overage happens when the shelf price of the item is less than the listed price on the coupon. For example, if you have a $1 Crest coupon and the shelf price for the Crest is $0.97, you will get $0.03 in overage. Walmart is the only store that allows for overage in their policy. They will literally hand you the $0.03 back (if you don’t owe any tax).
Since no other stores have it spelled out in their policy, sometimes you will get overage and sometimes you won’t. Some stores adjust the value of the coupon down (in this case they would adjust the $1 Crest coupon to $0.97) and some stores just refuse the coupon completely. That’s why it is so important to check to see if there is a copy of your store’s coupon policy available for you to print. Most policies do state that the coupon can be adjusted down.
If you are using coupons that might give you overage, it’s important to have items in your order to observe the overage. Most stores will not give you cash if your total is in the negative. For example, if you were buying that box of Crest toothpaste at a store that might allow you overage, you should buy an additional item (such as a stick 0f gum), that would absorb the 3c overage you might get.
Never expect overage. Be happy if you get it, but don’t bank on it. It’s one of those things in couponing that sometimes works out and sometimes doesn’t. It would be so nice if every store policy spelled overage out for you (like Walmart does), but I don’t see that happening anytime soon.
Also remember that overage is a very hot button among couponers. Some couponers believe overage is coupon fraud (which I don’t agree with since Walmart clearly spelled it out in their policy and they are the biggest retailer in the world) and some feel like they are entitled to it (since the store usually gets the face value of the coupon plus 8c handling and they aren’t allowing you the face value and are making a larger profit off your coupon) and will fight management to make sure they receive it. I think it is important that you understand coupon overage. So please do not turn this post into a debate. :)
If you are new to Couponing, you might want to take a moment to read more in my Getting Started Couponing series. It will teach you how to coupon like I do!
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I recently had a problem at Walmart. There wasn’t overage but the cashier was diligently going through all my items I had and matched them to coupon prices to make sure I didn’t have any overages. I told her if I did that Walmart gives cash back and proceeded to pull out their policy I had printed. She just pointed up where her number for the register was and there was a blue sign that said price ad guarantee and said it’s not up there and persisted that she wouldn’t let anything go by her even if it was their policy online. She said it depended on stores and this one wasn’t doing overages. She also told me that when it states on a coupon one per transaction and one per purchase was the same thing per her manager, which after searching online I found out different. So apparently all Walmarts aren’t all following the same policy.
There is one cashier at Food Lion that HATES people that coupon and save money whenver I have a printable coupon she always has the manager look at it. Like one time she was all but then the product is only $1!! So we think she hates for people to save money :(
Staples gave me change back once!