Coupons.com announced today that they are moving away from the coupon-printing plugin in favor of a phone-number authentication system:
Over the course of the coming months, we will be phasing out our coupon printer software. This means that eventually all users who want to print coupons will use our new print functionality, which does not require special software.What will be different?
In the future, users will no longer need to download our printing software. The only way to print will be through a simple phone number authentication process, which allows users to print from all types of devices (desktop, tablets and mobile phones).Why is this change occurring?
We are making this change so that our coupons are more accessible for everyone.How can I prepare for this change?
Please work with your users to encourage them to adopt the new phone number authentication print functionality. More details will be shared with you as they become available.
I believe this is part of Coupons.com parent company Quotient’s efforts to combat fraud by internet printable coupon resellers, which I blogged about earlier this summer. Quotient is also currently involved in a lawsuit against a coupon reseller using multiple Instagram accounts to sell printable coupons.
What does this mean for you? Instead of clicking and sending your Coupons.com coupons to your printer, you will be required to authenticate your device with a phone number capable of receiving a text message before you can print. Some of Coupons.com’s single offers are already using this technology:
Time will tell whether this affects the printable coupon resellers’ ability to print and drain thousands of coupon offers in a short period of time. It will also put an obstacle between people wishing to print coupons who may not have cell phones or text capability. (Don’t laugh — my mom doesn’t text, but she likes to print coupons. I’m sure she’s not alone. )
Free text-to-voice numbers like Google Voice are excluded. For those who might consider using a pay-as-you-go cellphone as your go-to device, consider this caveat from Coupons.com too: “Prepackaged prepaid mobile phones from non-major wireless providers are not supported such as Tracfone, Net10, Consumer Cellular, or any Government issued prepaid phones.”
C.D. says
What the WHAT??? I do not text but print from Coupons.com! Are they crazy? Why do bad people have to ruin it for EVERYONE???
Diane says
My Mom doesn’t text either and she prints coupons.
How much would you have to save from printed coupons to cover the cost of a cell phone and plan?
Coupon Maven says
A heck of a lot, certainly.
The system is set up to exclude free phone numbers too like Google Voice (which presumably is what the scammers are using for so many print sessions.) I have a Google Voice number for business, and I just tried to print with it to see what would happen. Indeed, they’re excluded:
Diane says
Well hopefully it will stop the scammers, but I have a feeling they will just find a way to scam millions of cell phone numbers or something.
SSMark1 says
My 2 cents,
Until coupons are scanned & have a unique id number & pin that bounces off a database with real time redemption for single use, there will be coupon fraud.
MANY manufactures don’t like the idea more than 1 or 2 coupons per customer, and have wanted this for a long time.
This move by coupons.com will cut down the number of prints to the number of cell phones, so if you have more computers/tablets, etc than cell phones, you will be limited.
I guess if someone is disparate, they could ask their family & friends & coworkers if they get a text with a code, to text it to them if they have more devices than cell phones.
If you have many devices, but just 2 cell phones, you get 2 sets of prints depending on the number of coupons per set (sometimes just ONE print per set).
If you have smart phones in your family, & can print from each when they are all set up, and ask friends for codes to print from other devices, like tablets & computers.
People will still be able to wipe the computers if anything is on there, so basically it will be, how many people can you network with for codes when you are printing. Not too hard to do if you have the software & the network of minions.
-Mark
J.R. says
Yet another dis-satisfied coupon user that doesn’t have a smart phone, and wouldn’t give out the number if I did.
dolrskolr says
TracFone burner user here. Pretty much only used when the power goes out and I call my folks to report the trouble to ComEd. Won’t be paying for a cell phone and wallet emptying plan just so I can print a few coupons.
Yeah … and ditto what J.R. said,
Calibabydolly says
I have a Tracfone/ Smartphone right now and am able to print when I get that code sent to my phone in a text. I have done it for awhile now. My old phone, which I gave to my husband, is also a Tracfone and he can get the code in a text as well. His is not a smart phone. I sure hope they do not change this. I know my Tracfone uses Verizon’s network and my old one uses T-Mobile’s, so possibly there are some older phones that will not work? I was under the impression that all Tracfones actually use other carriers networks because when you send a picture to an email, the other carriers name shows up, which NEVER is “Tracfone”. I am sure I am not alone here!
Carrie Rivera says
This sounds nice in theory, but I suspect its going to leave me couponless. I’ve tried printing from my phone in the past and it asked for my phone number, but when I entered it, the system is unable to send me the sms. I have a smartphone with unlimited texting, but it is thru republic wireless (since I refuse to pay big bucks for a mainstream carrier). I’m not sure if that is where the problem lies, but its frustrating because unless things change, I probably won’t be able to use the new phone system.
Lindsay says
Is there a way to print 2 sets of coupons from 2 phones? I printed a set at my mom’s house using my phone so now it says limit reached, can that be cleared so she can also print for her using her phone?
Coupon Maven says
I don’t believe so — here’s another article about the change:
https://couponsinthenews.com/2016/10/12/coupons-com-making-major-coupon-printing-change/
At the end, it notes that this authentication will prevent people from printing on multiple devices from the same phone number. Once you verified her computer with your device, it established a relationship between her computer and your phone. I am honestly not sure what will happen — she could try clearing caches and cookies and see if it will re-ask for verification again.
lisa y. says
I do not have a smartphone with a major wireless provider, but I do use coupons. Why? I am trying to save money. It does not make sense to me for Coupons.com to exclude people who save their money by not using text and data plans. It’s a shame that in order to combat fraud, they will also exclude those that currently benefit the most from their coupons.
JJ says
Well this is really terrible. I have a pay as you go phone that is not from a major provider. It is the only phone I have and can afford. From reading this it looks like I won’t be able to print coupons anymore. Even if my phone did work there is no way I’m entering my cell phone number, I don’t care what coupon.com says about privacy. What is the point of using coupons to save money when all that money saved and more will be lost paying for a cell phone & plan that will be accepted by coupons.com. Coupons.com is discriminating against people who will not or cannot use a phone & plan that they deem fit to access their services.
MaryAnne says
I live in a rural area that does not have cell service. I have been using the coupons.com printing software without issue for years. I tried to print coupons yesterday and the software would no longer load. I needed to enter my cell number to get a printing code. This will not work for me and everyone else that does not have cell service in their homes.
What am I supposed to do?
Enter my cell number into the computer.
Drive 10 miles to where I can get cell service to receive my code.
Drive another 10 miles back to my house to enter the code into my computer so I can print.
Then drive another 10 miles to go shopping with my coupons.
That is insane; any money saved with the coupons will be wasted on gas.
I suppose I can always call coupons.com on my landline to request a code and hang around my house for 24 hours or more waiting for the phone to ring. I don’t think so; my time is much more valuable than a couple of coupons.
I am going to stop purchasing products from brand name manufactures that require a coupon to get savings. Until this utterly ridiculous text verification from coupons.com is done away with I will be buying generic store products that basically do the same thing and have built in savings.
lakawak says
Ummmm.you realize that coupons.com’s stupid policy has NOTHNG to do with the manufacturers, right? Your silly little boycott is not going to change anything.
rcbrad says
I think it has a fair amount to do with the manufacturers. They do not want the same person printing multiple coupons from every device they have access to. I would think that they would prefer a more fair and equal distribution of coupons so more people can print them, rather than individual people printing 4, 6, 8 and so on of the same coupon.
FORMER USER says
I was wondering why it’s getting harder to find good coupons on coupons.com. Now I know why. The service is as good as dead.
Former coupon user says
No way I would give out my cell phone number plus I don’t keep cookies o0n my computer – they are cleared after each session… that means I would need to do a verification EACH TIME I try to print coupons. NO WAY… I will just give up on Coupons.com until they eliminate this. Hope they go under!
Jean Herman says
I think I’ll go back to buying the Sunday newspaper, Way easier. I tried the text thing, days later they called me to give me the code, by that time I gave up as the code did not work. Wasn’t going to bother to get another call. Simply ridiculous. I don’t have a cell phone. Had to get it over my landline/cordless and did not work! Wish they would go back to the way it was.
Never Using them again says
I do NOT give out my cell phone number to ANY company. Can you imagine how easy it would be for some hacker to get into their database with all of our cell phone numbers in it? We would all have a never-ending barrage of scam phone calls! I’m never going back to Coupons.com.
Dawn says
I have the problem going to print when my printer is not communicating with my phone. I sometimes have to try to resend the coupons out to the printer, that counts as a print. If I have to do this twice, I then can’t even try on my laptop to print because my limit has been reached, when I never was able to print one to begin with!
Ashley says
This isn’t about making it easier, it’s about limiting 2 prints per user number. AND gaining user numbers for marketing use. This is a Lose-Lose proposition for consumers.
Essie Carpenter says
I called you for the number so i, yes, could print some coupons. I was not told I had received a call from you. I mean I still have no number to use to get the coupons .Please email me the number .My email address is essieyyyy1@mail.com, Please send this to me as quickly as possible. Thank You..
Jennifer Martin says
Goodbye coupons.com. I will not give you my Tracfone cell number even if it would work. I already have 122 numbers blocked on my cell from telemarketers. This is just another way to be harassed by telemarketers. The software already limited you to two printings!
One of my local grocers has also changed their “valued customer” discount card to a Plenti Card. In order to use that card to get the in-store marked down prices, one had to sign up for that Plenti Card – online! And they wanted “Plenti” of personal information to do it. I do not shop at any of the listed stores on the Plenti card so there are no benefits for me other than getting a discounted item, i.e., BOGO. What about elderly customers (like my mother) who do not have a cell phone or a computer to sign up? Now they can’t even get the mark down price of food without getting that stupid card. Now I won’t be able to print coupons for me or her.
deedeedee says
Why not just sign up for plenti using fake information? I do that all the time with store cards.
Lon says
If you read the privacy policy that you agree to when you give your number and use the service, you agree to let them do pretty much anything with the information they collect. NOT FOR ME BY BY!!!!
Robert Brown says
The wireless phone number requirement is for sending a text message with a code. The problem is, no VOIP based providers like FreedomPop, MagicJack, or Google Voice is allowed on Coupons.com. This locks me out of using any of their coupons.
Red Diculous says
Scam to get your phone number which is linked to your name and anything else you can think of. I am sure they also have your IP address from your computer when you printed them out. Nothing is free in this world!
Mary Travers says
I had a message deleted by mistake yesterday on my pnone. Is there any way I can retrieve it?
Audra says
I am so mad at them I relied on these coupons every week. I refuse to give them my cell number! They will misuse it and they are not even remotely capable of protecting it. This leaves everyone open to thieves looking for your information on a simple, vulnerable site.
Darlene says
I won’t be using coupons.com anymore until they get rid of this stupid cell phone thing!!! I don’t give out my cell phone number, NOR my house number… period!!!
Jenna says
It is an issue. I have 3 computers and one ipad. Same email but have to authenicate each device with a call back code. I am going to go back to buying the newspaper. This is awful and I hate it.
brenda trammell says
Crazy !! not getting any cell phone numbers from me ! GOODBYE!! GOOD DEALS NEVER LAST LONG ANYWAY SOMEONE ALWAYS GETS GREEDY!!
Levin Maness says
My landline is VOip from my internet provider. Went to the FAQ’s to verify using my landline. It wouldn’t accept my number. It says enter another number. I don’t have another number. So I called to get a code call back. Still waiting. My BANK can call and verify it’s me, bbut coupons.com won’t accept my number? It seems if you only have a certain phone plan, you’re out of luck. If you do get a code, it places a tracking like cookie on your computer. If you clean your browser cache, you have to do this crap all over again. Seems like they are weeding out the poor. Isn’t this wonderful? They have a monopoly, so this is what we get when one company has all the power. I even tried walmart.com, but it’s tied to coupons.com. Same issues.
Crystal says
I just realized this and refuse to give out my cell phone number for some coupons. Don’t know why a Google number, government phones, or prepaid phones can’t be used. If you look at the privacy policy on the site, they will share your information with a third party. This is just a way to get a bunch of numbers and sell them and then here come all the unwanted scam calls. No thanks, will not be using coupons[dot]com site anymore and will the the manufacturers know that I will not use any of the coupons on that site nor purchase their products.
Alexis says
This is absolutely ridiculous I have Boost Mobile as my carrier and it is still excluded my phone number to understand is not a contract then but how can you exclude people when there is a very high population of people who do Boost and Metro buy T-Mobile and especially how can you exclude the people who receive the government phone programs when they already low income why can’t I get coupons that’s ridiculous