Manufacturers: “Is that really what you wanted?”

This week, I was asked to write a guest post for Inmar.com. Inmar is one of largest coupon marketing companies in the nation — they deal with coupon, promotion, and rebate consulting and management for numerous retailers and manufacturers. The mission: To help shed light on some of the confusing, contradictory and restrictive wording that some manufacturers have been using on their coupons, and help them understand that too-restrictive wording can have the opposite effect: Less people may use the coupon!

Some excerpts:

It’s understandable that manufacturers are adding these restrictions to help combat misredemption, overredemption and fraud. However, in more than a few cases, some of these additional terms are so ambiguous or seem to be overly restrictive that, not only are they keeping shoppers from using the coupon, they may actually be causing some shoppers to limit or unnecessarily restrict their purchases of the product!

While most coupon terms are clear and straightforward, manufacturers must continue to be diligent in avoiding the use of ambiguous or confusing wording. Clearly stating the requirements for using coupons makes things much easier for both shoppers and cashiers. Most coupon-users are happy to conform to the restrictions and use coupons according to the stated rules – as long they can understand them.

But, if the wording is unclear or appears to be overly restrictive, then those same coupon-users are going to become frustrated and will be just as happy sharing, publicly, their dissatisfaction with the coupons and the associated brands.

Read the entire post at Inmar.com.