Dear Podunk Paper,
I am your average reader. I am a mom of teenagers, an unemployed teacher, and a couponer.
I am writing this letter because this week, for the sixth week in a row, your paper was missing coupon inserts.
Now, this might not matter to you, but it does to every person who relies on these coupons. It is the only way many of us can afford to eat these days.
I have tried different strategies to avert this issue. I’ve bought my papers from Walmart, Books a Million, and even your own office…all to no avail.
Last week, I visited your office and met with a supervisor of some sort, and I felt like he listened. I mean, he took notes and even wrote down my email address and phone number, promising to have someone call me.
Nobody did.
I didn’t worry though. I am an optimistic person. I figured that the next week’s paper would have my coupons.
Someone somewhere laughed at my naiveté.
I missed buying the paper yesterday, so I figured, “No problem. I’ll go to Podunk Paper’s office and buy direct, even though I’ll be paying more because I’m not using my frequent buyer card at Books a Million.”
I wrote my $3.00 check and walked back to my car where, thank goodness, I rifled through it.
Guess what?
NO INSERTS!! I mean, there was only one Red Plum this week, so you’d think it wouldn’t be too much trouble to stick it in.
But noooooooooo.
I marched myself, two papers in hand, back inside, where I demanded my money back and asked to speak with a manager.
I will say that I felt bad for the woman. She had no idea what she was in for.
When she appeared in the waiting area, I warned her that the fury I was about to unleash was not directed at her personally but at your company’s business policies.
And then I vented.
Why, pray tell, would you only guarantee coupons to home subscribers? Sure, you have their business already. Their checks have already been deposited. Do you not realize that every paper you sell has the potential to be the means by which you secure another subscriber?
You state on the front of your paper that there are $X.XX worth of coupons inside. I don’t think there is a disclaimer under saying it applies only to home subscribers.
Now, let me ask you something.
When you buy a box of cookies or a bag of chips at the store, don’t you expect to get the amount stated on the packaging? If you were jipped, wouldn’t you return it or complain to management?
Sure you would.
Why?
Because you’re not getting what you paid for.
Now, I realize that I’m not versed in company coupon policies, but one would think that a call to RedPlum and SmartSource would be in order. For heaven’s sake…tell these companies that you need more inserts.
You need to have enough inserts to cover every paper you print.
Period.
Each person who buys an issue should receive the same items in said paper.
Period.
It doesn’t take an MBA to know that this is sound business policy.
Now, let me tell you. I may be unemployed, and my unemployment benefits may have just been cut, but I’ll be darned if I’m not going to figure out a way to squeeze out enough money to get the Atlanta or Jacksonville paper delivered to my home.
You see, I know that 1) I’ll get more coupons per insert and 2) each issue will contain everything promised on the front.
Why?
Because I’ve purchased papers from gas stations in these cities and never once not gotten what I was supposed to.
These papers know how to do business properly.
With circulation numbers being down, one would think you would take steps to improve them.
I can promise you one thing. I will tell every single person I encounter not to buy your paper because they cannot be sure what they will be getting.
First it will be the inserts, and then it will be something else.
After my venting session, your representative went to the back in search of the insert I wanted. After 30 minutes, she emerged with one. I sent her back to find the second copy I had originally requested.
When she came back with it, she warned me that I could expect to have this problem every week.
“Wanna bet?” I said.
I told her that I will not be buying more of these papers. I’d be willing to forgo chocolate (did I really just say this) to cough up the dough for two out-of-town papers.
Truly, you’ve done yourself a disservice. I will eventually find a better-paying job. I would have subscribed to home delivery of your paper.
Not now.
Thanks for giving me the push I needed. I know that the savings I’m going to enjoy from other papers will make the aggravation of today worthwhile.
Your’s Truly,
AuburnChick
Filed under: Saving Money | Tagged: couponing, inserts, newspapers, Saving Money | 3 Comments »
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