What Is Coupon Stacking — And Why Should You Do It?
As inflation causes prices of everyday goods to continue rising, many households are turning to coupon stacking to help combat expensive costs. Not familiar with how coupon stacking works? Follow our GOBankingRates primer for how to start coupon stacking.
What Is Coupon Stacking and How Does It Work?
Sean Turner, CTO and co-founder of Swiftly, said coupon stacking is the practice of applying, or stacking, multiple coupons to a single product.
Shoppers can combine nonidentical coupons, such as one manufacturer coupon and one store coupon, on the purchase of an item. Doing this allows shoppers to receive a bigger discount on the purchase of a single product in the same transaction. Essentially, when you practice coupon stacking you are able to redeem more than one coupon on a single item and receive significant savings.
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Coupon Stacking Do’s and Don’ts
Coupon stacking allows savvy shoppers to redeem more than one coupon on a single item purchase. However, it’s important to note that digital coupons do not count for additional savings.
Rob Weisberg — SVP, general manager, CLTV and new verticals at Inmar Intelligence — said most retailers and manufacturers will not allow a combination of both digital and paper coupons.
What shoppers can do, Weisberg said, is take advantage of using coupons on items already on sale. For example, if a store item is on sale or at a clearance price, you can stack a manufacturer’s coupon on top of a store coupon for a double-dip discount. The combination of stacking these coupons on a sale price item often means shoppers can purchase the item for less than a dollar or even get the item for free.
Why Should You Practice Coupon Stacking?
Julie Ramhold, consumer analyst with DealNews.com, recommends using coupon stacking for the following reasons.
Shoppers Save More Money
This is an obvious benefit, but practicing coupon stacking allows shoppers to save more money during shopping trips.
“Being able to stack coupons will mean being able to stack the savings which means you’ll save more money on your purchase overall,” Ramhold said.
While Ramhold said there are some cases where it may mean you need to buy more to save more, as long as the savings end up being worth it in the end, it can be a good deal for everyone in your household.
Stock Up for Less
Coupon stacking gives shoppers the opportunity to stock up for less on everything from apparel to nonperishable pantry staples.
“Stocking up on different supplies can be expensive, but if you stack coupons with sales that are already happening, then you can do so for less in the long run,” Ramhold said.
Coupons Provide Value to Retailers
As shoppers maximize their savings through stacking coupons, retailers also benefit from frequent coupon usage.
“Not only do coupons help bring in new customers and raise brand awareness for specific products to perhaps even a new audience, they also help boost loyalty amongst existing customers, which results in increased basket size and higher revenue per customer,” Turner said.
Shoppers Return to Pre-Inflation Level Prices With Coupons
“We are seeing inflation causing prices of essential and everyday goods to rise to levels like ever before,” said Turner, who adds that the value of coupons redeemed has gone up more than 30% versus the same time last year.
Using coupons means shoppers can, in some cases, drop current prices down to pre-inflation levels. Ramhold said this is especially true of shoppers who stack coupons with sales. Cost-conscious households that successfully coupon stack will be able to offset rising prices and stick to their budgets. Similarly, it is critical for brands and retailers to pay attention to these trends. Doing so, Weisberg said, helps retailers maintain or grow their market share with today’s price-conscious consumers and retain the loyalty of their customers.
Does Your Store Accept Coupons?
Before you start your coupon stacking journey, Ramhold recommends checking in with your local supermarket, drugstore or retail store to learn more about their coupon redemption policies.
“There are some stores that won’t accept coupons or won’t accept multiple coupons on a purchase, while others will let you stack the same coupon multiple times in order to save more money,” Ramhold said. “It’s best to read up on coupon redemption policies before you invest time and energy into trying to redeem them at a particular store.”
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