Things You Should Avoid About Online Coupons

Do Not Pay for Online Coupon Codes 
You should never, ever pay for online coupon codes from any site. These codes are available from many coupon web sites for free, and from many other similar sites for free as well. A site that wants you to pay for a coupon code is not a reputable site. They are trying to get you to buy something that is available for free elsewhere. If a site is asking you to pay for an online discount code, then there is something fishy about the site, and you should not proceed. It could be a way to get your credit card number and personal information for illegal purposes. So if a site wants you to pay for a code to shop online, even if it is for a reputable online store do not fall for it. They are not legitimate, and it can only lead to trouble. Coupon codes are readily available for free from reputable sites.


Do Not Use Online Codes From Less Than Reputable Sites 
Everyone knows that not all internet sites are safe. Not all of them have your best interests at heart. Some of them are doing illegal things, others are doing things that are slightly shady. The bottom line is, if a site you visit to get coupon codes seems less than reputable, it probably is. Some things that might be a tip-off that the site is not one you want to have anything to do with is if they ask for personal information, or want you to pay money for what can be found elsewhere on the internet for free. Shady sites have gotten a lot better at looking legitimate, but most consumers have a suspicion if they are on a site that is not a good one. Sites that offer coupon codes that are not reputable sites will try and get information from you. This is not how reputable sites work. Most sites offering online coupon codes do not require you to give much of anything in the way of personal information even for email alerts on your favorite stores.


Do Not Fall For the "Bait and Switch" Approach
Don't fall for the old "bait and switch" routine of a less than reputable site. What this consists of is a site that offers you online coupon codes for your favorite store or stores. Once you agree, instead of giving you coupon codes, they want your personal information. If you give it, not only will you be overwhelmed by various types of spam into your personal email account, you have also opened yourself up to a possible identity theft. If you can't get immediate access to the coupon codes, or they offer you something for entering your information, it is not a good thing. People who employ "bait and switch" offer you something to get you to their site. Then, when you get there, they don't give you what you came for, and then they offer you something else instead, which may or may not appear better than what you came to the site for. Steer clear of any site which does not give you access to what was promised in the first place.



Avoid Coupon Codes For Unknown Stores
You should also avoid using coupon codes for unknown stores. If you find a coupon code for a store that you have never heard of, and no one else has either, you might want to be cautious about even shopping there. Offering incredible deals is just one of the many ways that less than reputable sites trick customers into revealing their personal information or selling them merchandise that is substandard or even stolen. It is always smart to shop sites that are well-known. They do not have to be part of a national chain or something similar, but you do need to pay attention when you find a coupon code that sounds too good to be true. Chances are that the online discount code is too good to be true, and you are going to end up regretting your use of it. Shop with stores you know, and only use coupon codes for reputable stores.



Sites That Do Not Give Links or Timely Information
When it comes to online coupon codes, this is big business. So sites that are interested in getting your business to find online codes should make sure that they have links to the site at which you want to shop, and information about the coupon code you want to use. It should make your shopping experience easier by using online discount coupons instead of harder. Any site that does not have links and up to date information about coupon codes is not a site you want to use. Either they are just lazy, or they have ulterior motives. You should be able to find out if the coupon code is still good. If it is expired, it should not be on there or it should give you that information so that you don't try and use an expired coupon code. There is nothing more frustrating than thinking you are going to save money with a code only to find out it expired last week.



Sites That You Can't Contact Someone
While everyone loves the anonymity of being able to shop and surf online, when it comes to getting questions answered, there is nothing more annoying than finding that the site you are on has no customer service, or no way to contact them. A site that does not offer you contact information apparently has something to hide, or they are not proud enough of their site to want you to know who is running it. Sites that offer coupon codes are no exception. You want to be able to ask questions should the need arise, and a site that offers you an easy way to do that is better than one that doesn't. Sites that want your business pride themselves on great customer service, so if you find that the coupon code site you are visiting does not have it, you should not patronize their site. There are plenty of sites that want your business and will be happy to answer your questions. Sites that don't want to do this are suspect.



Deals Too Good to be True
If you come across a coupon code for a deal that sounds too good to be true, it just might be. Fraud is something that everyone on the internet needs to be concerned about. Of course, finding coupon codes that are an amazing deal at a store you often shop at would be great, but do any stores even offer much more than 50% off, and then only on clearance items? If you have questions about the validity of any type of online discount, it always pays to call or email the site to find out if the deal is legitimate or not. Of course, if some site offers you a chance to get great deals on your favorite site, you will want to do some investigation before entering any personal information. Yes, everyone wants to save money. On the other hand, retailers need to make money to stay in business. If they offered everyone on the internet a chance to buy one get five free, it probably wouldn't make them any profits. So look at every offer carefully before proceeding, and if in doubt, call the retailer. They can let you know if it is legit right away.



Those With No Expiration Date
It would be great if online coupon deals lasted forever, especially the really good ones. But, most reputable retailers put some kind of expiration date on their coupons. This is a standard procedure with all coupons, from the kind you cut out of the paper to online coupon codes. It does not make financial sense to offer free shipping forever. There are some online retailers that allow you to continually take advantage of free shipping if you spend a certain amount, but these kinds of deals a few and far between. So check for an expiration date on any online discount coupon that you want to redeem. It is a sign that it is a legitimate coupon and that the site that is offering it is reputable. We would love it if coupons never expired, but that is not how things work. If it does not have an expiration date, find out more before buying.



Coupons With No Restrictions
All coupon codes come with various rules and restrictions. This is a given, and should be seen as a sign that the coupon code is legitimate. Any coupon code that does not have any rules or restrictions of any kind is suspect. A reputable retailer is not going to give you carte blanche in their online store. So if you find a coupon code that is very open-ended, you might want to check out the retailer thoroughly before you order anything with that totally amazing online discount code. We would all love to just be able to go on a shopping spree in our favorite online store, but even shopping sprees come with rules and restrictions. It is a part of life. Get used to it and question offers that seem to be too free and easy. Rules and restrictions on coupons are there to protect both the retailer and consumer, so they are a necessary evil and one you should expect with legitimate offers.



Sites That Want Detailed Personal Information
Most good online coupon code sites nowadays offer you the option of registering or not. You can get coupon codes without entering a single bit of information on the site, or you can enter a small amount of information and get additional benefits. This is a good thing. You should not have to provide your personal information to get coupon codes. If you want to opt-in to an email alert about coupon codes for your favorite sites, that is your choice, and a legitimate offer. However, if you need to give them information just to access discount codes, you should find another site to do your research on instead. A site that wants your personal information for no reason is not one you want to do business with. You should be able to choose whether or not you want to give out personal information. 

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