Are Your Coupons “Missing” a Barcode?
Think your coupons are missing a barcode? Keep Reading…
I’ve gotten quite a few emails lately with questions regarding online coupons printing without a proper UPC barcode and asking whether it was legit. After doing a little research, I thought it would be beneficial to provide you with information that may help clear up any confusion on this subject, which may help your shopping trips go smoother during checkout.
First of all, the company that produces the bar codes for coupons is called GS1. Over the past few years, they have slowly started making changes to how barcodes appear on coupons in efforts to bring data integrity and efficiency to coupons. The new system was needed to help companies with U.P.C. Company Prefixes greater than 6-digits and also to allow a larger number of optional fields for specifying the more complex coupon offers in use today.
Check out the progression of how coupon bar codes have changed over the years…
Coupons that were issued before 2008 had two UPC bar codes on them (called the UPC-A and the GS1-128), as seen in the top coupon image above. Then in 2008, the barcodes changed to look like the middle coupon above. They included the UPC-A (on left) and the GS1 DataBar Barcode (on right).
Starting in 2010, coupons started gradually converting to look like the bottom coupon above. You will see that the standard UPC-A barcode is missing from the left-hand side and only the second DataBar Barcode is there now. The purpose for this is that the DataBar barcode contains a lot more information that will ultimately make your shopping trip go faster, such as the expiration date, weight of the products accepted, exact products, quantity and any other information or restrictions that the manufacturer would like to put in the coupon. (Example: Do Not double, etc.)
Although this may not seem that exciting, essentially this is great news that should help clear up any future debates regarding how coupons should be properly redeemed. The downside to this new system is that, unfortunately, many retailers have not updated their scanning equipment yet. This means that when you go to use one of these coupons, it will beep and/or cashiers may not know how to redeem it. The best thing to do is to call your local stores and find out if they have updated their systems to accept the DataBar Barcode scanners.
Have you had success redeeming the new DataBar Barcoded coupons? Please share!
(Thanks so much, Coupon Sense!)
Yes.. I have ran into this problem a couple of times at target and rite aid
Thanks for that information Collin!! I was wondering why my latest Smartsource printable coupons didn’t have a barcode.
I was having trouble at my commissary but after researching a bit on my own I found info on it and printed it out to take with me to show them (they flat out accused me of knowingly using fraudulent coupons) I also reported the info and issues I was having to DeCA and they checked into it and said they would make sure that all commissaries are alerted of the change and they themselves suggested taking the info in to show the store manager…Hopefully it will help, I don’t like them accusing me of fraud when it’s actually them being uninformed.
Would you mind posting a link to where this official information is located so I can take it with me also? thank you!
great to know, Erin!!!!!! Thanks for sharing as I shop at the commissary a lot and get the evil eye quite often and the good ol’ if it don’t scan we can’t it accept it……….boo! 🙁
When they first came out and the internet coupons began printing with them, the stores would refuse them flat out, saying if internet coupons didn’t scan they weren’t supposed to take them. I had some really good coupons that I didn’t want to waste so I e-mailed the company the coupons were for and asked about the new barcode, they apologized and sent me some extra coupons (awesome!) and called my store to speak to them. Shortly there after I think it became known to most stores about the new barcodes. My grocery store that I frequent still hasn’t updated their scanning system and I can tell they get annoyed that they have to continually override the coupons with barcodes like that, and I feel bad that they have to, but I imagine eventually everything will be up to date and work like a charm. 🙂
Was told by Lowes foods her in winston, bc they will not update their systems to accept them so they won’t take them!
I’m pretty sure all stores HAVE to be compliant to accept coupons with the new GS bar code, (i forgot the exact date, I thought is Jan 1, 2012, but I think it got pushed back to may or June 2012). Eventually that’s the only way coupons are going to be printed and they will loose customers if they don’t upgrade their registers (which I think is software program, not necessarily forking out thousands of dollars for new computers) If a little mom/pop grocery store in my area can upgrade so the new GS1 q’s scan, then it’s truly a shame that a big chain can’t be bothered to update their system!!
I am a Cashier at Wal-Mart, and these are always a problem. You scan and scan, and it beeps like it is taking them, but they never come off, so they al have to be manually entered, so watch them to make sure they actually taking them off:)
thanks for the heads up!!! 🙂
Yes I had this problem at WalMart the other day. I gave a cashier a $3 coupon and it did not come off. Did not realize until I was already home. Boo.
Our Walmart will not manually put them in, so we just can’t use printable coupons:(
I was wondering that myself. I was in Target the other day trying to use my Totinos pizza coupon and my Starkist tuna pouch coupon and they would not scan. When the cashier went to type in the numbers the register stated that it was invalid therefore they would not take it. Is it possible that a big company like Target hasn’t updated their system to accept the manually entered barcode. Has anyone else had this problem? I’m not sure what I should do.
There are quite a few companies out there Jayda that don’t have the new scanner systems yet. Safeway here does, but they are the ONLY ones that do. I have a terrible time at Walgreens, Walmart, and King Soopers. I have vowed not to go back to Target until they do, because they were extremely rude and flat out told me that I was robbing them. What I don’t understand is that I only had 3 items, and when checking out I told her she may have issues since there is only 1 barcode on many of the coupons now in the paper. She threw my coupons back at me, told me that they don’t allow thieves and that if I didn’t leave right then, she would call the cops. I was mortified! All I was doing was picking up cough medicine for my daughter!
michelle: if they treated you like that, I really hope you contacted target corporate as well as the company listed on the coupon. That is extremely unacceptable behavior.
I have had a few I used at Wal-Mart. One of the cashiers told me that you can’t use the hand scanner, you have to use the scanner they use for food. Not sure if that is true or not, but it does seem to work when I tell other cashiers that. I have not had a problem (yet! fingers crossed) with these coupons.
Yes, I ahve noticed that at Walmart. They will scan it and it beeps like it was accepted, but the amount doesn’t come off. I draw their attention to it and they use the hand scanner and it works everytime.
Target never scans this way. They always use their hand scanner, so I don’t usually have a problem there.
I thought the woman at the Target was going to reject my coupons when it didn’t have the “proper” barcode. They were very clearly cut from the paper and I had others like that.
And yeah, they have to hand enter these. It’s not any faster.
It will get better once they get their software updated. I just wish all cashiers knew that the systems are going through a change instead of accusing people of stealing!
My walmart flat out refuses these coupons if they are internet printables. If they are from an insert, they will usually just manually put them in, but if they are printed they say their policy is don’t take a printable unless it scans. I tried convincing cashiers, CSMs, and even the manager and finally I gave up. At my Rite Aid, these ALWAYS say item not found, but luckily they just manually enter them. At my Kroger, they work like a charm.
Walmart in central Arkansas says NO to these coupons also. Even talked to corporate and got no where.
Just curious, which Walmart in Central AR did you try? I was just curious because I live in central AR and would like to know which Walmart to avoid……..
I’m in Central AR too! 🙂 I gave up on coupons at Walmart on Baseline a LONG time ago. The new one on Shackleford will scan and beep them but then when one coupon didn’t actually take of the amount the cashier took my coupon anyway. I asked for it back and he told me that it beeped so he had to have it even though it didn’t take the amount off of my sale. Grrr I’ve gotten hooked on the Target on University with the grocery section and just go there 90% of the time… no prob at all with coupons! 🙂
Jacksonville and Lonoke say no. NLR McCain all depends on cashier. Walmart is just a hassle anymore.
I have had this exact experience in Harris Teeter (in NC). They will only accept these new coupons if they are from an insert, and no amount of talking to anyone, even with printed information about them, will get them to accept the printables. I have had to give up and just miss out on using some really good coupons. I even contacted the store’s corporate office, and they claimed that all their stores are up to date and wanted me to send them a copy of the coupon that my local store refused to accept, but I didn’t bother since the attitudes I have gotten regarding them don’t lead me to believe that my store will change any time soon.
I have not had success, at my Walmart with these coupons. They are really rude to me, like I’m trying to scam them. I hate Walmart first of all, so this was just the icing on the cake. I would rather shop at Target where they are much nicer and understanding.
Oh, I hate walmart too! Half the time they have to hold a mini convention with 3-5 people before they will accept my coupons. It’s just not worth the time when there are so many other stores to shop at.
isn’t it funny how different places are based on who is working! i always have problems with my target store, but walmart is a breeze!
lol…that is so true !!!!!!!!!!!!
Very. Funny I do live in Fort Drum, New York and half the time they have 2 registers open to serve the entire base. I don’t particullarly care for my Target, they are always out of stock but at least they are pleasant. I really prefer my Target in Michigan they are so awesome, plus always have good clearance. I have run in to the same problem with my Walmart in Michigan as well. I only tend to shop there when I have to, or there’s a deal I can’t live with out. Wonder if certain Walmarts in certain areas are better?
With the old coupons the 5 at the beginning meant it could be doubled and a 9 meant it would not double. On a Buy 1 Get 1 coupon if there was a 14 in the barcode that meant the coupon attached to both items. If there wasn’t a 14 you could use another coupon for the item you were paying for. Will these numbers still appear on the new barcodes and mean the same thing?
I’ve been printing coupons for months that have barcodes but no numbers. It’s frustrating because (1) if there are no numbers, cashiers can’t key them in and (2) you can’t tell if a coupon will double, and in some–many–cases, it’s only a good deal if it doubles. I got a new color inkjet printer, but my wonderful new Mac (insert sarcasm here) won’t allow me to adjust the print quality, so coupons that I print on it won’t scan, and I’m out of luck 🙁
Couponing can be absolutely frustrating, even those that are as honest as Mother Theresa dread the beep of humiliation.
“The beep of humiliation”–love it!
Love it!!
lol…totally !!!!!!!!!!
Bwahahaha! Beep of humiliation!!! SO TRUE
I have noticed at walmart that these coupons beep like they are accepted, but don’t take the amount off of your total. I really hope they get this mess figured out, because so far I haven’t had any luck with any of the new barcodes on the coupons 🙁
Collin, Is this why cashiers sometimes cover up half of the code on the coupon when they scan it??? Thanks for all the great info!
I also heard that another reason is because of some fradulent coupon usage by some people ( the lady on extreme coupling that was using tide coupons to buy colgate for example). I read an interesting blog a while back that showed how some “couponers” were using that barcode to look at the family of numbers to buy things that were not described in the coupon. I am glad that they are changing them so this wil not happen anymore, but upset that some stores have not updated their systems.
Yes there are many people who take advantage of the system .. I work customer service at walmart ..just this week a customer had purchased 4 travel size crest 3D white toothpaste’s at .97 each and she used 4 $7.00 off crest whitestrips coupon’s. she also purchased two board games her total out of pocket was $3.00 and some change. she made this purchase at a walmart 8 miles away from the one I work at. She came to my store to return her 2 games with her sales slip, when we questioned her on the use of coupons with here purchase she said she used coupons for the tooth paste..The bad part is we had to do the return because the cashier at that store accepted those coupons . So she made off with $24.00 in cash that the manufacturer has to eat in this case P&G.. Not to mention she had three more returns to do all the same senario but our store manager told her no on the other 3 and that she needed to take her items back to the store she purchased them at to get the refund
That’s horrible that people take advantage of the system like that… I’m sure your job is hard, dealing with people that lie, etc… I hope you keep your positive attitude and remember that all of us are like that! 🙂
Thank you ckoscoe .. I do keep a positive attitude , I love my job. You are so right most people are just trying to save money and do so honestly 🙂
One of the women on the TLC Extreme Couponers show committed this fraud. She used her knowledge of coding to buy items with the wrong coupons. In fact, she used to teach others how to cheat the system in classes. Even though she was never prosecuted, many honest serious couponers gave her he** for it. She was acting illegally and unethically, hurting manufacturers and eventually other coupon users as stores had to crack down. This new barcode will apparently minimize this type of fraud. In the mean time, it is really a pain at the stores that have not updated their scanning system, ie my local RA.
Hi Erin .. It is a pain , but at my store we are aware of the new GS1 databar .. when they dont scan we put them in manually as long as the customer purchased the correct item and the coupon is not expired.
How do you input the number manually? The cashier said that they cannot be input as the new codes contain a different number of numerals. I would be happy to educate them, if you can explain how it can be done. 🙂
This is exactly what I was wondering RA always says there is nothing to type in.
They can input them manually at rite aid, they just have to put it in as a manufacturer coupon and type the amount in. The problem is uneducated store staff.
Its people like that that make us ethical couponers look bad. I run a business and I hate to admit that I used to send out coupons and run them in the paper but it only took a couple bad apples to make me stop. I totally understand the frustrations of manufacturers and retailers. There is only so much fine print you can put on a piece of paper before its all fine print. We now hand select the people that get coupons. We do want people to use our coupons but there is a point where you feel almost robbed by the few that abuse it.
Karma is the best word for this coupon frauder! It will come back in due time to bite her in the rear!
my local grocery store (safeway) does not yet have the scanning equipment. I hope it is just a software and not a hardware upgrade because my safeway just went through a renovation – so if it is a hardware upgrade i guess i will have to look elsewhere to use my coupons.
but customer service was more than happy to give me cash for my coupons after the fact.
It’s probably a software issue. My VONS (aka Safeway) had no problems scanning the new coupons today.
So far I hate them because cashiers always tell me they’re not valid and absolutely refuse to take them and I have to throw the coupon away. 🙁
To be honest, I didn’t notice the difference in the bar code until a cashier pointed it out to me yesterday when one of my coupons would not scan. She entered it manually though with no further discussion. I will definitely take this information with me to the stores now since not all cashiers are alike.
I just had that problem at Target. They refused to take them. Luckily it was only 2 coupons, but I hope the scanning situation can get resolved soon.
Yep, I was with a friend at Target who had one and the cashier wouldn’t even try to scan or enter manually or anything. The cashier said it was a fraudulent coupon, or at least one they couldn’t accept. I’d never seen one of these before, so believed him. I’m such a novice couponer, I guess – I never even look at bar codes, just the info for me! =)
I printed coupons for Oscar Mayer bacon right off of their website and they had NO Barcode only the dot code. They would not go through at proce chopper, they wouldnt scan.
I haven’t had one of these new barcode coupons work at Walmart yet. Had the same issue redeeming those muir glen $.75 and $.85 coupons today. Clearly was buying the correct product, but publix computers would not accept them.
What other information can they attach to the coupon being used? I hope it isn’t the credit card number or name of the person using the coupon! (don’t mean to sound paranoid)
I have had the same problems listed from others with these coupons. It is so strange when they beep at Walmart like they went through but nothing came off. Luckily the stores around me seem to know about the bar-code changes, and push them through.
My understanding is they are changing so people can not “decode” them and use them wrong, right? They are making them more item specific rather than using a broad family code, etc, etc.
I totally get the change-just wish the register systems and all were up to date with them already so they would scan right!
On a plus side Harris Teeter, Walgreen’s and Rite Aid seems to be great with them. Dollar General, Walmart, Target and Food Lion not so much…
but the original question was nvever answered, was it? Is it a legit coupon if no code is on it?
I had a problem with coupons not scanning at Rite Aid yesterday and the code not working. But the worst part was that they were from an insert that had been mailed out that day. The cashier was so rude and even asked where I got the coupons from. I could tell that she did not want to take it, but after trying to scan it and key it in several times she finally gave up and put it in manually.
I realize that a lot of stores do not want coupons to be entered manually because the cashier might miss something (like wrong experation date or items purchased), but if it doesn’t scan, it isn’t my fault. When I worked in retail, I just did it to make the customer happy unless it seemed like it was an excessive thing.
Maybe this is why Walmart will not take my awesome $5 Parent Choice Formula coupon. Bummer!
I have had this problem with a few different coupons the ky prinable fomr walmart a few week back and the heat by beyonce/hedi perfume sets. so i just threw the coupons out :0( … thank you for letting us know this information.. :0) your great.
I tried to use newspaper coupons at RiteAid and they wouldn’t take them. The coupons were $5/1 Centrum ProNutrients. There was no 5 in front of the coupon numbers.
Yep, my local RA was trying to refuse my coupons from the Dove website saying that RA wouldn’t be reimbursed. While I don’t know the ins and outs of how stores are reimbursed, I do know that the coupon clearing houses, which most stores use, are capable of scanning the new codes. I’ll admit, I fought it (kindly, but with logic) and the cashier gave in. If I really thought RA wouldn’t get their money, I would have let it go.
Thank you for this article – I tried to use one of those coupons at the commissary the other week and the cashier basically accused me of fraud. I left so embarrassed that I wont use those coupons anymore….
The new Colgate optic white coupons from the 1/1 insert that we are using at Rite Aid this week have the new barcodes and wont scan. Lucky for me the cashiers know me very well and just did an “vendor coupon” code. The only problem with this is we don’t get the wellness plus points for the amount.
I had trouble at rite aid yesterday. The cashier told me my coupons were missing a barcode (I hadn’t noticed) and she had to type several of them in generically, because she wasn’t able to scan them
I have not been able to use them yet. I had some $5 Q sent to me from a manufacturer(of course they expired 12/31) and I was never able to find a place that would take them b/c they were “missing” part of the barcode to scan. I thought Walmart for sure would have updated but no luck.
I just had this problem today at Harris Teeter. It’s Super-Double week and I just lost out on $14 of savings on 7 items. Management said they won’t accept anything that won’t scan. I’m glad to know that these coupons still may be good somewhere else.
WELL IT LOOKS LIKE THEY WILL BE TAKING EXTREME COUPONING OFF THE AIR SOON (THANK GOD)
I ALREADY RECEIVED 1 INSERT FROM THIS SUNDAYS INSERT TODAY IN THE MAIL AND THE J&J COUPONS SAY LIMIT ONE COUPON PER PERSON AND A MAXIMIUM OF 4 LIKE COUPONS PER TRANSACTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So i guess you now have to shop with the entire family and can use 1 per person if you bring the 3 kids for a total of 4 like coupons in the same shopping trip. I’m not making this up check it out when you get the coupons in this sundays paper.
its not per person, its per purchase. 1 per person 4 per transaction wouldn’t make any sense, though it would be amusing to watch the cashier’s head explode trying to decide whether to take it…
Ok, so if most of the problem with using these coupons is because they are internet printables and they dont have a bar code on them and just the new GS1 databar then this is something you should try (imo). look for a red plum , smart source, P&G coupon that has the new GS1 databar only ..take it with you when you go shopping just to show that they are ligit and that you are in fact not trying to scam anyone …that these are the way coupons are being made now…
Collin, Can you make this new coupon info an easy tab (or button to click) on your website so I can easily find it in the future? I forsee needing to print this article several times, carry it, and hand it out to cashiers and managers who dont have a clue… thanks….
The problem is stores are used to using, “If it scans,” to weed out fraudulent coupons. I’ll probably avoid using these until I hear the stores have gotten hip to the new system.
I just used about 9 coupons with these bar codes at target and had no issues they all scanned beautifully :o)
I also had no problems at Target using the new coupon UPC the other day. I went to VONS (aka Safeway) today and had no issues either and I was expecting a “BEEP”!
My husband found this link:
https://coupons2.smartsource.com/smartsource/operations/support/SmartSource_Letter_to_Retailer.pdf
its a letter to print out and take to the stores so a manager can read it and there’s a number they can call to verify the coupons.
Bi-lo questioned me about the GM printables. Thanks for this post!!
I appreciate the explanation – thanks Collin. I am disappointed that I have been unable to redeem these coupons at my Walmart (which is a pretty new store). I was told they had an invalid barcode, the cashier called over the customer service rep who said they would not be reimbursed and that there had to be a space, as shown in the original and interim codes. I actually wrote an inquiry to the website I printed them from, explaining what I had been told, but I never got a reply. Sounds like there is going to be a huge learning curve on this in addition to the required system updates.
thanks for that info as I recently had coupons rejected at my Walmart and they questioned if they were fraudulent even though I assured them I got them from coupons.com
I’m glad they’ve figured out something to cut down on the misuse; however, I’m concerned about what this will do to the doubling of coupons at my Kroger store. Currently, coupons that say “do not double” will double as long as the barcode starts with a 5. So many of the manufacturers put Do Not Double on the coupons, if they code it into the new barcode I think it could cost us a lot of deals.
I have been couponing for almost two years now, and you know when you print a coupon and you hit the back button to print it again? Have the numbers always been the same or is that just recently to prevent printing them twice? I have never had a problem and twice this week I have had a cashier (one at Safeway and one at Walmart) tell me that I can’t use them if they have the same number…like they were fraudulent. This seems different than what you were outlining above? If anyone else knows of this, HELP!! Thank you:)
The coupons will have the same number for the barcode, the number that will be different is the one in the right corner, called the ver-fi code. See here: https://www.couponsinc.com/crc/couponexample.asp
Collin, thank you for this information. Just yesterday I tried using a couple of these coupons at Dominick’s in Chicago and they told me the coupons were not valid since they did not scan. Now I am more educated and will be able to at least educate the cashiers/managers. Thanks again.
I had a problem at Walgreens with the new barcode on General Mills cereal coupons. They kept beeping and also when manually typed in.
Has anyone USED THE NEW COUPONS AT CVS YET??
I used a newspaper coupon with just the one barcode yesterday at CVS with no beeps.
I had problems a couple days ago at Target om the Tuna pouches, was bummed and embarrassed….