Scoring Coupons for Opinions

A while back, we talked about the importance of letting companies know when you like or dislike their products. You can find it here, if you need a refresher. At any rate, here's what's happened with me recently.

A couple of months ago, Publix had their Arnold Healthfull bread on sale BOGO and I had coupons, so I decided to give it a whirl. Here's the thing: I never (ever) buy expensive bread. Expensive to me is $1.29 at Aldi, where I nearly faint when checking out. I mean, it's cooked dough for Pete's sake... I go to our local bread store and snatch up Earthgrains bread for $0.99/loaf or sometimes IronKids bread 2 for $1. Seriously, you should check it out, if your town (or one close by) has a day old bread store. If you aren't sure what I'm talking about, go here.

The bread god has obviously smiled on me, as I've found a bread that I luh-huh-huv and it's on sa-hay-hale, so I decide to send the company and email and tell them how I think their product is the greatest thing since... well, sliced bread, I reckon, but I only buy it when it's on sale because I'm just not about to pay $4.29 a loaf for it. I mean, good grief... that's highway robbery.

A couple of days later, I got a call saying they were so glad I enjoyed their product and they were sending me 2 $1 off coupons for their bread which, as it turns out, just happened to be BOGO again at Publix that week. Yep, the bread god digs me. Given that I have the bread success under my belt, I take my letter writing one step farther.

I've been semi-loyal to a L'Oreal eye cream for a few years. It probably doesn't really do anything for the black bags packed for China under my eyes, but it feels like it does, so that's worth something, right? Staying with the same brand, I switched creams thinking it really wouldn't make a hill of beans worth of diff. I HATED IT!

Off to my computer I go and rip out another e-mail letter in L'Oreal's 'contact us' page. It's very kind in telling them about my semi-brand loyalty, but also very truthful in telling them that I don't dig the product I spent my hard earned money on, only to find out I need to "call them Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm." Grrr. This is the exact point where many people would get discouraged and stop because they would feel like it's a waste of time.

I pressed on. I called and laid my best southern drawl on eeextra thiiick to a lady who was straight up NYC and probably had a hard time understanding me, but was very empathetic. I told her about being dissatisfied. Yesterday, I had received 2 L'Oreal product coupons in the mail-- 1 for $10, the other for $3. Woot!

Companies want your feedback-- the good, the bad, and the ugly. It's one of the main reason why they hire panels of people to give opinions on their products. If you have a product that you luh-huh-huv or hate with a bloody passion, tell them about it! It might just earn you some coupons or your money back! Get with it and save on, friends! :)