[Debnmarv261]

I got this in an email today,please read this and write in today,we don;t want redplum not to come in the local papers:


[evil][/EVIL


Wednesday, Feb 25

The word is out thatRed Plum has decided to distribute their coupon insert through the mail instead of the Sunday paper in some locations around the country. Here, we are still getting it on Sunday but it could be only a matter of time. The motivation for this seems to be that print newspapers are dying right and left. People get their news from TV, the Internet, etc. Circulations are down everywhere, and soon some major cities will be without a daily newspaper. For couponers, this is really bad. It means that you won't be able to buy extra papers for more coupons, and most people will be limited to one Red Plum insert. Not good. I don't have inside information, but SmartSource is probably looking at this delivery system also. It's survival. One way we can fight this is to keep buying the newspaper. For Red Plum, they may not be thinking of all the possible consequences. Many coupons are redeemed by hard-core couponers (that's us). If we are not able to get multiples, coupon redemption will drop. That means their business drops. Right now it's up in the air. Only time will tell how this affects us all.
After doing some google searches, I've discovered there is more to this story. It turns out Valassis (Red Plum) is in deep financial trouble mostly over expensive lawsuits brought by their competition. Valassis is allegedly not paying its bills and some links say their stock is worth $0.
SmartSource, Red Plum and P&G all pay newspapers to insert their coupons. It's not a lot, like a penny an insert, but if Valassis isn't paying its bills, that would be another reason the coupons aren't in the paper. The coupons are such a huge draw for newspapers that I would think they might consider inserting them for free. If the coupons disappear, so do a lot of newspaper customers.

Friday, Feb 27

Update: I'm moving this topic up from yesterday, but with some modifications. As I have read more and more, it's best if we refine what we say to the 3 different players involved in this topic:
1) the newspapers
2) the manufacturers
3) Valassis.
Only Valassis and the newspapers benefit from us buying multiple papers. That is a powerful argument for them to hear. But manufacturers do not like people buying lots of papers to get multiple coupons because they only want you to get an occasional discount, then pay full price most of the time because you are brand loyal. The best truth to use with manufacturers is that we will buy generic if we don't have coupons, and/or switch to the cheapest option weekly = no brand loyalty to their product.
From yesterday: Read the article about how upset people are with Valassis for pulling the Red Plum insert from many Sunday papers. Here's my plan. Let's pick a company that advertises in Red Plum. Let's ALL email the company about how upset we are that Valassis is pulling the insert from some Sunday papers. Let's mention how internet printed coupons are not accepted by many stores. Let's mention that we will switch to generics if we can't get coupons. Let's mention how we won't be buying as many, or any, of their products without the coupons.
Our first target will be L'Oreal. The email address is
media@us.loreal.com
Address is
L'Oreal USA
575 Fifth Ave
New York, NY 10017
Please help. There is great POWER in numbers. We'll pick a new target every couple days.
The purpose of emailing the manufacturers who use Valassis is so they will put pressure back on Valassis to insert in Sunday papers, rather than use home delivery.

Let's also let Valassis hear from all of us in a voice LOUD and CLEAR. Put the inserts back in all SUNDAY papers!!!!!! Home delivery stinks. We want the option of buying extra papers.
call 1-800-437-0479. It would be impossible to ignore if they get a couple thousand emails and calls in the next 24 hours. Please help. It doesn't matter if you are still getting the inserts in the Sunday paper. Don't wait until yours disappear to voice your concern. It's a lot easier to keep them in the Sunday paper than to reverse the tide and get them back after they've been pulled. We are the grassroots and we can make a difference. Take 30 seconds to email both L'Oreal and Valassis. THANKS.

Don't be discouraged if you get a canned response. That is typical with emailing a large company. Statistics are important and it will be reported to the powers that be that 'we are being bombarded with emails from people who want the Valassis inserts in the Sunday paper'

[ThriftyAmy]

We already have a thread for this: http://www.afullcup.com/forums/coupo...ntroversy.html


Also see the link in my siggy