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Coupon Barcode Basics

2,125 1,015 August 6, 2008 at 08:42 AM in Coupon (2)
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Last Edited by slayers750 March 10, 2010 at 08:01 PM
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THIS POST IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. PLEASE DO NOT POST COMMENTS RELATING TO WAYS TO CIRCUMVENT THE NARRATIVE / TEXT ON THE COUPONS!!!


A WARNING FOR COUPON FRAUD WILL BE ISSUED TO ANY USER WHO USES THIS INFORMATION IN ANY THREAD TO CIRCUMVENT THE NARRATIVE / TEXT ON THE COUPONS!!!

SHOULD WE GET TOO MANY PEOPLE WHO IGNORE THE STATEMENT ABOVE, THE THREAD WILL BE DELETED FOR GOOD.

In the past two weeks there have been two instances where valid coupons are beeping and it's resulted in a TON of thread posts with complaints, questions, and stories from frustrated couponers. Just a little bit of knowledge about barcodes can equip you with a lot of ammunition when dealing with cashiers and managers (since most of them are clueless and you'd be teaching them).

I'll explain the coupon barcodes, then show you exactly why the Lifesavers and Pert coupons are beeping.

Coupons will beep if ANY PORTION of the barcode does not match the products in your cart.

A typical coupon barcode looks like this:
1-22222-333-44-5


1 - This portion of the code will be either a 5 or a 9. It deals with doubling. If your store doesn't double coupons, then this number has no purpose. If your store DOES double coupons, then any coupon coded with a 5 will double (up to your store's doubling limit) and any coupon coded with a 9 will not double.

22222 - This number is the manufacturer's code. This code is the reason why the Lifesavers and Pert were beeping, but I'll explain those situations below.

333
- This number is the family code. Most manufacturers break their products into families. If you see a three digit number with no zeros, the coupon is coded for a specific product. If there is one zero at the end, the coupon is coded for more than one *variety* product. If there are two zeros at the end, the coupon is coded for more than one *type or brand* of product. Here's an example of how it works:

25700 100 - any Ziploc or Saran Wrap item
25700 160 - any Ziploc item
25700 170 - any Saran Wrap item
25700 164 - Ziploc containers
25700 175 - Saran Wrap disposable Cutting Sheets

If the family code is 000, then the coupon will not beep with any product which falls under the preceeding 5-digit manufacturer's code.

Some products are not broken into any families and are coded as 992. A 992 coupon will do one of two things, depending on how your store has it's registers programmed. Either it will NEVER beep, even if you didn't buy the product, or it will ALWAYS beep and require cashier intervention. These coupons were severely abused by couponers who wanted to use coupons even though they didn't buy the product, so most major retailers have now programmed their registers to beep at every 992.


44 - This is the value code. It tells the register how much to take off. Regardless of what the wording on the coupon says, this code tells the register what you need to purchase and how much to take off. Yes, in many cases there are some VERY EXTREME differences between the wording on the coupon and what the barcode actually requires you to purchase (since there are only a limited number of value codes available). Here are the codes and, again, PLEASE NO DISCUSSIONS ON HOW TO CIRCUMVENT THE SYSTEM. The wording on the coupon is the manufacturer's intended use for it.

00 "Beep" - Manual Input Required
01 Free Item - Will normally beep so cashier can input value
02 B4G1
03 $1.10
04 $1.35
05 $1.40
06 $1.60
07 B3 $1.50
08 B2 $3.00
09 B3 $2.00
10 $0.10
11 $1.85
12 $0.12
13 B4 $1.00
14 B1G1
15 $0.15
16 B2G1
18 $2.60
19 B3G1
20 $0.20
21 B2 $0.35
22 B2 $0.40
23 B2 $0.45
24 B2 $0.50
25 $0.25
26 $2.85
28 B2 $0.55
29 $0.29
30 $0.30
31 B2 $0.60
32 B2 $0.75
33 B2 $1.00
34 B2 $1.25
35 $0.35
36 B2 $1.50
37 B3 $0.25
38 B3 $0.30
39 $0.39
40 $0.40
41 B3 $0.50
42 B3 $1.00
43 B2 $1.10
44 B2 $1.35
45 $0.45
46 B2 $1.60
47 B2 $1.75
48 B2 $1.85
49 $0.49
50 $0.50
51 B2 $2.00
52 B3 $0.55
53 B2 $0.10
54 B2 $0.15
55 $0.55
56 B2 $0.20
57 B2 $0.25
58 B2 $0.30
59 $0.59
60 $0.60
61 $10.00
62 $9.50
63 $9.00
64 $8.50
65 $0.65
66 $8.00
67 $7.50
68 $7.00
69 $0.69
70 $0.70
71 $6.50
72 $6.00
73 $5.50
74 $5.00
75 $0.75
76 $1.00
77 $1.25
78 $1.50
79 $0.79
80 $0.80
81 $1.75
82 $2.00
83 $2.25
84 $2.50
85 $0.85
86 $2.75
87 $3.00
88 $3.25
89 $0.89
90 $0.90
91 $3.50
92 $3.75
93 $4.00
95 $0.95
96 $4.50
98 B2 $0.65
99 $0.99


5 Check digit...no real relevance to couponers.
Add a Comment Sorry, this thread is closed.

Community Wiki

Last Edited by slayers750 March 10, 2010 at 07:56 PM
THIS POST IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. PLEASE DO NOT POST COMMENTS RELATING TO WAYS TO CIRCUMVENT THE NARRATIVE / TEXT ON THE COUPONS!!!

A WARNING FOR COUPON FRAUD WILL BE ISSUED TO ANY USER WHO USES THIS INFORMATION IN ANY THREAD TO CIRCUMVENT THE NARRATIVE / TEXT ON THE COUPONS!!!

SHOULD WE GET TOO MANY PEOPLE WHO IGNORE THE STATEMENT ABOVE, THE THREAD WILL BE DELETED FOR GOOD.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some stores accept expired coupons. Check this thread to see if any stores near you have a policy to accept expired coupons:

https://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?p=12410695#post12410695

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MistyQ
08-06-2008 at 09:42 AM.
08-06-2008 at 09:42 AM.
Very interesting and informative. Thanks for taking the time to post this information. I'm printing it out for future reference.

Repped!
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cr324
08-06-2008 at 09:43 AM.
08-06-2008 at 09:43 AM.
Thank you! Now I understand why certain coupons I have always beeped even though I had the right product.
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MistyQ
08-06-2008 at 09:45 AM.
08-06-2008 at 09:45 AM.
Quote from bharatdotnet :
You deserve a rep!! Wonderful compilation. Thanks a lot.

woot woot woot
Love your siggy!
woot woot woot
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simplysanam
08-06-2008 at 09:47 AM.
08-06-2008 at 09:47 AM.
I don't know how to rep, but this is GREAT info...thank you so much.
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karab
08-06-2008 at 09:48 AM.
08-06-2008 at 09:48 AM.
Quote from MistyQ :
woot woot woot
Love your siggy!
woot woot woot
lol, I just repped bharatdotnet saying the exact same thing! great minds Wink....and rep to the op of the thread, thanks for typing the info up....it should be in the FAQs threads of each of the drugstores!
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selinaken
08-06-2008 at 09:49 AM.
08-06-2008 at 09:49 AM.
Thank you SO much for taking the time to compile this information to share with us.

Repped!
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karab
08-06-2008 at 09:49 AM.
08-06-2008 at 09:49 AM.
Quote from simplysanam :
I don't know how to rep, but this is GREAT info...thank you so much.
see the little colored box with a number next to it under each person's screen name...click on the number and type a message like 'thanks' and hit enter! and voilia you have repped!






<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< right there
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Zaphoid
08-06-2008 at 09:51 AM.
08-06-2008 at 09:51 AM.
thanks for the info and repped
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marylol
08-06-2008 at 10:26 AM.
08-06-2008 at 10:26 AM.
Great info. Thanks for taking the time to educate us. Repped!
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ghiaaa
08-06-2008 at 11:40 AM.
08-06-2008 at 11:40 AM.
This is great information and I learned A LOT. Thanks for taking the time to put this together! Smilie
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WGCouponB
08-06-2008 at 12:30 PM.
08-06-2008 at 12:30 PM.
THanks Great Thread and this is very useful
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imm93
08-06-2008 at 12:45 PM.
08-06-2008 at 12:45 PM.
Quote from mahgobbi :
Yes, the barcode on the actual product will have the manufacturer's code in the same place as you see it on the coupon. That number must match exactly.

You can also verify the 3-digit family code on the product to the coupon. Each number in that three digit code on your coupon must either match the product exactly, or be a zero. Otherwise, the coupon will beep.
Thanks! I have understood the way the coupon coding works but what always confused me is the 3 digit family code....I can't match it to the UPC of the product....is this something that is concluded as opposed to matched exactly to the UPC. Hope that makes sense.
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mahgobbi
08-06-2008 at 01:01 PM.
08-06-2008 at 01:01 PM.
Quote from imm93 :
Thanks! I have understood the way the coupon coding works but what always confused me is the 3 digit family code....I can't match it to the UPC of the product....is this something that is concluded as opposed to matched exactly to the UPC. Hope that makes sense.
I'm not sure exactly what you're asking, but there are times when the three digit family code will not match *exactly* to the product's family code. This happens when there are zeros on the coupon. Using the same example I gave above, I'll try to explain it better...

Assume manufacturer's code 25700 for each example. Regardless of any narrative / text on the coupon, this is how the coupon will be read by the register...

If the family code is 100, then any Ziploc or Saran Wrap item which has a family code starting with a "1" will not beep. The zeros act as wild cards. You would normally see this type of coupon when the deal is something like, "Buy any Ziploc or Saran Wrap product, Save $x" You just need to make sure that the "1" matches if you don't want the coupon to beep.

If the family code is 160, then any Ziploc item which has a family code starting with a "16" will not beep. The zero acts as a wild card. You would normally see this type of coupon when the deal is something like, "Buy any Ziploc product, Save $x" You just need to make sure that the "16" matches if you don't want the coupon to beep.

If the family code is 164, then ONLY Ziploc containers with a code of 164 will pass through without beeping. It must be an exact match; however, there *may* be a variety of different sizes and types of Ziploc containers which all have a 164 code. You would normally see this type of coupon when the deal is something like, "Buy Ziploc Containers, Save $x."
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Last edited by mahgobbi August 6, 2008 at 01:04 PM.
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phonic
08-06-2008 at 01:05 PM.
08-06-2008 at 01:05 PM.
Awesome post, thanks OP.
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imm93
08-06-2008 at 01:12 PM.
08-06-2008 at 01:12 PM.
Quote from mahgobbi :
I'm not sure exactly what you're asking, but there are times when the three digit family code will not match *exactly* to the product's family code. This happens when there are zeros on the coupon. Using the same example I gave above, I'll try to explain it better...

Assume manufacturer's code 25700 for each example. Regardless of any narrative / text on the coupon, this is how the coupon will be read by the register...

If the family code is 100, then any Ziploc or Saran Wrap item which has a family code starting with a "1" will not beep. The zeros act as wild cards. You would normally see this type of coupon when the deal is something like, "Buy any Ziploc or Saran Wrap product, Save $x" You just need to make sure that the "1" matches if you don't want the coupon to beep.

If the family code is 160, then any Ziploc item which has a family code starting with a "16" will not beep. The zero acts as a wild card. You would normally see this type of coupon when the deal is something like, "Buy any Ziploc product, Save $x" You just need to make sure that the "16" matches if you don't want the coupon to beep.

If the family code is 164, then ONLY Ziploc containers with a code of 164 will pass through without beeping. It must be an exact match; however, there *may* be a variety of different sizes and types of Ziploc containers which all have a 164 code. You would normally see this type of coupon when the deal is something like, "Buy Ziploc Containers, Save $x."
Thanks...yes I understand the wildcard thing but guess I had instances where it didn't beep and the family code was nothing like the UPC. I will try to find some examples since I really do want to master this last piece. Thanks for your help!
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