We want to bring back the Grocery Coupon forum. We have an idea on what we want to do, but we would like your input on what you would like. Here is what we have so far:
Ok let me see if I can come up with a summary of what has been suggested.
1) Move grocery/Health & Beauty to GC 2) Allow .com deals 3) Make sure there are various ways to shop for what you want 4) Make sure the deal types are useful (FAR, MIR, Weekly Sales, etc.) 5) GC trading 6) Possible “GC expert” to help FW manage GC 7) Define rules (posting, trading, decoding etc.) 8) Possible posting wizard to keep post easy to read/review 9) A auto lock feature for limited time offers/sales topics 10) OMG Grocery coupon database!!! 11) List of popular printable coupon sites
Let me see if I can break down how the forums will work. In classic it will have to be tag based. We can try to work on a system that works, but classic has limited ability. Tags could be used for stores, MIR, FAR, sales, and the like. It won’t be as functional as modern, but tags “should” do what people need. Want to pull up weekly sales, click a weekly sales tag. Need a store… click on that store, and I pull up all threads related to that store. However, you will only be able to pick one tag (filter) at a time.
In modern we can make it so you can find exactly what you want. If we have the following root categories:
Products Store Manufacturer Trading Discussion
You will be able to shop how you want. If you want to look for deals on produce, its in products. If you want to find topics about a specific store, click on the store you want in the stores list. The same goes for manufacturer, and trading. Trading could have two sub categories “Wants” Haves”.
If we use the tools above, and add the following deal types (see HD categories in modern view) specific to GC.
Weekly Sales Print out coupon Print out rebate Coupons by mail Rebates by mail Free after rebate Free with purchase
Then you would be able to find exactly what you want in a pretty efficient manner. Want to see the weekly sales at publix. Find publix in the stores list, click on it, this will filter out everything but publix deals. Then check the “weekly sales” deal type, and hit “apply filter”, and you get only publix weekly sales.
This would work for just about any combo. The deal list is rough, and we would need to make sure that you grocery people have what you need to do this. ☺
Let me know what you all think!
Mars~
Updated 6/5/08:Today we considered what it will take to be best for our community... which led to great discussion about desire and ability to be best in the world.
We've been looking into coupon buying/selling/trading and tend to agree the service is legit and thus a valid and necessary part of our offering. We'd probably set policies similar to what eBay does.
We've also been researching and debating the coupon de-coding/misrepresentation issue. Doing it is illegal; discussing it is not. We're leaning toward similar guidelines as we use in other forums, which is to allow discussion with acknoledgement of concerns by our members. When alerted by a member, we enter a statement like this under the OP: “Members of our community have questioned the legal or ethical merits of this discussion. While we do not condone any unethical or illegal behavior, we believe discussion and debate helps our community make informed decisions. Please read, comment if you’d like, and proceed with caution.”
We understand our guidelines need to be clearly stated. And we can draw another line as-needed at any time.
Before next meeting, we're putting together coupon database needs along with a project outline for our development team.
Edited 6/11/08: I have asked for dev time on this, and hope to have a "beta" up in a few weeks.
Edited 6/19/08: We hope to have a "under construction" grocery coupon forum (alpha edition) by 6/25/08 (+- 1 day). Please note that it will be rough, and we will work as fast as possible to build features needed to make it a great forum. We hope that you will join us in the construction of your FW GC forum!
Edit 6/25/08:It's up in a VERY rough format....working on features as fast as we can.
Most successful grocery forums categorize by store, not by product. This is because while most coupons are available pretty much everywhere, the stores themselves with their deals are generally highly localized. Categories work well for listing coupons, but generally not for specific deals due to the regional nature of grocery shopping.
While I like the idea of a grocery forum, after the disaster that was the closing of the previous one and subsequent creation of alternate forums that are devoted to groceries in particular, I'm hesitant to think bringing the GC forum back at FW will be a rousing success. Many of the couponing pros have moved on, and i can't see them coming back. Then again, maybe this will allow a new group to step forward.
tlaxson said: Most successful grocery forums categorize by store, not by product. This is because while most coupons are available pretty much everywhere, the stores themselves with their deals are generally highly localized. Categories work well for listing coupons, but generally not for specific deals due to the regional nature of grocery shopping.
While I like the idea of a grocery forum, after the disaster that was the closing of the previous one and subsequent creation of alternate forums that are devoted to groceries in particular, I'm hesitant to think bringing the GC forum back at FW will be a rousing success. Many of the couponing pros have moved on, and i can't see them coming back. Then again, maybe this will allow a new group to step forward.
They will be categorized by store, product, and manufacturer. If you want to find a coupon for cereal, you can. If you want to find coupons for a particular store, you can do that also. If you like certain brands, you can find them via the manufacturer categories.
If we do it right, we think "if we build it, they will come."
Mars, at this point HD uses single categories, right? So a thread can be categorized as about "Grocery > Produce > Strawberries" OR "Stores > Kroger", but not "Strawberries" AND "Kroger". That's current value of tagging, in that multiple types of "categories" can be applied. Will something like that be included? Or is the vision more like Stores > Kroger > Produce > Strawberries? (or alternatively Coupons and Deals > Produce > Strawberries > Stores > Kroger") It might make more sense to add multiple categories (an AND system) rather than linear single categorization model.
This might also be a good addition to HD. Or perhaps multicategorization is already built-in and just not obvious to me.
I'm with the rabbit, HBC stuff really needs to go in grocery. Perhaps the free stuff standard of >$10 value can keep deals in HD, but other than that, HBC traditionally is placed in grocery, and for the sake of uniformity should keep itself there. That means placement of Bath and Body Works deals might need to reconsidered, but on the whole, HBC is not a HD when there is a place for grocery.
iRabbitt said: Since most health and beauty items are purchased at the grocery or drugstores, I really do think they belong in the grocery forum as well.
Nothing at this point is written in stone. We are thinking out loud, and really want make it a forum that you all want, not what we think you should have. Any creative input is welcome.
I don't know if I would care for things to be broken down by grocery aisle (baking, canned goods, etc). In GC we always kept things by the type of deal it was.
Print Out Coupon Print out rebate Coupons By Mail Rebates By Mail
We did list Hot Deal Alerts by store.
Most people want all the deals for ABC Grocer in one place, not sift through "baking goods" and then "breakfast". Why would anyone sift through each catergory to see what sale is in a store near them?
Health and Beauty is grocery coupons. My first deal posted in the GC board was for loreal hair dye. At Walgreens you used a store $5 coupon on top of a $5 mfg coupon then sent in for a $10 rebate. Now since you get the $5 mfg coupon in the circular in the Sunday paper, and you get the Walgreens add in the Sunday paper, why on earth would you think these deals would NOT be put on the Grocery Coupon section of this site?
Beboparoo said: I don't know if I would care for things to be broken down by grocery aisle (baking, canned goods, etc). In GC we always kept things by the type of deal it was.
Health and Beauty is grocery coupons. My first deal posted in the GC board was for loreal hair dye. At Walgreens you used a store $5 coupon on top of a $5 mfg coupon then sent in for a $10 rebate. Now since you get the $5 mfg coupon in the circular in the Sunday paper, and you get the Walgreens add in the Sunday paper, why on earth would you think these deals would NOT be put on the Grocery Coupon section of this site?
Would there be any value to a more granular categorization of "Free"?
Like, there's Free with coupons, Free after rebate, free after 'rewards bucks', free after you buy two seemingly unrelated products and get a checkout coupon, etc. Speaking of rewards, what about extra rewards opportunities, like when they double your rewards on certain purchases, or give some arbitrary amount for a purchase.
What about a (simple!) complication rating? For instance, I think it's really awesome you could put down like four bucks on some cream cheese then, through ill-conceived checkout coupon programs, you can be placed in an infinite loop of $4.00 worth of free cream cheese for each subsequent turn through the checkout line.
I also think that's considerably more difficult (or time consuming, or requires a bit more chutzpah thank your average 'sale + coupon doubling' offer) and a rating system ("easy, average, difficult") could let the grocery nublets like myself sift through deals which require more finesse or expertise til we're ready to tackle the truly unbelievable stuff.
DevilMonkey said: What about a (simple!) complication rating? For instance, I think it's really awesome you could put down like four bucks on some cream cheese then, through ill-conceived checkout coupon programs, you can be placed in an infinite loop of $4.00 worth of free cream cheese for each subsequent turn through the checkout line. I love it. That plan is limited only by how long your heart could hold out until your first major coronary episode.
DevilMonkey said: Since we're thinking out loud...
Would there be any value to a more granular categorization of "Free"?
Like, there's Free with coupons, Free after rebate, free after 'rewards bucks', free after you buy two seemingly unrelated products and get a checkout coupon, etc. Speaking of rewards, what about extra rewards opportunities, like when they double your rewards on certain purchases, or give some arbitrary amount for a purchase.
What about a (simple!) complication rating? For instance, I think it's really awesome you could put down like four bucks on some cream cheese then, through ill-conceived checkout coupon programs, you can be placed in an infinite loop of $4.00 worth of free cream cheese for each subsequent turn through the checkout line.
I also think that's considerably more difficult (or time consuming, or requires a bit more chutzpah thank your average 'sale + coupon doubling' offer) and a rating system ("easy, average, difficult") could let the grocery nublets like myself sift through deals which require more finesse or expertise til we're ready to tackle the truly unbelievable stuff.
WOOOHOOOO!!! Cheesecake for everyone.
When you say more categorization of "Free", do you mean in a grocery forum, or in free stuff? I'm confuzzled.
I like devilmonkeys idea of a "free" section, I would like to see it include coupons for free product and coupons + other circumstances that make products free. I think the idea of a complication rating is very helpful. Many of the best deals I get with coupons are convoluted at best, but worth the effort for products I use regularly.
Why a coupon trading subforum when there isn't coupon trading/selling allowed elsewhere on FW? Posts begging for coupons are removed and threads with begging are placed under moderation.
Trading/selling is specifically prohibited in the coupon wording of 99% of manufacturer's coupons: "Void if reproduced, transferred, purchased or sold" or similar restrictive words.
And invariably, the begging threads, "In desperate search of xyz coupons" are "accidently" posted in the wrong subforum by the same people multiple times. It gets old quickly.
shopliftinginva said: When you say more categorization of "Free", do you mean in a grocery forum, or in free stuff?
I was thinking in terms of a grocery forum setup, since there are so many different ways to obtain free: after coupons, after rebates.... or even zero-sum transactions like getting rewards that offset what you pay at the register.
Free Stuff forum categorization isn't something that's on the table just yet, I don't believe.
DevilMonkey said: shopliftinginva said: When you say more categorization of "Free", do you mean in a grocery forum, or in free stuff?
I was thinking in terms of a grocery forum setup, since there are so many different ways to obtain free: after coupons, after rebates.... or even zero-sum transactions like getting rewards that offset what you pay at the register.
Free Stuff forum categorization isn't something that's on the table just yet, I don't believe. No, I didn't want it to be. I was just looking for clarificaiton on that.
Madmurphy said: Why a coupon trading subforum when there isn't coupon trading/selling allowed elsewhere on FW? Posts begging for coupons are removed and threads with begging are placed under moderation.
Trading/selling is specifically prohibited in the coupon wording of 99% of manufacturer's coupons: "Void if reproduced, transferred, purchased or sold" or similar restrictive words.
I don't mind trading, we both know the arguments about how the word "transferred" is or could be interpreted. But I do know that there would be a bunch of .com coupon begging and trading on the GC board...that would suck.
I wouldn't want to see selling, though.
berlinsmommy
Senior Member - 1K
posted: May. 10, 2008 @ 2:13p
Honestly, I think its too little, too late. I came to Fat Wallet as an active couponer about five years ago when Fat Wallet had a rockin coupon forum. Then, by popular demand, they opened a trading forum. Then the powers that be decided that the couponers were sort of there own subgroup and didn't contribute much to the rest of Fat Wallet in terms of advertising dollars, Fat Cash, etc. so the coupon forum and the coupon trading forum were shut down.
Although we couponers whined, groaned, complained, and begged Fat Wallet not to shut down those two forums, looking back it was the best thing that could have ever happened to us. Several sites were opened by couponers for couponers and have since evolved beautifully in a way that Fat Wallet never could because of the limitations of the format and because Fat Wallet is not run and moderated by couponers, so it was impossible for them to police, support, and meet the needs of the couponers.
So, I'm sure the powers that be here at Fat Wallet are seeing the success of several sites that are owned, run by, or populated by many of the couponers that came from Fat Wallet and thinking they can open a coupon forum, the couponers will return, and they can start seeing the revenue, but I doubt it will happen that way. It's sort of like asking someone to give up their ipod for a CD player. Times have changed and people have moved on.
I believe FW is trying out a nifty idea about "listening to what the community wants". Hands down out of all the catergories that have been taken away in FW's history, GC was the most desired from the community. I wouldn't read into this that FW was ever hurting from the lack of having the GC board before it was, or after it was gone.
berlinsmommy said: Times have changed and people have moved on.
That's fine, the last batch who was here were intolerable.
sapna78
New Member
posted: May. 11, 2008 @ 11:42a
lots of us "hardcore grocery couponers" still come here for the online deals. I sure as heck won't be coming here for my coupons, though. There are too many other sites already established who do a much better job than ya'll ever did.
berlinsmommy
Senior Member - 1K
posted: May. 11, 2008 @ 5:16p
Beboparoo said: And yet, berlinsmommy...you are still here.
Yes I'm still here as an active member of the finance forum. But thanks for the red bebop, nice to know that some things never change
berlinsmommy said: Honestly, I think its too little, too late. I came to Fat Wallet as an active couponer about five years ago when Fat Wallet had a rockin coupon forum. Then, by popular demand, they opened a trading forum. Then the powers that be decided that the couponers were sort of there own subgroup and didn't contribute much to the rest of Fat Wallet in terms of advertising dollars, Fat Cash, etc. so the coupon forum and the coupon trading forum were shut down.
Although we couponers whined, groaned, complained, and begged Fat Wallet not to shut down those two forums, looking back it was the best thing that could have ever happened to us. Several sites were opened by couponers for couponers and have since evolved beautifully in a way that Fat Wallet never could because of the limitations of the format and because Fat Wallet is not run and moderated by couponers, so it was impossible for them to police, support, and meet the needs of the couponers.
So, I'm sure the powers that be here at Fat Wallet are seeing the success of several sites that are owned, run by, or populated by many of the couponers that came from Fat Wallet and thinking they can open a coupon forum, the couponers will return, and they can start seeing the revenue, but I doubt it will happen that way. It's sort of like asking someone to give up their ipod for a CD player. Times have changed and people have moved on.
What exactly is the point that you're trying to make?
Is it the fact that because you and your other couponers have left and found your own coupon utopias, FW shouldn't start a new GC Forum? Isn't that a fairly narcissistic viewpoint? It's great that you've found your own coupon place. We're all very happy for you. Really we are. We couldn't have been more pleased when you all left.
I think the question was, "We want to bring back the Grocery Coupon forum. We have an idea on what we want to do, but we would like your input on what you would like..." Perhaps you'd like to add helpful insight to that topic since it's obvious that you've help create such a successful couponing site that you couldn't think of leaving.
sapna78 said: lots of us "hardcore grocery couponers" still come here for the online deals. I sure as heck won't be coming here for my coupons, though. There are too many other sites already established who do a much better job than ya'll ever did.
That's fine, the last batch who was here were intolerable.
And watch them prove your point
TM1
piñata
posted: May. 12, 2008 @ 7:02a
Personally, I don't think this move was motivated by wanting the old problems/GC members coming back, I believe it is being considered to accommodate the requests of active members and to possibly recruit new members. If some of the old contributing members of that forum want to come back, that is just a bonus. The old forum and old problems was closed down for a reason. I don't see the new forum being allowed to head in that direction ever again.
Pyeed to add that not all of the people that left won't come back. Some people are only at the other "rocking" sites because they had no choice, not all of them care for the problem people that left here for those sites and I think some of those people will venture back, if not full time, they will be checking in to be nosy. And it's a joke if a certain person posting their opinions in this thread wants us to think she won't be checking the new GC forum here, she will.
Beboparoo said: I believe FW is trying out a nifty idea about "listening to what the community wants". Hands down out of all the catergories that have been taken away in FW's history, GC was the most desired from the community. I wouldn't read into this that FW was ever hurting from the lack of having the GC board before it was, or after it was gone.
On categories: would be good to give Pets their own category, as you either have them or you don't. Perhaps same for Baby stuff.
As an avid Walgreens and CVS shopper, I do all health & beauty stuff there. Just passing it on...
I would definitely would benefit from a product-based coupon search. I can go to several different stores, but usually end up wherever I happen to and only then figure out what to buy.
TM1 said: And it's a joke if a certain person posting their opinions in this thread wants us to think she won't be checking the new GC forum here, she will.
From the looks of it, her friends are checking with anticipation as well. It's got around to most of the couponing boards. Some from what I see here are pooping a pickle and shouting it from the rooftops that their site might see a decrease in traffic or just more competition. I wondered why FW waited so long. I'll just watch from the sidelines eating a snickers bar for breakfast.
Tazznum1 said: ...It's got around to most of the couponing boards. Some from what I see here are pooping a pickle and shouting it from the rooftops that their site might see a decrease in traffic or just more competition. I wondered why FW waited so long. I'll just watch from the sidelines eating a snickers bar for breakfast. Aright, gang, this is your chance to build the best!
From the looks of it, her friends are checking with anticipation as well. It's got around to most of the couponing boards. Some from what I see here are pooping a pickle and shouting it from the rooftops that their site might see a decrease in traffic or just more competition. I wondered why FW waited so long. I'll just watch from the sidelines eating a snickers bar for breakfast.
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