<strong>Dear Jill,</strong> My question is about the so-called “Catalina coupons.” A lot of them say “manufacturer’s coupon” but also have the logo of the store in which it was printed. Can these be redeemed at most any store or only the chain where it was issued?

I know if it says “store coupon,” it has to be redeemed there. Can store coupons and manufacturer coupons be “stacked”? <strong>— Mike R.</strong>

It’s always a good idea to review the different kinds of coupons one might encounter on your couponing journey. There are two main types of coupons: manufacturer coupons and store coupons.

Manufacturer coupons are issued by the brand that makes the product. When a manufacturer wishes to issue a coupon for its own product, that same manufacturer is the party reimbursing the store for these coupons. If I use a $1 coupon on a tube of toothpaste, the manufacturer will pay the store $1 for accepting the coupon.

Manufacturer coupons are a win-win for both stores and shoppers, as the shopper pays a lower price, but the store ultimately receives the full selling price of the item.

You can identify a manufacturer coupon in a couple of ways. Typically, there will be redemption instructions for the store to send the coupon to the manufacturer’s processing center or clearinghouse, as well as a physical mailing address to do so. Most manufacturer coupons also state “Manufacturer Coupon” in plain text on the face of the coupon as well.

Store coupons are issued by the store itself. They’re handled differently than manufacturer coupons because the store is the party actually offering the discount to the shopper. When these coupons are scanned, they function more similar to an in-store discount than a manufacturer coupon. Store coupons typically do not contain any redemption information or a mailing address, as they’re not sent away to receive reimbursement. Most manufacturer coupons will display the store’s logo and the words “Store Coupon” in plain text on the coupon.

Store coupons are different, though. Because they function as in-store discounts, many stores allow shoppers to “stack” coupons. Stacking refers to the practice of using both one store coupon and one manufacturer coupon on the same, single item. As long as neither coupon prohibits this kind of usage, it is fine to do. Many stores address coupon stacking in their coupon policies.

Catalina coupons refer to the “ticker tape” style coupons that print at the checkout from a machine next to the cash register. Shoppers refer to them as “Catalinas” because Catalina is the name of the company that provides this coupon-printing technology to both brands and stores. When you receive a Catalina, you’ll need to look at it closely to determine whether it is a store coupon or manufacturer coupon, as both kinds can print from these machines.

Most Catalina coupons will feature the logo or name of the store in which the coupon was printed on the face of the coupon. However, if the coupon is a manufacturer coupon, it is redeemable at any store that will accept it, as they will be able to redeem it and be reimbursed for it. Some stores do prohibit using Catalinas with another store’s logo on them, but others do not.