manufacture vs. store

 there are two types of coupons..
manufacturer's coupons

•  are provided by the manufacture of the product
• the manufacturer reimburses the store for the value of the coupon
•  state "manufacturer coupon" some where on them
• have a remit address for the store to redeem them for reimbursement

store coupons

• are provided by specific stores
• the store pays for the value of the coupon
• state the name of the store on them and can only be used there

one of each type of coupon can be used together when buying an item but you may not use two manufacturer coupons or two store coupons on one item. You can also combine coupons with store sales to get the best deals

you should always go by the wording and fine print on the coupon not the picture. some coupons have exclusions or inclusions detailed in the writing.

each coupon has a unique serial number. manufactures and store may have a limited number of coupons available. you should never copy a coupon or print multiples of the same online coupon because it could prevent the store from getting reimbursed.

I am having a hard time finding information about the processing of coupons and how stores get reimbursed. I have gathered that the coupons are saved at the store then sent out to be sorted and counted at either a third party "clearing house" or the manufacturer. the store is then reimbursed for the value of the coupon, sometimes earning a few extra cents for processing fees.

truth is that how coupons are processed and handled beyond the store is not really relevant to my project... since I now have a basic understanding of the different types of coupons and how they work I can move on to researching store coupon policies. I think as I do more research about store policies I will come across more information about how coupons work...