Manufacturer Coupons

Manufacturers and retailers also consider Internet coupons to be those that resemble traditional offline coupons, but can be printed from a user's computer and redeemed in-store. Some of these Internet coupons employ print-controls and other security technologies in order to mitigate coupon fraud risks unique to online channels (postings to "freebie" sites, unlimited prints, etc.).

Printable coupons have been both a blessing to consumers and a curse for retailers. For several years, printable coupon fraud was rampant because the technology was behind the concept and users were savvy about saving coupons to PDF files. Saving coupon files to PDF is considered fraudulent use of coupons and goes against the manufacturer's intention behind issuing the coupon. These days, printable coupons are easier and safer to print, but that doesn't ease the rules for some retailers who've opted not to accept them anymore.