These have been deprecated in favor of the newer GS1 DataBar Expanded Codes. See Sample Coupon Bar Codes for examples.

 

Coupon Bar Codes are scanned into Acme on the Tendered Screen. This should be done before any other form of payment is taken.

 

Manufacturer Coupons

 

Acme interprets Manufacturer Coupon Bar codes and Coupon Extended codes.

Your clerks should still READ and APPROVE the coupons they accept.

In order for manufacturer coupons to work, your scanner must be programmed to NOT drop check digits, and your database should contain the UPC check digits as well.

 

Coupons are compared to the inventory code that is scanned.

If your system uses PLU's the PLU must match the coupon.

 

 

This is a standard manufacturer coupon. In-store manufacturer coupons are illustrated below.

 

 

NSC Prefix

Number System Character should always be a 5.

 

Company Prefix

Refers to the MANUFACTURER of the product. It is a five digit string that is part of the manufacturers item code (or PLU).

The five digit string is issued by GS1 US (formerly called the the UCC) to make sure no two manufacturers use the same 5 digits. When the manufacturer makes up their item codes the five digit string is used as part of the item code. When this code is used on UPC-A product label it enables the POS to group items by the manufacturing company.

Coupon codes contain the manufacturer string so that a coupon issued by one manufacturer does not get redeemed for purchase of another manufacturer's items.

Family Code

Assigned to products by the manufacturer. Many manufacturers and distributors can provide lists of family codes. This code groups the items being couponed and validates that the right items are being purchased. Manufacturers assign family codes to their products, since ultimately they are responsible for reimbursing the merchant for the coupon. Once a family code is assigned to a product that family code should not change.  Each item can only have one family code.

 

A Family code that ends in 0 (zero) shoudl not be assigned to individual products or be used to represent a single product on a coupon.

 

992 is a bypass code.

Do not assign products to 992. Since there cannot be a company number tie-in (some companies have more than one company numbers), the only real advantage is that the coupon’s value is read. The rest is up to the clerk. Best use would be  for “$1 off your next purchase” or fixed value coupons that rely on clerk validation of product.

 

Use 992 only in these circumstances:

 

• Random weight products where the consumer package is encoded with a U.P.C. Prefix 2

• Cross "company" coupons where product carries more than one U.P.C. Company Prefix for the group of products that are couponed

• Coupon tie-in offers ($1.00 off your next purchase)

• In-ad coupons for promoted products that are paid for by the retailer

• Only fixed value codes can be used with the 992 Bypass code

• Avoid using “free merchandise” value codes

 

Value Code

Used to lookup the redemption value of the coupon. There is a table of value codes stored in Acme. The can be edited via >Maintenance >UPC Coupon Value Codes.

 

Use >Reports >Lists>UPC coupon Value Codes List to see all codes currently in Acme.

 

It is the retailers obligation to make sure the codes are correct and kept up to date.

While changes have been rare, GS1 US may change or revise the codes at any time.

 

Check Digit

Used to validate the prior 11 digits. This must be passed by your scanner and it must be part of each item number (or PLU) in your inventory database.

 

Additional Notes:

If a product is sold in a number of different flavors, colors, or forms and these items are expected to be couponed together, the same family code should have been assigned to them by the manufacturer.

 

If the product is sold in more than one size and the manufacturer desires the sizes to be couponed together than the same family code should be assigned to each size. (e.g. 25 cents off 1 giant or 1 regular size)

 

A family code that ends in 0 (zero) should not be used to represent a single product on a coupon.

 

While "free merchandise" value codes exist, the UCC discourages manufacturers from assigning them.

 

Family code 992, also called the bypass code enables manual input of amount from the cashier.

It should only be used:      

1.On random weight products where the consumer package is encoded with a UCC prefix = 2

2.When the suppliers product line carries more than one UCC Company Prefix for the group of products that are to be couponed.

3.Coupon tie-in offers. (5.00 off your next purchase)

4.In-ad coupons for promoted products that are to be paid for by the retailer.

5.Only fixed value codes should be used with the 992 Bypass code.

 

 

Coupon Extended Bar Codes

These codes are typically printed on the coupon to the right of the coupon code.

 

Used by clearinghouses and Acme to validate offers. UCC/EAN-128 code. Five different formats.

 

Format One (shown below)

Includes Application identifier (8100), UCC Prefix and five digit offer code.

 

 

Format Two (shown below)

Includes all format one elements (above), plus an expiration date. In this case the last day of December 2000. Coupons with expiration dates always expire on the last day of the month.

 

Format Three (shown below)

Includes Application identifier (8100), UCC Prefix, five digit offer code, Application Identifier (21) and a Household  ID.

 

Format Four (shown below)

Includes Application Identifier (8101), five digit offer code, Application Identifier (21), UCC Prefix, Expiration Date and a Household ID.

 

Format Five (shown below)

Also called the Null Code. Application Identifier (8102), the number zero, UCC Prefix.

This code is used when the manufacturer does not provide any of the extended information.

It tells Acme or the clearing house to stop looking for data to validate.

 

In Store Manufacturer Coupons

 

Only used for manufacturer coupons distributed at the store.

The coupons are only good at a specific store. E.g. checkout coupons, shelf talker coupons, in-store promotions.

 

The In-Store manufacturer coupon format (right) is a 13 digit EAN code where the UCC prefix is 99 instead of 5.

A Manufacturer Coupon (left) is exactly the same, except the prefix is 5.

 

The 99 EAN UCC prefix and it's designation for "in store" use is a bit misleading. By "in store" use they still mean a manufacturer reimbursed coupon distributed via store shelves or at the check stand.

 

Since these are by definition Manufacturer Coupons they do not reduce sales tax. Stores that make up their own Coupon Codes should study the resulting sales tax issues to insure compliance.

 

Acme does not make any distinction between coupon bar code “5” and “99”, they are handled exactly the same.