Our Consumer Research Center is always under development. Have a great idea to share?
Please let us know about it by contacting research@Couponfield.com. If you have a business,
please log into your account and visit the Business Research Center, too.
Note: We're looking for "big picture" concepts. We're unlikely to post anything
regarding an individual product or business. We do not accept money for posting information in
the research section, we're simply looking for the best content.
Freecycle
Ever heard of Freecycle.org? If not, you may want to give them a look. The network consists of
nearly 5,000 local organizations, membership is free and at no time during the service does money
ever change hands. Basically, it's a distribution service for items that would otherwise be thrown
away or be left to decompose in a garage/attic/closet. Looking to get rid of clutter and shepherd
it along to a useful life somewhere else? Freecycle is for you. Trying to raise a family on a strained
budget? Freecycle is your source for free, useful and sometimes downright wonderful items.
When someone has something they'd like to get rid of, they describe the product and interested
parties respond to find out if it's still available and if so, where. Members can also post Wanted
ads, though Freecycle generally reminds people that "it's not a gift registry" and to use
such postings sparingly.
A recent list of offers in Couponfield's local group included: An assortment of baby clothes, a bike
that needed repairs, a tray of baked ziti, house plants, a collection of Highlights for Children magazines,
a 65 gallon aquarium and a ceiling fan. Truly, Freecycle has a "something for everyone" quality.
Visit Freecycle.org to find the group closest to you.
Buy Local Campaigns
Buy Local campaigns have garnered a good amount of public attention recently. What are they all about?
Is there a group near you? Check our list of Buy Local organizations in our database...
(coming soon).
Buy Local campaigns are sprouting up all over the country, because the benefits to communities and
small businesses are clear. What are they?
Increasing Local Investment: The most credible reports indicate that for every $100 spent in a locally-owned
business, $45 remains in the community in the form of payroll, purchase of supplies, taxes and other expenditures,
compared to only $14 when the purchase is made through a chain store. These re-invested funds are likely to
improve the quality of life in your community.
Environment and Sustainable Business Practices: When you purchase locally-made items and locally grown foods,
you reduce the need for long-distance transportation of goods. Also, you may be able to avoid a drive, if these
items are in walking distance. Locally-grown foods in particular are more apt to be produced under more
healthier and more sustainable conditions, with fewer additives and chemicals.
Local Character: Independent businesses are more apt to add color and regional flavor to your community,
whereas big box stores are generally designed to be exactly the same regardless of whether they're in Austin
or Portland. You probably won't see a poster even advertising a local event on the window of a big box store
or large chain, but at the local hardware store, you probably will. Local networks and connections matter.
Helping Small Businesses Thrive: One of the most interesting benefits of the Buy Local campaigns, as far as
the staff at Couponfield is concerned, is the support they provide to small businesses. Keeping entrepreneurship
alive is essentially a means of keeping the American dream alive. Few want to live in a world where there are
no options, where no one can dream of owning their own business, where consumer choices for making purchases are
confined to a few big box stores.
Interested in finding out more? You may be able to find a Buy Local organization near you in our database
(Coming Soon). (Are we missing anyone? Please let us know at research@couponfield.com)
The Overseas Coupon Program
The Overseas Coupon Program, http://www.ocpnet.org/, gives your expired (up to 2 months) and unwanted
manufacturer coupons a new lease on life. It may come as a surprise, but recently expired coupons are
still redeemable on overseas base commissaries.
The program is staffed by volunteers who distribute the coupons to families on the base. To help them out,
you can visit http://www.ocpnet.org/base_list.htm and "adopt" a base. Then, your household's or
group's coupons can be bundled and mailed to the adopted base. To date since 2002, the Overseas Coupon Program
has placed more than $31,300,000 worth of coupons into the hands of families that can put them to good use.