I don't get it: What situation would make a coupon code illegal to distribute?

[CZroe]

What situation would make a coupon code illegal to distribute?
Why are the codes legal to use if they are illegal to distribute?
Why is it illegal or at least against the rules to distribute ANY/ALL coupon codes here regardless of the retailer's rules regarding it?
Why make the coupon codes public if it will be illegal to mention or distribute them?
Why is it in Anandtech's interest to stop the trading of coupon codes if there really is nothing wrong with it?
Why explain that they are against the rules and NOT explain why (Should I expect an answer to this one )? Is it a secret or something?
If the people that set up the deals do not expect the coupon codes to become public, why do they make them?
If it is the same coupon code for everyone, what difference does it make where they read it?
If the codes are intended to force a customer to have gotten them from an advertising partner, why is it against the rules to link to that advertiser?

It's not that I have coupon codes to share or are in need of any, it's just that everything about this restriction doesn't make sense to me!

 

[minendo]

It was determined by the MODs that distribution of coupon codes on these boards is unacceptable. The rule has been made, now just live with it.

 

[aw]

Shhhhhh! The first rule of Coupon Rules:

Don't talk about Coupon Rules!

 

[Pothead]

Should know better than to post this question here

two words: lawsuits & abuse

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

They are illegal by decree of the king of Anandland.

 

[amnesiac]

The original reason they were banned is because there was rampant abuse of Staples coupons which resulted in heavy-handed threats to Anand from their army of lawyers.
This first resulted in the outright ban of Staples coupons, then spread to the prohibition of ANY online coupon code.
While there are lots of good members on this board, there are still quite a few n00bs and lurkers who have no idea how to remain in the bounds of propriety and cause problems for the rest of us.

 

[Desslok]

Hey does anyone have the 10 dollar off 50 code from office max?

 

[plasticquart]

Originally posted by: CZroe
What situation would make a coupon code illegal to distribute?
<other good questions snipped>

I'm curious about this as well.

As you can see from my post total, I'm rather new around here... but at first glance, this policy seems kinda odd without knowing the back-story. Anyone care to share some specifics?

And just a thought here, but this Forum - and sites of this nature in general - are definitely very well known to most/all major retailers... which certainly means that, for the most part, they expect to see visits from us, using their coupons, just as they would want from any customer. No?

 

[Havoc13]

Originally posted by: Desslok
Hey does anyone have the 10 dollar off 50 code from office max?

Is this a Joke?

A senior member, you can't be serious?

Must be looking for a vacation....

 

[SleeplessHeart]

that'z why and i'm not afraid to say it, anandTech forums suck a$$

 

[dew042]

its all about liability. i don't blame them.

dew.

 

[pinoy]

Also, why can't a person give away his coupon code if he/she definitely decided not to use it? Its different from begging isn't it? Its free will

 

[ReiAyanami]

because several years ago, those $200 off $200 staples codes were meant for the staples employees who made it, not for the general public. u see it was only for them and their friends, not everyone