Coupon sites: you are on notice!

Coupon websites that are based on user submissions like Retail Me Not and Deal Locker, no longer list J. Crew coupon codes. <GASP> I know, I am heartbroken too. (No. Seriously. I am.)

I noticed this alarming trend a few weeks ago. Imagine my surprise to see "this merchant has specifically requested to have all user contributed coupons removed" instead of the usual codes for free shipping over $X amount.

I was (read as "still am") really upset about this. I mean, most of my purchases online were based on a coupon code being used. (It somehow helped me justify the cost as being a "deal". After all, J. Crew shipping costs are some of the highest in the retail industry.) By the looks of the poll on this blog about this very topic, it looks like most of you feel the same way I do!

I tried to understand (make some sense) why J. Crew was eliminating the user submission coupon codes. What I came up with is that those coupons were intended for a target segment of their customers and J. Crew must have thought some non-targeted customers were taking advantage of those coupons. (It was probably customers like me. I would buy up to three times a day in separate orders because I had a free shipping code for an unlimited amount.)

But then, it got me thinking some more... if those coupons are not intended for everyone, then why do the emails (with the coupon offer) have written on the bottom: "If you received this email from a friend and would like to subscribe to our email list, click here"? That means J.Crew is aware and accepts that codes will be shared. Seems like the message of sharing (taking down user submitted websites but allowing the emailing of "friends") is a bit conflicted, no?

Lastly, I have (sadly) found that I have restrained from purchasing multiple items several times this past week alone because I did not have a coupon code to use! The items would have come to a grand total of a measly $150. However, considering it was during a four day span it is still quite a bit of change. (Of course the items were all sale items. So keeping them "on hold" in my cart until they hit the $150 free shipping threshold is nearly impossible- you know how J. Crew sale items goes fast!)

So what do you all think about the elimination of user submitted coupon sites for J.Crew? Have you been purchasing less as a result? Have you been turning to alternative coupon sites (if you could find any)? Do you think this is the right move for J.Crew? What do you think J. Crew should do?