The modern coupon has its history in 1888, when Asa Candler used paper tickets to market his new soda, offering free glasses of Coke to those who held them. Today the market for these print coupons has evolved as there are many different types of coupons ranging these early style printable coupons to internet based coupon codes. Coupons offer minor or major discounts, as well as free shipping, buy-one get-one, deals of the day, first-time customer signup incentives, credit card offers and free giveaways. Couponing, which relates to these marketed offers and has spawned many reality TV shows, occurs when customers clip multiple coupons and buy loads of items in bulk, often scoring prices that are many times lower than the items' costs. There are also coupons that are not based on marketing tie ins; these are welfare coupons which are government funded coupons that are designed to help people meet their daily nutritional needs.

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