Well, my problem was I did have some full price items in my cart and I could have made the $50....but then the vendors turned around and put their things on sale that were full price  just as I was starting to check out  and my cart went below the 50 so I couldn't qualify to use it.  I was like $2 away.

So everything goes back on the wishlist, because even though those things were on sale, I would have saved more money paying the full price using the coupon, as opposed to paying with the vendor's set sales prices. While I do feel for the vendors, I have a budget and like them, have to worry about taking care of me and mine. So my budget was spent elsewhere and Renderosity and the vendors get no money from me this month.

With this economy everyone is between a rock and a hard place and I'm not seeing any winners. What I am seeing is something that is going to create a rift between vendors and customers as vendors need and deserve to be paid a fair price and customers would like the 'wants' (and for some they are needs as well to complete obligations) at a price that right now they can afford.

I do have to ask, if a coupon comes out and the percentage is 40 or 50% and the vendor raises their price of the product to match that until the coupon expires(as was suggested in Gabe's post)...how is that going to help the vendor sell something? I understand it's the principle and I understand it's to make a point, but then who really wins in a situation like that?

As it is, the vendors that I was going to purchase from lost sales from me this weekend (and I imagine more then a few others). Those things will stay in my wishlist until a good sale and a coupon comes along.  It's how I've shopped here for years and with a tight budget it's even more important now.  It allows me the luxury of spreading my budget to more vendors and I like that idea.

I think the vendors should have an opt out, I also think that they should be able to make the decision if they want to include things that are already on sale or in clearance , for a coupon like this.  Some will opt out, but I suspect others won't mind the possible boost in sales, or keeping something in clearance a little longer. 

The point being the decision should be in the vendor's hands.

This whole thing has me more then a little perplexed.