Super Shopper Finds $1,200 in Free Stuff & Gets Banned from Stores

Many stores have policies about granting free-bates for mispriced items. Here's the deal: Shopper finds mispriced item & shopper gets item for free. On one very productive and profitable day, Alana Lipkin, a shopper from the Boston area, found at least $1,200 in mispriced merchandise that she scored for free.

Her usual shopping trip yields about $200 in free stuff. Now a few of the grocery stores in her local region have banned Lipkin from their aisles. Lipkin, age 45, is a single mom with two kids.

Alana Lipkin walked out of the Shaw's Supermarket here last week with 12 items -- everything from a Kodak disposable camera to Neutrogena hand cream -- all for free. -- Bruce Mohl, Globe Staff reporter

At a Shaw's in Ashland recently, Lipkin said she snared products worth more than $1,200. Her car is filled to the roof with shopping bags full of cups, sponges, toys, candles, and hand creams -- all obtained for free.

Meanwhile, here is a rundown of her strategey, which offers pointers for all of us:

* She shares the wealth with friends, and uses the barter system. She trades for things she needs.
*Lipkin searches and hunts for mispriced items.
*She stockpiles products.
*Lipkin does her homeworks and knows her prices.


Banned and Called a Shoplifter

The stores have retaliated by 1) calling Lipkin a shoplifter and 2) accusing her of switching labels on products.

Stop & Shop Supermarkets three years ago notified Lipkin she would be arrested for trespassing if she entered any of its stores. Shaw's sent Lipkin a similar letter Aug. 10, which she received shortly after the Globe accompanied her on one of her shopping trips.

``We do that with any customer who becomes disruptive in our stores," said Judy Chong , a spokeswoman for Shaw's. --Boston Globe report

I read about the story in a recent issue of People magazine. I received a batch of recent issues for free over the weekend. A good friend has a subscription and when she's finished reading, she passes the copies on to me.

Another blogger Cheap Chica (thecheapchica.blogspot.com) read and blogged about the story also. And here is the link to the Boston Globe Profile.


****Edited Update & : repair. I have fixed the link to the Boston Globe. Thanks Amy!