You don't mess with a shopper's coupons -- Macy's (NYSE: M) has learned that lesson the hard way.

According to The New York Times, "For years, the department stores that Macy's acquired ... had relied on 15- and 20-percent-off coupons to alert people, like a Pavlovian bell, that it was time to shop. As part of its reinvention, Macy's tried to wean shoppers off them. But the tactic backfired. With fewer coupons to clip, thousands of people from Washington to Los Angeles turned their backs on Macy's."

Now Macy's is jumping back on the coupon bandwagon, and is pledging that there will be plenty for clippers to cut this holiday season.

It's puzzling why Macy's decided to move away from coupons in the first place. It seems like an ingenious way to dole out savings to consumers: non price-savvy shoppers won't clip the coupons and therefore won't get the savings. This way, the store avoids giving discounts to a lot of people who would have purchased the clothing without them in the first place.

Historically, corporate America has always had trouble weaning shoppers off coupons. Macy's is just the latest in a long history of companies that have failed at it. Few smart shoppers are probably surprised that the efforts have failed, and now Macy's will allow our love of coupons to continue.

A new piece from BusinessWeek showcases Wal-Mart's (NYSE: WMT) victory over nearly all of its competitors in the TV pricing war. Wal-Mart's decision to offer a 42-inch flat panel television for the unheard-of price of $988 wreaked havoc for stores like Circuit City, Tweeter, Best Buy, and Rex Stores.

This is a great example of why all the negative press that Wal-Mart receives probably won't effect it nearly as much as its critics would like. People might complain about the company's employment practices, complain when a local mom and pop goes under, or subscribe to anti-Wal Mart newsletters. But who is going to pay $500 more for a television as a matter of principle? For all the criticism of Wal-Mart's customer service, it isn't bad enough to go next door to pay more.

The triumph of Wal-Mart is the triumph of price. Given a choice between quality and service and price, most people will choose price on items like televisions. However, I think Wal-Mart will encounter greater resistance in its foray into areas like organic foods. That demographic is likely to be less easily swayed by the promise of a better deal.