Longtime readers of this blog know that I frequent CVS, normally with printable in-store coupons in hand. However, the powers that be at CVS apparently don’t like what I am doing, or at least they want to try to keep you from replicating my deals.
A few days ago I posted a list of ECB deals, and with it links to two printable in-store CVS coupons. Note that these were simply links to sites owned by CVS that hosted the coupons, not PDF reproductions or scans of coupons. My desire to share with you these valid coupons got me the following nastygram from OpSec Security Group, hired gun of CVS:
April 25, 2008
OpSec Security Group320 Congress Street , 7th Floor
Boston, MA 02210
Email: CVS_Enforcement@opsecsecurity.com
On behalf of CVS Pharmacy, Inc. (“CVS”), I write to notify you of infringements of CVS’s intellectual property rights on your website, cheapencounters.com.
CVS is the owner of the exclusive rights protected under copyright law and other intellectual property rights in CVS coupons. The following link is a specific example of a web page that infringes upon CVS’s intellectual property rights. CVS hereby notifies you that the following constitute or incorporate unauthorized excerpts of CVS’s intellectual property, and are infringing and unlawful.
http://www.cheapencounters.com/?p=231
CVS requests that you act expeditiously to remove or disable access to all unauthorized copies of CVS’s intellectual property, including the infringing file identified above. CVS further requests that you destroy any and all unauthorized reproductions of CVS’s intellectual property, or unauthorized portions thereof, within your possession, custody or control, including, any unauthorized reproductions in computerized or digitized form, and cease and desist from further unauthorized reproduction, distribution, publication, archiving, or other exploitation of CVS properties.
The undersigned has a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner described herein is not authorized by CVS, its agents, or the law. The information in this notice is accurate. Under penalty of perjury, the undersigned is authorized to act on behalf of CVS with respect to this matter.
Please be advised that this letter is not intended as a complete statement of the facts or law as they pertain to this matter. CVS reserves all rights and remedies.
OpSec Security Group, Inc.
So apparently the position of CVS is that a link to a site that they maintain that is also linked on other sites is somehow a violation of the DMCA in this case. Yeah, that’s not abuse of the law!
Now considering the only income this humble blog brings in is the occasional ING referral bonus and a Google Adsense account that at this rate will reach the minimum payout level in about another year, I don’t have the resources to fight this ridiculous request. Therefore, I have taken down the links to the coupons. However, if one was to go to a place where the DEALS are SLICK (hint, hint!), you may be able to find those same links again.
It is kind of funny how when CVS’s biggest competitor, Walgreens, is working to make their deals easier for customers by allowing online submission of its EasySaver Rebates, CVS is choosing to make their deals harder for customer by harassing customers and actively discouraging customers from using valid coupons.
For C&Ds like this, you need to check out this site: http://www.chillingeffects.org/
You can fight back–easily–and IMO should.
wow, that is so many shade of ridiculous
Wow, that is really ridiculous I don’t really like CVS anyhow, now I like them even less.
[...] Fewer coupons. Six months ago it seemed like there was always a plethora of coupons out there to make your CVS deals even better. Now the classic $ off $$ coupons are nowhere to be found, and most serious shoppers aren’t getting coupons on their receipts anymore either. And don’t post a link to a CVS coupon if they do by some miracle release one, or the CVS gestapo will come after you! [...]