Let me say this, right off the top. I’ve long been shocked that a major retailer functions with the name “Banana Republic”. I don’t want to sound like the kind of person who has a seizure every time someone says “mankind” instead of “human kind”, but I do believe that language matters.

As such, there’s something that makes me a little uncomfortable with a clothier that chooses a pejorative term often applied to nations in the developing world as its monicker.

Sure, I know that “officially” the term “Banana Republic” is applicable to kleptocracies, but in practice it’s often hurled as an insult at other nations who are trying to working through a slew of problems as they sift through some post-colonial issues.

Okay, now that’s off my chest. Now we can talk about saving some dough if you decide to go shopping at Banana Republic.

I personally don’t wear a lot of BR stuff. I think some of it is quite fetching and the quality seems pretty strong. I do think they size out a little small (but then again, I have the famed portly Lampsen physique) and there’s something about their offerings that are just a little too plain for me. Nonetheless, it’s a fine store and many people absolutely love the stuff they sell there.

Here’s something that surprised me when I went on a Banana Republic coupon hunt. Unlike many major retailers, these folks don’t seem too interested in providing customers with an coupons or coupon codes directly from their own website. I couldn’t find any.

What I did find was a promise of a shipping price break for those who signed up to be on the BR mailing list. It wouldn’t surprise me if being on the list nets you an occasional special offer, too, but the Banana Republic site isn’t really touting that possibility.

So, that meant it was time to check out some third party sources where I might get lucky enough to find a Banana Republic coupon.

RetailMeNot had a small collection of 10% and 20% off coupons that could definitely come in handy. Well, as is usually the case online, they weren’t really coupons. They were coupon codes of online shopping. I tend to use the terms interchangeably, though.

You might not think that a site called TechBargains would be that interested in what’s happening at BR, but they did have a 10% off coupon available. They also directed readers to ways to secure the free shipping mentioned earlier.

CouponMountain? Basically the same stuff. CouponCabin? The same stuff again. Noticing a trend?

I sure did. Apparently, unlike a lot of the other stores with a significant web presence, Banana Republic is perfectly satisfied to offer a small collection of coupons at any one time. There really isn’t a lot of reason to dig too deep in hopes of securing significant BR savings. They have a few decent coupon codes, those fall into circulation and you can use them. It’s handled pretty simply and directly without a lot of competing offers and confusion.

If you’re a Banana Republic shopper (which probably means you tend toward muted hues and non-controversial styles that will allow you blend in to most “office casual” situations quite effectively), you might as well use one of the easily-discoverable Banana Republic coupons online.

Grab one of those 10% or 20% off deals (there are some qualifications for each) and try to secure free shipping. You’ll end up on their mailing list, which could provide you with some better deals down the road.

While you’re there, give the clerk a fifteen-second talk on cultural sensitivity and the use of the term “banana republic”. You know they’ll just love that almost as much as you loved the opening paragraph of this post!