Are there really Dillard’s coupons floating around out there?  I’m tempted to give a flat-out “no” in response to that question, but there may be a few circulating in local Sunday papers.  So, I’ll stop short of saying that.

I will, however, tell you that you’re not going to find any great coupons for the big shopping mall anchor retailer online.

Bad news, I know.   But it’s about time that one of the eighty kerbillion web pages referencing “Dillard’s coupons” told you the truth.

Here’s what happens when you search for Dillard’s coupons…  You get tons of search results featuring sites that are labeled as if they have Dillard’s coupons.  When you actually click on the links for any of those coupons, however, you’re not actually delivered to a coupon.  Instead, you’re sent to Dillard’s website–usually to one of their specials or sales.

Now, that’s not a bad thing.  Some of their sales are quite good.  They often have a great free shipping thing going for online purchases, too.  The fact of the matter, however, is that you’re not finding anything you’d be unable to find on your own by browsing Dillard’s site.

So, why are all of these other “coupon” sites providing you with these direct links to Dillard’s offers that anyone can access on their own?  They’re making money by delivering customers to the site.  It’s affiliate marketing.

If you click on a link at a coupon site and subsequently purchase something from Dillard’s, that referrer is going to get a commission payment for providing the traffic (you).  As such, all of these “coupon” sites have a vested interest in making you think that you’re getting some sort of amazing deal thanks to their efforts.

Now, I’m not saying that you should avoid doing things that way.  Not at all.  Affiliate marketing is a perfectly legitimate enterprise and those sites work hard to get your attention.   Many of them do a heckuva job parsing out all of the specials and sales, too, which can make it easier to find a good deal.  It’s not like they’re ripping you off or anything.

However, it’s not like they’re providing you with some sort of actual coupon that will provide you with some kind of additional savings, either.

So, if you’re all about cutting out the middle person (remember, though, it won’t save you a dime), you can just cruise on over to Dillard’s sites and do your thing.

My advice?  Do whatever makes you feel better.  It doesn’t make a difference.

I will say this, though.  Some of the sites that are providing those affiliate links to Dillard’s do a great job of providing “real” coupons and savings opportunities for other stores.  So, if you frequently save money by using one of those sites, you might want to consider using it to find a good deal at Dillard’s.  The commission they’ll get from your purchases can be your little way of thanking them for their good work.

One other note…  If you’re worried about missing a great deal at Dillard’s, you can sign up for their email list.  They promise to keep subscribers up-to-date about relevant special offers and sales.  I’m sure you’ll occasionally receive an email that doesn’t do much for you, but that annoyance will probably be outweighed by getting the scoop on good deals in a timely fashion.  It’s still not a source of genuine Dillard’s coupons, but it might be the next best thing.  There’s a little spot to sign up on the top of every page at their site.

Sorry I couldn’t lead you to the promised land of 75% off Dillard’s coupons.  If they were out there, I’d let you know.  The fact of the matter is that the store, unlike competitor JC Penney’s, just doesn’t issue any online coupons.  From what I can tell, offline versions are a little scarce, too.