Archived Angry "Extreme" couponers

[Nauzhror]

If a coupon doesn't say limited transactions per day then you can't disallow them from mult transactions.

Sure we can. A consumer can never force a business to do business with them. We can also flat out refuse to accept a coupon even if it is a valid coupon for the appropriate item. The guest equally has the right to opt to not buy the item(s) without the coupons.

 

[RedorBlue]

Sure we can. A consumer can never force a business to do business with them. We can also flat out refuse to accept a coupon even if it is a valid coupon for the appropriate item. The guest equally has the right to opt to not buy the item(s) without the coupons.

You would be opening yourself up for a lawsuit. A business CAN put quantity limits on a product. But if a customer has an item with a proper coupon, and you deny the usage of it, you can get into trouble. Work in retail management in California for a few years, you will see every lawsuit possible by customers to places of businesses - the customers usually win.

I am a couponer, a responsible one, I buy what I need and do not clear out shelves. I follow the policies and buy exactly what the coupon allows me to. I use a coupon on 75% of my items at target. If a GSA/cashier denied me usage of a valid coupon on a valid transaction I would call corporate - you can't make up the rules as you go.

 

[AllThingsTarget101]

You would be opening yourself up for a lawsuit. A business CAN put quantity limits on a product. But if a customer has an item with a proper coupon, and you deny the usage of it, you can get into trouble. Work in retail management in California for a few years, you will see every lawsuit possible by customers to places of businesses - the customers usually win.

I am a couponer, a responsible one, I buy what I need and do not clear out shelves. I follow the policies and buy exactly what the coupon allows me to. I use a coupon on 75% of my items at target. If a GSA/cashier denied me usage of a valid coupon on a valid transaction I would call corporate - you can't make up the rules as you go.

Typical couponer...

I am honest and right.
Don't accept my coupon? Calling corporate!
I'm being discriminated against, I'm going to start a lawsuit.

Stop posting.

 

[Nauzhror]

You would be opening yourself up for a lawsuit. A business CAN put quantity limits on a product. But if a customer has an item with a proper coupon, and you deny the usage of it, you can get into trouble. Work in retail management in California for a few years, you will see every lawsuit possible by customers to places of businesses - the customers usually win.

I am a couponer, a responsible one, I buy what I need and do not clear out shelves. I follow the policies and buy exactly what the coupon allows me to. I use a coupon on 75% of my items at target. If a GSA/cashier denied me usage of a valid coupon on a valid transaction I would call corporate - you can't make up the rules as you go.

Customers do not usually win. Customers cannot afford the high-powered attorneys that large corporations can. It is also completely legal to reject doing business with someone for any reason except those specifically prohibited.

The specific prohibited classes however vary place to place. There are areas where it is still legal to refuse to serve gays, or even women. Most laws regarding protected classes are local and not federal. (Note I am not promoting Target discriminating upon gender or sexual orientation, simply using those as examples to show how few things are actually protected federally.)

The only way someone could rightly sue because I told them they couldn't buy 20 of an item and use 4 coupons per transaction while splitting their purchase into 5 transactions would be if they could prove I allowed other people to do so and could prove that the reason I let person A do so and not person B was because B was being discriminated against based on criteria which is illegal to discriminate upon whereas A wasn't. If they were both black and female, there'd be no case.

As for your example of you calling corporate:

• We reserve the right to accept, refuse, or limit the use of any coupon and/or the subsequent return of items purchased with coupons.
• Limit of 4 identical coupons per household, per day (unless otherwise noted on coupon).
• Our Quantity Limit Policy is available on the policy board near Guest Services. We reserve the right to limit quantities. Note that the Quantity Limit Policy is in place for all transactions regardless of coupon usage.

That is all verbatim from Target's coupon policy. If I refuse to accept your coupon you have absolutely no leg to stand on legally. You can complain to corporate, but that doesn't mean I violated any law or regulation.

There is also no one in my store that cares if you call corporate. Doing so does not change the decisions we make in-store. The people working in our store run the store, not people in an office somewhere getting one side of a story who have absolutely no context other than that which you give them when complaining.

 

[RedorBlue]

Typical couponer...

I am honest and right.
Don't accept my coupon? Calling corporate!
I'm being discriminated against, I'm going to start a lawsuit.

Stop posting.

Typical one sided thinker.

 

[NPC]

You would be opening yourself up for a lawsuit. A business CAN put quantity limits on a product. But if a customer has an item with a proper coupon, and you deny the usage of it, you can get into trouble. Work in retail management in California for a few years, you will see every lawsuit possible by customers to places of businesses - the customers usually win.

I am a couponer, a responsible one, I buy what I need and do not clear out shelves. I follow the policies and buy exactly what the coupon allows me to. I use a coupon on 75% of my items at target. If a GSA/cashier denied me usage of a valid coupon on a valid transaction I would call corporate - you can't make up the rules as you go.

Oh please. Corporate won't do shit. If your coupons are valid, they won't get denied. I hate when guests call corporate while still in store. What do they expect to happen? Are they going to ask corporate to yell at this employee for them, and then try to hand the phone to me? Whenever I get people threatening to call, I tell them they're more than welcome to do so and make a complain if they like, but in store I can't do whatever fraudulent thing they're trying. Calling corporate does nothing.

 

[RedorBlue]

Oh please. Corporate won't do shit. If your coupons are valid, they won't get denied. I hate when guests call corporate while still in store. What do they expect to happen? Are they going to ask corporate to yell at this employee for them, and then try to hand the phone to me? Whenever I get people threatening to call, I tell them they're more than welcome to do so and make a complain if they like, but in store I can't do whatever fraudulent thing they're trying. Calling corporate does nothing.

There are two diff kinds of corporate calling customers. Ones that use it in store and try to use it as a scare tactic and ones that go home think through the situation and facts and email/call corporate about there experience.

As I've state mult times. I use to work retail management. I too have been dealt with a lot of shady customers. Ive also managed employees that interpret policies the wrong way or are having a bad day and then encounter a more "needy" customer.

So the mentality of every couponer is a fraudster is wrong. I wouldn't blame a valid upset guest to call corporate based on horrible experience or misinterpretation of the policy.

Example of misinterpretation of policy- plum foods sent me a free item coupon for there new frozen meals. It was a thick postcard coupon/shiny paper/hologram. The GSA or GSTL, idk who I was dealing with, was trying to deny it because target doesn't accept free item coupons. I had to pull up the policy on my phone to show that indeed target does, it just can't be a print from computer coupon.

 

[NPC]

There are two diff kinds of corporate calling customers. Ones that use it in store and try to use it as a scare tactic and ones that go home think through the situation and facts and email/call corporate about there experience.

As I've state mult times. I use to work retail management. I too have been dealt with a lot of shady customers. Ive also managed employees that interpret policies the wrong way or are having a bad day and then encounter a more "needy" customer.

So the mentality of every couponer is a fraudster is wrong. I wouldn't blame a valid upset guest to call corporate based on horrible experience or misinterpretation of the policy.

Example of misinterpretation of policy- plum foods sent me a free item coupon for there new frozen meals. It was a thick postcard coupon/shiny paper/hologram. The GSA or GSTL, idk who I was dealing with, was trying to deny it because target doesn't accept free item coupons. I had to pull up the policy on my phone to show that indeed target does, it just can't be a print from computer coupon.

Awesome! See, valid coupons don't get denied, like I said. However, the fact you flagged the cashier and GSTL as suspicious though, makes me wonder why that happened. That's the problem with extreme couponers. They usually leave out key pieces of information from their complaints. Luckily, Corporate isn't one sided. I don't care if people coupon if they don't try and manipulate the terms of the coupon, and as long as they actually KEEP the stuff. You can always tell the difference between those whom are simply couponing to get the best deal....and those who coupon with the intention of doing a no-receipt return later. If you have a lot of coupons, you'll always raise an eyebrow, but you won't be questioned if your coupons are legit.

 

[Nauzhror]

Example of misinterpretation of policy- plum foods sent me a free item coupon for there new frozen meals. It was a thick postcard coupon/shiny paper/hologram. The GSA or GSTL, idk who I was dealing with, was trying to deny it because target doesn't accept free item coupons. I had to pull up the policy on my phone to show that indeed target does, it just can't be a print from computer coupon.

I agree with you, the coupon should be accepted, the verbiage is:

We do not accept internet coupons for free items with no purchase requirements.

The problem is you seem to think you could sue the store for the GSA/GSTL refusing said coupon. Corporate policy says to accept it, but no law states it must be accepted.

 

[BullseyeBlues]

One of the blatant fraudsters that comes into my store, "Frizzy", seems to think that befriending me and telling me her name will make me more likely to accept her obviously black and white photocopied Sonicare coupons even after she was put on a temporary ban from our store. Joke's on her, because now AP has a name to go with her face.

 

[RedorBlue]

I agree with you, the coupon should be accepted, the verbiage is:



The problem is you seem to think you could sue the store for the GSA/GSTL refusing said coupon. Corporate policy says to accept it, but no law states it must be accepted.

Pretty sure I said; it opens the door for potential lawsuits. I have a piece of paper right now on my kitchen counter to receive a $25 settlement from a class action lawsuit that took place in Cali many years ago. A customer sued this company because the cashier asked the guest for their telephone number (for the system/capture rewards) after a credit card transaction. They sued under the breach of electronic privacy. I guess I was a customer during said years and willing gave my telephone number after I used my credit card.

So yes, people will sue over anything.

 

[NPC]

Pretty sure I said; it opens the door for potential lawsuits. I have a piece of paper right now on my kitchen counter to receive a $25 settlement from a class action lawsuit that took place in Cali many years ago. A customer sued this company because the cashier asked the guest for their telephone number (for the system/capture rewards) after a credit card transaction. They sued under the breach of electronic privacy. I guess I was a customer during said years and willing gave my telephone number after I used my credit card.

So yes, people will sue over anything.

Who cares then? The coupon aspect is totally irrelevant because people sue over anything. Fuck frauders. They're scum.

 

[LipstiKick]

God I hate couponers. They're so smug and picky. I had one particular witch who nearly cleared out our Pantene shampoo and conditioner for the gift cards and was using all these coupons, including that popular beauty one that was 20% off that clearly stated one per guest. Not one per transaction (she thought she'd use three in three different transactions ooohhhhhhhh you so sneaky) so I put my foot down after the second. She had that "i'm gonna get my way eventually" attitude, but I didn't budge. She said she'd just come back later and get it then, and I just told her that the rules still stood. Her gas money. I did tell the GSTL though to take her time putting the abandoned shampoo and conditioner out on the floor. Maybe, y'know, tuck it into the very bottom of the cart.

 

[zedyue]

I coupon because I'm poor but I'm not a couponer because even with bad hours, who has the time to manufactore or find 40 coupons for one purchase?
Mostly just use cartwheel + whatever I heard about in the ad/huddle, and just don't buy anything full price. I tend to have a small trip after work most days rather than a huge trip trying to stack coupons that clearly don't go together.

Plus I work here so I don't want the cashiers to hate me..

 

[3LetterDevil]

I had a guest with a binder and an overflowing cart full of miscellaneous HBA/travel-size crap want to check out at the pharmacy today. The first words out of her mouth (as she's starting to unload her cart on the counter) were, "Oh! You must be new! I've never seen you before! I'd like some sudafed & can I just check the rest of my items out here as well?" I said, "I'm sorry, I'm the only one here right now so I can only ring out your sudafed. You'll have to go up front for the rest of your items..." She says, "But they're really busy up there, they ALWAYS do it back here. Since you're new, you probably don't know that you can..." I said, "I'm actually NOT new & since the pharmacist is on a call right now, I have to be available in case the phone rings so I can only ring up pharmacy purchases. You'll have to go up front." She says, "Well, I've never seen you here before..." I said, "I only work here a few days a week, but I've been with the company X years." She just loaded the crap back in the cart & said, "Oh forget it!" I'm sure she scoped out the front lanes for a newbie

 

[Kaitii]

Has a couponer come in my lane and be REAL friendly until she realised I don't put up with couponer bs. She wanted to use more than the max coupons and wrong products for a BOGO (which I'm still pissed the GSTL let through) and then went on about how some people are way too serious about their jobs and everyone else lets it go through. She finished it up by looking at my name tag and threatening to call corporate lmao. I pointed out our STL to her if she wanted to complain and she said no she'd rather call corporate. So I just gave her my last name too. Go ahead and tell corporate I was following coupon policy I'm sure it's an OUTRAGE they'll deal with swiftly.

 

[Firefox]

Has a couponer come in my lane and be REAL friendly until she realised I don't put up with couponer bs. She wanted to use more than the max coupons and wrong products for a BOGO (which I'm still pissed the GSTL let through) and then went on about how some people are way too serious about their jobs and everyone else lets it go through. She finished it up by looking at my name tag and threatening to call corporate lmao. I pointed out our STL to her if she wanted to complain and she said no she'd rather call corporate. So I just gave her my last name too. Go ahead and tell corporate I was following coupon policy I'm sure it's an OUTRAGE they'll deal with swiftly.

I wouldn't give out my last name in any circumstances. That isn't relevant info and they have no right to have access to that information. Also, if someone asks for your manager/store manager's last name, you shouldn't give that out either.

 

[carramrod]

You would be opening yourself up for a lawsuit. A business CAN put quantity limits on a product. But if a customer has an item with a proper coupon, and you deny the usage of it, you can get into trouble. Work in retail management in California for a few years, you will see every lawsuit possible by customers to places of businesses - the customers usually win.

I am a couponer, a responsible one, I buy what I need and do not clear out shelves. I follow the policies and buy exactly what the coupon allows me to. I use a coupon on 75% of my items at target. If a GSA/cashier denied me usage of a valid coupon on a valid transaction I would call corporate - you can't make up the rules as you go.

So I missed out on most of this thread. Are you implying that I'm "making up the rules as I go"? Hilariously, that's exactly what my loony couponer told me. She found out she was dead WRONG. I only enforce rules that exist. People still get pissed because sometimes team members don't always enforce the rules, but that's not my problem. Direct quote from the coupon policy:

• We reserve the right to accept, refuse, or limit the use of any coupon and/or the subsequent return of items purchased with coupons.
• Limit of 4 identical coupons per household, per day (unless otherwise noted on coupon).

As the policy states 4 identical coupons per household per DAY. We absolutely had the ability to deny multiple transactions and that's what we did. I suggest that if you continue to coupon at target you take a full read through the policy at:
http://help.target.com/help/subcategoryarticle?childcat=Coupon+policy&parentcat=Promotions+&+Coupons
This way you don't have to get angry at people like me and my GSA's who are doing our job and enforcing store policy. Please call corporate on me. We always joke at my store that I am going for the world record of most corporate complaints about one team member, but I have never gotten in any trouble because I have never done anything that is a violation of Target policy. In fact, I have been congratulated by my ETL's for being one of the few people who enforces the coupon policy.
I also find it near impossible to believe that anyone could win a lawsuit because we denied a coupon. You could win if you could prove that we denied your coupon because you are a member of a protected class, but that is about the only situation I can think of where you would win. Good luck going up against Target's lawyers.

 

[RedorBlue]

So I missed out on most of this thread. Are you implying that I'm "making up the rules as I go"? Hilariously, that's exactly what my loony couponer told me. She found out she was dead WRONG. I only enforce rules that exist. People still get pissed because sometimes team members don't always enforce the rules, but that's not my problem. Direct quote from the coupon policy:

• We reserve the right to accept, refuse, or limit the use of any coupon and/or the subsequent return of items purchased with coupons.
• Limit of 4 identical coupons per household, per day (unless otherwise noted on coupon).

As the policy states 4 identical coupons per household per DAY. We absolutely had the ability to deny multiple transactions and that's what we did. I suggest that if you continue to coupon at target you take a full read through the policy at:
http://help.target.com/help/subcategoryarticle?childcat=Coupon+policy&parentcat=Promotions+&+Coupons
This way you don't have to get angry at people like me and my GSA's who are doing our job and enforcing store policy. Please call corporate on me. We always joke at my store that I am going for the world record of most corporate complaints about one team member, but I have never gotten in any trouble because I have never done anything that is a violation of Target policy. In fact, I have been congratulated by my ETL's for being one of the few people who enforces the coupon policy.
I also find it near impossible to believe that anyone could win a lawsuit because we denied a coupon. You could win if you could prove that we denied your coupon because you are a member of a protected class, but that is about the only situation I can think of where you would win. Good luck going up against Target's lawyers.

It's unfortunate that you had an encounter with a looney customer. And I'm glad to hear that YOU do not make up the rules as you go.

However, not every front lanes TM know the policies and I've encountered many senerios when the TM was wrong.

Like I said before, I am a responsible couponer. I buy what I need, I don't clean out the shelves I keep 99% of what I buy with coupons, and I check the store policy often to see if there are any changes.

I feel that the front lanes TM see a couponer and think they are all scammers. It's like they are looking for something that is wrong, and i don't enjoy this mentality. I check the rules because I am on a tight budget since having my child. I do not want to get to check out and realize some of my coupons didn't scan because I failed to follow policy and now I'm paying more then what I planned. Then I'll have to stand in line at customer service to returns these items - do you know how hard it is to keep a toddler occupied while waiting in line? It's not worth my time or embarrassment to try and scam the system for a little extra savings.

I gave an example Ina post about where a TM was wrong about a coupon policy (free item coupon). Also, just tonight I went shopping and finally used my 20% off coupon. I also wanted to use my pharmacy rewards. The TM said that wasn't allowed because she claimed the rewards was a category coupon. I had explained that it wasn't and had to point out where it said category on the 20% off one but no mention of that on the rewards - because it is a rewards. She finally scanned it and it allowed it. Another example was when a TM stated that I couldn't use manufacture coupons on gift card promotions (like buy 4 get a $5 GC). I never heard of that policy, so I had to look it up on my phone.

So again, it's great that you don't make up the rules, but I've seen a lot of interpretations of the policy.

 

[Firefox]

I feel that the front lanes TM see a couponer and think they are all scammers. It's like they are looking for something that is wrong, and i don't enjoy this mentality. I check the rules because I am on a tight budget since having my child. I do not want to get to check out and realize some of my coupons didn't scan because I failed to follow policy and now I'm paying more then what I planned. Then I'll have to stand in line at customer service to returns these items - do you know how hard it is to keep a toddler occupied while waiting in line? It's not worth my time or embarrassment to try and scam the system for a little extra savings.

Sadly, we have to have that mentality because of the many many scammers that we do get. Not all coupon scammers are as obvious as doing multiple transactions, cleaning out shelves, and such. So we have to make sure that we are following the rules and limitations of every coupon. If I saw a cashier scanning coupons without actually checking to make sure that the coupons are 100% correct for the item being purchased, I would pull them aside after the transaction and make sure they know that they have to read the coupon before accepting it. Because if we accept coupons that aren't applicable, Target eats that loss since they don't get reimbursed for the loss of the product.

So like I said, there are a lot of reasonable couponers out there like you. But because of the unreasonable ones, we have to be vigilant and make sure that we are following all the rules of the coupons.

 

[thetargetman]

I don't miss the coupon BS one bit! Ever since our STL told us "accept ALL coupons no matter what" and than when I would report my concerns to the GSTL and she said "OK..." and never did anything, never told AP I just said one day on my drive home "what a joke.... what a fucking joke!"

 

[Firefox]

I had one yesterday. He wasn't too bad, just the kind that instantly abandons the transaction as soon as you deny the first stack of 4 fraudulent coupons.

Surprisingly though, his coupon for the Crest strips were actually legit so I couldn't fault him on that. He was the first fraudulent couponer I've seen in a little while, they've definitely realized that their chance of success at our store is pretty low.

 

[Kartman]

I'd love to slap the shit outta them...

 

[redeye58]

I'd love to watch you do that...

 

[Kartman]

Me, too!!!