The POWER of One Voice!!
Unfortunately, many of the emails that I receive from Hip2Save readers discuss frustration, anger and disappointment over a recent shopping trip to a local grocery or drug store. Most times, the reader has taken the time to organize his/her coupons, has meticulously scoured the store for clearance items and “hidden” deals, and then arrives at the cash register filled with excitement over how much money will be saved. This is where the story frequently changes from sweet to sour 🙁 . Many readers have emailed about arriving at the cash register only to discover that the store will not accept any internet coupons, refuses to accept coupons for an item not pictured on the coupon, refuses to accept coupons for trial size items when the coupon does not exclude these items…the list goes on and on and on! So frustrating and most of us just admit defeat and leave angry and hopeless!
For this reason, I had to share with you this great story from one of my readers, Kelly…
*Here is the first email that I received from Kelly:
I got a nasty surprise when at Wal-Mart tonight. Check out the attached photo. The cashier said they are not price matching or taking any computer printed coupons at all anymore. Sigh. Have you seen this? I will be calling corporate or whatnot tomorrow to see if it is nationwide or just my store being silly.
2nd email from Kelly (4 days later):
I heard back from Wal-Mart. The assistant manager of my store called me back, giving me some sob story about how they are losing $1000/day on printed coupons, etc.
He was saying that people were making free xbox coupons and they were being redeemed, etc. Which I find odd because the registers are Wal-Mart are particularly picky about high value coupons to begin with.
He said that he misread the “we do not match online pricing” to mean they didn’t accept online printed coupons as well. He said he has since been corrected on proper policy and all the posted signs have been removed from the store. Yay I win! I just think it was sad that they were up for weeks before I visited the store and noticed them. At least they have been removed now.
WAY TO GO, KELLY!! I LOVE VICTORY STORIES!
Please share your own personal victory stories in the comment section below. I’d love to hear them and I’m sure other readers would too!
I was wondering if anyone knew exactly how it works to have a cashier lower a coupon. I was at Family Dollar, had a $2 off coupon for razors, which were on sale for $1.60. Of coarse it beeped, the manager came over, and tried to figure it out, and ended up saying they couldnt give it to me because the coupon was for more than the product???
From what I have seen they should have a way to put it in manually as a manufacturer coupon and then enter the amount. It is just like if a coupon won’t scan for whatever reason. But it could also depend on their computer/register system.
As far as manually reducing coupons goes, I can’t figure out why this is necessary. The stores are going to send it off to the clearinghouse and get the full amount of the copuon plu 8 cents, so why shouldn’t the consumer get the full amount of the coupon? I don’t think the stores should be paying us to take the products home, but what’s wrong with taking home a little something extra for free?
I do absoultely dread going to Walmart with coupons. I got a whole lot of attitude from a cashier when I went in with a free CFL coupon (from my power company) and a free Febreze No Spill wood diffuser (from Modern Mom). I bought a piece of candy, too, so that I wouldn’t just be paying tax. I Love Free Stuff! Why do Walmart cashiers think that it’s a crime to get something for free?
i agree with second response. seems the store is the one committing coupon fraud because they are going to be receive the full 2.00 back from the manufacturer when they only give you 1.60. I’d like Target to fix their policy on this
If they insist on reducing the coupon amount, you can tell them to make sure to write the reduced amount on the coupon and make a point of watching them do it…they are supposed to write the correct amount any time they adjust the coupon….but I have seen many times when they insist on reducing it for me and then just stick it in the drawer (so they will eventually get the full amount back)….
I was just at Walmart the other day and had issues using coupons!! The Cashier I had was great but then another lady came up to help bag/etc and said that “walmart is not taking internet coupons anymore”. I was like WTH!? At that point she had already scanned some and no issues. After speaking to the shift supervisor and “verifying” my coupons so to say, I found out that they will no longer be taking Smartsource Internet coupons only! That I can deal with.. my store has usually been great about coupons but I think it’s all down hill from here!
My story was that I was at Target one day, picking up bunch of stuff and end up buying nothing because the cashier said personal printed internet coupons are not accepted. Only the one on ad like RP or SS or PG or so (meanning commercial printed coupon). are accepted. I asked if that is a new policy? cause I use internet printed coupons before and never have problem, and she said YES. I really feel sick in my stomach. Just like the signed we just seen on this post. Seriously, i walk away and knowing that she didn’t know what she was talking about. I didn’t have time to fight that day cause It’s time for me to go pick up my baby from school……….Target need to give more training to their employees
My Walmart says no Buy One Get One Free or Free item internet coupon only, but they will take all other internet coupons. Walmart is crap in my eyes now!
Actually if you get online at the walmart corp. coupon policy it does state that they WILL accept BOGO free coupons!! Just print that and take it with you to show them!
No victory, just a comment. I rarely shop at Walmart these days and i used to be a great customer. My particular Walmart refuses to take any internet printed coupons whatsoever. Their reason is that they get fraudulent coupons on a regular basis. So, i have simply started shopping at Target. Most items are no more expensive and i can lower the price with a sale and coupons. I have pointed out to the front end manager at Walmart how their coupon policy states that they do take the coupons but to no avail. They seriously thought i was lying. I told them they ought to consult their company and review coupon policy. I am so annoyed that i dont even bother.
Yay for Kelly! score one for the little guy. 🙂 It’s hard that it does truly depend on the store and the cashier. There is a CVS here that acts like I’m a war criminal for using coupons. Needless to say, I never shop there anymore even for my prescriptions. I go to another one. Sure it’s the same company, but I’d rather give higher sale/prescription numbers to the managers who have obviously trained their cashiers to proper coupon policies. I’m sure it comes back to them for reviews/salaries, etc. I’ve also found that being extremely nice when it’s questioned has helped. When it comes back that I’m right, it makes things easier for everybody to move on.
Finally, if I get someone to go with me, like one of my older daughters and I have a lot of coupons or a complicated transactions, I usually make a point to hold a coupon 101 with her within earshot of the cashier as I wait in line including pointing out the store reimbursement issues. It’s funny how you can see an attitude change in a cashier simply by understanding how it works and that no one is losing money.
Wow! CVS is so universally great about coupons (at least in my area!) that it’s hard to even fathom that others have problems there. If I were you, I’d email customer service to *compliment* the good store, mentioning that you specifically go there because the other store is so terrible. They’re likely run by the same district manager, and you may just get a phone call and some retraining at that store. Sorry you have such a rough time there!
Heads up on your coupons!! I’ve noticed that the register will “beep” like it took the coupon but if you’re looking at the display it doesn’t change from the last coupon!!! I first noticed this in Jan. My husbands company gave out 5 dollar coupons for some of its products and when I used one it didn’t take. Since then I’ve tried to keep an eye on the display but when your haveing to load up your groceries it’s hard to keep it all straight. My DG also won’t stack mfg.and DG coupons or take printed coupons.
Yes!! I’ve noticed that too. What’s up with that? It beeps like it took but the amount does not change.
That happens all the time at Target. I haven’t noticed it at other stores luckily.
I recently have learned to use one saying when questioned about B1G1 or free item coupons…You are not just “GETTING” the item for free…you are PAYING for it WITH a coupon!!! IT has worked several times for me…but of course NOT ALWAYS!!!
Only one of the two Walmart stores in my area is okay to shop at one of the CSMs still gives me dirty looks. The other however, is really nice. We know each other by name and he makes shopping there a joy. The problem with the mean CSM is that she scares the otherwise nice cashiers into submission by looking at them like they’re doing something wrong! This in turn makes them less desirous to be nice to couponers the next time they come through their lanes! I can’t understand why people have to act this way. It’s not like the store isn’t getting paid!! We shouldn’t have to feel like criminals because we choose to stretch our dollar!
This is crazy. I just went to Walmart & Target’s websites and looked at their policies. Links to their coupon policies are below. Print out a copy and keep them with you!
https://walmartstores.com/7655.aspx
https://www.target.com/Coupon-Policy-Store-Merchandise-Information/b?ie=UTF8&node=2223357011
I have been reading these comments and enjoying the stories, I swear I have lived each and every one of them. I am not a Walmart fan to begin with and on the whole had stopped shopping there until times got tough and chasing the sales became so much more important. I really HATE when that stupid register beeps. That beep signals frustration and lots of it. My hubbie will not go with me to Walmart when I have coupons, he says it is too stressful. After a Rite Aid issue with coupons, the ladies were very sweet and I know what the issue was..the coupon was for $1.50 off one TGIF snack, and the snacks were on sale for $0.99 so it was beeping. I guess I should have told them what was causing it, but honestly I wanted the overage…I had 3 bags and 2 coupons and wanted the items to be free. They get paid the full value of that coupon, so why shouldn’t I get the full value too? They could not figure out how to enter the coupon manually, it took 2 shift supervisors and finally a savy cashier to make it happen. I swear by the time we left the hubbie was pacing like a rabid dog, he just can’t handle the coupon issues. He is not..let me repeat NOT a patient man! lol I have had issues at Target too, in fact I had a manager tell me I was stealing from them by using coupons. OMG she was accusing me of being a theif!! By the time I got home I was so worked up that I contacted corp, well they were not much better. Basically I got a template I’m Sorry email and a phone number to call if it happened again. I would have preferred to have gotten at least a phone call or perhaps a true email and not a template.
I just don’t get why people/stores find coupons so difficult!?!?! I talked to a man who owns a convience store and he was telling me they love coupons, basically they get the money and increase volume that helps them with more buying power. I told him I was going to take him shopping with me as a source for information. He just laughed and said his wife uses coupons and that he has heard the stories and he won’t go with her anymore either. So sad!!!
Free xbox? These kind of things give couponers a bad name =[
Not only that when you see a X Box for FREE wouldn’t that throw up some FRAUD signs????
That is EXACTLY what I was thinking. Perhaps Walmart needs to train their cashiers to not be idiots. Why on earth would there be a coupon for a free x-box? Really… if somehow someone was supposed to get a free x-box don’t you think the manufacturer or person giving them the free x-box would come up with a better way of doing it than a coupon??? Seriously, that’s stupid for a cashier NOT to question. Basically any coupon that is over $20 in value should probably be questioned. period. That is a walmart training issue, NOT a customer issue.
Well, it’s Walmart, after all. They don’t treat employees well, so it isn’t surprising that some employees won’t treat customers well. And it’s not like you can train people not to be idiots anyway. If you want “everyday low prices” I guess that’s the price of doing business there. Can’t have it all.
I used to shop at Walmart at least 2x a month. Their prices combined with coupons makes for great savings. The first time I was told that they could not take my coupons because they were in “black and white”. I just did not understand that and they could not explain it to me either. Seriously Walmart, if I use color ink that makes it legit? I wrote a letter to corporate and attached their policy and cc’ed the store with no response. So now they lost me due to the lack of customer service. A few months go by and I said, what the heck. I go 1, 2, 3 times and then here we go again with the whole “black and white” thing BUT this time, I have a recent copy of their coupon policy. It got so bad I held up the line while calling their corporate store to confirm this and I did so because the Asst. Manager was being so jerky about it. After the line is truly backing up on a busy Sunday morning and he sees I’m not moving he tells the cashier to take it. That did it for me. I see fantastic offers posted and don’t even bother because I don’t have time to fight during my errands. Needless to say, just as I choose my sales and coupons, I also choose the store I’ll shop at based on their policies. Simply put, even as a Walmart card holder, I shop there maybe 6 times a year and usually but go out of my way not to. They lost me.
And yes, it’s happened too many times that once a cashier is realizing I’m paying next to nothing or free for an item they become super super critical and scrutinize my coupons. Then I have to show them their policy and how I’ve done nothing wrong. But I should not have to explain myself.
Sorry so long, but this has stuck in my craw for sometime and I now purged. But I’m still not going to Walmart. I’ll go where my shopping experience is valued and welcomed.
I completely understand! Walmart is not my favorite place to shop. It’s down right ridiculous!!
I was told the same thing about “black and white” internet coupons and I called corporate and they said that they would send the information to management and I should hear back, but I didn’t. I haven’t shopped there since!
I think the issue with the b&w that won’t scan is that there are actually colors layered in with the black ink when you print it in color.
I like that some of the new Internet coupons say on them that they can be in color or black and white. I think they think when they are in the black and white they are photocopied. When in actuality we don’t want to waste all our ink!!
Remember folks, information is power. And that goes for all you cashiers out there as well. Seems to me if the stores took a greater interest in educating their cashiers on their own coupon policy and how as another poster put, the “life cycle of a coupon”, (very cute!)they would feel more empowered at the register. That may also help to curb any “urge” a couponer may have to coupon illegitimately. Hopefully, in the future, stores will recognize that they must become educated as more and more people use coupons. Perhaps the technology will also become more advanced in scanning an illegal or printed coupon leaving the stores less vulnerable to fraud. Perhaps some of you more seasoned couponers could offer free classes to some of your local stores to help them better understand the process? After all, this coupon adventure we are all on is a two way street. For those of you who have no choice but to shop at WM, I’m very sorry! 🙂
Awhile ago I tried to use 2 $2 off Excedrin printable coupons off of 2 bottles of Excedrin. The cashier told me I could only use one if they were for the same item since they don’t have time to verify if they are different coupons with different pin numbers on them, etc. I thought it was ridiculous and just told her to void one of the Excedrins and just use the one coupon. (I used the other one later in the week with a different cashier.) She also told me that some Wal-marts have quit accepting internet printables all together because of people who are counterfeiting coupons. It’s disappointing how some people can ruin it for the rest of us who are just trying to follow the rules.
I had a horrible experience in my local Wal-Mart!! I had a whole cart full of stuff which took a while to fill since I was trying to make sure I got all my coupons for the correct items. When the lady went to scan them she said I couldn’t use them because they wouldn’t scan. The CSM said that the policy is that they can’t take them if they don’t scan. How am I supposed to know if the printer I buy will print coupons so that they scan?? I’ve had no problem using them in other stores because they just key them in and actually walmart has done that before too. I called corporate and the local store manager called me back a few days later. He said that walmart has a new way of doing coupons. The coupon does have to scan in order to use it. They recently got a new program where if the coupon isn’t in date or it doesn’t match correctly it will tell the cashier to not except it. He said they’re electronicly turning in coupons so they have to scan. It’s actually kind of funny because that same day I went across town to a different walmart and they had no problem taking the coupons. I actually laughed all the way to my car!! I know my local Target is getting more strict about making sure the coupons match and I guess Wal-Mart is too.
This is a different subject but I don’t understand the lowering of coupons if the items is less than the coupon! Isn’t the company that put the coupon out going to give the store face value + more money for taking it??? It seems to me that the store is making even more money than they should when they lower the coupon value. If I had a store I think I would help people understand how to use coupons so that I would make as much money as possible!! I guess these big name stores make enough and don’t have to worry about it!!
I had my problem at Target just a few minutes ago. I was excited because I had gotten the last 4 bottles of womens Nivea body wash off the shelf and was planning to use the $4.00 off coupon to make them free. I was also using my $1.00 off Tide coupons to make the travel size Tide free. While I was there I also found on the clearance rack Clinical Strength Gillette deoderant for only $1.52 and was planning to pair them with the $4.00/2 ANY Gillette anti persp/deo or body wash coupon from yesterdays paper. I got to the check out super excited about all of these deals and immediately things started beeping. My cashier was HORRIBLE! She kept telling me she couldn’t take the coupons because they were for more off then the price was. I tried explaining to her that I had never had a problem with that before and she kept telling me that if I had done it before then whoever pushed it through shouldn’t have and it was against the rules. I lost it. I had her void out the entire transaction and I went over to Customer Service and told the girl there what was going on. She rolled her eyes, and re-rang everything I was buying and adjusted all my coupons accordingly. By the end of it I got all my stuff and my coupons. Total value: $63.56. I paid: $12.54. YAY! I WON!
I just had the issue. The nivea coupon is .01 more than the product. I had a different cashier and thank goodness for the awesome front-end manager who told her to push it threw. “…But they will be free..”…..LOL…..In the end it worked for me though!!
Glad you got what you wanted. I think it’s easier to simply use fewer “beepers” per transaction. If all your coupons beep, it just attracts unnecessary scrutiny.
I ended up back at Target yesterday evening with my bestfriend who was wanting to get the Nivea and Gillette body wash deals. When we went to the aisles to get the stuff we noticed that the Gillette sign had been changed from $1.52 that it was yesterday morning to $3.54. We both couldn’t believe it. We could not figure out what was going on. I asked an wmployee and she said that maybe the previous weeks sale sign had been left up by accident that morning but that my cashier could look it up and if they had been on sale last week then the cashier could adjust he price down. Not the case in this issue but good to know for the future.
Anyway. We ended up in the checkout line and I asked the cashier and he wasn’t sure so he asked a manager which happened to be the same one that helped me yesterday afternoon with my issues. He told the cashier he wasn’t sure what was going on with the signs and the register because those body washes ARE $1.52. So they adjusted the price down for my friend and she was able to get the deal. Also, happy to report that all the coupons that beeped at me earlier in the day had been fixed and she expirienced NO beeps or problems at all. YAY!!!
I pretty much have a bad experience at Target every time I go in there. The “LOD” said they do not adjust coupons down. (Lord, this guy was unintelligent and couldn’t do simple math)
Here is what I wrote about it https://metroplexsavers.blogspot.com/2010/04/terrible-target-experience-5848392.html
I ended up calling corporate at the register, and the lady actually called the store and spoke to the guy. HAHA
VICTORY!!
I called corporate while at checkout too. The corporate guy talked to the associate and they let me use my coupons. I knew I was right…it was nice. The only bad thing was that it took forever!!
We have two Walmarts in either direction where I live and they have items priced differently. They are only less than 10 miles apart!! The managers certainly do what is best for them and their pockets. It has nothing to do with corporate, unfortunately.
There is a reason for that, it depends how much the store does their price comparison with other stores also how many different stores are in the same area. They are to submit lower price to corp. and corp. will adjust the stores price accordingly. So if one store is further from a Target or other store in general they might not be able to make price comparisons. They only reason that I know this is because my hubby is a Asst. Manager (he works in other departments, not front end, they are separate from the other managers) for Wal-Mart and we live in a small town where there is only a couple grocery stores so our prices are higher than when I go in town. I feel all of you that have trouble at Wal-Mart with coupons, my hubby asked me not to shop at his store if I have coupons because all of the issues that I have had, he does not like hearing from his Co-workers that I was causing a fuss at the front end. I know that his store manager is very much about the bottom line and is really strict about coupons, which trickles down to the front end manager having to be strict about them as well, and then to the cashers. I have made a suggestion for each casher to keep a copy of their policy at the registers to help with some of the confusion but it has not happened at the store. I also a couple time have email corporate about clarifications and they do not really clarify only re-word it differently so it leads me to believe that corp. leaves it open for Store Manager interruption. My hubby gives me a hard time for not be more relaxed about coupons when using at his store, but it is hard when you are on a budget and trying to get everything you need in that budget. So for the most part I do not go shopping there, but if there is a non-grocery item that I do not have a coupon for I will get it from there because I can use the discount card for employees. Other wise I shop Target and all the other stores to get my deals.
I have noticed that CVS is getting quite strict with their coupons lately.
I remembered Saturday why I rarely shop at Walmart anymore. I was going to use my $2 off Oscar Meyer coupons on some deli meat but they refused to take them because they were internet coupons. I simply took my coupons back and left. I had a few grocery items but also some bigger ticket items like a hand mixer. It’s there loss, not mine. I’ll be happy to take my business somewhere that doesn’t consider me a thief because I use coupons.
Oh, I forgot to mention that I had a copy of the Walmart coupon policy with me and showed it to the CSM but they still refused to take them.
My Walmart is hit or miss…if I get a nice cashier everything goes through just fine…but if a cashier is not coupon friendly…well then….its not a good experience at all…I was able to use my Oscar Meyer deli meat Q’s this weekend at Walmart BUT I had a cashier I am familiar with!!
Wal-Mart lost my business when I started couponing. I was told they won’t take IPC’s and then I went back with just MC’s and the lady gave me a hard time, I swore I would never go back and I haven’t. It’s worth it for me to spend more somewhere else then to sacrifice my sanity at the Wal-Marts.
I had no problem using internet coupons today at walmart 🙂
What a timely post. I have been couponing for a couple of months now and have mostly had really good experiences. However this morning I was at Walgreens and purchased 2 of the Reach toothbrushes from the BA. She is always very friendly. I had 2 coupons for $1/1 Reach toothbrush. They beeped because the brushes were only .99. I told her the manager had adjusted coupons for me before, no big deal and I would wait. Well a female I had never seen came to the register and immediately started in “We can’t PAY you to take merchandise out of here.” I stated I did not expect to get paid, she could just adjust the coupon down and Walgreens would get the extra penny from the manufacturer. She went on and on about how she could not do that. I told her a male manager had done it for me many times. She said “Well if he did I’m sure he doesn’t work here anymore because that is illegal. You are trying to commit COUPON FRAUD.”
I was stunned that she was accusing me of coupon fraud over a PENNY. I was so angry when I left steam was coming out of my ears. I am strongly considering contacting corporate.
You should contact them because if the store goes out of their way to bring you in, ie advertising, flyers, boards outside advertising, etc, then you should not be run out when you do go in. It’s one thing to be not be aware of a policy buy another to throw accusations at the customer.
I would call and send an email via their website. Those emails typically get forwarded to the district and store managers.
I’ve had that same problem and told the same thing when about the adjusting down part – so I’ve told them to change the price of the product up to match the coupon – b/c I’m getting my product for free I don’t care if they adjust the coupon down or raise the price up. might want to try that next time 🙂
I have emailed corporate!
I had similar problems with walgreens. Their store people in my area seem to be trained to think that when you use coupons you are costing the store money (even the manager).
I had to have them refund me one time because of a mistake on their part that they were not willing to fix & they said they couldn’t give me my coupon back, because it would mess up their drawer. I told them they either needed to give me back the coupon or cash in the amount of the coupon. I insinuated that if they wouldn’t do either I would call the cops because they were stealing from me. Needless to say that resolved the problem quickly.
They repeatedly gave me other problems. I eventually complained to district who sent me an apology & $10 gift card. I used the $10, still received problems, and have since stopped going there.
Also watch out when their $ back coupon machines are on the fritz they like to forget to mention it. They advertise these $ back, so they should be held to it.
I had problems at Walmart this morning. I usually have little or no problems using my internet coupons. Today I had a girl check me out and she made a huge ordeal out of my coupons. I probably had 20-30 coupons and she insisted on pulling the reciept and checking each one off, at times going through bags that were already in my cart!!! I can’t believe the way some cashiers act, like I’m stealing or it’s coming out of her paycheck! FYI if you are reading this and you shop at the Olive Branch, MS. Walmart don’t EVER go through “ERICA’S” lane!!!!! Walmart needs to do some training bad. 🙁
You must have had the one I did. I swear she is coupon satan. I gave her a choice, either take my coupons or she could delete all 183 items and have them restock.it. I then pulled out my coupon guide from there ready to brawl. I told her it was her choice. She hatefully took my coupons and didn’t tell me to have a nice day. I informed her that it is Walmart policy to say “Thank you for shopping at Walmart” with a smile. If she was going to be a cow about coupon policy, she needed to adhere to the entire Walmart policy. She broke the first rule of my house. Don’t start nothin’ won’t be nothin’.
I swear I think my stores have my picture up in the back on some kind of “most wanted” couponer wall.
Wal*Mart lost me a long time ago…my store seems to be way more expensive than shopping deals anyway!
LOL–my husband says they have a red button under the register at Rite Aid that they push when I come in so that I always get difficult cashiers or those with limited coupon understanding. I swear it’s true! A great cashier will be working but by the time I get to checkout, he/she is on break or there’s a line and they’ll call up another cashier! So aggravating.
Rgh… get this. My local grocery store has instore q’s on the county weekly so I go in use the qs and have a few other “additional purchase necessary” items I needed. Bill totals $30, in=store qs brought the total to $22 and GET THIS: the recently-retired former-owner starts scanning the qs with a happy “lets see how much you’ve saved” and then starts jibber-jabbering to himself “no, that’s too much money you are saving I’m going to have to talk to daughter about this, she can’t be giving this stuff away”… I just tried to laugh it off as the guy is a freaking millionaire and I’m a SAHM with five kids and bbsitting three more… I got made later. And you know what else? They’ve sinced PULLED all the fliers out with the in-store qs OUT of the store after the day of issue because of super-saver me.
Next my double qs @ Pamida are giving me trouble, saying that P&G won’t take a purchase with multiple items w/ qs on one bill… so I’m like well we can run 40 separate transactions if you like 🙂 I’m just trying to say you time! Then to be asked skeptically “where are you getting all these?”, I’m like “the newspaper inserts” sheesh. Just because I’m not being taken by the manufacturers and playing their card by making the most of their OWN issued coupons doesn’t mean you should make me to feel crappy and like a shoplifter about it. Rant over. rgh…
I’ve also experienced terrible problems with Walmart and coupons. We used to spend at least $200 dollars a month there. Now Target gets our business. Wouldn’t it be great to compile all the negative Walmart comments and send them in an email to Walmart’s corporate customer service?
That’s funny, I was just sitting here thinking that I should e-mail Walmart a link to this page and tell them to read the comments about them!
Walmart in Roseville Michigan hasn’t taken the computer printed coupons for a long time. I will NEVER go back…
As I too have dealt with a Walmart manager who likes enforcing her own unique version of the Walmart coupon policy here in Las Vegas (Yes, that’s you, Cheryl!!), I have sent the following email to Walmart Corporate. Please do the same – if enough of us start talking to them at that level, we may see some positive change. Please feel free to copy/paste/edit at will my email below and submit to them via their “Contact Us – Feedback and Questions” page: walmartstores.com/contactus
+ + + + + + + +
Hello, Walmart Corporate.
I am seeking more information and details regarding your coupon policy, and more specifically have two questions:
1) Your coupon policy states that Walmart does accept internet coupons. Are there any specific rules regarding customers’ use thereof? (i.e. is it ok that they’re printed in black/white or do they have to be printed in color? What if the coupons I print, using “fast draft mode” to save ink, beep when the checker scans them. Can they key in the code and accept the coupon that way?)
And a more weighty question for you…
2) Do individual Walmart store managers have the prerogative to create and enforce their store’s own unique coupon acceptance policy, even if it differs from Walmart Corporate coupon policy?
I would very much appreciate all the information you can provide regarding these specific questions, as well as your internet coupon policy as a whole. As you can see by this very popular blog thread there are many issues around Walmart’s [internet] coupon policy, as well as its check-out clerks and manager’s behavior and attitudes regarding said policy.
This is an important topic to your many customers (past and present) who are trying to deal with the current economic conditions. To be faced with such frustration, misinformation and to experience emotionally-challenging situations regularly at the hands of Walmart employees, just for taking advantage of a corporate-advocated policy doesn’t make much sense. Am hoping you can shed some light and offer information that may facilitate the [easier] use of internet coupons – both by customers AND internally by checkers and managers.
Thank you.
Great job to everyone who is emaiing Walmart’s head office. I experienced a jerk of a manager on last Friday night. He wouldn’t even give me his last name. I told him I was going to email the head office and get on the blogs/facebook to complain about him and his store because I didn’t believe it was corporate’s online printed manufacturers coupon policy, rather a poor interpretation of a policy on the copied printed coupons. I even questioned why they weren’t using CIC (a great tool to fight fraudulent coupons), shows all the most common counterfeit coupons in circulation, ie free high value items like Olay ProX, xBox, Coke/Pepsi products, 40lbs of Eukanuba or Iams dog food. But it fell on deaf ears and glazed over eyes. CIC is a Not-For-Profit Association Of Consumer Product Manufacturers Dedicated to Fighting Counterfeit Coupons.
How can a business in today’s world not rely on such a great crime fighting tool?????
I’M NOT A FAN OF WALMART ANYMORE BECAUSE OF THE NO INTERNET COUPON POLICY. FOOD LION HAS DONE THE SAME THING. FREE XBOX COUPON SOUNDS TO ME LIKE AN INSIDE JOB
if you look at walmarts coupon policy – it says they take internet coupons so i dont know what the big deal is either. i think they try to do what they want when they want and it varies. I cant believe than anyone would believe there is a coupon for a free X Box – its not like those are that cheap
Oh…but there are checkers who dont’ care–but it should be a large enough amount to alert a manager. There are dishonest people that do anything to benefit friends and family, too that would take the coupon. So, again, it seems that there is an internal problem with the employees and/or management at a particular store.
exactly….or they just made a story up to justify why they didn’t want to follow corporate policy…
You would think that if they were so worried about fraudulent coupons, they would start worrying more about accepting returns that were not even purchased at their store! I can not even imagine the amount of money they lose off of that.
Walmart is not my favorite store! In fact I have gone from shopping there 2x a week to not even once a month. I have been couponing for 6 months now and frankly, I can get better deals else where. I love my Rite Aid and CVS also Target has been good to me as well. I have never had a problem that wasn’t resolved at those stores but Walmart seems to really have an attitude about coupon users.
Every now and then you see on the news how so many people save money using coupons. They should do a special on how difficult stores can be.
Yeeeessss!!!
I am a cashier at Target and we do lose a lot on fake internet coupons or copies ie: free 12 packs of coke, free olay products (either made up or photocopied an actual manufacturer coupon) but we ususally give the guest the benefit of the doubt and take them. Wal-Mart I have found examines every coupon with a microscope 🙂 I hate giving them coupons becuase they examine everything about them so I find it hard to believe that they have lost a dime on fake coupons.
My biggest fight was replacing my $100 hub cap at a Wal-mart after a tire replacement. It took a month; I received a matching hub cap.
IMHO, the less I deal with corporate America, the healthier and happier I am. If a cashier refuses to accept coupons, I leave the lot and walk. I do not use more than 6 coupons at any time.
My bigger pet peeve right now are the fakes being sold at garage sales.
Does anyone know if the WalMart corporate coupon policy is something a store manager can just decide he/she isn’t going to abide by with their particular store? I mean isn’t that the point of a corporate policy…..something EVERY store goes by? This may be worth a call to Corporate.
I had the same issue at walmart and I also called corporate and then I was able to use my Internet coupon. They are now saying that it’s up to the discretion of the cashier if the coupon looks valid or not .
I try not to shop at Wal-Mart, though I’ve never had problems with them accepting coupons. Only once have I had a terrible coupon experience and that was at Target. The cashier ended up getting the manager to help her b/c practically all of my coupons beeped (the coupon was more than the product making the product free). The manager manually put in the coupons for the product amount so I had no overage but she made me feel like scum the whole time by muttering under her breath about how I don’t know how to use coupons and I’m stealing. I reminded her that all those coupons were manufacturers coupons and their store would be redeemed the full amount, so I wasn’t stealing and I knew how to use coupons. And it was also lovely the way she jammed those buttons down as she manually put in every coupon and searched through my bags to make sure I was buying the products corresponding to the coupons. I tried to remain as friendly as possible but it’s really hard when someone is making you feel like an idiot! I’m sure my face was bright red the whole time and I will NEVER go back to that particular Target.
Gee, I’m glad this baffoon gets paid to be a WalMart Manager and I can’t hardly find a job with an MBA!! A free Xbox??? REALLY??? And they accepted this and gave it to them? The retail experience you are supposed to have to be a manager should tell you that no company is going to give away a free $400 machine with a coupon!!! Especially Microsoft…come on!! I mean, we’re lucky to get $1 off or a free bag of chips let alone $400 off??
And…I have victory stories every day, I will start sending them in now!
I went to walmart today and tried to by the Nivea body wash with the $4/1 coupon. I had 6 coupons and at walmart they only cost $3.97. The CSM had to come over and she said I could only you 1. I said no i have 6 coupons and 6 products – I can use all 6. She said no so i went to the self check out and the cashier there let me use all 6 for 1 transaction. I told her that her CSM wouldnt let me do it at the other end of the store and she said that she should have. ANOTHER THING – I tried to get the travel size tide with my $1/any 1 size and neither walmart nor target would let me. They kept telling me that I couldnt because it has to be what is pictured. I read the coupon to them and the one guy at walmart said “well it usually says excludes trail size and this one doesnt but they wouldnt give it to me AND on top of that at target they are $1.12 each and walmart they are .97 each. I have used them at these places before but today no. I’m not understanding what the problem is with these coupons. We use them and the store gets their $$$$$ back plus a handling fee. So either way they are makeing $$$$.
I had a cashier tell me yesterday that they (the store) loose money everytime they take a coupon that is for more money off than what the product actually costs. I laughed at her straight to her face before I could catch myself. I then informed that “actually NO you don’t. These are manufacturers coupons which means that ya’ll submit these to the manufacturer and you get back the face value of the coupon + a handling fee. So it seems to me that you MAKE money everytime you accept a coupon for more than the product actually costs”. SHE HAD NO RESPONSE! lol.
My walmart is so bad with taking my coupons. The cashiers question almost every coupon. Even if it is a simple 50 cent manufactures coupon that came from the sunday paper, they question it. I once had a cashier question my coupons and I was purchasing a lot and using a lot of coupons and the manager came over and told me she had a headache and didn’t want to deal with coupons and told me I couldn’t use them and was mad when I walked out and left my cart full of stuff and didn’t purchase it. She acted like I was trying to steal the stuff. She told me I couldn’t just walk out and leave the stuff since it had already been rang up. I came home and called corporate right away and went to another walmart the next day and got all my deals with no questions asked. Too bad that the next closest walmart is over an hour away!
I had about 12 $1.00/any 1 manufacturer coupons for Huggies wipes from Safeway coupon books a few weeks ago, and found the tubs of wipes on clearance at my Target for 1.25 each (the big tubs). I literally made the guy ring me up 8 different times (they only had 8 tubs) and paid 25 cents each (out of my change pocket)…the guy was like, “why don’t you just buy them all together?” and I said “well….last week I tried to use 2 of the same coupon in the same transaction and had to have a manager called over and was basically treated like some sort of thief or like I was committing fraud, so this time I wanted to make sure I do it the “right way”….OMG…you should have seen his face…lol….and the line…the poor people behind me couldn’t figure out why it was taking this guy so long to ring one person out….lol…and yes, this was the same guy….he just didn’t remember me…but I bet he will start remembering me as the crazy coupon lady and I don’t care…lol…
Oh! I just wanted to warn everyone to watch what amount they put in for the free item/b1g1 type coupons….I had the buy 1 swiffer starter, get a refill, and the cashier put in the wrong amount (the starter was 3.99 (before my other coupon), the refill was 6.99), and the cashier typed in 3.99…when the total came up wierd, I had her check to make sure all my coupons went through, she said yes, so I paid, even though there was a discrepency between what I expected to pay and the total (I figured I must have done my math wrong). Anyway, I look at the receipt, realize why the total was wrong and head over to customer service….where they fixed it, but only after giving me hassle about getting the higher priced item for free….I told them that I had corporates number in my phone and could call them if they couldn’t figure it out, and you wouldn’t believe how quickly the manager standing at the other end of the counter came rushing over to fix the problem and assure me that there was no need to call corporate.
I had this BiG1 free swiffer deal coupon experience as well…it took TWO managers, and a cashier to figure out why I had this coupon…where I got it and WHY I was getting the more expensive item for free!
I had the same experience with the Scrubbing Bubbles buy toilet gel and get the toilet wand starter kit for free. The toilet wand kit was almost twice the price of the gel and they acted like they did not want to give it to me. I told them I wasn’t the one that did the pricing! LOL
I had the same thing happen when I purchased the swiffer deal…the amount automatically came up for the cheaper starter kit and I noticed and told her it was for the higher priced one and she fixed it. You have to watch Walmart registers…I have had $1 off two products coupon ring up for .50 and $1 off cat treats ring up for .44 which was the price of cat food cans that I had purchased…always watch to make sure they ring up correctly..
Can you guys please share the corporate numbers…I totally want to add them to my phone!!!
I posted a comment earlier this afternoon about my difficulty with a cashier at Walmart this morning…..I called today and spoke with the store manager. I told him that I spend alot of money in his store and that I didn’t appreciate the “attitude” I recieved from that cashier, And that I’m not trying to steal or pull anything over on them. Walmart needs to worry more about shoplifting and treating their employess better and less about the couponers!
AMEN I could not have said it better myself. Walmart is not a coupon friendly store. I say why bother going there at all!
We had gone to Aeropostale with the $10 off any purchase of $10 or more. I had 3 of my girls with me who all had their own e-mail and I had given them each money to spend. We all printed our coupons from our e-mails. when we got up to the register, one of my daughters went first and the cashier very loudly said “you cannot all use one of these coupons – we can’t be giving 80 t-shirts away at $2.00 each” I pointed out that we each have an e-mail and the coupon says 1 per customer, not family. She said she couldn’t do it and I had to point out again that we were each paying customers with our own e-mail that the coupon was sent through. We were finally able to use them.
I am so sorry this happened to you and your daughters . I’m glad you all finally got to use them I too took my sons with me and met a friend and she brought her son and we all 6 of us had the $10.00 coupons and were all able to use them with no problem at all. we had so much fun and the employees at our store were so nice ( which makes scoring your deal so much more fun. I mean come on aeropostale put the coupon out there for us to use so why do they have to be so mean when we go to use it. I think the person waiting on your family was just upset because you all were scoring an awesome deal!
this is one of the reasons i don’t shop that much at Walmart. They like to question printable coupons and Kroger and CVS don’t. Plus they dont double or triple the coupon. I am glad they changed the it for yall. I have not been to Walmart lately to see if ours in Houston, Texas have done this. I do know they would not take my printable on the card games so I walked out of the store and have not been back to that store with coupons.
you go girl I think I’ll call you Norma Rae. I hope you all know who I’m talking about. I have to say I NEVER go to Walmat. My sons birthday was in march and I thought we’d go see what they had well I found their prices to be high and left with nothing. I took my coupons and went to Bi-lo where they double their coupons and got alot more stuff for little of nothing. The sad thing I noticed at walmart was everyones buggies were full but they were full of walmarts brand items all I kept thinking was if these people used coupons they could be buying name brand food items so much more cheaper. I mean come on who pays 6.00 for a pizza!