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Christi Diggs
on May 23 2013 - 06:00 AM
A drop of spin, a cup of deception and tsp. politics=Apathy
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Lindsay Metcalf
on May 22 2013 - 06:00 AM
When that tornado siren sounds, I'm in the basement
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mara williams
on May 21 2013 - 06:00 AM
Summer break has this mom on a house upkeep war path.
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So this past Saturday I found myself back at Target, with another fistful of coupons.
Those who didn’t read my post a few weeks back, I now have a hang up with Target. All because a clerk threw a tizzy after I had the gall to use coupons to save money. She slammed down the coupons as she rang them up, glared at me several times and even complained to another customer about me and my cost-cutting ways. How dare I?
I’d only been back one other time, helped then by an oh-so-friendly young man who made me feel good, not bad. But I’m still leery.
So I eyed the checkout lanes, not really recognizing any of the regular checkout clerks. A knot was building in my stomach. You would have thought I was anticipating robbing a bank, slipping a note to the clerk about how she couldn’t move because I had a gun hiding beneath my stack of coupons.
As I was searching for a place, settling in on a teen-age clerk who was smiley and happy, someone came up behind me and said, “I’m opening in lane six.” Or at least I think she said six. Hell, she could have said anything.
After I saw who was speaking to me, I panicked as if I was a scared kid looking at a real live monster. It was the woman. The one who hates me and my coupons.
I turned into a crazy lady. Instead of following her to whatever lane she was working, I mumbled something about “forgetting” something and took off in the opposite direction with my cart and coupons. I think I actually jogged through the store. How insane am I? I can’t even face the mean Target lady?
I had such grand plans after my last bad coupon experience. Some moms suggested I go to her lane from now on, be as kind as kind can be as I handed over my 20-some coupons. I talked big, like that’s what I would do.
Nope, I’m a coward. Apparently afraid of a Target clerk.
Well, it looks like karma took care of me. I ran to another lane, my heart racing the whole time, just sure I made the right decision. This lady had to be better, I said to myself, putting my coupons on the counter and getting ready to unload the cart. I smiled. I tried to strike up a conversation. Again, yes, I’m insane.
I saw her look at the coupons and her non verbals weren’t good. But at least I wasn’t in lane six.
“Do you like coupons?” I asked with a bubbly voice, still struck by her glaring at my stack.
“No,” she said. No smile. No nothing.
Oh for the love of life. What is it with this store? I unloaded groceries, chatting a little with the woman behind me as I planned my talk with the manager I was sure I'd have in a few minutes.The clerk refused to speak. Until she finished ringing up my coupons.
“Well, I have to say one thing for you,” she said looking at me, even smiling a bit. “All your coupons matched, they all worked. You didn’t try to get anything by.”
Oh, is that why they hate coupon ladies? They think we’re dishonest? Oh brother.
According to the clerk, people come in and try to use coupons for things they didn’t buy. Or try to “slip” in a coupon for one product when it requires you to buy two. Crazy.
I assured the lady all I want to do is save a little money. And get a clerk who isn't so mean.
It's not just Target ! Hy-Vee grocery store last week, had my coupons, thanks Stingyhag for those that gave me FREE items, and "just a minute while I check with my manager to see if these are okay" came next. HUH??? Manager came, looked at ALL of my coupons and asked me where I got the one for free hot dogs. "In the mail" was the truthful reply from me. Clerk: "Looks like ones pulled from magazines." HUH??? Apparently the steam coming from my ears, my narrowed eyes and the snarl beginning to form on my lips motivated the Manager to "allow" my coupons. He informed me, like I was a criminal, that people come into the store and pull coupons from magazines or have computerized coupons that are not legitimate and it costs him and his store to cover the expense of whatever is bought. Glaring at him I asked to speak quietly elsewhere when my groceries were checked. He agreed and we moved to the front of the Customer Service desk. He tried to smooth things over because my attitude was showing all over the place. He spoke softly and said coupons were becoming more and more of a problem and that people were trying to "rip the store off", what with all the other problems of stealing and loss, he was barely able to keep the store in the black. I did not speak (too angry), just handed him my receipt with the total amount of coupon savings were totaled....$5.20....pointed to the total and looked at him. I leaned forward and told him his store had treated me like a criminal with a generalized accusation that ALL CUSTOMERS USING COUPONS were cheating him and his store....all very quietly nearly in a whisper, I continued with "you have embarassed me in public over $5.00 in which the manufacturers will completely reimburse you. Do this again to any customer and this store will be under new management and possibly under new ownership...please step behind your counter here and call your district/regional supervisor NOW!!! HERE!!! His eyes and face were SURPRISED! And so was his supervisor over the phone. I demanded that to make me a happy customer the store cover the entire cost of my groceries since I had to be a Customer Advocate and needed to be compensated for my time. If that was unacceptable, I understood and would stay "IN THE STORE" and would call the local television stations to see if they would be interested in this "human interest story". Resolution? The entire cost of my groceries that day came to zero. Amazing how much a person can save with coupons this days, just amazing!!!! :) And I'm still a customer there...with more coupons than EVER before!!!! When you call ask for the store manager, be sure to have them call their supervisor to help resolve the issue, right there at that minute. Stay calm, civil and what ever the problem is with coupons, should NEVER be voiced to the consumer. NEVER!!! by clerk or manager.Go gematree!! The stores better get used to accepting coupons. More of us are using them to help save money.Laura, you are too funny! Do you want me to come to Target with you next time? :-) Funny blog, thanks for sharing. I wish I was better at couponing - your blogs are motivating me to go to your target with a fistful!Wow! For both Target and Hy-Vee "events". I have experienced the eye roll and unhappiness at Target with my coupons, especially when Kraft had all those offers earlier this month. My Hy-Vee experience, though not sure which one you went to was quite the opposite--in fact the nice white haired gentleman suggested www.coupon.com for more coupons. And one of my friends thinks he's a writer maybe formerly for the paper, I'm not sure. But when I go and if he's working I always go in his lane. I'd love for more smiles from the check out clerks and less intimate details from their personal lives.You are a hoot! Walmart tried that behavior with me one time...never again...I find my attitude usually mirrors that of the clerk. If you want some BACKUP (LOL), I am sure many of the mothers reading your blog would love to escort you to the mean lady checkout....me included!A grocery store by me does not take computer printed coupons anymore because too many dishonest people have actually printed off their. I got a coupon in the mail for a free bag of cat food and if they hadn't known me, I don't think they would have accepted it because there was nothing printed on the back. My future DIL used to work at Target in Indep. and the had huge issues with ppl trying to use expired coupons or ones for things they had not purchased. Alot of stores systems will reject a coupon if you did not buy the item, maybe Target just needs to update their system.Walmart has a terrible reputation on coupon acceptance. Target is working hard at building their own. Targets system rejects legitimate coupons all the time. I think it is some of those split barcodes. Now, I've never had a problem at Hy Vee. Now, I go to the same location, the managers frequently have to come over and enter their little "code" because I went the limit (of 10).Funny blog, Laura! I will go with you if you need support & back-up from the "mean Target lady". lol Stores are going to have to get used to the multiple coupons used. Times are tight & those .25 coupons add up. I have not had an issue with cashiers (yet). Hopefully, never!I'd have been talking to the manager the first time! You should have heard me on the phone last week with citibank!Thank you Frizzed. You are always so very complimentary and supportive. I appreciated your "...nice job" very much. You're such a sweetie. Kind, Noble in your effort to give applause to those you deem worthy. What a lovely lady and gentle heart. And to think that I, personally, will have passed on the cost of my "free" groceries to the other customers makes my joy complete. You must be so proud to have found words that expressed your warm side.I take all of my coupons for free stuff to Target and find the checker that I know hates coupons!! Just wait until she sees my $2 off sugar with the purchase of 10 Kool-Aid coupons! Oh yeah and I am waiting until sugar is under $2 so I get money back because it is not an up to $2 it is $2 off!!OK. I may just take some of you moms up on your offers to be my "backup" at Target. At times, I can be the most strongwilled, take-a-stand woman I know, but put me in a Target store with coupons and I crumble. Ridiculous I know. And Gematree, bravo. Great, great thing you did. (I had to call my husband and tell him, I was so inspired) I will channel you the next time this happens. BTW, I did save $28 so maybe it was worth all the craziness.You'll find your iron butterfly, of that I'm sure. My situation was without kids. With Kids...working at being a civil, polite, pleasant role model, that's the challenge that's presented to you with checker clerks that don't consider they are being observed by your children, too. Kids may look like they are NOT "taking it all in", but each and every nuance is being recorded for later use as a mom/dad - consumer. You are doing well. Just wanted to let you know it's apparently happening with greater freguency than ever before. Would have told you the story in a private message, but haven't figured out how to private message those of you who do the Big Blog. Frizzed seemed especially happy and wanted everyone to know how much she approved of my story with the "nice job" comment. It's amazing how much support comes from such moms as kind as Frizzed. She's so special!OK TARGET,CONSIDER YOUS WARNED. NEXT TIME LAURA B COMES IN WIT COUPONS SHE WILL BE COMIN WIT DA MOMFIA AND YOUS BETTER BE RESPECTFUL..CAPICHE??Loved the blog Laura! As a beginner coupon cutter it can be intimidating & I just started printing too - eeekkk! I'm so inspired by Gematree though so now I know what to do if there's problems. I find the clerk's at WalMart are usually as excited as me when all my savings are calculated & our Price Chopper clerks & always friendly too - so far ;opDid you talk to the manager? PLEASE do it! For all of us. I don't care if they catch people slipping them Monopoly money, they need to practice good customer service. Because you could easily take your business elsewhere. And, from Gem's story, I think there's a story here about stores being jerks about coupons. Someone needs to get on that, stat!Uh oh, I have my HUGE stack of Target coupons I planned on using this evening. I hardly ever use coupons, it seems they are for things I never use anyway, but these were pretty good. Also, I tend to agree with Frizzed about Gema. The rest of us paid for those "free" groceries. And, if Gema returned to the store, the jacked up prices just made you pay the original amout (possibly more) anyway. I'm glad the manager was talked to, but...I'm still laughing, and it's been 10 min since reading your blog. Had to get through all the comments, too. Bug'smom, love the "momfia" post. Laura, I could totally see me doing the same thing you did-- dodging the clerk and running around the store. How embarrassing, but completely me. All talk, little do. Keep telling the Target stories-- Love them!Gema, which Hyvee do you go to? I go to the one on 87th and Pllumn, and I've NEVER had a problem. Well, aside from saving so much the clerk needs a manager to ok it, to verify the clerk isn't scamming the store. Never. Not only that, I use canvas bags, and they always remember to take off my bag return money. I keep hearing these horror stories about coupons, I've never had a problem. I do know that a LOT of people try to scam with coupons. I was behind one lady that tried to pass a Tide coupon off for Purex. She threw a hissy fit over 30 cents, because "it's laundry soap!"We used stingyhag's coupons for free hot dogs and free chocolate at Hy-Vee. The clerks were actually impressed we had free coupons and were congenial and helpful.Don't usually have a problem with coupons anywhere. I will say at Walmart if the coupon doesn't scan the cashier rings it differently so it goes through. As far as gematree getting free groceries. Good for her. As far as it being passed on to us, so what. There is so much cost passed on to us it really doesn't matter. I saw a man at HY VEE on day stealing groceries. At the check out he left groceries under a coat in the seat part. When I said something to the cashier she said "it is so hard to prove we don't even bother." That cost gets passed on to us. That is just the way it is. I do appreciate gematree getting a hold of the manager and speaking up. I think as consumers we don't enough and customer service has suffered terribly because of it.
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