Poor choices by your manager

I work at home depot and let me just tell you. Go to lowes and see if
they take your expired 10% off coupoun they will not. We are trying
to run a business we are not a hand out. And they probly would have
done it if your coupoun was just a few days expired not a couple of
months. Get over it.If I came to your job asking for a discount that
no longer existed would you do it? NO! Get over yourself, its only a
couple for dollars do you really need it that bad?

Your coupon expired, what, 4 months ago? Who do you think you are???
You should be ashamed.

I don't think the 6 dollars your company saved on me this evening is
worth losing a customer for but I leave that choice to you.


***

Well, apparently it IS worth it to you, for six dollars you are
spending the time to whine, write a letter and post a blog on here.
Sometimes you just got to throw in the towel. And I don't believe you
for one second that you aren't going to come back to Home Depot.

You asked for a discount, he declined. It's simple. You did not
deserve a discount and it doesn't matter whether you "know" what the
employee is "empowered" to do. This whole thing is silly over six
dollars. And ten percent is no longer enough to "satisfy" you????
What in the heck?? When you enter a store, it is not a game of "Let's
Make a Deal" and you are not entitled to set your own discounted
prices. If you would like to be able to do that, simply open your own
store. It took very little to have your time and intelligence insulted
and wasted. I'm still stumped on the intelligence part. Because you
thought you were smart enough to know who was (again) "empowered" to
give you a discount?? Or was it because you were "intelligent" enough
to walk in there with an expired coupon and demand that they honor it?
Either way, you insulted the employees.

I'm sorry, but your time and intelligence was wasted by nobody but
yourself. If you had to wait ten minutes for the manager, it may have
been because he or she was dealing with a legitimate customer issue.
The coupon was expired. You knew this. Stores do not get reimbursed
if they accept an expired coupon. Retail managers do not have the
power to do things that the general public assumes. If the manager
found some way to honor the expired coupon, he or she could have lost
their job, or at very least, been in trouble by the higher-ups.

Give me a break.It is people like you that give retail customers a
bad name. The coupn was expired and you knew it but your special. You
are fishing for free stuff and home depot would be better off without
you.

Okay, let's go over this. You admit the coupon was well over its date.
WHY did you expect them to take it?

I'm just not getting this. If a person's driver's permit is expired, I
can see where asking the police to see their manager is going to get
you.

If Home Depot didn't care when you used the coupon they would of put
NO Expiration Date. They wanted you to use it by 11/25. That was
your choice to use it or not by that date.

If you overlooked the date ...that would by Your Bad not theirs.

Manager made the correct choice.

Your the kind of customer they can do without!

Dear Evan D. Our solution would be next time we send you a discount
read the coupon.

People on here with REAL legitimate issues and you're whining because
you couldn't use an EXPIRED COUPON !? Are you kidding me.... Its
people like you that make it hard for people like me to do our jobs.

Hm...not sure you're such a loyal customer if you're so easily willing
to take your business elsewhere. I'm a loyal customer of several
places and I'm always willing to pay. I don't expect any special
treatment (it's nice, but never expected or necessary to keep my
business), let alone try to get away with using an expired coupon.

Your type of "loyal" customers are actually the ones that bleed
companies dry and force the actual loyal customers to pay more for
their items. I see some people multiple times per week and never have
these issues from them. I hope Home Depot gives you the six dollars to
stay out of their stores from now on. They might be more profitable
that way.

by the way, we do not give discounts at LOWES, AND NEITHER DOES
STONES, AND ALL THE OTHER PLACES. THATS LIKE ASKING FOR A DISCOUNT AT
THE GROCERY STORE, OR EVEN THE GAS STATION.

I am a manager at Lowes in South Georgia, I use to manage The Lowes
store in North Florida. But I moved during circumstances. Ive read
your dispute with the 10% deal. Well I hate to say so, but Home Depo
was in the right. If a retail buisiness gives every customer 10% if
they asked for it. We would lose buisiness, and payroll. And when we
lose payroll, we lose employees. I promise you it goes on down the
list. And also, they probablly would cushion the 10% for all those
customers if we did not have such a loss. There are so many
shoplifters out in this cold world. And a lot has to do with why
prices go up, and customer servive goes down. Dont get me wrong, I do
believe in good customer service. But with most people stealing our
merchandise, Using expired discounts, or even asking for a discount.
Puts the company at LOSS!!!... Trust me, those buisinesses are barely
hangin on. Because of those cold reasons. We get the oposite customers
from Home Depo that threatin us with the same complaint you have. But,
go figure, you just can't please every customer. We have a buisiness
to run. And multiple people just ruin it for everyone. So I hope you
did find a great place to shop.

So in other words, if you make a purchase at HD, you want the sale
price if it has EVER been on sale before.

You are so wrong as this has nothing to do with customer satisfaction.


Go to Lowe's and try to use one of their coupons when it expires..but
eventually you will run out of places to go.

Well what do you expect? They can't give people a discount just
because your a loyal customer, then anybody could just walk in and
demand one. Look at it from their point of view, yes their a
multi-million dollar company, but if everyone gets discounts,
everybody will have to pay for it. The prices will be raised and
people like you will just complain more.

Your coupon was expired, they are not obligated to honor you anything.
That is a simple answer, you already knew that before you even handed
the cashier the coupon,which makes this letter sound totally
ridiculous..why do you even bother?

I have to admit, I'm always amused on the very rare occasion that an
OP comes back to challenge the PFB regulars. I'll even accept any
angry comments that come from (for a change; if it happens again,
please shoot me) being on their side. It's worth it to see the
sanctimonious regulars be held accountable for a change.

That said, Evan ("Shirley"?), you keep saying that you didn't
"demand". Your quote that:

"He told me he could not. I explained to him that I knew he was
empowered to do so and that if he did not my patronage was at stake.
Which it is."

would suggest otherwise.

Please don't put me in this position. Your being wrong here is really
curbing the enjoyment I'd otherwise get out of this.

The coupon was expired.
The expiration date was listed, and that is the last day it is valid.
Your complaint sounds like something from a comedy act.

Methinks thou dost protest too much.

Look, dude. You're the one who, in the letter, made a federal case of
the expired-coupon-denial ("intelligence insulted and wasted"). But
in your responses to people you act all flippant and yo, what up, just
chillin, just foolin' wit' ya.

You can't have it both ways. Either take your own complaint
seriously, or don't. Either way, you're the one out six bucks. Where
I'm from, that's an entire breakfast at Perkin's!

Hey folks...it's me...the douche bag, a-hole, low Iq, coming at
closing time, asking for what I wanted, entitled, makes me embarrassed
to be an american guy who tried to use an expired coupon.

To my many detractors who feel my offense is somewhere in between the
Lindberg baby kidnapping and our war of choice in Iraq in terms of
offense I say thanks. You've made me the number one letter on planet
feedback.

I appreciate it but it's not enough. I want more. I want all of you
to keep me at number one by writing still more comments. You owe it
to me. If you do not I will start writing letters on a different web
site.

Gee officer, I know my license expired 4 months ago, but I'm a great
driver. If you give me a ticket, I'll just take my driving to another
road

Do you realize how ridiculous your request was...and that you waited
around for 10 minutes for $6.00!

This is a very well written letter. All of us who work in retail have
experenced this attitude. No other business has to put up with this
type of customer (doctors office, lawyer, plumber). I'm hoping Home
Depot's National office doesn't waste it's time or intelligence in
answering him.

Don't wait until closing to complain about something. It makes you
look like you knew exactly what you were doing. 10% is nothing...he
could have done it but...your timing was terrible. And, four months??
that is a bit of a stretch. Where I work I can see how much someone
spends--if they really are a good customer, I cut them some slack,
sometimes even if they don't ask for it. If you don't like the
treatment, move on to another store. Pretty simple to me.

Under your theory I can walk into any store I frequent with regularity
and demand they give me a discount because they may have had a coupon
that expired months ago that I didn't use.

Its not like your coupon just expired, it expired 4 months ago. If you
haven't been there in 4 months you must not be that loyal of a
customer.

Please do not ever shop at Lowes, we do not want your kind over here.

I think if you approached the manager with a little more tact you
would've got the discount but I think your attitude came across a
pushy and demanding.

which part of the word "expired" are you having trouble with? no one
owes you a thing. go to lowes and get over yourself.

What's with all of you who replied using phrases such as "entitlement"
and "what nerve" and "what makes you so special?" All this fella did
was to ASK FOR WHAT HE WANTED! What's wrong with that? Where's the
harm? Oh, yes, let's all shed a tear for poor Home Depot and what
they have to endure from there loyal customers, customers who have the
audacity to ask that an expired coupon be honored. Oh, the gall!
I'll bet the H.D. execs are really hitting the cognac hard after
hearing about that crazy dude from New York that deigned to ask that
their megacorp honor an expired "10% loyalty coupon." I guess H.D.'s
"loyalty" comes with an expiration date. As a matter of fact, I think
I'll also shop at Lowe's.

I'd fight for higher level things in life. Not to be someone special
at Home Depot. Lowes ultimately won't treat you any better.

Stick to your local Ace Hardware store if you want to feel special.
They are locally owned and operated as a corporate entity, but they do
care just a little bit more.

So you think you are above the expiration date on the coupon just
because you have a HD Credit Card?

yeah but obviously you like screaming about 6 bucks. The coupon was
expired. You said it yourself in paragraph 2. Do you like just going
around town wasting time?

Am I the only one here who's starting to feel sorry for those poor
folks over at Lowe's? After all, if they only knew what was heading
their way....

that the manager made, was in revealing that he has the discretion to
honor the coupon. That was unnecessary and stupid, and only gave
credence to your otherwise baseless complaint.

With intelligence comes a responsibility to society to use it.

Anyone with an IQ over 80 would know that a coupon which has expired
months ago is worthless.

Home Depot will do just fine if it continues to turn down unreasonable
requests such as yours by its loyal customers.

Why you mentioned your credit limit is a mystery.

If you walked into my store a few minutes before closing, and
attempted to insult my intelligence be requesting to redeem a long ago
expired coupon, I do believe I'd give you a piece of my mind.

"It's only 6 dollars" makes it even more odd you wrote this letter.
You were wrong in the first place, and besides it is only $6. So
where's the beef?

I had to chuckle about this...it's sad, but I've had customers try to
pull this sort of thing on me.

I really do try to help people that have a few days or even a few
weeks expired coupon. It is really a hassle for us though, to take
those.

First, you can't scan them in anymore or else the computer tells us to
throw it away. You have to manually key in the discount, get manager
approval...and then, the discount shows up for reports and you are
asked "why the hell did you give them such and such discount?" etc,
etc.

I really can't believe your sense of entitlement...please don't go to
Sears, either, 'cause I don't want my poor co-workers to have to deal
with you. Part of my wonders if this is a joke, but I know that it has
to be true because I've faced similiar customers.

Just because you WANT something does not entitle you to it.

When you said that the coupon was expired, I was expecting a few
days... maybe a week or two at the latest... NOT November! That was
almost 5 months ago! You requested something that you were not
entitled to, and did not even give anyone a reason why - other then
the fact that you wanted it.

do you not understand?

That is all

douche bag

I think it's safe to say there IS no intelligence within you to
insult.

This is my second read of this note and wanted to offer an alternative
opinion.

I know my regular customers, maybe not by name, but by face. I am more
likely to do things for them than someone I do not know.

Had this customer called me and wanted to talk about this prior to
causing a scene I would have let him use the coupon. It is only 6
dollars off. If you throw a fit and insult people you will get
nothing from me.

I get advertisements from HD and they always have 10% off if you sign
up for their card. Most people on here know my opinion of credit
cards so I decline.

Good Day

n/t

I wonder if this is the same Evan B. who wrote the letter to Sam's
Club (topic_id=298673).

Retail stores in the USA generally do not participate in bargaining.
If you want to bargain on prices, try a street vendor!

You knew the coupon was expired? DUH no wonder the mananger did't
accept it. I think you should call and apoligize to him and the
employee for wasting their time.

Glad I wasn't in line behind you.

I'd love to have the manager's name so I could write a compliment to
him for not accepting an expired coupon from this guy.

you are quite the little negotiator there, aren't you?

First of all, as others have pointed out to you, this expired in
November. Meaning you have had this for nearly 6 months without
needing it until now. That is not HD's fault, nor is it their
problem.

If you haven't found the time to come into a store and use the coupon
in that amount of time, then I don't believe for one second that you
are, as you mistakenly believe, a "loyal customer."

Then you had the NERVE to show up minutes before closing and tried to
browbeat this manager into giving you this discount that you were not
entitled to and then threatened to take your business elsewhere?

Know what? Go right ahead. Shop at Lowe's. If this is the kind of
customer you really are, I can guarantee Home Depot won't miss you.
This kind of consumer terrorist tactic is deplorable and low. You
ought to be ashamed of yourself.

They said NO. You are no longer entitled to it, haven't earned it.
End of story. Let it go and move on.

That's a long time to wait on an expired coupon. I could see if it was
a day and just an OOPS but this is 5 months.

You can buy updated coupons right on ebay but they are only worth it
if the seller is reputable and the purchase is large enough to make
10% worthwhile.

http://cgi.ebay.com/6-Home-Depot-10-Off-Barcode-Coupons-Expires-Jun-08
_W0QQitemZ160222169078QQihZ006QQcategoryZ31411QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1Q
QcmdZViewItem

Is this an actual complaint?

the right thing.
BTW, I doubt that you're the valued customer you think you are. One
purchase of $60 since November isn't anything special.

WHY do customers go into a store, and the coupon they are using
happens to be expired, but still demand to use it? Have they ever
heard of an EXPIRATION DATE??? Intelligence insulted??? Umm, HOW?You
let it expire, YOUR mistake.

I'm embarrassed by the fact that you live in the same county I do.
The darn coupon expired in November! We're not talking about a few
days but a few months. I think the manager worded it correctly, you
put him in a difficult position.

If you have a Home Depot card, you get these coupons all the time, I
know I just got one recently. Here's an idea, use them before they
expire!

It's a complete wonder why our economy is in the toilet right now.
It's because of such people with high intelligence as yourself.

Can I tell you that I too have a Home Depot card. I am also a valued
customer. Trust me, I feel as though, I myself, could keep our local
store afloat. However, I receive these coupons you are talking about
also. Not one time have they been expired. They do have an expiration
date and they are good until that date only. I don't understand why
you would think you are entitled to a 10% discount simply because of
your mistake by letting the coupon expire. The management, in my
opinion, did the right thing. What makes you so special that the
management should give in to your demands when in fact, you made the
mistake?

I can assure you if you waited and paid that statement late, someone
would be calling.

You can go to Lowe's if you want to. You can even open a credit
account but if you want to use an expired coupon, I am willing to bet
they will also turn you down.

Sorry but I think you were off base here and I don't think you had any
basis to ask for 10% off. If you wanted that discount, you should
have used it before it expired. Bottom line.

Something about the failing economy and that certain places let you
haggle a better price if you ask for it.
Wondering if the OP saw this and tried to take advantage?????

When did you receive this coupon? If it expired in November, either
you've been holding onto it for months or they sent you an expired
coupon.

If it's the later, then you have a legit complaint. They should not
be sending expired coupons.

If you've been holding onto it, then it was your responsibility to use
it before it expired.

10% off isn't much, as you point out. Just the other day, while at
the Home Depot, they handed me a coupon for 10% off. Just like that.
Here's a coupon. "Use it today, because it expires today" the sales
associate said as she roamed the aisles handing out coupons.

If you went into the store with an expired coupon expecting to be able
to use it, and you're not happy that Home Depot coupons expire, then
you should definitely seek out a store that accepts expired coupons.
Some do. For example, Linen-and-Things will take their own (or some
competitors) expired coupons. In large part because they offer
coupons all of the time.

Dear Evan B.

We have a solution to this problem. We are enclosing a 25% off coupon
Lowes issued in 1995. We wish you luck in your future endeavours.

Home Depot

Dear Lowes,

We got ours, now it's your turn- ha ha ha

Cordially,

Home Depot

Is that Home Depot sends these all the time. I must have gotten at
least 3 of them since November.

If there are so many coupons floating around, then who cares how old
it is? Isn't that kind of the point? You get the customer in there
and they buy up your overpriced stuff so they can use one of the many
coupons you've mailed to them for their "loyalty." Information about
mailings is in their computer system, which a manager should be able
to access. There's probably another coupon offer sitting in Evan B's
mailbox as I write.

I still think the onus is on the manager to see the transaction
through; and adding the childish "na-ni-na-ni-na-ni--I can do it, but
I won't" routine is what's most annoying about the manager's behavior.

You at first demanded a 10% discount you were not entitled so, due to
an expired offer.

You are now deeply offended and are demanding MORE than the 10% you
were never entitled to in the first place?

The offer expired in November, for goodness sake. We're not talking
about a few dadays here. We are talking MONTHS. And, they had the
audacity to make you wait ten minutes for a manager?!?!

wow, I think you just took "entitlement" to a whole new level.