Racist Behavior & Humiliation at Target

I know what you're saying completely. People need to stop hating and
let others SAVE with coupons! They are so hung up that they think
they'll loose their jobs or something...???! Although you seem a
little to hung up about racism, I understand. Target's registers in
the past were programmed to only take off the price of one item the
item off. For example, the reason why the register only took off $2.39
off of the $2.50 coupon was because each of the three items required
to be purchased was $2.39, and the register would not allow overages.
Now, that's changed. My Target allows not only overage but cash back,
but the manager always has to come over and, because of this, I have
never received cash back. I KNOW WHAT YOURE GOING THROUGH. ERIN CAN GO
TO HELL.

"feel honestly that I am targeted out because of the color of my
skin."

Honestly, you lost me when I got to this point in your post. Every
time you don't get your way does not mean "racism" is involved.

Seriously, did you expect to get $2.50 off a $2.39 purchase - did you
want them to give it to you free and give you change back.

Coupons are loss leaders for retail. By the time the coupon is
processed and redeemed by the retailer they lose money. The point of
the coupon is to attract the customer to the store with the knowledge
they will buy other items at full price.

The cashiers and often the management are not given "override"
authority for coupons.

Where do you see racism here?

Cashiers are not to over-ride anything so you cannot take $2.50 from
$2.39.You should have carried that to the CS desk.

I'm a white middle class, Christian mom with a 12 year old car that
never took a dime of welfare.

I'm the minority and I'm treated with racism all the time but it just
is what it is!

Using any coupons requires thought, even with your infant. 1) Group
items, with the coupon visible, at the end of your order. That way
your undivided attention is on the register.
2)Stay calm, keep your receipt and then, when time allows,
review, photocopy and voice your concerns to the manager.
3) Be nice and refrain from using extreme accusations. This
trivializes your legitimate issues.
4) I am under time constraints and being next in line, ready
for business (coupons at hand, payment set to go)I don't appreciate
your lack of planning.Saying that, all the best.

Blame it on the Tea Party!

This happened in South Plainfield. Let's compare with the neighboring
city of Plainfield.

Race--------Plainfield----South Plainfield
Caucasian--------21.5%---------------77.7%
African American-61.8%----------------8.6%
Hispanic---------25.2%----------------8.7%

Ironically, Plainfield's motto is "Town of 100 millionaires". Perhaps
in the past - they may have since moved to Watchung, South Plainfield,
etc.

"...and Erin was arguing that is what the system can take off and no
more which I was arguing that the system was wrong."
Just wondering you being a customer,how do you know what the system
can and can't do?

How can the register be racist?

Most cashiers I run in to these days take the stack of coupons and
match each one up as the merchandise is scanned. That way, I don't
have to unload bags for them the check and see whether the items
actually match up to the coupon. However, there are plenty of times
where the cashier forgets to do this, comes across a coupon for a very
specific item or size, and needs to have me unload my back. It has
nothing to do with my race, it has everything to do with the fact that
they (the cashier) will be held accountable if the coupon was matched
incorrectly. Having this happen one time wouldn't be a big deal.
Having this happen over and over again would be.

I too frequent the coupon boards and have seen where some stores are
having issues with coupons such as the one you described and the $5
off Kraft coupon. Apparently the computer systems are programed to
take off no more than the price of one item. Many have had luck
asking the cashier to adjust the price, some have not. Had I been in
your position, I would probably have chosen to go elsewhere. It beats
getting upset over something that the cashier isn't willing or able to
fix on their end.

I think this is great feedback for Target.

This was not racism, it would happen to anyone using such a
coupon...and I can explain exactly what happened. Target's registers
are set up to attribute coupons to a specific item, not a group of
items. When you present a coupon for 2.50 off 3 items, with each item
costing 2.39, the computer attributes the coupon to just 1 of the 3
items. Since the price of the coupon was more than the price of one
item, it simply deducts the entire price of the item. I am absolutely
not saying that this is correct, I am just informing you of the
process.

Cashiers are not allowed to change the price of the coupon because
then it appears that they are giving the customers money back (when in
reality, we all know that they are not). The only way we were able to
override this is to delete the coupon and enter it as a general
"dollar off" amount, not attributing it to a specific item. This is
seriously frowned upon by loss prevention as unscrupulous cashiers can
take "dollar off" discounts off of orders for their friends without
valid coupons.

Yes, Target needs to update their computer system, but any person
trying to legitimately use a coupon such as that will run into the
same problem. Taking it out on a cashier who is not in charge of any
computer systems at Target is not worth the time and is unfair, taking
it out on corporate is worth your time.

Going through your bags to make sure the coupons are right...

since they're going through packed bags it sounds like you're bringing
this up to them after the point of sale. So yes they do have to
actually examine the item - not just look at it through a clear (or
semi clear) bag since they have to check the UPC.


Racism... I don't see how it's racist to require someone to show the
product they claim falls under a coupon. It would ONLY be racism if
they allowed all other race types to just say "it's product xyz"
without verifying if it's true.



"stares and remarks that I had to put up with from the other customers
"
Key point there is "other customers". They're allowed to do that.
Just as you're allowed to turn around and tell them "shut up".

I am not capable of fixing Target's computer issue with manufacturer's
coupons, or multiple coupons. Are you?

Heck, I've resorted to calling both of our printers "stupid" because I
can't figure out how to make them print wirelessly from our laptops.


I suspect that the solution to any store's cash register problems
would require a lot of programming expertise and then scenario
testing. For example: The sale price on the Huggies wipes is $2.25
each. I purchase 3, with a manufacturer's coupon for $2.50 off with
the purchase of 3. I have a Target Team Member discount of 10%, and
I've earned a Target Pharmacy Reward of 10%.

Can you do that immediately in your head? Could you do it with a
calculator--any calculator you want--quickly, to get to the next
customer?

Oh, and now I get an automatic 5% off when I use my Target
VISA(instead of 10% off after I spend a certain amount).

What applies first? Coupon? Pharmacy Rewards? Target VISA discount?
Employee discount?
AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

This is why God let us invent computers. Personally, I'm happy to let
the machine figure it out. Any end price difference would be minimal
to me, although I'm sure there is an optimal way to apply all
discounts and coupons. Unless I'm furnishing an entire home theater
from huge TV to futon/couch to sound system to rugs to curtains to
DVDs and games(machines and systems, too)--I'm pretty sure any
difference in application of discounts is less than a few bucks.

I do realize that Target's system would favor Target in the very, very
end. Unless I had the math ability to calculate this going in--I'd
suck it up.

I think you may be overanalyzing the problem. I have used this exact
Huggies coupon the OP is talking about and the computer took off $2.50
because that is what the coupon is good for. It doesn't matter if the
wipes are $1 a package or $10 a package, the coupon is for $2.50 off
when you purchase 3 packages. The way that Target is doing it would
actually be a "Buy 2, Get 1 Free" coupon, which it's not.

And coupons and discounts are two totally different things, and
neither should affect each other, and they don't in any other store in
which I have used both.

So the actual issue becomes this: If every other merchant's register
system can take off the correct amount, why does Target's take off a
smaller amount than the coupon is good for? Yes, to 1 person it's
only pennies, but multiply that by 5 coupons per person, multiply that
by 10 customers a day per store, multiply that by however many
thousands of stores Target has and it becomes rather obvious why they
are in no hurry to fix the problem.

Racism?
I highly doubt it. I think the manager and staff are simply
incompetent and rude. I doubt the manager singled you out because you
are a person of color.

I think Target needs to take a serious look at the way their system is
set up. They should work to improve it to make sure that coupons are
inputted properly in the system. Target should also implement a policy
where cashiers (or managers) are empowered to override the system to
provide the proper discount when a coupon is not coming up correctly
in the system. It just sounds idiotic to say "the computer says this
is the way it is so thats how its going to be" when clearly the coupon
states something different.

Training would be beneficial to show cashiers how to properly handle
coupons, but any sort of customer service training would be
ineffective.

The coupon you had for buy 3 get $2.39 off mean when you buy three you
only get $2.39 off the purchase of three, not off each item. I don't
understand why they would not have taken the kraft off. It is a valid
coupon and you do not have to buy different kraft items to use it.
Maybe there is a way to avoid Erin. Before you go shopping, go to
customer service and ask them to look at your coupons and determine if
there are any you cannot use and why. If you are not satisfied with
their answers, call the store manager or assist. manager then. Have
him initial each coupon that you can use. I do not think the front end
can over ride the store manager. Seems to me I read a lot about Target
and their coupons, I don't think it's just you.