Understand the Coupon Policy, Kmart

I was called by a rep from KMart. She said that I should have been
able to use one coupon per item purchased unless the coupon specified
that I could not. THANK YOU, someone on the same page HELLO!

She is going to contact the manager and have him talk with ALL his
employees about interacting with customers and coupons.

The KMart representative responded to an email I sent to all the
people on the board of directors, not this particular post on
PlanetFeedback (although I love this kind of venue also).

I used the coupons at the Venice store and she said to contact her
directly if I come across any other problems.

There are many a grocery store here in Toronto that don't take coupons
of any kind. There is no law saying that they have to.
I was at Target in Buffalo yesterday and I love that store. Besides
that, I saw a woman make a stink because the cashier wouldn't let her
use more then one coupon for her entire transaction. She got a manager
over, and the manager sided with the employee. The coupon from the
manufacturer said coupon can not be combined with other offers. Other
offers includes coupon. Thus her choices were to use the one coupon
for the whole bill or not use any. She chose to not use any.

Otherwise, from what I read, a store can refuse coupons if it want to.
Accept a coupon on the first item, and if quantity greater than one
is being purchased, not accept coupons for the rest.

Is this wrong? Does anybody know? This came from Couponmom.com, who
worked for Proctor and Gamble. She says a store doesn't have to
accept coupons at all, which sounds right to me. If Kmart has a
corporate policy, that is another matter.

I use coupons frequently. I'm almost what some people would call a
coupon nut.

That said, I consider it business-as-usual when I do occasionally
encounter a store that doesn't seem to understand how a coupon works.
Sure, it's frustrating and it shouldn't be that way, but it happens.
When it does, I don't get nasty or hold up the line, I simply make a
decision to purchase the item or not, and go on my merry way, making a
mental note to try a different store later in the week.

In the grand scheme of things, is it really worth getting that worked
up over it?

says " Merchandise included in today's transaction may be
returned....." so they consider all items "purchased" as a
transaction. So if I was purchasing 4 items and had 4 coupons, I see
it meets the requirements for "one coupon per purchase" since the
entire order is a transaction, not a purchase as the CS rep claimed.

For those of you who haven't ventured onto my blog site, here's
Walgreen's coupon policy. It's in the form of Q and A. In it you
will notice that it gives the definition of what "one coupon per
purchase" means.
_______________________________________

Coupon FAQ's
Use the information below to ensure that your store is following the
appropriate policy when accepting both Walgreens and manufacturer
coupons.

Can a customer use both a Manufacturer's coupon and Walgreens coupon
for
the same item in a purchase?

One Walgreen and one manufacturer coupon can be used for the same
item,
unless either coupon prohibits such use.
Walgreens Roto Ad Coupons, Instant Value Coupons (IVC), and a
manufacturer's coupon can be used towards the purchase of any one
item.
"One coupon per purchase" means one coupon must be tendered for each
PIECE
sold.

What happens if the Manufacturer coupon's value is more than the
retail
value?
Walgreens does not provide cash back if a coupon is presented for more
than
the purchase value of the item (e.g., the customer is using the coupon
to
purchase a clearance item).
If the retail of the item is less than the face value of the coupon:
the coupon value shall be the retail value if the state requires taxes
to
be paid on that item,
the coupon value shall be the retail value plus taxes if the state
does not
require taxes to be paid on the item.

Can a customer use a coupon after a sale has been made?
All valid coupons must be presented to the cashier at the time of
sale
only!

If there is no quantity limit on a Walgreens coupon can a manager
impose
his/her own limit?
Yes, managers have the right to limit the quantities of all
advertised
items.

Does Walgreens price match or accept coupons from other retailers?
Walgreens does not price match with other retailer.
Walgreens does not accept coupons from other retailers or coupons for
products not carried in our stores.
Walgreens does not accept expired coupons.

A customer purchased an item using a manufacturer's coupon and wants
to
return it. At what price do we return the item?
If an item purchased with a manufacturer's coupon is returned, the
customer
will get the retail price of the item. If the customer purchased an
item
with a Walgreens coupon, the customer receives the price paid.
Example 1: If the retail price for an item is $1.49 and the
manufacturers
coupon was 25 off, the refund amount would be $1.49 plus tax.

Example 2: If the retail price for an item is $1.49 and the Walgreens
coupon was 25 off, the refund amount would be $1.24 plus tax.

Stores are not required to keep Roto ad coupons. What about Instant
Value
Coupons?
For Instant Value Coupons, stores receive credit from the manufacturer
ONLY
if the coupon is scanned. Once an IVC coupon has been scanned and the
transaction is finished, you can discard the coupon.

A customer had a coupon with no limit on it and is trying to buy an
item
that is "buy one get one free," how many times are we allowed to scan
a
coupon for this purchase?
Only one coupon can be used when a customer is purchasing a Buy 1 Get
1
free item, because the customer is only purchasing one item.
______________________________
copied from: Policy and Procedures > Cash Register and Controller >
Ringing
Sales > Coupons - Frequently Asked Questions

Read the Coupons themselves! I just looked at three coupons in my
home. Here are the results of reading the fine print:

Coupon 1. Limit 1 coupon per item.

Coupon 2. Limit 1 Coupon per purchase of indicated product(s).

Coupon 3. RETAILER: Invoices proving sufficient stock to cover
presented coupons must be shown on request.

Moral: Read the fine print, The coupons are very specific.

Dictionary Definition of PURCHASE: acquisition by the payment of money
or its equivalent; buying, or a single act of buying.

i.e., If you have 21 of the same item on one receipt, that is ONE
purchase.

Coupon 1= 21 coupons could be used

Coupon 2= 1 coupon only could be used.

http://www.couponmom.com/index.php?cid=285

The woman who wrote this evidently worked for P&G in marketing. The
website includes her biography, and it sounds like she should know
what "One coupon per purchase" means.

Coupon mom says it means one coupon per item purchased, but also
points out that a store doesn't have to accept coupons at all.

Thus, I think KMart can do whatever they like.

Where, pray tell, have you seen a written coupon policy at Target? I
work there and we don't have a corporate-wide coupon acceptance
policy, at least not one that I've seen. Coupon acceptance is an
understood thing at stores and each store is free to set their own
guidelines on coupon usage.

I'm only going to focus on the coupon. When I was in retail, one of
my many coupon related jobs was in trying to train cashiers on proper
coupon procedures. Unfortunately, most cashiers are teenagers, and
bitchy-whiney customers intimidate them into violating coupon
policies. One coupon per purchase means you can purchase 4 items, but
only use one coupon. It really is that simple. I have been reading
in these numerous complaints about "but the store gets an extra 8
cents for every coupon I use!!!!!eleventyone!!". This is and is not
true. It is only true that the store receives the coupon amount plus
8 cents for every valid coupon that is turned in to the clearing
house. If a store (cashier) accepts more coupons than the
manufacturers policies allow per purchase, then the store receives
nothing in compensation. Occasionally, the clearing house will even
refuse any compensation on a reimbursement claim, if there are policy
violations. Let's say I turn in my weekly compensation request, with
proofs of consumer purchase (receipts), and the number of coupons that
were turned in (by the customer to the cashier), and the clearing
house employee notices that there were 4 "Off" products (the same
item) purchased with 4 coupons, instead of one, they can refuse to
even reimburse us for even the one coupon that was legally used. They
can in fact, even refuse to reimburse any of our coupons. As strict
as the clearing houses, that work with the manufacturers, have become,
I'm really surprised that anybody still takes coupons, as much of a
hassle as they have become. I know that 'couponers' don't want to
believe there really are rules, they just think they should be able to
purchase as many things for as cheap as possible (or free) that they
can. After all, it's their Constitutional right, just for being
American, right?

I have to say that the overall tone of your letter may come across as
a little short to K-mart. I cannot judge what your tone of voice was
when you were in the store, as I was not there. I probably would have
opened an item on clearance also, especially if I was going to give it
as a gift. Sometimes a good deal is a good deal and might make a
pleasing gift for someone on your list. I don't think I would have
argued with the clerk about it, though, or even asked if it had been a
return. I would have just opened the box to check for myself.
I agree that K-mart needs to come up with a standard coupon policy
across the board that applies to all their stores. The 2 stores
nearest to us do accept coupons and so far I have never had a problem.
I use a TON of coupons. With 4 girls, I can't afford not to use them.
I have never had a coupon sale refused, so maybe I've been lucky. I
check carefully for limits and expiration dates on them before I go
shopping. To me, "one coupon per item purchased" means exactly that-
if I am purchasing 4 boxes of Cheerios and I have 4 coupons that state
that, they may all be used. One coupon for each box. Store coupons
that state "one coupon per person" are different.
Since these were coupons for Off insect repellant, why don't you
contact SC Johnson and company and explain what happened? Tell them
that you would like to know what their company meant when they printed
"one coupon per purchase" on the coupons and see what they have to
say? Then if they respond that they intended exactly what you thought,
that one coupon per item is the rule, you could take the
correspondence from them and take it to your Kmart and speak to the
store manager.

You sound like a difficult to please person. I'm surprised you didn't
make the cashier do four separate orders of one can of bug spray each,
just to be that person.

I'm so glad I don't work or shop where you are.

Christine, here's what I think happened here. Several people have
read your letter, and all of them think you have an attitude problem.
I didn't read any responses before I wrote mine, so I had no idea what
anyone else thought.

But I think it's very likely that your letter (which to be honest,
needs some editing) was written in a way that implies you had an
attitude or were rude, when in fact you weren't. I think it's a
matter of writing skills, being a little emotional (I don't mean that
as harshly as it sounds -- I can imagine writing a complaint letter
and getting a little annoyed or mad as I typed it out and went over
the events in my head), or perhaps a combination of the two.

For instance, I can easily see how someone got the idea that you
accused the employee of lying. Your writing just needs to be cleaned
up, edited a little, clarity added.

I'm completely willing to accept your assertion that you didn't have
an attitude. But so far, your responses to the people here aren't in
your favor. Please consider how your words may come across when there
is no accounting for body language or tone.

I agree with you completely about the coupons and with the customer's
right to open a package (especially one that has been opened and is on
clearance) to inspect a potential purchase (especially a more
expensive item, or an electronics device, or something else that's
more difficult to return that other items). You're 100% right.

But I have to wonder... you have to honest look at your behavior and
figure out whether you're being hypersensitive, or you have an
attitude, or whatever, or whether this store really does have poor
management and bad employees.

Or maybe it's a combination of the two. I'm not saying what is the
truth and what isn't. Gnome sane?

Its things like this that makes my glad I am out of retail! This is
why I DON'T use coupons.

Like I tell my kid, "No is NO!" Its not rude and there is no attitude
in it. Store can decide NOT to accept coupons. Just say, "Oh, Ok."
and move on! There are more things to gripe about in this World than
whether or not you can use a coupon. Get over it!

Are you related to Elizabeth???? And it seems like YOU had the
attitude, not her, in the first place. To me at least...

Respect is a two-way street. From what I gather from your letter, the
employees were responding to your poor attitude towards them. Believe
it or not, these employees are HUMAN BEINGS and deserve to be treated
as such. How dare you call the cashier rude and unprofessional just
for saying "no"! No does not equal rude. Of course shes going to look
shocked an roll her eyes at you!

Your complaint about the used phone was understandable, but your
attitude towards the employees, and calling them liars is not.

You need to give respect to gain it.

the *intent* of the manufacturer, with "one per purchase," is that you
will be able to apply one coupon to one item.

However, my understanding is that a retailer can *do* whatever they
care to to limit the terms further. In other words, I believe it is
within KMart's rights to do what they did in your case. In fact, they
don't *have* to accept that coupon at all. I think I have shopped at
a store that had a no coupon policy. Now, people have come on here
and screamed loudly about how the store will be reimbured for every
coupon, etc etc, and how dare they do such a thing, and yada yada.
That's fine, and these people know what the manufacturer *had in mind*
when they made the coupon. Hoo-Ahh for them! That and .08 per coupon
+ .99 will buy a coffee.

What happened in the electronics area is irrelevant, but revealing
nonetheless. Clearance items are frequently returns or opened items.
Expecting them to be in "gifting" condition is not appropriate as well
as just plain cheap.

An over-entitled attitude like yours and you expect them to take your
abuse with a smile??

The one employee even asked you why you had such an attitude. That
should have been an indication that you were WAY out of line.

I have said this at least 10,000 times, but it really does not matter
what YOUR interpretation of the coupon is. The store has the final
say because they are the ones taking the risk with the manufacturer.
Thats also why every coupon I've ever read has the verbiage "At
Participating Retails Only." They don't HAVE to take your coupons at
all. It's an enticement, an incentive, not a right.

And the secondary rant about the clearance phone was completely
irrelevant to your letter and therefore should have not been included.
But since you included it, as a rule, most items that are clearance
should be considered as not giftable condition. Boxes are chewed up
and parts are missing. Thats usually why electronics end up on
clearance.

Additionally, unless the cashier you spoke with marked the item down
himself how would he know for sure? Perhaps he was informed that there
was no returns included in the clearance section. You don't know for
sure anymore than he did and it only comes across as you trying to
catch him in a lie.

Your letter did nothing to bolster your claim and only served to make
you look like an antagonistic, ranting, unreasonable shrew. If this
was your intention, CONGRATS! You succeeded brilliantly!

I agree with you about the coupon issue although I wouldn't have made
a scene about it in the store.

The cordless phone thing was just obnoxious, though. If you weren't
going to believe him when you asked about the phone being a return,
then why did you ask? I'm not above opening a box if I plan to
purchase a product that may have been previously opened, but why argue
with the clerk and acuse him of lying? The whole thing could have been
approached as a misunderstanding. It probably was one.

"Teach cashiers to be happy for people coming into their stores and
buying items, thus keeping them in a job."

That is a crazy thing to say and it's said way to often. The money
that store makes off each GOOD customer is a very small amount. The
way you describe yourself leads me to believe you're a "bottom
feeder". Since you only buy what's "discarded" by others at a cost
that "sinks" low so the store can get rid of it, they make even less
off you. Hell, they might not make anything at all.

And look at it this way...sure, stores (ideally) make money from
customers, but they provide us with a lot, too. Can you imagine
assembling your own cordless phone or cooking up a big pot of "Off"?
We need them as much as they need us.

Humm Quite a few letters recently have come in now about coupon
handling problems by kmart employees, from frustrated customers. I'm
going to continue to watch for more of these letters. I'm wondering if
this started after Sears became involved or if it's just become more
prominent since then. They don't seem to have a clear policy, and if
they do, it isn't being communicated thoroughly to the employees.

"Understand that one coupon per order/transaction, means one per
order" Exactly! You had one transaction. If you are paying one time,
it is one transaction. Pay, leave,come back and buy another. That is
another transaction.
From what you wrote, you had an attitude the entire time you were
there. A customer's actions usually gets an equal response. Why would
an employee just "make up" a rule? She was just trying to do her job
while confronted with a rude customer.

You know, just from what you have written, you sound like a not so
pleasant person to deal with in retail. I can see why they might have
given you an attitude.

Honestly, how was that cashier supposed to know if the item was a
return or not? It's not like they get marked as returned. Other
customers frequently open boxes to "see if they are in gifting
condition" and don't buy it anyway.

I don't know if you were right but after reading all of this it just
sounds like you were very rude and mean to those customer service
people and that's why they in turn got an attitude with you. Trust me,
Kmart employees aren't paid enough to deal with whiny, rude
customers.

Oh yeah...if you want to contact K-mart directly and not through the
SHC link, go to kmart.com and scroll down to the bottom. Click
"contact us." There you go. They aren't going to answer this letter
through PFB.