Avoid this manager at the austintown GE

[lifeskills13]

Well i am now adding Austintown GE to my blacklist (with niles)
This brain manager has something against me. My hubbie is goin to call corp. this time..because i called the last 5times. (sometimes i just let it go)

A normal problem is dealing with cats..not big deal..lol ok it is but its understandable. The point of a store is to SELL items, get it out of the store. Mike the other manager was there too (always was nice to me before) but was taking brain's side..but ina nice way whatever that means.
I can understand limiting me on the TP and TB's..i bought 16 (a lot less then what i bought at howland the day before) But i only bought 12! yes 12 of the kraft dressings (my family will go thru three bottles a day) They said they are not goin to allow me to purchase anymore "toothbrushes, toothpaste.." and she looked in my buggy "kraft dressings" i asked her why the kraft? i only bought 12 so far..she said because i bought some last trip into the store and she won't let me buy more.

Heres alil info about me. i have anxiety problem, i can't stand in line with people behind me..one is ok..three is too much. ill start shaking, sweating and not thinking right to where ill mess up my orders. also it looks like im trying to get away with something to the cashier lol. I hate displeasing people so much if effects my whole life (im working on it)
so how do i fix the problem..i make trips in and out of the store..if i have three transactions..i only make a trip for that..if my buggy is half filled i make a trip for that. Well the lady was acting like i was lieing "i never seen you here before and i work every sunday" to my response i do multiple orders all the time and explained why.

When i was goin to leave my FULL buggy (my last trip had a lot of produce, meat and pepperoni. plus four TB's and 12bottles of kraft dressing. She said "oh but if you still want to buy the produce and the meat we will still let you.." WHat?! i said you got to be kidding me..the only reason im buying produce here is because im already here marcs is why cheaper and i can get the kraft dressing cheaper at walmart. "thats fine" she said. "we are just limiting you on the sale items"

So its my coupons im thinking. she said no, we need enough products on the shelfs for the rest of the customers (i never clear out shelfs and when i know i will i preorder, again its about displeasing and i don't do that) there was about 50or so more bottles of kraft and hell a lot more of TP and TB's

I asked her if i was limited on the pepperoni because i bought more of those then the kraft dressing. She said no i can buy more of those. What?! you said you are limiting me on sale items..i had like 20packages in my buggy...

grrrr!!!!
also wanted to mentioned i was off the couponwagon for three months..only went to the store for odds and ends...oh and the sloppy joe mix sale :) I had a problem of always asking for a ride to the store and getting the kids ready..taking two hours just to get to the store. so i needed a break.
so i thought this week would be a great week to start up again, i got really nervous in the car and my hubbie trying to say don't worry about people, you are goin to the store to shop just like everyone else who cares what they think...of course that never helped me.
today i HAVE to finish my orders (no TP lol) so im goin to howland. yet today, i will be overly nervous and making myself sick to my stomach.

my trip to the car the last time i ask my hubbie if we can finish at a different store i think they are goin to say something else to me (i did two trips on the shelf checkout first, everyone praises it so much i thought it would probalbly help my anxiety problem) no problems but my coupon will beep 1/4 times "unvalid" but then it will work the second time i scan it. so when i go to pay it needs a override. because it had an error. she told me this is the last time im doin this..you can't get these for .20cents repeatably it won't allow it." i thought oh great..so i changed to a cashier and started buying other stuff (only did one trip like that with one transaction) it was the second time she stopped me.

so really i made four trips into the store...*Shock* i make more then that on a NORMAL day.

My hubbie said sorry to me he should have believed me when i told him that they were watching me in the store. (you know the kind where you "think" you saw one of them but you can't pinpoint if they were watching you or doin what they need to be doin) im not a paranoid person just anxiety lol he said he thought i was just being paranoid because i was getting nervous..

I cried so much last night...ate the whole box of icecream thrumbsticks lol why do i have to push so hard just to get a shopping trip done?! why is it so much easier for everyone else? :(

thanx for listening lol i know i have bad grammer and can't spell :)
just wanted to tell people who will understand my problem more then my family will.


p.s. my hubbie did go into the store to try to understand what happened because i got into the car crying so much he couldn't understand what i was saying. he spent 40mins in there and when he got back in he said its the same manager he always runs into coupon problems with. (he also went in to get everyones names so he himself can call corp.) they told him they are limiting me because its more then a normal family will need. what?! how do you know who im buying for?! i buy for my whole family meaning extended..if anyone needs anything they just take it out of my stockpile. also 1/3's of my trips are for my inlaws because i will see more deals then they do. My hubbie told them, "you can't ASSUME the situation how do you know how big our family is?!" "you just don't like people usign coupons" my hubbie said.
brain said "no its not that we have limited other people too" ha! no one has the same problems like i do with him.

~liz~

ETA oh another thing i forgot to mention. the second trip in the store using the SCO. i was leaving out the door and looked back the as.manager im now calling her. has opened the coupon box in the machine and was standing there counting coupons?! you got to be kidding me!

[marrelam]

that's horrible liz - you should get the district manager info and complain there along with calling corp. and you should also ask for this "policy" in writing from corp. Lucky for you that you have a supportive husband in this fight.

[neekyme]

:hug19:

I feel so bad for you! My goodness that was quite an ordeal. I dunno what would be the best - but I think contacting corp or at least the district manager would be a good idea. Make sure they understand that you feel discriminated against due to your anxiety - that because someone may perceive your actions as 'shady', you are treated like you're stealing.

As to a cashier saying you can't be getting something for 20 cents - that's crazy - apparently she doesnt understand that the manu. reimburses them for the coupon, so while you might only be paying 20 cents, they are getting the full value of that coupon too.

The reason they run sales is to generate business - they get you in the door with loss leaders (like the Colgate/Palmolive deal) and while you're there you pick up other stuff, like produce and kraft dressing! It's a win-win for everyone! If they lost too much money on things like the Colgate/Palmolive deal - they wouldn't have one every few months! They aren't going to continue a promotion that doesnt increase their sales!!

12 Bottles of dressing isn't that much if your family eats salads with every dinner, or uses it as marinade or you are having a party. Heck, even with a small get together I know I buy at least 6 different kinds of dressing - so everyone can have their favorite kind. We use it for dips too. They're not the biggest of bottles, so how could 12 bottles be 'too many'?.

If calling corp doesnt get you anywhere, I would sit down and compose a very throrough letter voicing your concerns - but try to keep emotions to a minimum and focus on stating the fact - and snail mail it. Sometimes that gets a better response.

I have anxiety issues too - not as bad as you, but I know your pain. That's why I love to go first thing in the morning or late at night. The other night was great - I was able to do 9 transactions back to back and only had to move out of the way for 1 customer. It was quiet, I could think, and I was able to have everything in my buggy organized.

I have found it easier though to have several transactions to do at once, instead of coming in and out of the store - to me, that looks more shady than having a buggy full and seperating it down. If they ask why in a nasty way, sometimes I tell them I'm shopping for my mom, my MIL, and sisters. I know one of the crazy coupon ladys that I see up at my store all the time is a personal shopper for a bunch of people - that's her job. So they're used to her having tons of transaction and oodles of coupons.

I wish you luck though - hopefully your hubby can get through to someone at a higher level. If you call the store and ask for the contact information for the next higher up managers, they have to give that information to you.

[cina409]

I live in Boardman, very close to you, come over here you will not have a problem. I fell so bad for you. My store has never given me any problem. Doral RD. next to Walmart, I hate that store I can't shop there they are so mean for no reason, they just hate couponer.
I hope you feel better!:smile77:

[sagesonamabuster]

I am so sorry you had to deal with that. I hope if you call corporate you can get some resolution. They acted completely inappropriately.:rolleyes24:

[Emmy's Mommy]

I'm so sorry that happened to you. It seems the stores are starting to "crack down". On their weekly flyer, it states they reserve the right to limit quantities. So, on that aspect, they can, but they were just downright mean about it and that isn't called for.

12 bottles of dressing really isn't a lot. My dh is on a special diet and has salad every day for lunch and we have it at supper as a side. Now, we also do not like the same kinds of dressing. So, the two of us could very well use quite a bit.

I always have to fly under the radar at our store (Alliance, OH). If you go in more than once or twice a week it seems the cashiers mention it, heck, even the cart guy has said something to me.

I have to say, I go to the store as much as I need. If I forget something, I'll go back the next day or later in the day to get it or if I decide to bake and find I'm out of vanilla, I will go or send dh. I just look at it as if they don't want my business, someone else does.

I would call corporate, although, I must say, I haven't been real satisfied with their response to issues. Usually they send the complaint to the store manager, who will call and be snotty some more.

[flaminicecube]

I went to the Austintown GE on Sunday on my way home from work and had a young manager type woman(20 something) check me out. She questioned how i got 9 salad drsg coupons which I told I get out of the out of town papers the weekend before. Sghe made a remark which I remembered as odd but didn't think much about it. "We have all the papers from last week and I'll have to look for that" From her tone, I wasn't sure whether "We" meant the store or her family. But it was in the plain Dealer and Post Gazette that I bought actually from that store the weekend before.

I always had problems with coupons at the Doral Dr store when that was my most comvenient store. The three cashiers in the morning always gave me problems. From what I hear they are still there being coupon ****s. I know the others that are there are more cpn friendly.

I shop early morning because I work nightshift and I also go as soon as my son gets on the bus. I just like going w/o fighting crowds and get the discounted produce and meat.
Whenever I have deals I always rotate my shopping among at least a couple of stores. I also go to the 224, Canfield, Belmont stores and occassionally still the Doral Dr store.
Lifeskills13, don't let this drop. Corporate will probably just han the matter back to the store. Let us know the outcome. There's enough of us in Ytown that can put a dent in any one GE if it can make a difference

[TerryTerrific]

I have found in my 100+ years of shopping that snail mailing a one page letter (no novels) is much more effective that a telephone call.

The main reason being it that with a telephone call, they can easily blow you off.

Another reason that a snail mailed letter is more effective is that there is a paper trail.

+

Instead of venting, I offer a win-win solution by stating constructive comments.

+

I always go to the top of the food chain (the CEO).

No one else will do.

+

Terence in Brook Park, oHIo

[powermxpx]

If the stores are worried about their stock depleting on sale items, why don't they order more stock? They will always sell it. Seems pretty simple to me.

I think some of these supervisors and managers are on power trips. You know...they handle a lot of money and large sets of keys.

I usually don't get anyone saying anything to me because I'm a guy and I'm a little over 6 ft tall, in my 20's, and built big. But, the other day, I had a lady shopper say something about my coupon usage to the cashier after I went through the register and was loading my bags into my cart. As soon as she said it, I stopped loading my bags and made eye contact with her, looked at her with a straight face, and dead stare until it was uncomfortable, then went home.

I like to mess with these people every now and then because I know what some people (like the original poster) go through...it isn't right. I understand the store's right to limit a sale (which they are allowed to do), but tact is everything when it comes to customer service.

The way I look at it, if people start noticing your coupon usuage and respond negatively or positively, you are doing something right! :0)

Keep fighting the good fight.

[puakinikini]

I usually don't get anyone saying anything to me because I'm a guy and I'm a little over 6 ft tall, in my 20's, and built big. But, the other day, I had a lady shopper say something about my coupon usage to the cashier after I went through the register and was loading my bags into my cart. As soon as she said it, I stopped loading my bags and made eye contact with her, looked at her with a straight face, and dead stare until it was uncomfortable, then went home.


Oh, to be 6 foot tall with a steely gaze! I wish! I am 5'4" and look like a mom (you know, hair in a bun, no make-up and a pair jeans and a black t-shirt, with flip-flops exposing my non-pedicured toe nails). I still give them a look (raise my eye brows, purse my lips in a questioning way and then smile) but I do it with a smile and kill them with kindness. I kinda see it as a game - as I know that I am not doing anything wrong and that they are wrong to not be giving me the Customer Service that I deserve. If it is really bad - whoa, I had one at Safeway the other day (I too could have written a small book - this guy was channeling an army General talking to new recruits on a bad day) - then I call corporate. I do not complain easily though because then it is not effective.

I am sorry this happened to you - let us know how it goes.

[shakashoe]

Lifeskills I hear you! I have anxiety issues too and I know all about the awful feelings that come with it. If somebody accused me of essentially being a coupon cheat I could never ever step foot in that store again. My solution has been to shop on the weekends when the young boys or girls are working. They don't give a rat's patoot HOW many coupons you use. It's the older women that are murder. I don't use more than 4 like coupons even though it means more trips. My GE (Strongsville) may as well be staffed by ****s! They are out an out crabs! Please don't go to that store anymore Lifeskills...don't put yourself thru that. I'm so so sorry!

[jen276here]

LifeSkills,

I am so sorry! I too have suffered with anxiety/panic attacks for years now and only recently have gotten it somewhat under control these days...not an easy road, I know. Although mine is triggered a bit differently than yours, I can still relate to how somethings just send the heart pounding and the mind a scatter.

I hope your husband has some success with corporate, but I suggest, as Terry did, leaving a paper trail. I have e-mailed their customer support with great success in the past and recommend it.

Please don't let them keep you out of the store because of their behavior...think of it as the ideal flooding technique to help with your anxiety and go there and often. Let them know you will not be pushed away by them and let yourself know you will not allow it.

I do not understand why stores have promos like DbldQ's and then get upset when shoppers take advantage...hellooooo...isn't that why you have the promo??? To bring customers in and have them return???? Unfortunately some employees act as though Q-shoppers are the reason for all their woes....and too, just another clear example of an over-estimation of power by an employee....Want to through them over??? Have the DM call and explain their error to them! lol

[lifeskills13]

THank you everyone for replying! It makes me feel a lot better, and yes im still upset about it..but reading that everyone is on my side is calming me down.
(also what made me happier, my sister just bought me 10picture frames for .75cents each!..thing is she bought them in Punxsutawney lol now to find out how to get them from her) getting good deals always will make someone happier :) thats the only reason i keep on this couponing...yes i run into problems and yes it HAS strengeth me (my mom has noticed) but getting good deals and saving my family money is such a high lol it can turn a sour day into a good one :)

Its funny, but even my close family members don't know my problem i hide it so well..ok maybe i let it show when its time to order pizza and im no where to be found lol
my mom still picks on me for that. it can be the simplest order and ill call, order which i thought was correct..and i find out i messed up lol

<emmy's mommy> its so funny but when my daughter Emilie was sitting on my lap and reading the these posts with me, i heard "cat! *giggle" i was wondering where she saw that and moved back up the page and she said it again "cat! giggle"
we did that ten times in a row..she just loovvvess your avatar lol

Well, i have decided to write a letter instead. thank you guys for mentioning that! i have a problem of explaining things (please don't ask me for directions or you will end up in england lol)
i can sit here and correct my spelling and grammer..take out the emotional statements and have it ready to be sent..instead of talking to some girl who has an automatic response to everything i say, when i ask her what is goin to happen. well we send the response to the store.."what? and back to the same guy i already dealt with? oh thats smart" lol and forgetting very important things i should have mentioned but i was nervous i leave it out.
so this writing a letter idea will def benefit me!

p.s. this addon i have on firefox helps me with my spelling lol to give an ya idea i just fixed 20mistakes in this post lol

[neekyme]

THank you everyone for replying! It makes me feel a lot better, and yes im still upset about it..but reading that everyone is on my side is calming me down.
*snip*
Its funny, but even my close family members don't know my problem i hide it so well..ok maybe i let it show when its time to order pizza and im no where to be found lol
my mom still picks on me for that. it can be the simplest order and ill call, order which i thought was correct..and i find out i messed up lol
*snip*

LOL I get panic attacks on the phone! I will do everything in my power to NOT have to call and order a pizza :-) I am getting better though - today I actually called the bank and asked how much a cashier's check would be. What's really bad, is that I used to do phone work from home. I was fine on incoming calls once I got started for the day - but outgoing - I was a wreck the entire time. So I only lasted at that job for about 3 weeks. I did incoming for almost a year. So you're not alone :-)

Glad you're going to write a letter - good luck with getting a resolution! And congrats on the cheap photo frames!!

[MJKNEeley]

Oh, I am so sorry that happened to you. I know the whole anxiety thing. I try so hard to please everybody and do the best I can for myself, my family, etc. I have been couponing for about 6 months now - and am getting pretty good at it if I do say so myself! However, when I get into the checkout line and I know my Qs are still within the date and match the product perfectly, I still get pink cheeks, warm and nervous! I think it's b/c we get such good deals they think we are committing a crime! I felt this way tonight and the cashier was just LOVELY! She even laughed at me, took my big coupon book and told me she would keep it safe!!!
As everybody mentioned, call corp or go higher. Get your thoughts together, have dh read it (or a neighbor or relative or both! ). Get it in the mail. If you go to that store, go there with your head held high. Maybe DH can go in with you for a while.

Here is a little tidbit that I try if I know I am going to be there when the grouchier cashiers are: Dress Niceley. We hate to say it, but we live in a society where you are judged by your looks. When you look nice / powerful, you display more confidence and people treat you differently. I forget what magazine / book I read this in - and it is true with doctor visits too. It's sad. We all live in one world together and we are all equals, but not everybody sees it.

Best of luck to you. We are all behind you - and let us know how it goes.
MJK

[tinabohio]

I have to say just wow. I think they took advantage of seeing the reaction start in you and purposefully escalated it. My cousin has anxiety issues and tourettes. Poor kid gets to stammering and gets flushed and people just try to walk all over him. Ticks me right off.
If you are ever in need of a shopping buddy, I'm sure that one of the people on here who live in your area would like to shop with you! I have been wanting to do that myself, but I am not available on a regular basis. It's too bad I don't live closer to you, I am 5'2 1/2" of pure evil! I sold auto parts for 10+ years and I guess that honed my craft, the way I can take care of people who do that to others. I have stopped and got on a cashier or a manager in a store when I see them doing things like this and the person has that look that I sure you know well. If I feel the employee is being so beyond wrong I'll take them to task. Same with cursing rude fellow customers. Get that from my mom!
I hope that you get a good response and they quit doing this. It's like they are picking on you as soon as they see they can get you really going. That is textbook bullying and is not something someone in a store should do to a customer. Someone needs to remind those people that we are not in second grade.
You keep getting the good deals and if you get up around North Royalton way, shoot me a PM. I'll make sure we can shop together at my store or at the store my aunt works at (she's in bakery and her friend is the bakery manager, any problems I'll call them!). I love my store here in No Royalton; if I'm not in in a couple of days my favorite cashier and frozen foods guy ask me where I have been hiding!
I hope they get back to you quickly lifeskills13!

[shakashoe]

Tinabohio I'm glad to know the North Royalton GE is customer friendly. Stay far away from GE Strongsville. They have a middle aged guy named Tim who has Aspergers who packs during the day. My elderly mom was in one day to buy the Stouffers dinners they had on sale. She bought 10. He saw her groceries and said "Geeze lady did you leave any for anybody else?!!! Some people are pigs!". I kid you not. I don't care if he is handicapped or not; obnoxious is obnoxious. Then they have a cart guy named Russell who is the rudest nastiest person. One day I entered the lobby and an elderly woman was having trouble getting a cart out of another cart. Russell came over to her and grabbed the cart handle from her and said very loudly and angrily, "YOU HAVE TO LIFT UP FIRST FOR CRYING OUT LOUD GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!!!". She was in tears. I shot management an email and I got some canned response that didn't even fit the situation. I hate GE with a passion!

[PK_OH]

North Royalton is a nice store. They got a little salty with me one time a while back when I was trying to do three consecutive transactions at the self-checkout, even though there was no one behind me and the store was empty at once. There is one cashier I avoid - middle aged man - who will scatter the c/os everywhere and use the scan gun because he usually ends up missing some. I try to avoid controversy because I get upset like the OP so no multiple SCOs there (or anywhere really - I use cashiers) and I try to skip that fellow's line unless I don't have many coupons (he's a very nice guy and I refuse to get anyone in trouble with their job to save a buck unless they're mean). Other than that it's great and I've gotten no hassles even when I've gone in there on Wednesdays during the last day of the sale and bought cases of things off the endcaps and used coupons on everything.

Brecksville is ok but it's small so they don't have everything. There's not a lot of couponing going on at that store so I just go there for quick small trips. All of the folks that work there are very pleasant and are usually happy to see you save money.

The one in Seven Hills on Broadview just north of Pleasant Valley - where the GetGo is - is extremely pleasant. This is my favorite store to do multiple transactions at because they have so many registers it's easy to go through different lines on each trip. This is also the store I go to when I have a lot of coupons to use - like at the end of the month when they're about to expire.

Macedonia is usually ok.

Twinsburg was ok the one time hubby and I went in there to get the Mach3 razors that were free.

Stores I avoid like the plague and refuse to spend any money at whether or not I'm using coupons are Strongsville (based on the advice here) and the one in Fairlawn where Tops used to be (same plaza as Michael's and Sam's Club/Walmart). I ran in there once on a Sunday for a quick newspaper/Mach3 razor transaction and the SCO lady was beyond rude and giving me a hard time because their register was messed up. If I hadn't been in a hurry because it was a mega deal day between GE and Walgreens and I had a ton more shopping to do elsewhere I would have gone to customer service to complain. I will never return.

Lifeskills come up here to visit and we'll hook you up!

[CrazyforYeshua]

I'm sorry they treated you like that. They try to make us feel like we're doing something wrong sometimes, even tho we know we're not.
I've only been to the Austintown GE a couple of times, because Powerade sells out at Belmont so quick.
But, if you can get a ride to Liberty, it's a better store.
If you need a large order, the have no problem ordering for you. A friend of mine has 100 TB's and 100 TP's coming tomorrow, and they were more than happy to accomodate her.
Go earlier in the morning, the front end cashier's are wonderful.

[kookiecrisp]

Just depending on your store, some GE's are NOT company owned. I can't think of the word that corporate used, but I had to call as I had an issue with the GE in Altoon, PA. I purchased an item that was marked a certain price on the shelf but rang up differently, by about $6.00!!!!! The "person in charge" would not give it to me for the shelf price as she said that it was too much of a price difference. So I called corporate as I am standing in the store, as the sign above CS states that I should get it for the shelf price. Corporate tried talking with them to no avail and she told me that unfortunately, that particular GE is privately owned, therefore she could not enforce that policy!! She did send me a gc for my hassle though. So my understanding is that some GE's are company owned and some are "privately" owned.

[s24s]

sorry liz they treated you so poorly. I hope tommy gets a good response from corp... some people have the nerve.....

[daniellematis]

I have no anxiety issues, seriously I'll do anything in public alone or in front of an audience and not blink. I get non-functional stressed out with some of these deals to the point I have to walk around the parking lot after to keep from passing out.
I just had my friend go in with me just to stand there and hold my cats while I did 9 orders. If she wasn't there I would have only did 3 at most.
Tonight it did not help that as soon as I got 4 of my orders on the belt the store manager got in line behind me with 2 dozen eggs,stamps and some butter. I insisted he went ahead of me(he took forever because of the stamps and a check, then another guy, then another guy(jerk needed cigarettes) Finally I said tough my turn and 3 guys (each with 1 item) had to wait.
This cashier loves me, I still felt sick watching the guy behind me with a quart of milk fidget. (BTW I wanted to say "hey moron why didn't you just go to sheetz." but I was good) If she would have questioned me on any thing I would have stopped and left the store. So don't feel like your alone, and consider every deal a little victory.

[neekyme]

LOL It's nice to know we're not alone in the 'catalina-anxiety-disorder'. Sounds like quite a few of us stress over deals :-) Although tonight I wasn't too stressed out, both of my cashiers were trainees, so it made me feel a little better knowing that I was helping 'break them in' so to say, as far as dealing with crazy couponers hehe

You should had seen the one boys face when my total was 15 cents for one order. And the poor girl's face when my total went -1 cent! Grabbed candy real fast and explained it was because of the 3$ oyno cat I was rolling...LOL She had scanned it first before I saw what the total was going to be...oops :-)

I'm hoping I figure out Walgreens fast...if GE cats are this confusing, I'm dreading having to deal with remember not to roll their cats into the same companies deals and all the drama that seems to surround Wags! Which reminds me, I need to call their CS again and find out when our store is going to open!

Keep us updated Liz!

[daniellematis]

LOL It's nice to know we're not alone in the 'catalina-anxiety-disorder'. Sounds like quite a few of us stress over deals :-) Although tonight I wasn't too stressed out, both of my cashiers were trainees, so it made me feel a little better knowing that I was helping 'break them in' so to say, as far as dealing with crazy couponers hehe

You should had seen the one boys face when my total was 15 cents for one order. And the poor girl's face when my total went -1 cent! Grabbed candy real fast and explained it was because of the 3$ oyno cat I was rolling...LOL She had scanned it first before I saw what the total was going to be...oops :-)

I'm hoping I figure out Walgreens fast...if GE cats are this confusing, I'm dreading having to deal with remember not to roll their cats into the same companies deals and all the drama that seems to surround Wags! Which reminds me, I need to call their CS again and find out when our store is going to open!

Keep us updated Liz! I hate Walgreen's system! It is too hard to deal with. I usually only get a few things then waste the cats on junk, out of fear I may not get another cat.

[heatcol127]

Just depending on your store, some GE's are NOT company owned. I can't think of the word that corporate used, but I had to call as I had an issue with the GE in Altoon, PA. I purchased an item that was marked a certain price on the shelf but rang up differently, by about $6.00!!!!! The "person in charge" would not give it to me for the shelf price as she said that it was too much of a price difference. So I called corporate as I am standing in the store, as the sign above CS states that I should get it for the shelf price. Corporate tried talking with them to no avail and she told me that unfortunately, that particular GE is privately owned, therefore she could not enforce that policy!! She did send me a gc for my hassle though. So my understanding is that some GE's are company owned and some are "privately" owned.

:wavehi:Hi every one!!! First off I just want to say that I am sorry about your experience. But reading all the post I decided to add my 2 cents (if it's even worth that:hysterical:). I was prompted to make a comment because of what she said about the stores being privately owned. I work mid nights in Ebensburg so going to GE after work in the morning in Ebensburg is mighty nice..UNLESS I want to buy alot of one item that is on sale and I need to double coupons. Because they will only double 5 of the same coupon same thing in Indiana pa (I live in Blairsville) BUT in Greenburg, Latrobe and Monroeville I can hand them 100 of the same coupon, they will double them all and never raise an eyebrow on what I am buying. Believe me I tested that out with the sobe deals. The difference is that ebensburg and indiana are privately owned. I will no longer go out of my way to indiana to shop at GE. And I have to give credit to the ladies that work at the GE in Ebensburg They do put up with me and my 10 orders or several trips (especially when the steeler bucks was going on) So I can't complain there. BUT my whole point to this rambling is that IT does seem to make a difference if it is a corporate store or privately owned. Ebensburg does not take IPs either. So I do go out of my way alot to shop in latrobe and the other 2.
I really hope you find a better store to shop at...The Bilo here in town have jerks like that working for them so I will not shop in there unless It is a really super deal and I hardly am ever tempted to go in and when I do I pray that 1of the 2 decent people are working.
GOOD LUCK!!!

[PK_OH]

I hate Walgreen's system! It is too hard to deal with. I usually only get a few things then waste the cats on junk, out of fear I may not get another cat.

What might work in Neeky's favor is that it'll be a new Walgreens. I spend - or rather spent coz I refuse to do it unless it's for a mission drive - too much time going there for one transaction visits coz they'll only let you use one per visit. They used to say that on the cats but they don't any more but my store still refuses to change.

[sagesonamabuster]

I realize it's very YMMV but Walgreens is the absolute worst for CS around here. I love the deals but I hate dealing with some of the cashiers and the ever-changing coupon policies! I hope you end up with a great staff at yours.:smile77:

LOL It's nice to know we're not alone in the 'catalina-anxiety-disorder'. Sounds like quite a few of us stress over deals :-) Although tonight I wasn't too stressed out, both of my cashiers were trainees, so it made me feel a little better knowing that I was helping 'break them in' so to say, as far as dealing with crazy couponers hehe

You should had seen the one boys face when my total was 15 cents for one order. And the poor girl's face when my total went -1 cent! Grabbed candy real fast and explained it was because of the 3$ oyno cat I was rolling...LOL She had scanned it first before I saw what the total was going to be...oops :-)

I'm hoping I figure out Walgreens fast...if GE cats are this confusing, I'm dreading having to deal with remember not to roll their cats into the same companies deals and all the drama that seems to surround Wags! Which reminds me, I need to call their CS again and find out when our store is going to open!

Keep us updated Liz!

[neekyme]

Well, hopefully all us Greensburg couponers can train the new Wags staff to like us, right off the bat LOL We all need to get together and march in on grand opening day with our coupons and teach them all about coupons :-)

[daniellematis]

What might work in Neeky's favor is that it'll be a new Walgreens. I spend - or rather spent coz I refuse to do it unless it's for a mission drive - too much time going there for one transaction visits coz they'll only let you use one per visit. They used to say that on the cats but they don't any more but my store still refuses to change.All the Walgreen's are super coupon unfriendly. Its the LP people causing it.
I never or very very rarely ask for separate transactions because they will say no. There have been weeks with 2 different P&G brand cats and you couldn't use either to get another cat. Their system stinks!

[ralphey]

All the Walgreen's are super coupon unfriendly. Its the LP people causing it.
I never or very very rarely ask for separate transactions because they will say no. There have been weeks with 2 different P&G brand cats and you couldn't use either to get another cat. Their system stinks!

Couldn't agree more! They must have a switch turned on to inactivate a CAT being generated when the same CAT was used on the purchase. I honestly thought all CAT machines worked like this, until I learned of GE :)

[tinabohio]

Just depending on your store, some GE's are NOT company owned. I can't think of the word that corporate used, but I had to call as I had an issue with the GE in Altoon, PA. I purchased an item that was marked a certain price on the shelf but rang up differently, by about $6.00!!!!! The "person in charge" would not give it to me for the shelf price as she said that it was too much of a price difference. So I called corporate as I am standing in the store, as the sign above CS states that I should get it for the shelf price. Corporate tried talking with them to no avail and she told me that unfortunately, that particular GE is privately owned, therefore she could not enforce that policy!! She did send me a gc for my hassle though. So my understanding is that some GE's are company owned and some are "privately" owned.

I know from working retail here, that if the shelf is tagged a price and it is for the product you are holding (by comparing barcode numbers or what have you) that they LEGALLY have to sell you the product for the price they posted. At least that's what I was always told back when I was working in various retail establishments. I would check the laws of PA if I were you; as I thought that was how it is everywhere. Corporate/Private, that doesn't usurp city/county/state/federal laws,
If it keeps up I would file a complaint with the state's attorney general or BBB, or whomever handles complaints such as this in your area.

[PK_OH]

All the Walgreen's are super coupon unfriendly. Its the LP people causing it.
I never or very very rarely ask for separate transactions because they will say no. There have been weeks with 2 different P&G brand cats and you couldn't use either to get another cat. Their system stinks!

I'm not sure what LP people are. I see where they could get issues about couponers with folks doing extremely large numbers of transactions, like for ex. I read on another board s'one talking about getting 30 Softsoaps in a row the other week (when the free coupon was rolling). Most Walgreens aren't like GE where they have a lot of checkouts as well as SCO and late hours - at GE if you want to do something like that you can go late at night when it's empty and hang out at the SCO or something. Something like that would totally shut any of my stores down.

Except for the CAT issue and not letting me use more than 1 per order I haven't had issues there with coupon unfriendliness, and that's with going in there on occasion with piles and piles of multiple coupons with $100s savings per order. This is across several Walgreens in my area - there's 5 that I go to fairly regularly, with one that I use for daily trips when I have a lot of CATs to use as it is very close to my home. I really do get a lot of cheapies/freebies there just with coupons and putting manuf coupons together with the ones from the Easy Saver book - Excedrin, Garnier, Colgate, Sambucol are just some of the most recent ones where I've gotten stuff for a few cents each, free or been paid to take it out of the store without a CAT deal. I've tried to only do the CAT deals when I can do them a couple weeks in a row then I can roll week to week. I do have to put up more money of my own to get the initial CATs than I do at GE, but between the gift card from the rebates and the money I get on the W card from all the Walgreens brand bargains I find when I have an off CAT week and have ones I can't roll, it's not too bad. Is it a little more challenging than GE - yes, but to me at least still worth $1000s of savings a year without doing multiple transactions per trip and without rolling CATs on the same deal.

[jen276here]

LP people are Loss Prevention. They think EVERYONE is stealing... I worked at a few major retailers and one in particular used to call me like every few minutes (well it felt like it) to have me watch 'suspicious' people. Geeze - everyone was suspicious in their book! I think they are just soooo wanting to bust someone they go overboard.

I too don't have many problems with Wags, in fact I have a cashier at one that saves me MFQ's fromt the beauty counter - got to love her! I think she likes me though because I go in only once a week, usually on her shift. I buy what I buy and I'm out of there. I don't hold up the lines, I don't get nasty when something doesn't work the way I wanted it too (I may question it, but I don't get nasty), and I stay friendly.

Either way, I don't run for every deal at Wags because I hate paying sales tax on the price before Q's. Drives me nuts. Not too mention, I can go to places like GE and not have to pay tax on my toothbrushes! I know....I'm cheap! lol

[heatcol127]

Well, hopefully all us Greensburg couponers can train the new Wags staff to like us, right off the bat LOL We all need to get together and march in on grand opening day with our coupons and teach them all about coupons :-)




:wavehi:Do you know when the opening day is?

[cheapchick]

My goodness, Lifeskills! What a trip! Seriously, if you are that anxious of a person there is wonderful medication available for that. I suffered from severe social anxiety disorder from the age of 4 until I was 26. Got horribly teased in school and couldn't speak in public. Meds have changed my life...made me normal (as near as I can get!). They only cost $4 a month...totally worth it!

[marrelam]

Liz, any update?

[jodikay1]

Please read - I must have been right after you!!!! Last week I had an absolutely horrid experience, and I would bet that you went right before me at the Giant Eagle in Austintown.I had my regular size order, not even two carts. I had coupons for everything, maybe 20 -25 total. I had no more than 4 coupons for each item type, because I have heard of others having problems, so I don't take a chance as it is not worth the embarrasement to me.That cashier and the one at the next register must have been talking before I got there, because when I handed her the coupon pile, the other cashier said something like "oh, not another one." I was standing right between them!!!! I could not believe it. I asked her with a shocked face, what she was talking about. She said that there was a woman just before me who had like 50 toothpastes and tooth brushes in her cart. I'm sure she was exagerating on the amount, but I was thinking ... cool, maybe I was wrong about the four coupon limit.... Then she says something like - "I don't know how she gets so many coupons" I told her that friends give them to me... I said nothing of trading..." She said no one has that many friends and I bet that lady swipes them from the mail." I said that I don't think so. Then she said "I bet she is a mail carrier and takes them out of the papers before she delivers them". I was SHOCKED. I should have stuck up more, but I was SHOCKED. I did manage to say that I seriously doubted it.So the other gets back to processing my coupons and everything is going well until she got to a couple of my print out coupons from Smart Source. They were for the Butter and Half and Half. She held the first up to the light and said very loudly "this is a fake". I looked at her again in shock and said It most certainly is NOT. She said Yes it is, it is a copy...see this dark spot (a dotted rectangle in the middle of the coupon) she said that it is a watermark and that the only time it appears is when a coupon is copied. I said that I am not sure if it is a water mark, but they were printed off my printer at home and I don't even have a copier. She kept accusing me. \There is a line behind me and I am so embarrased. She keeps hold it up high for everyone to see saying it is a fake. She is calling me a lier and completely ignoring everything I say. Finally I said to forget it, its not worth it, take the product off of my order and give me back the coupon. She said she could not do that and called a "small time manager". When the lady came up the casher again held it in the air and said - "its a copy --- see --- this is a fake". That manager said that it was a copy and I could not use it. WHAT? I again said that I was not a cheater - I always followed the rules --- I would NEVER try and cheat the system. They called the store manager - ignoring my comments to just forget it. He came over - listened to the cashiers accusations, and rolled his eyes and said - let it go. The cashier was ticked, but did let it go through. God if I didn't have four more of those!!!! The cashier was so flustered by then that every single one of my coupons had an issue and she tried to rush each one through even though they didn't scan! After each I had to tell her that it didn't run through and please do it again.Oh I haven't ever had a worse experience and told my husband that I was never going back and he could do the shopping. With his suggestion, the next day at work, I sent an email to Smart Source - (boy it was hard to find an email that worked - the on site submission didn't work so I finally sent directly to every department that I could thing of IE: help@xxx; advertising@xxx; marketing@xxx... Well someone saw it. I got a direct response yesterday, asking me to fax a copy of the coupons so that he could see what I was talking about.I will do that this morning and let you know the response.

[fastcat]

I am so sorry that this happened to you too!!!

[neekyme]

Oh my gosh JodiKay - that 'spot' she was talking about is the smartsource logo that they have on the coupons...not a 'void' type watermark. Usually the only coupons that have the 'void' watermarks are the Free or high value coupons you get straight from the manu's - so people don't copy them. When you copy one, it'll show up 'void void void' all over the coupon. (as far as I know...I've never actually tried to copy one LOL)

I hope you contact GE corp about that store - and those cashiers. I would let them know they accused your aquantaince and her mail lady of mail fraud and theft - and that you don't appreciate it or the manner in which you were treated. Companies put out coupons to be USED not just for kicks and giggles. Geesh.

Heck, I would even contact your local news if they happen to have a consumer rights type segment. Channel 4 news here in Pittsburgh has something like that - they look into companies who take advantage of consumers or wrong consumers in some way.

This type of behavoir really burns me up. I just don't get it, and I definitely wouldn't let it go!

[jodikay1]

This is the response I got back from Smart Source. I had no idea that these were not printing correctly. I have always used them without issue. Well there ya go.... another reason why taking coupons out of the papers is a very very bad idea!And no --- to his question ---- I, like most people, only have one printer. I guess I will have to wait.-----------------On Tue, Apr 14, 2009 at 12:55 PM, Beliveau, Jeffery wrote:Ah! That is a printer issue. What you are seeing is supposed to be a watermark. But on a handful of printers it does not render properly. Do you have another printer (many of our users print from work) that you can use? The good news is we are about to release a new system and that will take care of this issue. It’s about two weeks away. My apologies for the difficulty! Jeff BeliveauDirector, Online Operationsphone: 203.563.6689jbeliveau@newsamerica.comSmartSource Online + News America MarketingA News Corporation Company20 Westport Rd, Floor 1Wilton, CT 06897

[tinabohio]

I am such a smart... aleck (had to censor myself. I would have pointed out that the toothpaste Colgate coupons were in the newspaper coupons not the mail and that it's that ladies friends, neighbors, family members, and dogs rights to give them to her. It is also her right to buy 50 papers if she so pleases.
I actually WANT to go to this store now! That is the extent of my evil. I'll stroll in with my binder and my bags and my 'I sold auto parts for 10 years and was raised in the inner city and yes I have a bad attitude if you mess with me' attitude. I hate it when people are so obviously in a job they hate and are spewing venom on the 'people who sign their checks'! I didn't treat the guy who threw an oily starter out of a K1500 at me as badly as you all have been treated!

Come to North Royalton and we'll try to get the cashier I had tonight. She was happy for me and before she handed me my receipt her eyes grew huge. She went to tell me my fuel perks and saw how much I saved and was HAPPY. My mom gets excited for people to (correctly) use coupons and get great savings (she works at Marc's)! That's what I wish for all of you, cashiers who are nice and actually get happy to see you save!

[jen276here]

Where is this store?? How far from Pittsburgh?? I'm about to load up DS and make a road trip with a billion Q's and a nasty attitude attached to each one of them....

[amys]

I wish I was near this store - I'd get ya'll's backs!

Then I would go in every single day just to "re-train" them on proper policies - :devil:

[flaminicecube]

It's about an hours drive from Pittsburgh.
Take 79 North to 80 West to Rt 11 South. Mahoning Ave exit, turn right and it's less than a tenth of a mile on the right.
Nice area-Walgreens, RiteAid, SuperWalmart are further down the road. Marc's and IGA are on the other side of the highway. CVS is much further down, actually in Youngstown. Don't go much further unless you're used to being in a bad area.

[lifeskills13]

Please read - I must have been right after you!!!! Last week I had an absolutely horrid experience, and I would bet that you went right before me at the Giant Eagle in Austintown.....

You got to be kidding me! i only bought 16 (yea i know looks like alot more when see them separately) and probably 12 of the TB. i told the lady i wish i could have done it all in one order so you can see how much i really got! but the deal is only for one transaction....

hmm i did have a yellow envelope with my big binder because of the colgate, kraft coupons..maybe thats where they got the mail room idea? lol

THank you for mentioning this..because now i know i wasn't imagioning it all (i was goin to pass on writing corp) i calmed down and everything thinking i was over reacting. Im goin to have my DH watch the kids for a moment so i can sit down and write/type :)

When i told my mom the other day about it she said "she will LET you buy the produce and meat?" lol "you should of said "and ill LET you put every single item back on the shelf" and leave.
poor cashier though..she was the one told to do it :(

oh and lil update lol i DID go to walmart and only pay 6cents for each kraft dressing!! bought like 20 of them..only thing the cashier did was make sure i got the right size/brand. better then me paying over .15cents at GE :)

[jodikay1]

LOL. You guys are great. I'm going in tonight to do my weekly shopping and to drop off to the manager the email string from the guy at SmartSource, along with a copy of the coupons that printed from my printer. I just want them to know it is not my fault but SmartSources and that they are fixing it. Hopefully all will go well. No need to come and kick butt.... but it would be fun to watch (from behind the toothpaste rack..... lol)

[jen276here]

LOL. You guys are great. I'm going in tonight to do my weekly shopping and to drop off to the manager the email string from the guy at SmartSource, along with a copy of the coupons that printed from my printer. I just want them to know it is not my fault but SmartSources and that they are fixing it. Hopefully all will go well. No need to come and kick butt.... but it would be fun to watch (from behind the toothpaste rack..... lol)


Don't hide there....It will be the first thing I throw!! :hysterical:

I am a brat, I seriously would go wreak havoc on that manager and cashier with hundreds of coupons - all IP's just for kicks.... :whistle67:

[marrelam]

How fun would it be for a group of us to show up at that GE and hold up all their lines at once with our coupons and deals???!!

[lifeskills13]

How fun would it be for a group of us to show up at that GE and hold up all their lines at once with our coupons and deals???!!


"One item per customer per day!" lol i can just see that look on that as.m lady's face..running to go get backup :)

my hubbie asked the other day what if she goes in and i go in afterwards..thats a new customer..they said no because you are using the same GE card.:rolleyes24:

[jen276here]

"One item per customer per day!" lol i can just see that look on that as.m lady's face..running to go get backup :)

my hubbie asked the other day what if she goes in and i go in afterwards..thats a new customer..they said no because you are using the same GE card.:rolleyes24:

How in the world would they know?? Only the computer system knows and I highly doubt they monitor it just in case two people are sharing a card???

On another note, my Dh and I don't have the same # on our card, but do have linked accounts. I couldn't get his card # one day because we don't share the same last name and they couldn't give it too me because I might invade his privacy (lol - I wash his boxers...how much more invasive could I be, lol!) And even though we live at the same address, have the same phone #, I showed my driver's license and was searching for the copy of our marriage license that I keep on me for special occasions like these they wouldn't give it to me. She did say 'why don't I give you your own card and we can link the cards to the same account' (don't know why they didn't just give me the number if they were going to do all that, but that would have made sense....)