More Meijer Computer issues

[cintinative]

I went today to get the Nabisco 100 calorie packs. I was using three $0.75/2 Nabisco cookies and crackers coupons, 6 mealbox coupons for $1.00/1 and purchasing 6 total Nabisco 100 cal packs. The $5.00 off wyb 5 came off automatically and showed up under 5 of the items. The $0.75/2 coupons went through fine. But when we scanned the mealbox, it did not take off the full $1.00 for each of the six packs. It took off $0.91 or $0.92 for each and it said "Limit of $2.92 reached" under each of the mealbox amounts. They called a manager over who said that this is the way the computer is doing it and she can't do anything about it. She did refund the balance of the transaction $0.47 this "one time" and said she could do nothing about my other transaction.

It sounds like, at least at Fields Ertel Meijer, they are going to start going with whatever the coupons ring up as, regardless of whether or not they are technically correct.

I cannot explain why the computer only took of $0.92. I understand them not wanting to give me overage but I don't understand why the computer wouldn't just set it at zero.

Is this new policy and the computer issues that have been present since the transition worth writing corporate about? Cheyesnana, what do you think?

[sbr0819]

I always have to scan the mealbox coupons first if I also have MC coupons or else I have the issue of them not ringing up at face value.

[cheynesnana]

I'm thinking that they are trying to do away with overage...but haven't figured out how to do that yet.. LOL.. so the registers are taking off strange things.. it's doing it for the 10/$10 11th free items too. I'm going to be visiting with someone tomorrow who may be able to give us some answers.. so I'll let you know what I find out.

[cintinative]

Cheynesnana, I also had an issue the other day (see my other post about coupons doubling) where I was told that three coupons from the same vendor (Green Giant) will not double even if they are different coupons with different UPCs etc. This came up when I was using three different Green Giant IPs. To the best of my knowledge this is a new policy because the ad says they will double two "like" coupons. Of course, this may be a store-specific thing. I am thinking this is also a new computer system glitch. I have not had issues before where the coupons were obviously different but still failed to double.

LMK if your friend has insight on this.

[lbrown1618]

I noticed something was up the other week when i bought eggos during the B2G1 sale and used my $1/1 mfr cpns. I noticed it took off under the item (which usually only store cpns do). And it only took of $1.92 (instead of $2.92) and said the 'limit reached message". The cashier manually took off the balance, but it raised my antenna that something was a changin.

I'm glad you posted, cause i was curious since i'm doing the nabisco deal this week as well. I'll know to watch it and alert the cashier to fix it.

Incidentally, they have no grounds to deny the correction. Technically, the ad states you will get $5 off your transaction, nothing about it coming off each item. So there is no reason you can't use Meijer and mfr cpns with it as long as the COUPONS don't exceed the item value...the $1 that came off from the $5 wyb 5 deal shouldn't affect the item price and therefore shouldn't negate the full valud of the MB and Mfr cpns coming off.

[cintinative]

I agree with you--unfortunately the manager's position was from this point on, whatever the computer says, goes, so I think there may be a need at some point to write a letter to corporate. I had the same problem with the Eggo deal--had to go to the customer service desk for the difference.

If you try it, please let us know if it makes a difference if you scan the mealbox coupons first as was mentioned. I always do them last because they tend to be such a pain to scan.

[cheynesnana]

I have your doubling issue written down to so I can discuss that... are there any other issues you can think of?

[cintinative]

The only other issue was also mentioned by a prior poster. Recently when there is a buy xx get xx free deal, if you use coupons for those items, the computer is adjusting the free amount. For example, for the buy 2 eggos get 1 free deal, it was supposed to take off say $2.00 (I can't remember the amount), but it was taking off $1.29 or something random like that and saying, "Limit of $2.00 reached." I believe several people mentioned having this problem.

One positive =) in the midst of all this is that I was actually able to hand enter the codes for my mealbox coupons at the Uscan today and they went through without the attendant coming over. Unfortunately the full amount did not come off!

Thanks for asking!!

[cheynesnana]

Okey dokey... I'll see what I can find out tomorrow!!

[twochickstwopumpkins]

it doesn't matter what order you scan in the MB coupons. I spend a lot of time dealing with these coupons and various cashiers. I seem to know more about the MB coupons than the stores themselves and how they come up in the register.

What seems to have happened is that it is applying some other coupon to your 100cal packs. Did you have something else in the order from the same family group? If your entire order was just those items then the computer had a glitch and I'd have re rung the transaction elsewhere. Something happened to make it think you were getting them for free for some reason.

The computers will no longer give overages and will adjust down as necessary after you scan in your manf coupons. So watch and be careful about your totals. Some will adjust the coupons and some will not but you should go into the store aware that zero is as good as it's going to get if you are using a Meijer coupon or promo on the items.

[cintinative]

What seems to have happened is that it is applying some other coupon to your 100cal packs. Did you have something else in the order from the same family group? If your entire order was just those items then the computer had a glitch and I'd have re rung the transaction elsewhere. Something happened to make it think you were getting them for free for some reason.

The computers will no longer give overages and will adjust down as necessary after you scan in your manf coupons. So watch and be careful about your totals. Some will adjust the coupons and some will not but you should go into the store aware that zero is as good as it's going to get if you are using a Meijer coupon or promo on the items.


Okay, there wasn't anything else in my order. There was only 6 of the 100 calorie packs. I used 3x of the $0.75/2 Nabisco cookie insert coupons and 6x of the mealbox $1.00/1 coupons. Plus it took off the $5.00/5 (took off as $1.00 off each of five items) promotion. But for some reason, even though my total should have been zero, it was $0.42. I don't know why. I am not wanting overage--I just want the full value of my coupons. The manager said she would not make adjustments anymore if the mealbox coupons did not come off full value.

Also, as far as reringing it, they really don't like that--once I put the coupons in the Uscan they don't want to fish them out. I guess I'll have to go through a regular lane.

[twochickstwopumpkins]

Okay, there wasn't anything else in my order. There was only 6 of the 100 calorie packs. I used 3x of the $0.75/2 Nabisco cookie insert coupons and 6x of the mealbox $1.00/1 coupons. Plus it took off the $5.00/5 (took off as $1.00 off each of five items) promotion. But for some reason, even though my total should have been zero, it was $0.42. I don't know why. I am not wanting overage--I just want the full value of my coupons. The manager said she would not make adjustments anymore if the mealbox coupons did not come off full value.

Also, as far as reringing it, they really don't like that--once I put the coupons in the Uscan they don't want to fish them out. I guess I'll have to go through a regular lane.

I'm sorry. That really sucks. My Meijer is awesome about coupons and fixing it when the MB coupons don't ring up correctly. And about once a week I manage to crash a u-scan and they've never given me a hard time about it. (it's not my fault it crashes but it is just my luck! LOL)

[lookalikeadog]

This happened to me last week with the campbells soup cups and soup @ hand. I got 11 or each paid with 5-$1/2 soup @ hand 5-$1/2 campbells soup bowl Q's and it only took off $.50 for my 11th item on both the cups and bowls. I went to CS and they have had other complaints but say they are getting no help from the management. They say they just shrug there shoulders and walk away. Kinda like this.....:shrug7:

[cintinative]

This happened to me last week with the campbells soup cups and soup @ hand. I got 11 or each paid with 5-$1/2 soup @ hand 5-$1/2 campbells soup bowl Q's and it only took off $.50 for my 11th item on both the cups and bowls. I went to CS and they have had other complaints but say they are getting no help from the management. They say they just shrug there shoulders and walk away. Kinda like this.....:shrug7:

Yes, that is the response I got from the manager. She said they could not take the risk of the cashiers getting in trouble so they will not make adjustments anymore if the full MB value does not come off.

Hopefully Cheyesnana will be able to help us to assess if this warrants a letter to management.

[cheynesnana]

Ok.. I discussed at length all the troubles we've been having with the Meijer system. They are trying to redo their system to prevent overages with the Mealbox coupons.. but obviously they are not doing it correctly.

I honestly do not think they are aware of all the issues.. and since the system is doing this.. the stores are not going to be very willing to override it.

I am going to sit down and write a detailed email to the person who takes care of the Mealbox coupons (pm me for that addy and name please) and tell her all the things I know of that are currently wrong with the system. I suggest that anyone else with a problem do the same.. a nicely worded (LOL) email detailing your issues.. see if we can get them to take a closer look at the system and the errors..

If this doesn't get results.. then we'll go up the chain!

[lbrown1618]

The problem is the $5 from the buy 5 promo is taking off $1 per item instead of a bulk $5 discount. I know they are doing this to prevent overage. BUT, if 4 of those items have cpns, and the 5th doesn't....then it gets screwed up. Case in point.

I got 1 Kool-Aid and 4 Nab 100cal pks. The 100cal packs had cpns...the kool-aid didn't. But it took $1 off per item for the $5 promo. It made it look like I was getting cash back on the 100 cal packs when combined w/cpns. However there was plenty of value left on the Kool-Aid to account for the $5 discount without giving me cash back overall. Who's to say that the Kool-Aid can't account for it's full $1.69 value on the $5 instead of the evenly divided $1 by the way their system does it. Nothing! THAT is the problem.

I think this is exactly what happened to OP. She should have had $0 balance if done correctly. But because of above scenario, it recalculated and left her with a 42c balance.

[cintinative]

lbrown1618, yes, you are exactly right.

I did write the mealbox coordinator per cheyesnana's suggestion--she was very nice about it and wants scanned copies of my receipts so she can see what is going on. If anyone else is having trouble and wants to bring it to her attention, I would encourage you to do the same.

[jmwilliams3130]

Right, IB.....
-$1 for promo
-$1 for MBQ
-.75/2 MQ
makes the computer think you are getting $2.50 off of an item that is only $2.29
($.21 difference---and X 2 .42)
I think that their ad was very misleading. It did not tell us that we'd get an additional $1 off of those $5 items, it told us that we'd receive $5 off "on the spot." I had this issue last night:
6 100 cal pks
3 $2/2
6 MB $1/1
In my eyes, I was paying .29 each and had $3.26 to spare (since I was getting $5 off), which would have helped pay for the oatmeal I was getting.
Then the most bizarre thing happened:
A lot of times when I have a bunch of mbq's the u-scan attendant just comes over and enters them in assist mode to make it easier. Well, I handed all the mbq's 1st and they all came off with out any issue, then I handed over the mq's and each q scanned and showed on my receipt as the correct amount being deducted. However, my total came out as $4.79. I paid.........then I thought about it for a sec, went over my receipt and insisted on a refund of the difference or my coupons back! They took my coupons, printed on my receipt that the full values of the coupons were deducted and THEY WERE NOT (if they were I would have had to add on the huggies wipes, as I had planned). That has to be some type of fraud, this is a serious problem IMO.
Maybe they decided to TAKE the overages they had been giving us back!! LOL
I honestly don't know where they came up with their math (they still win--I was just so tired of standing there!!!), but they ended up refunding me $3.54.

[cintinative]

jmwilliams3130, that is really interesting. I have been noticing that when the cashier comes to help me in the assist mode using coupons (like mealbox) that the amount of the transaction will fluctuate down then up then down again, so it is honestly hard to tell what is going on and what the total amount was that came off. That may be why I didn't notice it only took off $0.92 of the $1.00 MB coupon. But at least on my receipt it did show the actual amount deducted. I am so confused by this new system--how could the computer say it took $1.00 off but the math not be right? Ugh.

[jmwilliams3130]

I know, how could that happen? I think they could have some serious issues if this continues.
I mean that is completely wrong! To me that is the same as the store taking the q's out of the paper and submitting them for reimbursement (FRAUD) just because they know they have sold that item and will get reimbursed for it. But it is actually worse than that b/c they are stealing from me in the process!! I am so frustrated with Meijer these days.......Ughhhh!!

ETA: I was thinking the fluctuating prices in assist mode have to do with the scale, as I have always watched closely since I noticed this happening and there have been no price discrepencies because of it. Also when the scale is trying to balance the red light to the left will flash, i noticed this last night. Often they will lean in on the scale or place q's or other things on the scale and cause this to happen.

[crissygail]

They are trying to redo their system to prevent overages with the Mealbox coupons.. but obviously they are not doing it correctly.
. . . .
sit down and write a detailed email to the person who takes care of the Mealbox coupons

If this doesn't get results.. then we'll go up the chain!

I don't think these problems originate with the way the computer processes MealBox qs (although there have definitely been problems with that). The real issue is with the way the computer applies coupon values and processes "instant deductions" like BOGO, or "instant $5 off."

Two weeks ago I bought the Planters peanuts when they were $3.99 & BOGO. I had a coupon for $2/2. My thinking was --
(1) Buy 2 for $3.99,
(2) use my $2/2 q and
(3) pay 1.99 for 2 jars of peanuts.

I wasn't even getting anything free!

But the way it seems their system processed this transaction (regardless of the order the transaction was rung):

Logic Step 1: Ring items. Resulting value: $3.99 and $3.99
Logic Step 2: Apply value of coupons to items. For $x/2 -- apply 1/2 to each item. Resulting value: $2.99 and $2.99.
Logic Step 3: Apply Meijer discount: BOGO --> Deduct value of one product. Resulting value: $2.99 for first, $0 for second.

Total owed: $2.99 --> A full $1 more than I should have paid!

Like other people have said, the same thing is going on this week with the Nabisco deal. Instead of taking $5 off the total value of the 5 items (or, as it is worded in the ad, $5 off your total order) the system is taking $1 off each of 5 items. The easiest thing for Meijer to do in this type of case is just reword or clarify the promotion in the ad: "Instant $5 Deduction wyb 5 participating products! **Instand deduction will be in the form of $1 deduction from the price of each item. Total value of deduction and coupons may not exceed the cost of the item.**" Of course that is not what I want them to do, but that is the easiest for them, no computer reprogramming required. HOWEVER, that still doesn't address the problem I had with the Planters. That WILL require reprogramming.

[MarlaSinger]

I bought Sally Hansen nail polishes @ $2.57 BOGO and only $1.57 was subtracted after I used a $1 MFQ. Using a coupon negated the BOGO offer.

[cintinative]

crissygail, I had the same thing happen with the Planters peanuts. I totally forgot about that. I will have to pull that receipt to scan and send in too. Hopefully I still have it.

If anyone wants to send their receipts in, please PM cheyesnana for the email address of the mealbox coordinator. She is passing along the information.

[buggs1]

Both yesterday and today (Thurs. & Fri.), the uscan froze and my transaction needed to be rerung. I was doing the $5 "on the spot" deal with mfg coups & mealbox coups. (That hadn't happened any other time I did this same deal earlier in the week.)

When it was rerung, the coups were put thru by the uscan person using their special mode which I'm sure by-passes the new coupon program that's giving so many of us problems. That was fine with me because then the full face value of the coupons came off which is in my favor.

[mom2izzyandallen]

Ijust wanted to say that the same thing happened to me last night. The receipt shows that the full amount came off for the mb coupons - but they actually overcharged me by almost 5.00.

It is very time consuming to try and figure out where the error is - and then to try and explain it to customer service is nearly impossible.

[cintinative]

Ijust wanted to say that the same thing happened to me last night. The receipt shows that the full amount came off for the mb coupons - but they actually overcharged me by almost 5.00.

It is very time consuming to try and figure out where the error is - and then to try and explain it to customer service is nearly impossible.

I would definitely consider emailing those receipts to the mealbox coordinator. At least mine showed up as not coming off fully--you would think there would be a legal issue with them not taking off what they say they are.