DND 5 Issue clarified AGAIN by corp!! Awesome service at corporate.

[quietq'er]

I thought that a recent reconfirmation of GE's official policy to allow DND 5 coupons to double, even if they state "Do Not Double" on them might be helpful to others.

Flaminicecube's threads a while back gave me the guts to debate the point and the contact was awesome. I emailed her at 7:30 PM last night and she replied at 8:00 PM!!!!!! By this morning, both my local GEs had already been contacted by her via email! Wow!!!!

I duked it out at both my local GE's today and don't expect any further trouble from them. . . My stress level about couponing just dropped 90% now that I don't have to worry about this every time I check out.

Hopefully this will be of help to others!

(FWIW, my first phone call to corporate from the GE when I was having my problem was a total waste of time. The lady was very nice but totally clueless and believed she'd been taught NOT to double them (although the written policy she read to me from didn't say either way. Going to the TOP was very helpful!)

Thanks again, Flaminicecube!!!



From: Stephanie Zxxxxxxxx [mailto:stephaniezxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.com]
Sent: Monday, November 02, 2009 7:38 PM
To: Carcia, Anna Marye
Subject: coupon doubling problem, please help me!



Dear Ms. Carcia,

I ran into a problem at my local GE in Morgantown, WV (at University Town Center) today when the cashier hit a button to stop my coupons from doubling.

These coupons were manufacturer coupons, coded starting with a 5, but with the statement "do not double" on them. I have used these types of coupons countless times at the GE without the cashier stopping them from doubling.

I understood that the GE policy was that "if it scans" doubling, then you let it double. In fact, an acquaintance gave me your email address because you had communicated with her via email a couple months ago verifying exactly that.

However, today at the GE I frequent, the manager on duty agreed with the cashier about not doubling my coupons. I had to leave my cart full of groceries at the GE and I hope to return before this sale cycle ends Wednesday night to purchase my items. In fact, I was in GE for at least an hour finding all my items and then debating this point with the customer service desk before leaving with just my gallon of milk. It was exceedingly frustrating.

Can you please clarify this issue with me directly, i.e., that the GE cashier is not supposed to push any button on the register to stop an (otherwise valid manufacturer's coupon) from doubling just because it has "do not double" printed on it?

Thanks so much,
Stephanie Zxxxxxxxxxxxx



From: Carcia, Anna Marye [mailto:AnnaMarye.Carcia@gianteagle.com]
Sent: Monday, November 02, 2009 8:00 PM
To: 'Stephanie Zxxxxxxxxxx'
Subject: RE: coupon doubling problem, please help me!



Dear Ms. Zxxxxxxxxxxx~

What you have stated below is correct. I will send the Front End Mgr. the communication that was sent to the stores previously. I apologize for the inconvenience this has caused. I will be in the office tomorrow; if you encounter a problem, please have the manager call me.

Sincerely,

Director, Customer Service
412-967-3654

[misstrangelove]

Nice! I had the exact same thing happen at the other Morgantown store. After mutual huffiness I walked out with whatever she'd allow me to double. I just learned to avoid her after that, ugh.

Hopefully there won't be any more refusing to double business for a long while, so thanks!.

[quietq'er]

Nice! I had the exact same thing happen at the other Morgantown store. After mutual huffiness I walked out with whatever she'd allow me to double. I just learned to avoid her after that, ugh.

Hopefully there won't be any more refusing to double business for a long while, so thanks!.

You're welcome!! I almost never go to the other M'town store b/c they often wouldn't want to double things. Since I'd never had trouble with the Univ. Town Center store, I just drove a bit further to avoid the hassles. Soooo, when I had trouble *there* I just had to do something!! I bet we'll all have less trouble in M'town for the time being! Yay!!

[wvumountaineergirl]

LOL, I guess we're all shopping in the same place. I've only had one cashier give me problems at the University Town Center GE (huffy cause I had a stack of coupons), but for the most part they are great. And patient! Never had a problem with DND q's though. But thank you for taking care of it so that the rest of us don't have an issue! :smile:

[majestynoel]

This must be happening more and more. I just dealt with this problem the other day and, lets just say.. I have a few less "friends" at my GE. First and for most.. I am extremely stressed and grumpy all the time. The bigger I get in this pregnancy the farther up my cyst is being pulled and have constant tugging and pulling pains in my side. Not to mention the baby will be born a week before Christmas and it's stressing me out.. so needless to say... I am not exactly a happy person all the time :)
Anywho.. I only knew of one cashier at my store that would stop the coupon from doubling. I would just always avoid her. Well I went in with a ton of the betty crocker IP's for the cookies and frosting and she started stopping all of them. I said..wait..no no ..you aren't supposed to stop those. So she argued with me about it and I said no really if the register lets it double ..then it should be doubled. So she calls over that one LOVELY manager that REALLY does NOT like me and she said no.. and i said now wait a minute.. if i return these and go out and come back in and get a different cashier that I know wont stop them how is that fair? So she said she had to ask someone else. Well they didn't know either. So she said *and not very nicely* well just let them go through. So before I left I called corp. and of course they weren't sure either. So I waited 2 days for a response and heard nothing back. I decided to call corp. again b/c I had more of those coupons to use ..and again..they didn't know. So I decided the only way to find out is to call my giant eagle and ask for one of the managers that I talk to all the time. She said she wasn't sure and I read her the first email that was posted on here. She called that Carcia lady and got it all straightened out. I *heard* that the girl that stopped my coupons was NOT happy with me and said some stuff that wasn't true and it really made me mad. I will be avoiding her from now on. I don't want to cause any problems and I did not call to get anyone in trouble. I just wanted to know if they are to be doubled or not b/c I use a lot of IP's that say DND. The one thing that drives me nuts about places of business and when everyone does something different. You either all do it, or nobody does it.. that is how I feel. When I worked at a bank I used to get so mad when we had certain customers that were allowed to get away with stuff that others weren't. The customer would get mad at me and give me the "well she lets me do it" and it's like ok seriously..how in the heck am I supposed to know who is so dang "special". Why can't you just all follow policy and it makes things so much easier!!

[micheller126]

Jen...I know the feeling (pregnancy stuff..I have two kids near xmas..one on the 21st and one on the 29th)
I've also had a few cashiers that would give me a hard time too. Not sure I'm nervey enought to fight the do not double battle.

[gumby87]

This is so funny! I was actually in the store (Univ Town Ctr.) yesterday morning when the manager came over to the cashier with the notice in hand and told her that they were to double ALL coupons, even if stated DND. I figured someone must have raised a stink! :BigHand:

I personally haven't had problems at that store, but like several mentioned before the other one can be a pain. For the most part, the cashiers at the Town Ctr. store are very friendly and don't seem to mind my excessive couponing. Now one of the managers on the other hand...

[lostinthemission]

How can I get this woman to talk to my store in Willowick, Ohio? I even had a problem the other day getting rain checks at my store, a manager told me to go to another Giant Eagle for some items. It's frustrating.

[diligentdad]

I had this happen to me for the first time last night with the BC coupons. I shop at the North Huntingdon store and they have always been great. I usually shop around 10pm so I can use the self check out right before they close them at 11pm. Last night I was running late and self checkout was close. H mad to go to the 'scary guy' that runs the only lane that late. Handed him my Q's and he pulled out his glasses and scanned over the bc q for what seemed like 10 minutes. He then proceeds to hit the button before scanning. I didn't make a fuss cause there was now 5 people behind me and it was the only lane! From now on I will make sure to check out before the close the self checkout!!

[jmupole1]

I had this dang problem this morning with Colgate peelies I found. I'm not one to argue, so I didn't say anything, but I lost $6 out of it. I should have gotten 12 Colgate toothpastes for free and ended up paying half for them. I was thinking of going through self check out, but had my 1-year-old and 4-year-old with me and figured it would be a hassle, so I was waiting at a register where I knew the girl wouldn't stop them when a lady said she could take me on another register. Of course, she stopped them and people behind me already commented I had a lot of coupons, so I didn't argue about it. Next time, I will go through self check out.

[PittsGirl]

Please keep in mind that if the store is privately owned then they can pretty much do what they want. This is why I only shop at corporate-owned GE's.

[lostinthemission]

What do you do when you need to use more than 3 coupons for a transaction at the SCO? I'm just trying to figure out how to get my Catalina's and get doubled q's. UGH. Maybe I will take a hit on my Cat's.

[sewnmom]

If you are the scan and go just do multiple transactions. Just be careful if you use a credit or debit card and have multiple transactions with the same total, it may shut down your card. I take cash and do them that way. If no one is in line behind me I just keep buzzing away.

[pittsburgh24]

I was at a cashier this am and she hit the DND key on my q and was preparing to do it again. I asked her why she did that and she said "these q's never double" - I then asked her where on the q it said not to double it. I was using the no yolks and they don't say anything about not doubling or tripling.

I guess the word hasn't gotten to all the stores yet about not hitting the DND button.

[RAVmom]

Add me to the list of shoppers who lost out on doubles because of a misinformed cashier. This happened to me tonight at the McMurray store with Land O Lakes q's and a Gorton's q I think. She said "these say do not double so I can't let them double." I answered that I thought it was GE's policy to double all coupons up to the full amount of an item. She said they aren't to be doubled if they state "do no double". I will be calling CS tomorrow.

I wonder if GE is in the process of changing their policy? It seems awfully strange that so many of us have had the same issues in such a short period of time at many different stores. Just my unscientific observation.

[lostinthemission]

I think they need to inform the cashiers at all the stores of the policy. I am so nervous for my shopping trip tomorrow to the SCO for multiple transactions. I don't want to look like I'm doing anything wrong. If the q's aren't doubled it's not worth buying most of the items. I can save my q's and use them at wal mart for a better price.

[pharrothead]

I had a cashier stop my IP's (with the magic 5) on Saturday. When I pointed out that they should be doubling she argued with me and proceeded to ring up the Q's then afterward forced through additions to my bill. I wrote a letter as soon as I got home (normally I would have stopped at the CS desk, but the line was a mile deep).

I'm still waiting for corp. to email me back. I had never had trouble til this one cashier Saturday. A MANAGER rang me out last weekend and never stopped any of them (she pulled my cart aside and rang me out separately with phenomenal service because she said she knew I had my stack of coupons and rain checks for my wilton pans).

[marrelam]

I had a cashier stop my IP's (with the magic 5) on Saturday. When I pointed out that they should be doubling she argued with me and proceeded to ring up the Q's then afterward forced through additions to my bill. I wrote a letter as soon as I got home (normally I would have stopped at the CS desk, but the line was a mile deep).


This just happened to me today for the first time. They wouldn't double my Pepperidge Farms $0.75 Goldfish IP coupons. They did say DND on the top and a front end worker came and stopped them from doubling. I told her that if your computer doubles them then your policy is to not stop it. She said they "got a bunch of memos" that they aren't allowed to do this. Of course I had her take the Goldfish off and give me my coupons back. I was so mad!

Have you heard back from corp?

ETA: I decided to email the GE person below. I'll update when I get a response.

[pharrothead]

I received NO response by emailing directly off the Giant Eagle website. I went to the beginning of the thread and sent an email off to the lady mentioned late one night, woke up the next morning at 730 am with a response back from her. I got the same answer that they are NOT to stop them from doubling.

I went shopping yesterday with zero problem :)


ETA: I JUST got a call from my local GE. Mind you EIGHT days later. They just spoke to whomever got the email when I sent it from the website. She apologized for the problem, wanted to make sure everything was ok now, and they are refunding my money for the amount of the non doubled Q's. It was only 5 dollars but it's MY 5 dollars dangit! Glad it's finally straightened out here.

[marrelam]

Looks like we've got a good name @ GE to go to for issues. She already responded to my email!:BigHand:

Dear Amy~

You are correct. We did send a memo and a follow up communication telling the staff to allow the coupons to double. I will send clarification to the store but it would help if you knew who the supervisor was. I apologize for the inconvenience this caused you. We are all trying to make ends meet however we can.
Send me the name if you know it. Otherwise I will communicate with the Front End Manager and Store Manager. We appreciate your business; thank you for shopping with us.

Sincerely,
Anna Marye Carcia
Director, Customer Service

From: Amy [mailto:amyxxx@xxxx.com]
Sent: Sunday, November 15, 2009 11:23 AM
To: Carcia, Anna Marye
Subject: Giant Eagle Brunswick, OH



I was at your store #0229 this morning and had a problem with my internet printed coupons. The coupons were for $0.75 off Pepperidge Farms Goldfish snack. One of your front end supervisors came over to help my cashier and told her that she had to prevent those coupons from doubling because the coupon stated Do Not Double. These coupons are coded with a "5" and automatically double on registers.

I have never encountered a problem with your store accepting my coupons and allowing them to be doubled. When I told the young woman that it's your policy to allow coupons to double if scanned she replied "we got a bunch of memos saying we couldn't." My cashier, Terri W., was horribly slow and I did not want the customers behind me to get anymore aggravated then they already were. I asked to have those items removed and to please give me my coupons back. I did not have time to go to your Customer Service desk to dispute this.

I'm writing to you in hopes of getting clarification on this rule. I truly enjoy shopping with your company and the amount of money I save really helps my family.

Thank you
Amy

[daniellematis]

It doesn't worry everyone that just one customer service person seems to be agreeing with this?
Are we going to be fighing for trial sizes just because the coupons scans?
They tell the cashier to read the coupons and use them correctly.
I don't get where anyone thinks they should argue this.

[flaminicecube]

It doesn't worry everyone that just one customer service person seems to be agreeing with this?
Are we going to be fighing for trial sizes just because the coupons scans?
They tell the cashier to read the coupons and use them correctly.
I don't get where anyone thinks they should argue this.
The person that is responding to our emails is the Director of Customer Service and can email individual stores with issues. They do want us to continue to shop there, and even though we don't shop like normal shoppers, they think that we do(normal shoppers don't go all over to shop, just one store for everything/if they need something they get it even if it's overpriced at that store that they shop).
I believe that even though times are tough, they want loyal, happy customers who will come back.

[daniellematis]

Ok but why do you think it is reasonable to ask for them to not enforce one of the coupons restrictions?
In the end that is what we are talking about.

[AmyRD]

Ok but why do you think it is reasonable to ask for them to not enforce one of the coupons restrictions?
In the end that is what we are talking about.

If it is "their" policy to not stop the double then how are WE asking them to not do what the coupon says. I think you are missing the point of this whole thread. The bottom line is GE does not want them to stop the double on these. All we are doing is trying to get customer service to have stores follow their policy on this.

The DND portion of the coupon only affects the store. IT is a bit crazy for manufacturers to even put it on the coupon since they do not reimburse the double anyway. IT is the store that eats the cost of the double and if it is their policy to do this on all coupons then they should do it.

[PittsGirl]

The manufacturer putting DND on the coupons is just a way to give the stores an "out" if they want to take it. GE has decided not to take that "out" & will not stop coupons from doubling. That is their corporate policy.

This link explains a lot Extreme Couponer 101: Coupon Redemption :: Southern Savers (http://www.southernsavers.com/2009/01/extreme-couponer-101-coupon-redemption/) Neekyme originally posted this link somewhere. I saved it because it is a very interesting read.

[daniellematis]

If it is "their" policy to not stop the double then how are WE asking them to not do what the coupon says. I think you are missing the point of this whole thread. The bottom line is GE does not want them to stop the double on these. All we are doing is trying to get customer service to have stores follow their policy on this.

The DND portion of the coupon only affects the store. IT is a bit crazy for manufacturers to even put it on the coupon since they do not reimburse the double anyway. IT is the store that eats the cost of the double and if it is their policy to do this on all coupons then they should do it.There is no written policy on this. The OP even said the written policy is unclear. What we have is a customer service person making a judgement call. Not an official policy.

Now the reason manufactures put DND on some coupons is just so cherry pickers like us don't go in and wipe out the stores getting freebies. They know the stores regular price and sale price. They also negotiate sale prices and I am sure they consider coupon drops in with the supply. A major store will be more likely to give a lower selling price in an area that doubles as long as they have piece of mind they will see some income on the product. Pleas do not remi g me they get the face value plus 8 cents.
The stores weekly sales get reported a a big fat zero for the week and that is how well a manager is doing is measured.
Just another question is anyone making an issue over regular insert coupons or are all of these over IP's? A huge issue with store refusing IP's to begin with was over the high value. Don't you think they agreed to put DND just so more stores would take them?

And I get the the point of the thread I just don't get the logic behind it.

[neekyme]

But there is a written policy on Double Coupons for Giant Eagle:


DOUBLE COUPONS
From time to time we may choose to offer double value on manufacturers’ coupons. The guidelines are:
• Manufacturers’ coupons are doubled only with your Giant Eagle Advantage Card.®
• Redeem any manufacturer’s coupon with a valid expiration date, worth up to and including the stated amount (for example .99¢), clipped from newspapers, magazines or received by mail and we’ll double the savings. Coupons worth more than the stated amount will be redeemed at face value only.
• Items must be purchased at the time of redemption.
• Limit one manufacturer’s coupon per item(s) purchased as stated on the coupon.
• Cigarettes, tobacco and milk or any other items prohibited by law are excluded from this offer.
• Not valid on free coupons or Giant Eagle coupons.
• The value of the doubled coupon cannot exceed the price of the item(s).
• You must purchase product in sizes specified on the coupon.
• This offer applies only to manufacturer products “cents-off” coupons for items and sizes we carry.

Policy may change without notice~ We reserve the right to limit the number of coupons used

No where does it say they won't double those coupons which state Do Not Double. They say that "ANY manufacturer’s coupon with a valid expiration date, worth up to and including the stated amount (for example .99¢), clipped from newspapers, magazines or received by mail and we’ll double the savings"

Their policy state ANY coupons up to the amount stated in the store's policy will be doubled - and their registers are set up to double all coupons beginning with a 5. If manu's wanted to be sure that the store was not doubling their coupons, they'd start with a 9 - as are the blinkie coupons you find in GEs - which was most likely negotiated by/with GE to be that way. And occasionally you do find insert qs that start with a 9, but I've heard that the DND wording on some coupons is there to cover the manu's behind so a store doesn't expect the company to reimburse them if they double the coupon.

Either way - for whatever reason - the policy states ANY, and as a customer, I would expect ANY mq coupon to be doubled. As a couponer though, I understand that a coupon coded with a starting 9 is actually coded as a store coupon and won't double.

I just feel it's a plus for GE to honor all mqs to double though - many many many times in the past before I knew about 5s and 9s, I would use a 75c DND-5 coupon at Walmart instead of GE, not realizing that it would double. Walmart is usually 50c-1$ per item cheaper than GE...so if GE doesnt double it to $1.50 it's worth more to me to go across the street to Walmart and getting about the same savings there with the straight 75c coupon.

[AmyRD]

There is no written policy on this. The OP even said the written policy is unclear. What we have is a customer service person making a judgement call. Not an official policy.

Now the reason manufactures put DND on some coupons is just so cherry pickers like us don't go in and wipe out the stores getting freebies. They know the stores regular price and sale price. They also negotiate sale prices and I am sure they consider coupon drops in with the supply. A major store will be more likely to give a lower selling price in an area that doubles as long as they have piece of mind they will see some income on the product. Pleas do not remi g me they get the face value plus 8 cents.
The stores weekly sales get reported a a big fat zero for the week and that is how well a manager is doing is measured.
Just another question is anyone making an issue over regular insert coupons or are all of these over IP's? A huge issue with store refusing IP's to begin with was over the high value. Don't you think they agreed to put DND just so more stores would take them?

And I get the the point of the thread I just don't get the logic behind it.

The woman others have spoken with is the Director of Customer Service. That to me is not just "some customer service person." When I hear the title director to me that is the person in charge of customer service and is more than qualified to make decisions on this.

And as neekyme states in the above post the policy says ANY. IF GE really did not want all coupons doubled believe me it would say so. IF the manufacturer really did not want them to double then they would be coded 9. End of story and no one would get them doubled. Dont you find it interesting that GE registers just double them? Are you making sure that all yours that say DND are not doubled?

I do not have a problem with this topic personally because:

1)The person others have spoken to on this is a person high up in the company and it seems the store managers know who she is

2) If the coupon is coded a 5 and the register doubles it then it is fine.

3) I do not see in their double coupon policy anything that states the cashier should NOT double them.

4) It is not up to me to decide what is right or wrong on this when we have confirmation from the Director of Customer Service that the double should not be prevented.

IF someone has an issue with this topic and feels that doubling DND coupons is wrong then go ahead and have them stop the doubling. For me, I am ok with it and will take the savings given to me. You have to do what YOU feel comfortable with.

[daniellematis]

They cannot block the 5's from doubling or else no coupon will double
and I remeber that time when they did not.
I guess I am happy with all the advantages I get from the flaws in the system. I would never go and point one out so corperate can "fix" it.
If Giant Eagle wanted to double all coupons then they could program registers to double 9s, but yet they didn't. Why aren't we arguing that?

[kkaye76]

I've never had any problems at either the Willowick or Willoughby Hills store as far as doubling the DND Qs.. I was worried about it at first when I first started using Qs.. but I never pay it any attention anymore.
My biggest beef at GE is some of those folks behind the register are serious control freaks.. They eagle eye each & every single coupon & dates..
I usually have 100% lagit Qs, but occationally a blooper will sneak in.. (like a catalina that expired 1 or 2 days before.. ) you'd think I was stealing the Queens Jewels..