maybe Bi-Lo clerks need basic math skills to handle money.

[cpnmaniac44]

Item on sale B1G1 free for $1.91 = .955 each.
I had 7 coupons (store limit is 10) and 14 items.
I used a couple of the coupons on Thursday.
This time it was a different store but still through the self checkout.
This particular scanner had a sign "no credit".
I went there any way and after my order was rung up, I did not get the normal "do you have any coupons"?
I got a screen that had a coupon icon similar to the ones when you choose the type payment you'll be making, cash, etc.
So, I gave the attendant the coupons. He insisted that the coupons would create a negative balance. I knew different. He kept saying if the .75 is doubled it will cause a 55 cent negative balance since each item is .95. I said, no, the coupon is off two items and you are letting the .75 doubled count for only one item. There were two clerks and finally one decided to go ahead and scan them. BINGO, like magic, no negative balance but rather $3.39.

[hotpostalchick]

Ok, I'm not sure I follow completely but I know some of what your are trying to say. Were all 14 items the same item? If so, were your coupons .75c/2 or .75c/1? If the coupon was .75c off one item, I've not normally seen them take the rest of the doubled balance into a 2nd item (someone correct me if I'm wrong) but I suppose they could manually. The system (which they have just reprogrammed) more than likely see's it off one item and only doubles it to .95c off making the one item free. Had the coupons stated it was off 2 items there shouldn't be a hassle................ Also, Bilos coupon policy is 10 LIKE coupons doubled, not just 10 coupons period (just wanted to throw that in in case a newbie reads this. Don't want confusion.)

[cpnmaniac44]

from my thread........
I had 7 coupons (store limit is 10) and 14 items.
The coupons were .75/2 and the like coupon limit at Bi-Lo is 10 and the total limit may be 20, I never go that high on one visit, so not sure.
The clerk was thinking there was only 1 coupon per item. However, if that was true, why would I have 14 items?
If the coupon had been .75/1 and each item was .95, the double would have been .95 and not $1.50, so again the clerk was figuring a negative balance.
It is impossible for a negative balance because Bi-Lo does not give overage.
These were large coupons with .75/2 in big letters. It took awhile to convince the 2nd clerk to scan the 7 coupons and see if the balance went negative. Without looking, I said "is it $3.00 and something?" I got no answer. When I went back to the u-scan screen, the balance was $3.36.
Just a math error on the clerk's part and the more times he said a negative balance was a sure thing, the more he believed it.

[cpnmaniac44]

I should not have used that "no credit" scanner. I've always gotten asked "do you have any coupons?", but not on this particular scanner.
I had to select coupon from a screen that looked like all the different payment options. Using that way to scan coupons and my coupon beeped. It was a 5 and not expired and good on the correct item. Not sure why it did not scan unless that scanner was programmed in some way since credit cards could not be used there.
Sometimes uscans can be more hassle than regular checkout lines.

[uummm]

BiLo doesn't limit how many coupons they will double only the 10 LIKE coupons other than that you can do as many as you want in a transaction. I have used way over 50 coupons that doubled before. That is one reason I kinda like BiLo-but for me it is so out of the way. It was great when they tripled I could do as many as I wanted..which might be why they don't do them anymore....

Curious as what were you were buying? I have some sweet sue Q I need to use up (only want the broth) and HT doesn't carry it anymore. I have 10 Q left and want to use them up before they expire (and test this whole we will not double when it doubles to make the item free reports). I was hopping to find some other reason to go there other than just the broth.

[cpnmaniac44]

BiLo doesn't limit how many coupons they will double only the 10 LIKE coupons other than that you can do as many as you want in a transaction. I have used way over 50 coupons that doubled before. That is one reason I kinda like BiLo-but for me it is so out of the way. It was great when they tripled I could do as many as I wanted..which might be why they don't do them anymore....

Curious as what were you were buying? I have some sweet sue Q I need to use up (only want the broth) and HT doesn't carry it anymore. I have 10 Q left and want to use them up before they expire (and test this whole we will not double when it doubles to make the item free reports). I was hopping to find some other reason to go there other than just the broth.

I was using .75/2 Mckensie's corn. The sale was $1.91 B1G1 free.

If Food Lion is successful in buying Bi-Lo, even doubles may be history.

If you expect all your 10 items to be free, pick up a couple bananas.
I've never had a Bi-Lo total owed be a negative number, only zero or some cents to cover the tax on the coupons.

[uummm]

I would (and never have) gone in and just gotten free items (even though tax is INSANE IN MECK COUNTY). I try and find something else to buy with coupons usually. I dont like to hand them 10 of the same Q all back to back. A lot of time it beeps after a few of a like coupon anyway.


And maybe this cashier knew some sort of special BiLo math and you are I are not aware of.

[cpnmaniac44]

A lot of time it beeps after a few of a like coupon anyway.

And maybe this cashier knew some sort of special BiLo math and you are I are not aware of.

I've suddenly gotten beeps on coupon 5 or 7, etc. but the clerks that get involved can clearly see all coupons are alike.

[uummm]

you might confuse others...they will say "what is HT?"

[mxmom99]

i've used coupons for free items (nothing else on my order) at my Bi-Lo before with no problems...there is no negative balance as there is tax on the full price of each item. not sure what the no credit register had to do with this if anything.

i don't know that i can argue with math skills of people anymore, seems no one can do mental math and i know for sure that cashiers at ALL stores are not properly trained before being let loose on a register. it sounds as tho you just had a cashier that wasn't properly trained in coupons. but he/she handled your money correctly?

[vickib50]

One time at Bi-Lo, I was checked out by someone who must have been a new cashier. I gave her my money and the register told her to give me $2.34 back in change. She stood there and stared at the cash drawer a long time, then turned around to the next cashier and said, "What does 34 cents look like?"

I'm not kidding.

[mxmom99]

One time at Bi-Lo, I was checked out by someone who must have been a new cashier. I gave her my money and the register told her to give me $2.34 back in change. She stood there and stared at the cash drawer a long time, then turned around to the next cashier and said, "What does 34 cents look like?"

I'm not kidding.

wow...just wow....but honestly, who' fault is that?? it's bi-lo's for hiring someone with no money experience or at least training them to know what they are doing (and let's face it, money is NOT everyone's "thing"...i've known many intelligent people that didn't have a clue...)

[cpnmaniac44]

the ones I like are when I set them up. The price is $.96. I'll give them $1.00 and a nickel and a penny. (many other examples). Some, at first, will say "you gave me too much".
I'll hint that if they will enter the amount I gave into the computer, THE answer will be GIVEN to them, so they do not have to locate the answer in their mind.

I had a clerk the other day owe me 10 cents. In the drawer the pennies are on the right side, then the nickels, and then the dimes. I was given a penny and pennies are not next to the dimes to assume a careless error. They were puzzled until they reviewed the receipt, etc. and realized their error.

When buying things food or gas, I try to get rid of all my coins.
I've bought $17.44 in gas and give the clerk one $20 bill, 2 $1 bills and 44 cents. It confuses them most of the time. Change, by my calculator is a $5 bill.

Disclaimer: not trying to make fun of people on math, some find it hard, but some of it is basic, especially if they are accepting money and giving people change back. If they give someone too much change back, and more than once on their shift, they'll come up short and might be accused of stealing as they won't be able to explain how they came up short. No apology on this > service people need to be able to make change from a $1 on an 86 cent purchase.

[Maggie Soups]

Really fed up with Bi lo last night. I asked at customer services if they would take the $3 off $15 Riteaid and they said they would. I had it all planned out - husband was there too with a separate cart so I wouldn't get confused. Anyway when it came to the checkout they would not accept it and then they started to refuse other IPs and ordinary MQs!! I only had about 4 BIGI items ! I was very patient - the manager had to be called twice and he wasn't too pleased. Even husband said they are not very nice in there. We then went to Publix and had no problem with the $3 off $15. Is somebody trying to tell me something??

[cpnmaniac44]

wait until the parent company of Food Lion buys all the Bi-Lo stores!!!

My Food Lion stores have never doubled coupons and have limits on B1G1 free sales, among other issues.

[vickib50]

cpnmaniac44, I love your style! Giving pennies to round to a nickel is not too tough to understand. In fact, they don't even have to understand it. The register does all their thinking for them. Really, this is stuff I learned in grammar school. It doesn't take a genius to make change properly. Back in the day(oh, no, not one of those old codger stories!), I was a cashier at a store while in high school. The registers back then didn't tell you a stinking thing about how much money to give back (yes, I'm that old). My register always tallied.

My family tells me that I had a great-great uncle who never learned to read or write, but, if he worked in the field for someone picking produce, he could tell within a 1/2 cent what he was owed at the end of the day. He also used to walk from Tennessee to Oklahoma to live on the reservation, but, that's a different story.

[cpnmaniac44]

It happened to me again. My refund on a returned item was $5.23. I gave the clerk (5) $1 bills, wanting a $10.23 back in the form of coins and a $10 bill. This clerk hesitated and stared at the open drawer and finally asked ME what to do. I said I gave you the $5 extra so you could give me a $10 bill. Finally, it "hit home" and the transaction ended. I'm not trying to confuse them, but, as I do this from time to time I encounter "math trouble". Math is hard for some people no doubt, but basic math should be required for handling cash and as a last resort enter the amount in the register and it will reveal the change due. The more simple ones seem to stump clerks more, like I owe .96 and I give them $1 and a penny, to get a nickel back. That one should not be that hard. I've often be told, "you gave me too much."

[uummm]

I used to work at Wendy's back in the day and at the drive thru you had to be able to make change. There was one girl that was 2 years younger than myself and she could NEVER EVER make change she would have to have a calculator. What I found surprising (other than her lack of brains) was that they kept on assigning her to that register.
I know that that particular job is what made me REALLY good at being able to count change back quickly and correctly-but they are different now, with everything being computerized, all you have to do is put in the amount handed to you. It blows my mind the kids coming out of school, some with such a lacking of BASIC skills I just wonder how they are going to get through life!

[mxmom99]

aren't computers wonderful?? :giggle2: my 12 YO can count change back and calculate it in her head.

(well of course they can be...but yea, they really need to teach this kind of stuff just in case the power goes out...lol)

[vickib50]

My cousin works at Ace Hardware. She is not a cashier, but, is called upon to do cashier work if someone is on break or lunch. She insists on counting back the change to a customer. She doesn't just say, your change is $12.34. She counts back the change from a $20 bill. The other employees think she is crazy. Well, maybe they don't think she is crazy, but, they don't have any idea what she is doing. Ya'll can think I'm old school if you want to, but, I think being able to make change is basic. If an employee at McDonald's had to actually figure out your change, their heads would explode.

[Ggbwg]

This whole thread made my head explode, lol

[cpnmaniac44]

My cousin works at Ace Hardware. She is not a cashier, but, is called upon to do cashier work if someone is on break or lunch. She insists on counting back the change to a customer. She doesn't just say, your change is $12.34. She counts back the change from a $20 bill. The other employees think she is crazy. Well, maybe they don't think she is crazy, but, they don't have any idea what she is doing. Ya'll can think I'm old school if you want to, but, I think being able to make change is basic. If an employee at McDonald's had to actually figure out your change, their heads would explode.

she is not crazy, there are customers who will swear they did not get the right change back and the manager will have to change drawers and re-count everything. I worked for pizza hut and I was shorted by accident when the manager gave me my change back from paying for a pizza I just delivered. I never found out until the next day. That had to see if the drawers for the whole day came up short or over. If over $5.00 and I got shorted $3 they give to me.
Anyone who is a clerk should be wary of tricks to catch thiefs.
I was taught how to catch employees stealing money.
1. stick an extra $5 in the drawer, secretly. When the closing clerk or whoever, counts the days receipts and is $5.00 over when it is supposed to be perfectly zero if everything went right, they may take that $5 so it comes up even like it should.
2. remove an extra $5 secretly. Now when the shift is over they are going to be short $5.00. They will try to make up for it by maybe selling something and not ringing it up so they can stick $5 in the drawer to make it right.
Only you know that in these cases the drawer should not be dead even, they should be over or under $5.00. If the clerk's are honest they'll let it be over or under the $5.00 and your trick to catch them has failed.

I owned a business and had teens as employees. The only proof of a sale was a ching ching of the register. And tickets to play mini golf were supposed to be given to customers. I planted a microphone behind the register to "hear" the register being used. If more tickets were missing then register noises, they were caught. Or they sold single game tickets, did not give the ticket out and did not ring it up, so no evidence of the sale, except the tape recorder with the voices of a sale. One failed a lie detector test and the parents of the others refused to let their child take the test. Shame it had to get that far.

[vickib50]

I think that your scenarios are right on. It's a shame that it comes down to lie detector tests to learn the truth. I will say that when I was 16, they tried to give me a lie detector test (everyone was getting it, not just me) and the tester refused to give me the test because I was only 16. It never would have occurred to me to steal or give a customer a "break." I was such a "law and order" kid that I became a police officer!