Meijer MealBox issue....One and Done?

[kval07]

Went to Meijer today and bought six Old El Paso seasoning packets and two Lysol wipes. I used 2 B2G1 seasoning free, $1/2 Lysol wipes mfc, and $1/2 MMB.

Everything scanned perfect until that stupid MMB coupon. It asked for assistance, uscan person came over and punched in their code. It showed up as CM promo .00, but did not reduce my total by the $1. I pointed that out and when she looked closer, asked me what that $1 that already came off was for. Explained it was a mfc coupon, and then she proceeded to preach to me an incorrect coupon policy, stating I couldn't combine the two. I of course didn't have my binder with me to provide the blurb that prints when you print the coupons so had no defense.

She asked the other uscan cashier who axed pushing it through on the same basis. I disputed it and then the new excuse was that it had already been used, that's why it didn't deduct the $1. They quoted some four page memo on "one and done" coupons. They went on and on until finally I snapped and told them, "look, I know more about Meijer's coupon policy than you do, so just give me my coupon back and I'll get my dollar at CS."

Of course the went and called them as soon as they turned around to "warn" them about me, lol. Get there and as soon as I mention I want my dollar they say its a one and done coupon. I told them I wasn't leaving the counter until I got my dollar or until I got a copy of the four page memo everyone just got. And everyone got it because FOUR different people mentioned they just got it. After about ten minutes I got my dollar when the cashier was gracious enough to "push it through just this time." I left my name and number for the customer service manager.

Got home and called corporate and explained the situation. I got clarification that "one and done" refers to emailed coupons. The girl said that it must be a store issue, since the same situation happened yesterday. (The cashier forced it through no problem.) I told her I had to respectfully disagree since it is happening at all Meijer stores. I told her that a lot of people are upset and complaining about it on a coupon forum I am on. She sounded shocked and typed up on email to advertising explaining the problem while I was on the phone. She told me they have no printed coupon policy to email me, but that someone at the store would have one for me. (Contradicting the store...) Before she transferred me to the customer service manager, I asked for a call back or a follow up which she said was no problem. She was really nice and understanding.

Got on the phone with the CS manager at my store who had already been briefed that I was using a one and done coupon. Her interpretation was that each person may only print one MMB coupon. If you print two of the same, the computer will recognize that you already printed/used one because of the barcode and not take off the amount. Using her logic, I told her that because I printed that Lysol coupon here in Michigan, all you guys in OH are SOL. Duh, that makes no sense. It took ten minutes to get that point across. So then it was decided that her cashiers don't know the difference between a MMB and a one and done coupon (something emailed with a different code so you can't forward, etc.)

Then my next thing was to clarify if they follow Meijer's policy of allowing the combination of a mfc and a MMB. Yes. Okay, so why do your cashiers not know that? They JUST read a four page memo, right! She said she would pass that along after I explained that when I print coupons from Meijer's website it tells me I can.

My next issue was why in the world are her cashiers so confident about their knowledge of the coupon policy when they so obviously have no clue? (I gotta give them credit for really believing in what they were saying though, lol.) I told her I don't work at Meijer, and never have, but I knew more about the policy than all four people I spoke to at her store today, who all preached that four page memo like it was the gospel. And that is employee only information, so I can't have a copy of that either. I wasn't going to fight that battle though. I told her I have a lot of good coupon experiences at her store, but the few who make it up as they go along make it really frustrating. She promised to pass it all along to her employees. We'll see.

I then asked what the procedure was for coupons that scan but don't lower the total. She said, oh, the cashier should just handle that right there or if the customer notices after the transaction is done, they can go to CS. No kidding! I tried that today and it was a mess.

Any who, if anyone axes your MMB coupons as "one and done" now you know what they are talking about. I was going to email the MMB coordinator but when the woman at corporate said she would email advertising, I figured I'd wait on a response.

Sorry for the mouthful.

[maggiew]

I've emailed Meijer before.
They are soooo in denial about their coupon problems.

[JulieK]

Please don't stone me but.....Did you look at your total before you scanned the mealbox? The mealbox coupons that I have been using have been deducting the amount and then asking for cashier assistance. Then they come over and OK it and the amount will not go down again because it was already taken off. You have to look at the pinpad to see that the amount came off because the screen of the uscan will go to the assistance screen.

Are you saying that your manuacturer's coupon attached to the product on your receipt? My manufacturer's coupons are shown after all of the items purchased and before the total. The only coupons that attach to the products at my stores are the mealbox coupons.

ETA-I just reread that part of your post and read it the first time that it attached to the product. I see that you didn't say that.

If you print two of the same, the computer will recognize that you already printed/used one because of the barcode and not take off the amount.

I think she meant that the computer/register will only take off one per order not that it's a one time use coupon. Like when you use on of the coupons from the Meijer/Kraft booklets that say one per transaction it will only take off one coupon regardless of how many are scanned. I think some of the frozen food coupons also say one per family/transaction and might not take off more than one. That's probably what she was talking about.

The mealbox coupons are becoming a huge pain so I understand your frustration.

[kval07]

Please don't stone me but.....Did you look at your total before you scanned the mealbox? The mealbox coupons that I have been using have been deducting the amount and then asking for cashier assistance. Then they come over and OK it and the amount will not go down again because it was already taken off. You have to look at the pinpad to see that the amount came off because the screen of the uscan will go to the assistance screen.

Are you saying that your manuacturer's coupon attached to the product on your receipt? My manufacturer's coupons are shown after all of the items purchased and before the total. The only coupons that attach to the products at my stores are the mealbox coupons.

ETA-I just reread that part of your post and read it the first time that it attached to the product. I see that you didn't say that.

I think she meant that the computer/register will only take off one per order not that it's a one time use coupon. Like when you use on of the coupons from the Meijer/Kraft booklets that say one per transaction it will only take off one coupon regardless of how many are scanned. I think some of the frozen food coupons also say one per family/transaction and might not take off more than one. That's probably what she was talking about.

The mealbox coupons are becoming a huge pain so I understand your frustration.

Yes, I watched the total like a hawk because of all the issues I've been reading about on here. The same thing happened on Thursday when I went through the regular line. While the cashier was scanning them in, my eyes were glued to the total. I looked before scanning the coupon and saw a $5.50 total. Scanned it. Uscan cashier came over and pushed it through. Still $5.50. That's how this whole thing came about.

Both women told me that a MMB was a one time use coupon, no matter how many print off from the website.

[Frugal Bee]

How do they know how many times you used the coupon before if you pay cash? Some of the MMB coupons do not work even one time on the order like the lysol coupons I tried to use yesterday. I have been overcharged by $7-10 a week by not getting credit for my coupons both MMB and manufacturer's coupons. I'm beginning to wonder if the easiest way to save $500 a year on groceries is just to shop at Kroger instead.

[kval07]

How do they know how many times you used the coupon before if you pay cash? Some of the MMB coupons do not work even one time on the order like the lysol coupons I tried to use yesterday. I have been overcharged by $7-10 a week by not getting credit for my coupons both MMB and manufacturer's coupons. I'm beginning to wonder if the easiest way to save $500 a year on groceries is just to shop at Kroger instead.

That's the whole point, they don't. I had to explain that for 10 minutes to the CS manager at my store. If all the MMB coupons have the same exact barcode, there is no secret, magic way for the register to decide if it has been used before. She kept insisting that yes, the register does know. They don't know the difference between a MMB and an emailed person specific coupon.

I can't burn my bridges since Kroger is way to expensive for my taste. Their ads suck.