Target has done it again.....

[blah1977]

I was so aggravated yesterday. SC Johnson Wax has new printables for Pledge, Scrubbing Bubbles, and Shout. I was overly excited.....about the Pledge and the Shout.

I went to Target yesterday to use the Shout coupon and the cashier refused to except it, because it would make the item free. I explained to her that she could take it, Target's Coupon Policy states that they will adjust the price of the coupon so there is no overage. Which if you ask me is a scam....because I bet they redeem the coupon for full value, but that is a different issue all together. So she called over the supervisor and she asked the cashier to scan it and see if the register would take it...my luck it didn't. So then the supervisor stated that she wouldn't accept the coupon. At this point I am seeing red (no that was not a cheap shot at their lovely décor :p).

So I asked to speak to with the store manager, whose name is Dennis. She stated she would call another lady who she claimed was the manager on duty...the same lady she spent 5-10 minutes laughing and giggling with at the front while the cashier rang up other "guests". I explained to her that I did not want to speak with her and I wanted to speak with the manager...she gave me a look and said well she is who you have to speak with because she is the manager on duty. I was furious...so I left and told them I would be contacting the corporate office.

When I got home, I called the store manager. He was somewhat nice and he half-heartily apologized for the incident...but then went on say that his cashiers are no longer allowed to override coupons, especially printable ones, because of coupon fraud. He also went into an elaborate speech about how his store has been victim to coupon fraud on numerous occasions and has lost hundreds of dollars a month in the past, because they accepted the invalid coupons. I began to get the sense that he wasn't justifying his employees actions...he was making his case against accepting my coupons. I told him that I understood his position, but my coupons were valid and I wasn't trying to defraud his store. I ended the conversation and felt as though nothing was accomplished.

I also contacted corporate. The lady on the phone said that the store has the right to refuse the coupon if the check out register doesn't accept it...the store doesn't have to override the coupon. Which to me this whole ordeal makes no sense, I was using a valid coupon, purchasing the item for which the coupon was intended and the corporate office is telling me, they can refuse to take any manufacturer’s coupon regardless of their corporate coupon policy.

To me this whole thing makes NO SENSE…have I said that enough time already….I am still baffled by the whole incident. At first, I thought it was just my local Target which has several team members that the power of team leader has gone to their heads...but it appears from surfing several message boards that I am not a minority. I do not like to be treated like I am below average intelligence. I love couponing. I get stuff for free or super cheap following the rules...I do not have to resort to underhanded criminal behavior to get bargains.
Target is a national retail chain that has a ton of resources. The store should use their resources to train employees. There are numerous steps Target could take to train their employees about how to check a printable coupon to ensure its validity. In addition, they should be able to pull up the website that is on the bottom of the coupon to see if that manufacturer is offering that promotion.
Plus, I do not think that the store manager or the customer service lady understand the impact of treating honest customers like this. What I wish they could grasp is not their intent but the impact of their actions. They can claim their INTENT wasn’t to offend me or imply that I was a criminal, but to prevent any further loss to their store…but they did offend me and give me the impression that they did not trust me. They need to look at how their actions IMPACT the customer, not their intent. Target will only hurt themselves, if they continue to treat customers this way.

[couponcrazy5950]

...I also contacted corporate. The lady on the phone said that the store has the right to refuse the coupon if the check out register doesn't accept it...the store doesn't have to override the coupon. Which to me this whole ordeal makes no sense, I was using a valid coupon, purchasing the item for which the coupon was intended and the corporate office is telling me, they can refuse to take any manufacturer’s coupon regardless of their corporate coupon policy.

This part of your post really disturbs me. The checkout register won't automatically accept ANY coupon, whether IP or paper insert, that has a value greater than the item you are purchasing!

I am seeing more & more of this type of post about Target on this board and I am astounded at some of the answers that people are getting from corporate. I am fortunate that I have at least 1 Target which is (mostly) coupon problem free but after reading some posts on this site, it's starting to make me nervous! I like Target and I don't want to stop liking them. I hope you told corporate that you will no longer be a customer due to this problem.

[blah1977]

I know I love Target too...I guess this is why I am so upset about the incident. The one good thing is I contacted SC Johnson Wax. I just got their reply....they said the would send me pre-printed coupons for the products.

[Mothernature]

The problem with Target is their corporate offices and the poor training at the store level. Instead of handling the fraud coupon from last year properly, the chain is offending customers to the point they swear off the store.

Target has already begun to lay employees off. This attitude is retail suicide.

[mygood4tune]

This attitude is retail suicide.

ITA with this statement. Companies just don't realize how much this can effect them. If you treat me like a criminal, I'm not likely to want to come back. There are MANY other stores to shop in.....stores that happily take my money AND my coupons and don't treat me like I'm on the FBIs most wanted list. It's not like Target has cornered the market on good deals. I got fed up with "my" Target several months ago and literally have only been back once since last spring. I haven't missed them.

Sorry you had to deal with this. :sad:

[Devstar]

Yes Target has really gotten too big for their britches. I had a Target HOME MAILER coupon for Scrubbing Bubbles and the very edge was torn off (where you open the mailer) so the very last bar on the bar code was missing and they denied it! Because "it wouldn't scan"! DUH key in the numbers! I was soooo disgusted. Their very own coupon that they mailed to me they would not accept! Just chalk it up on my list of tens of times Target has dropped the ball on "Guest Service"!
So what happens with legit manufacturer non-internet-printed coupons that are coded with zeros within the bar code for cashier verification? Or for free item coupons because they are coded to beep also for cashier intervention. They just don't take them? Stupid!
Maybe they can hire me to train them and their (at my store anyway) idiot airhead cashiers about coupons!

[amblnc38]

One day I'm going to make them go to the website on the IPs and check that it's valid while I'm standing there. And then politely tell them that if they wish to accuse me of fraud again they'd best be calling the police.

[purplefdu]

I agree, I haven't purchase much at Target lately, let alone with coupons as I don't wish to worry about the trouble. My store is usually ok about coupons, but I'm seriously starting to take note of where not to shop.

[kdphi_uh]

I really dislike Target. The last time I am this unsatisfied with a store, they closed down in our state.

[cjnelson]

SC Johnson was nice to mail you coupons but for them the real issue should be a retailer of their product is refusing their their coupons. This will cost them sales and in this economy bad. Manufacturers should be concerned about retailers and quality of customer service because it hurts their bottom line. We could choose a competitors product & Q not theirs.