Target: Darn those coupon haters!!

[kmcody0522]

So I was able to run into target today since I was was going to be in the area. (The closest target to me is an hour away) Well, as with any store I go to I always set my "game plan" and pair up my Q's so its easier for me to remember what I went there for and avoid handing the cashier an "unruly" stack of Q's.

Anyways I get to target with my 3 couponers in training and my fan folder and get the shopping under way. I pick up 2 bottles of kraft dressing and 3 100 calorie snack packs and realize I have 2 target bliss Q's. In the check out I grab 2 bliss bars and proceed to pay for my 2 small transactions.

The young cashier scans in all of my items in the first transaction, I give her my Q's and she looks at my bliss Q and decides she doesn't want to scan it in. I tell her that their aren't any restrictions as far as size, or weight are concerned so it should work. (Mind you I had already called target corp. to ask them a question in regards to the interpretation of a Target Q and was told that they should NOT only consider the item printed on the Q as that is "an example".)

Well the young cashier calls over some other women who its definatley NOT coupon friendly. The young cashier and coupon-hater #1 exchange some quiet words, and then coupon-hater #1 looks up at me and says "oh i dont think so".

My 3 couponers in training are getting upset at this point because of the hold-up and I'm getting stressed not only because the kids are upset, but because there is a line behind me and I feel like I'm being sent to the principals office.

As I'm trying to calm down my girls, coupon-hater #2 walks up holding my Target Q, and approaches the check out isle I'm at. He then proceeds to tell me that if the coupon wont scan they can't take it. I said "Wait a minute, she didn't even try to scan the coupon to begin with." The young cashier looks at me and admits that she didn't and says that she didn't scan it because it was for the candy bar and it would have made it free.

Coupon-hater #2 looks at the Q again and flips it over and says, "Where did you even get this Q anyway". With a tab bit of attitude I piped back "I got that Q from YOUR website." He rolled his eyes at me and told me he was positive that I didn't get it from their site and he wanted me to go over to their computers to PROVE it.

At that point I knew I had him by the "circle with a dot in it"!! I proudly paid a little over $1.90 for all my items minus the candy and with shoulders back proceed over to his computer to prove him wrong and coupon-hater #1 following close behind.

Now Ill admit, I was nervous because I'd never printed Q's off at the store, just from my home.. with my hand shaking I pushed the down arrow to find the blissful hershey candy button and the Q pops up. SCORE!! I back away from the computer and let him SEE for himself. Coupon-hater #2 huffs and prints it off, I then asked again if he would call Target Corp.

Soooooo.... here I am at customer service with my girls crying because they wanted their candy and a nice gentleman at the desk gives them pens and paper to color with. A very nice guy. Coupon-hater #2 is on the phone with Target Corp and I hear him talkin about how ridiculous it is that there are no specifications on the Q and etc etc.

At the end of all the situation, coupon-hater #2 tells me that I was right and he would check me out and I'd get my 2 free bliss bars but that Target loses money on the deal and blah blah blah.

So here's what I said: I told him that I appreciated Target making printable coupons available to me and that I wasn't going to argue over chocolate, but that I wanted him to realize I knew the rules and I knew how to use a coupon correctly and that my actions in his store were within the stipulations printed on the coupon and the policy at Target. I didn't want anyone to "lose money" so I wasn't going to take the bars.

He was shocked, probly because I put up a fight trying to prove I was right and in the end didn't take them.

coupon hater #2 ended up buying a bag of bliss candies for my girls... I think because he felt bad. And I still got my free chocolate

Sorry for it being so long but I needed to tell someone that might understand... this is the first time anything like this has happened, and my skin has just grown thicker!!

[tessanoel74]

Oh my! Good for you for standing up for all couponers out there! I hope they all learned their lesson at that store!

[dwshrty77roc]

Thanks for standing up for what was right. So how did hater #1 & #2 look with all that egg on their faces

[kmcody0522]

Thanks for standing up for what was right. So how did hater #1 & #2 look with all that egg on their faces

hater #1 was none too pleased, I could see the steam coming out of her ears as I walked out the door!! #2 I think he truly was surprised at how "educated" I was, but I can't take credit for that, it's all thanks to everyone at HCW!!

[lvn777]

lordy i had a similar experience today not even going to go into a long story make it short i spent over and hour and 20 minutes on the phone with three seprate peeps thru corporate and they stated that it is up to each individual store on what they choose to do with their coupon policy-I swear to the almighty I will NEVER step back foot in a Target so long as I live

[Karylina]

I had the same problem with the Bliss candy bars. I called corp. twice and was told that the cashier is to adjust the price. Well I went back today and the manager decided to limit how many coupons I could use. As for if the coupon does not scan, corp. said that the cashier is to manually input the coupon. If that doesnt work, then they cannot accept the coupon. I really am over Target. I dont understand why they offer these coupons and when you try and use them, there is nothing but problems. I really dont think I will be back to Target!!!

[thickie]

I am so glad you stood up for yourself! Target really pits us and the staff against each other by a) not being clear in their wording (and photos) on their own coupons b) making such confusing coupons almost unscanable at their own store c) not having a real policy set (you know, blah blah but it's up to the local store manager's discretion) d) not teaching their staff how to interpret their own coupons but moreover, how to provide appropriate customer service to us. I agree that 1 (or 20) free Bliss candy bars aren't worth the fight, but our integrity as legitimate, law abiding couponers is worth it. Stand strong my friends!

[kmcody0522]

lordy i had a similar experience today not even going to go into a long story make it short i spent over and hour and 20 minutes on the phone with three seprate peeps thru corporate and they stated that it is up to each individual store on what they choose to do with their coupon policy-I swear to the almighty I will NEVER step back foot in a Target so long as I live

I hear ya, I love the deals that I can get there, but not if is it really worth the headache I got when I was done. I did warn hater #2 I'd be back!!

Sorry you had a bad experience.

[amblnc38]

Most of the time corporate does this to clear out stock that's close to expiring anyhow, so it's counter to logic to argue that target is losing money on them. If corporate thought it was too much of a risk they wouldn't have given out the coupon. But then again I'm not much of a Target person anymore.

[JillaBreeze]

Amazing! You did very well! Target is hit or miss. I guess it just depends on the cashier. It's surprising how much we find ourselves fighting for our coupon's honor.