News Story: Target Accused Of Ripping Off Coupon Users

[kval07]

Saw this article in Totally Target's email. I don't remember what her user name is here...

Target Accused Of Ripping Off Coupon Users - wcco.com

Aug 24, 2010 6:02 pm US/Central
Target Accused Of Ripping Off Coupon Users

(WCCO) Amy Gunderson, of Oakdale, said she started noticing that Target stores weren't redeeming her coupons to the full amount.
CBS

Amy Gunderson has four good reasons to clip coupons -- her kids.

"I have two in college this year, and I'm going back, and I'll have another one starting college next year, and one two years after that," Gunderson said.

The Oakdale mom started clipping coupons last year. She wasn't alone. According to Inmar, a transaction processing firm, coupon use jumped 27 percent in 2009.

Back in June, Gunderson started noticing something strange when she shopped at Target. She wasn't getting the full value listed on some of her coupons.

"At first I thought, 'What the heck?' So you know, I went a couple more times, and I had great cashiers. They fixed it for me. They hadn't seen it before either, so they didn't know what they were looking at," she said.

She shopped around and found she had the same problem at other Target stores but not at other retailers.

Gunderson complained in person and on the phone and even started talking to other coupon clippers she met online. She found out she wasn't the only one getting shorted at Target.

"It's happened across the country," she said. "Across Minnesota, different stores. It's not just local. It's not just at the Targets here."

It wasn't an easy decision for Gunderson to talk about Target coupon problems. She didn't want to get the retailer in trouble.

"If one time, someone would have said, 'We're aware that there is a problem, and we're trying to fix it, I would have been, 'You know what? That's fine. I will keep an eye on it until it's fixed,'" she said.

That never happened.

"It's just frustrating to go up to customer service, and they're all very nice, no one's ever rude," she said. However, "it's always the first time they've heard of it."

On Monday, Gunderson had a coupon for $4 off if she bought 10 Weight Watchers Smart Ones meals. A WCCO-TV crew went along with her to the North St. Paul Target to redeem that coupon. Her receipt shows -- Target only took $1.99 off her bill, not $4.

"It all adds up, and they'll get the full four dollars," she said.

Gunderson's advice to Target shoppers: Look closely or risk getting ripped off.

"If you're not paying attention," she said, "you're not getting the value of the coupon you're submitting."

Target said it didn't know about the coupon problem until WCCO called them. Reached by phone on Monday afternoon, Target spokesperson Jenn Glass said, "We are working on a fix. We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused our guests. They can certainly return to a store with receipts if they didn't receive the complete coupon amount."

When asked if Target received the extra coupon money that customers weren't getting, Glass said she could not comment.

Paula Engelking, Producer
Contact Paula

[Jen1]

wow. Hopefully this will now correct the problem.

[JoesWife]

I didn't realize this was a common problem. I had this happen to me at a Target we passed by while traveling this past week (I think Tennessee). It was an IP for 1.00/6 Earths Best Foods. Each jar was .77 & when the Q was scanned it only took off .77 Fortunately I saw it before I paid & they fixed it....

[kval07]

HCW and concernedshopper made the video:

Target Accused Of Ripping Off Coupon Users

[meagansmom]

This is the first I have heard of this issue. I rarely shop at Target it is quite a drive for me.

[clippyclippy]

I posted a while back about coupons scanning and making the appropriate little beep, but then not showing up at all on the receipt.

This never happens at other stores. Everywhere else I can rely on counting the beeps as they scan, and being satisfied that they got them all.

At Target, I have to count the coupons on the receipt before I leave the store. Far too often, I have to go back and claim missed coupon value.

It's ridiculous. What have they programmed into those computers to make them do stuff like that??

[thorrocks1]

I have had this happen to me .. Now I give the cashier 1 coupon at a time and watch the screen to make sure the correct amount is deducted .. the cashiers get annoyed, the people behind me get annoyed, but I work hard to get my deals and want every PENNY taken off .. :o)

[Doglover8180]

This exact thing has been happening to me for some time.... I just wonder how many times it happened before I started noticing. And the woman is 100% right - Target will get reimbursed for the full $4 from the manufacturer - yet they did not pass those savings on to the customer... They knew of the problem - they chose not to fix it - it put alot more money in their pocket by not fixing it.

[jlaske5140]

I have been saying this for sometime now, I even got into an argument with the Manager at my Target. Target had to be aware becuase at the end of the night the registers would not balance.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

Sounds like they are tying each coupon to one item. So if the coupon is for $4.00/10 Weight Watchers Smart Ones, it is taking off $1.99 the price of one of the Weight Watchers Smart Ones. So their registers are not registering on the "off 4 part'

Hopefully they can fix that in their registers.