Do you argue at the pay register to use a valid coupon?

[Pegasus]

I understand and accept when a coupon I try to use is rejected due to the fine print (different store location, wrong product size, specific exclusion, etc.)  However, I've recently hit a string of situations where the cashier rejects a perfectly valid coupon and I have to push to have it accepted. What bothers me is when the cashier makes statements that just aren't true:

 

--"All of your items are on sale and the coupon is only good for regular priced items." I stood there and separated out the items I chose that were sale items and items that weren't sale items. "Well, the regular priced items must be at least $30 for the coupon to be valid and your items aren't."  I easily met this requirement as well.

 

--"This coupon is only good on January 5, 2018."  I pointed out that it actually stated "Today through January 5, 2018."

 

Etc.

 

Are they counting on people not willing to push back?  Businesses shouldn't issue coupons unless they are willing to graciously accept them, IMHO. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

That's ridiculous.  I rarely have issues with coupons, but yeah I'd argue. 

 

 

[TheReader]

I have odd issues at Joann's pretty often, but their whole coupon/fine print system baffles me and unless it's a significant amount I just don't hassle with it. 

 

If it's significant, I definitely argue to get the discount. 

[historically accurate]

I've walked away from lots of stuff that should've been couponed within the last 6 months. I usually insist once, and then I leave the item if they don't accept it. It makes me mad enough that I go to the next store and buy it without the coupon. It does seem to happen more often recently.  Excuses I can recall: the picture doesn't match (even though the description does); it's only on regular price items (not stated anywhere on the coupon), last day of the coupon isn't accepted (November 30, 2017 is expiration date printed - that means November 29th is the last day you can use). 

[happi duck]

I don't think I argue but I do stand my ground.

 

If I was getting nowhere I'd jump out of line to speak to a manager.

 

Recently, at Barnes and Noble, I was exchanging (with a receipt) a damaged album for the same title. The cashier messed with the register and then told me the amount I would need to pay. Um. No. A damaged item is an even exchange. I had to refuse to pay and get a manager involved.

[Guest]

I have. I rarely use grocery coupons anymore though, just because it can be so hard to parse out the fine print that it’s just not worth the aggravation to me.

 

There was a time when I was at the Jiffy Lube and the coupon I had was from a non-mainstream source (one of those coupon booklets you can buy). It was perfectly legitimate in every way, but the clerk was disputing it because he didn’t have a cashier code for a $6 coupon, only their common $5 or $7. I did get frustrated and said, “Look, I’m not going to stand here and argue over a dollar, but the company puts out coupons, they should be prepared to honor them.†Finally, he just coded it as a $7 coupon for which he knew the code and called it good.

 

One thing that I see sometimes that upsets me is some elderly person trying to use coupons at Walmart (seems to always happen at Walmart) and the clerk is rejecting numerous coupons on the fine print. I believe it is legitimate fine print but it never seems to me like the customer understands the stipulations. They probably could not even actually SEE the fine print stipulations. It makes me sad.

[itsheresomewhere]

Yes (cough, cough Target).  Last time the cashier just looked at it and manually put it in.  The other times, I had to argue to get the coupon taken.  Most of these "rejected" coupons are on their app or on the expiring goods.  

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

I understand and accept when a coupon I try to use is rejected due to the fine print (different store location, wrong product size, specific exclusion, etc.)  However, I've recently hit a string of situations where the cashier rejects a perfectly valid coupon and I have to push to have it accepted. What bothers me is when the cashier makes statements that just aren't true:

 

--"All of your items are on sale and the coupon is only good for regular priced items." I stood there and separated out the items I chose that were sale items and items that weren't sale items. "Well, the regular priced items must be at least $30 for the coupon to be valid and your items aren't."  I easily met this requirement as well.

 

--"This coupon is only good on January 5, 2018."  I pointed out that it actually stated "Today through January 5, 2018."

 

Etc.

 

Are they counting on people not willing to push back?  Businesses shouldn't issue coupons unless they are willing to graciously accept them, IMHO. 

 

Are you shopping at a Shoprite, by any chance? They are famous for wanting to portray themselves as coupon friendly but actually being incredibly miserable to deal with. And they're often owned by individual owners or groups, so they're never all on the same page as the corporate office, It's very frustrating. 

[itsheresomewhere]

Are you shopping at a Shoprite, by any chance? They are famous for wanting to portray themselves as coupon friendly but actually being incredibly miserable to deal with. And they're often owned by individual owners or groups, so they're never all on the same page as the corporate office, It's very frustrating. 

 

Shoprite- the place where you have to educate them on their own policies.  

[Ottakee]

This is one reason I shop Aldi. No coupons, no weird sales, just quick in and out.

[cintinative]

I used to coupon a lot more and when I did that I would occasionally encounter a salesperson who just had no idea what they were doing.  Now that there are no double coupons to be found anywhere and no real "store" coupons where we live, I find that it just rarely is an issue. I am sorry you had this issue. 

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

Shoprite- the place where you have to educate them on their own policies.  

 

Ha! Seriously. I pretty much stopped shopping there years ago after the front end manager basically accused me of stealing when I was trying to use coupons within their own policy. 

[Crimson Wife]

Whether I head over to Customer Service to argue with the manager vs. let it go depends on the discount in question.

 

I won't hold up a line arguing over coupons because I think that is horribly rude to the customers behind me. Whenever I'm stuck behind someone arguing with the cashier I'm tempted to plop down the difference in question and tell them to STFU already.

[OneStepAtATime]

1.  If the coupon is only for a few cents I discuss it and if they press the issue I either take the item anyway if I really need it or I leave it, asking them to read the fine print next time.  I don't feel right holding up a long line of customers over a few cents.

2.  If the coupon is for more than a few cents or if it is a dispute over multiple coupons and I am certain I am in the right I ask them to read aloud what the coupon said.  If they still think I'm wrong and I know I am right I ask them to call a manager and I apologize to those in line behind me.  I do this primarily because I want them to know that if they print coupons there are those who are prepared to USE those coupons.  Put your discounts where your mouth is.  

 

Usually, though, if I show them how I am in the right they agree and process the coupon.  I only had to ask for a manager once and as soon as I did they reread it and agreed it was usable.

 

On a side note, I was in line once and the lady in front of me was kind enough to warn me that she had over 30 coupons to use so I moved to another lane.  My next lane was longer but I still got out sooner than she did.  There were several coupons the cashier disputed and the coupon woman had to keep proving she was right.  I appreciated her letting me know she had that many coupons in time for me to switch lanes.

[MEmama]

Hmmm. I recently bought the required number of product X at Target to warrant getting a $5 gift card, per the in store signage. The cashier couldn't find the promotion in the newspaper flier and didn't want to give me the card until she did. Typically they don't question and just give me the card if it doesn't come up automatically on the register, but she wanted to find it in the flier and was taking forever. I apologized to the person behind me and would have given up if she'd been annoyed, but instead she was annoyed FOR me and agreed I should stand my ground. Eventually a manager came by and told the cashier to just give me the card already so it worked out.

 

It's happened enough times there that from now on I'll start taking a photo of the signage, just to help make things easier. I'm sure the cashiers aren't told about 90% of the promotions at any given time.

[Alice]

I very rarely do because I worked as a grocery store cashier one summer. I hated it and hated coupons and people who argued with me. I was a just graduated from college student who really could care less if people got discounts or not. I remember one man in particular who berated me about an ice cream coupon that was for a different brand than what he was trying to buy (he thought he could use the coupon but it was for a different brand). Grocery store cashier was a whole new world for me. I never knew people cared so deeply about paper vs. plastic (or the super special people that wanted paper inside of plastic). Or everyone had their own specific way of wanting things rung up and bagged and everyone is sure that their way is not only the right way but the most obvious way and that I was an idiot for not knowing it. Yeah, it was a tough summer. 

 

I’m not saying that people who argue are wrong or mean, just that I tend to feel bad for the cashier. If anything, I would be likely to not buy the thing if I really thought I was right rather than to argue about it. 

[Sandwalker]

I very rarely do because I worked as a grocery store cashier one summer. I hated it and hated coupons and people who argued with me. I was a just graduated from college student who really could care less if people got discounts or not. I remember one man in particular who berated me about an ice cream coupon that was for a different brand than what he was trying to buy (he thought he could use the coupon but it was for a different brand). Grocery store cashier was a whole new world for me. I never knew people cared so deeply about paper vs. plastic (or the super special people that wanted paper inside of plastic). Or everyone had their own specific way of wanting things rung up and bagged and everyone is sure that their way is not only the right way but the most obvious way and that I was an idiot for not knowing it. Yeah, it was a tough summer.

 

I’m not saying that people who argue are wrong or mean, just that I tend to feel bad for the cashier. If anything, I would be likely to not buy the thing if I really thought I was right rather than to argue about it.

I had a young grocery store cashier tell me the other day that I was so "chill" because when he asked how I wanted the food bagged,I just said "Shove it in those bags." And pointed to my reusable bags. He said,"Wow most people want frozen in one, produce in another... " I just said,"It's all going to the same kitchen ." I guess because I don't buy meat or dairy, and my bags are washable, I don't really care. I just want to get out of the store. I also have my card ready to chip/swipe before the cashier is done. Why people seem surprised when the total is given and THEN open their purse and dig around for their wallet, I have no idea. Did they think it was free today? /rant

 

If I (rarely) have a coupon and the cashier doesn't accept it, I'd go to the customer service counter after ringing up.

[Crimson Wife]

I very rarely do because I worked as a grocery store cashier one summer. I hated it and hated coupons and people who argued with me. I was a just graduated from college student who really could care less if people got discounts or not. I remember one man in particular who berated me about an ice cream coupon that was for a different brand than what he was trying to buy (he thought he could use the coupon but it was for a different brand). Grocery store cashier was a whole new world for me. I never knew people cared so deeply about paper vs. plastic (or the super special people that wanted paper inside of plastic). Or everyone had their own specific way of wanting things rung up and bagged and everyone is sure that their way is not only the right way but the most obvious way and that I was an idiot for not knowing it. Yeah, it was a tough summer. 

 

I’m not saying that people who argue are wrong or mean, just that I tend to feel bad for the cashier. If anything, I would be likely to not buy the thing if I really thought I was right rather than to argue about it. 

 

I don't think the checkout cashier is the person to argue with. If you really care THAT much about the discount, take your receipt over to the Customer Service desk and argue with THEM about giving you a refund for the amount you were overcharged.

 

[Tsuga]

I don't use coupons because my experiences with them are all pretty much like this. My time is worth more than that.

 

Couponing is nice in theory but the amount of detailed planning I need to put into it, I'd rather put into work which pays way, way more for above-and-beyond thinking, than Kroger's.

 

That said, if couponing was the best chance I had to save cash at a certain time I absolutely would take a stand. I did my reading, I did my collecting, give me my savings.

[xixstar]

Why people seem surprised when the total is given and THEN open their purse and dig around for their wallet, I have no idea. Did they think it was free today? /rant

 

I wonder if you or someone else has posted this before -- because I think of it all the time when I'm that person lately.

 

It's only at one store that I don't shop at as much anymore, and I can just assume that because I've used all my mental energy in shopping, unloading the cart in the order I want it bagged, making sure my bags are where they should be and that I entered my store number in the machine, that I feel like I've finally jumped all the hoops for shopping and can finally start to relax, and then there is a total and I'm standing there like an surprised looking idiot now grasping at my purse to pull out my card, which is, for some completely unknown reason, not in my purse. 

 

This was never me in years before but the past year I've done it so many times that I now almost burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of being 'that person" every time. Thankfully, I've since found that I like shopping at Aldi and no longer drive 23 miles to that store - I'm sure the other customers are grateful. 

[Bootsie]

I wasn't using a coupon but was shopping in a store with some 'buy one get one 1/2 off discounts' this evening.  I had four items.  I got to the checkout and the cashier started ringing things up and gave me a total, then shook her head and pushed more buttons and gave me a different total--this happened 5 times;  the totals she said ranged from $35 to $89

[school17777]

I was that customer today! I was using up all my Chick fil a coupons that expire at the end of the year (technically today). One of them didn’t work because they said I used it in September. One, the store just gave me that coupon in Oct or Nov for waiting so long for my order, so they gave me an used coupon, and two, how could I still have the coupon if I used it because they keep it when you use it.

[J-rap]

That's so odd!  I've rarely had a problem using a coupon.  I guess I'd give the cashier the benefit of the doubt, and not get mad, but point out how I'm correct.  If they were actually being a jerk about it and there was a line of customers behind me, then I'd probably settle it with customer service or a manager.  

[Sandwalker]

I wasn't using a coupon but was shopping in a store with some 'buy one get one 1/2 off discounts' this evening. I had four items. I got to the checkout and the cashier started ringing things up and gave me a total, then shook her head and pushed more buttons and gave me a different total--this happened 5 times; the totals she said ranged from $35 to $89

I would check over that receipt! :D

[Tree Frog]

1.  If the coupon is only for a few cents I discuss it and if they press the issue I either take the item anyway if I really need it or I leave it, asking them to read the fine print next time.  I don't feel right holding up a long line of customers over a few cents.

2.  If the coupon is for more than a few cents or if it is a dispute over multiple coupons and I am certain I am in the right I ask them to read aloud what the coupon said.  If they still think I'm wrong and I know I am right I ask them to call a manager and I apologize to those in line behind me.  I do this primarily because I want them to know that if they print coupons there are those who are prepared to USE those coupons.  Put your discounts where your mouth is.  

 

Usually, though, if I show them how I am in the right they agree and process the coupon.  I only had to ask for a manager once and as soon as I did they reread it and agreed it was usable.

 

On a side note, I was in line once and the lady in front of me was kind enough to warn me that she had over 30 coupons to use so I moved to another lane.  My next lane was longer but I still got out sooner than she did.  There were several coupons the cashier disputed and the coupon woman had to keep proving she was right.  I appreciated her letting me know she had that many coupons in time for me to switch lanes.

 

We recently got into what we thought would be a short line during a busy time at the grocery store a couple of weeks before Christmas. The woman in front of us had nearly all her many items scanned and they just needed to be bagged. As I started unloading my items, my oldest dd, trying to be helpful, offered to help bag them, but the woman scornfully replied "NO." (Yes, all caps.) After we unloaded our items, we realized she was dictating to the cashier how she wanted her items to be bagged. They were both sorting through all the groceries looking for specific items to put in each fabric bag. After a while, the cashier finished scanning the rest of the items and the woman pulled out her coupons. She didn't have many, thank goodness! It took forever for her to pay; she hadn't pulled out her wallet until everything was bagged. We kept debating changing lanes (we didn't have very many items), but each time we thought about moving, we were sure she was almost done. I think we waited behind her about 20 minutes before she was done. It was both simultaneously frustrating and amusing trying to figure out what else the woman would want. 

[Lady Florida.]

That's crazy. Yes, I would have argued. Fortunately I usually only use coupons at one grocery store and that store has a liberal coupon policy. (Publix for those who know the chain)

[Caroline]

That's crazy. Yes, I would have argued. Fortunately I usually only use coupons at one grocery store and that store has a liberal coupon policy. (Publix for those who know the chain)

I think Publix has a be nice to people policy. I love shopping at Publix.

[Tammi K]

Most cash registers are computerized.  If they scan the coupon, the register will reject it if it isn't valid.  On the other hand, stores can override - many stores take expired coupons. 

 

I would just insist the cashier 'try it'. 

 

I find it happens at JoAnn fabric store. (Not maliciously, just accidentally because they are unaware) when there are several available coupons.  I may be told, you can use this one (item deduction) or that one( savings on total) , but not both  but, lo and behold, they scan it and they both work.  Sometimes, they don't. No worries. We tried.

 

 

[Lady Florida.]

I think Publix has a be nice to people policy. I love shopping at Publix.

 

"Where shopping is a pleasure."  :lol:

 

But it really is.