Problems with coupons at Meijer

Posted by admin

May 4, 2008 |

I’ve had some trouble recently at Meijer, and as I talk to my fellow couponers, I’m finding out I’m not alone.Â In a nutshell, what’s happening is that they do not have a consistent coupon policy.Â For all appearances, it looks like they do.Â Its clearly printed on the front of their weekly circulars.Â However, getting them to follow it is something else entirely.

Their circulars state that they will double up to two like coupons, and any further like coupons will be redeemed at face value.Â There is no mention of limits or limiting to reasonable family quantities as other stores do.Â Simply “all other like coupons will be redeemed at face value.”Â Like coupons mean the same coupon used more than once.

Now, what will happen if you go in and buy 10 of one item and plan on using 10 coupons?Â Who knows?!?Â Its a different reaction every time.Â Some people have cashiers who happily allow it.Â Others report being tsk-tsked at about using a coupon for every item.Â Still many more report inconsistent practices–denying over 2, over 6, over 8.Â Depends on the manager’s mood.

This happened to me this week–twice.Â The first time I was told 2 coupons.Â When I pressed someone else said 6.Â When I refused to take that answer (since their written policy had no limit) the store manager told me its whatever he feels like.Â Sometimes 10, sometimes 12, or even 20.Â But its up to his mood.

This week Meijer has added coupons to their website.Â Many are reporting that they aren’t scanning properly at the stores.Â While most cashiers are pushing them through, shoppers are getting an earful about misuse of coupons.Â I had a cashier follow me through the self-checkout spouting off about the evils of the internet and coupons.

Meijer has some great deals.Â But their inconsistencies are driving us coupon shoppers nuts!Â There is a HUGE difference between being able to use 2 coupons and being able to use 10.Â They do not care if we purchase 10 boxes of pasta–but don’t try to use 10 coupons on them.Â (These were manufacturer coupons that the store would be fully reimbursed on–and a buy 10 deal–they encourage you to buy in quantity!)Â I don’t mind working within limits–no honest couponer does.Â However, limits need to be clear and enforced so that we can know what we’re working with.Â This presents customer frustration and gives the cashier some support to fall back on.

Meijer, you need to develop some sort of corporate policy on this.Â In this tight economy, you need every shopper you can get!

Comments

8 Comments so far

Christopher Waldrop on May 5, 2008 9:46 am
There’s no excuse for a major company to not have a clearly defined policy, and even less excuse for cashiers to harass customers. I hope you’ll keep us posted.
There used to be a Pizza Hut next to the building where I work, and people had a lot of problems there. The main problem was that people would order from the menu but be charged a higher price. When they’d complain the manager would always say, “That’s an old menu.” He’d get rude if anyone complained, and it didn’t help that the corporate office’s response was always that they didn’t set prices or policies for individual stores. I don’t know whether it was because of this or not, but that store eventually closed.
Jenn Kutzko on May 5, 2008 3:39 pm
Heather- I don’t know if you’ve encountered this, but my Meijer in Eastgate is also NOTORIOUSLY bad for always being out of the items that they have listed in the ads that are on special, even if it’s the first day of the sale week. Boo Meijer.
Little Miss Know it All on May 6, 2008 7:11 am
That’s probably one of the reasons–customers don’t return where they aren’t treated well, no matter the prices. As I’ve posted on this, other shoppers have flooded my email and the boards with story after story of poor treatment at Meijer. And its not just one store–it appears to be widespread in the Cincinnati region. I’m shocked, because just a few months ago I would have praised Meijer’s overall customer service. Now, it appears to be anything but exemplary.
marge on May 11, 2008 7:34 am
the coupon itself should tell how it can be used. read it and then read it to the cashier if you need to. if you are going to read it to the cashier make sure you can read. i had a lady read one to me and she read it backwards from what the coupon actually said. finally i said lets just scan it and see what happens. we should not for the main part be refusing a coupon at store level. they are refused by our computers for a reason. (free formula coupons are a whole different story because of the way formula is being used to cut cocain) for the most part a coupon has all the information you need to refund it properly.
Little Miss Know it All on May 12, 2008 8:42 am
It wasn’t about the specific coupon, at least not for me. The cashier didn’t even want to scan them. The store had no problem selling me multiple boxes, but they wouldn’t accept multiple coupons. Understanding (and reading to them) their own printed coupon policy on accepting multiple coupons at face value, they did not budge. I could buy the boxes of pasta, but I could not use more than 6 coupons for it. Overall I hear time and time again that Meijer employees make up coupon policy as they go along. Some will force through more than 2 doubles per order, and some won’t. Some will refuse internet coupons, while others won’t. Some Meijer’s accept competitor coupons, while others don’t. Meijer’s needs a consistent policy, and then they need to make sure all employees are trained on it. That’s all that coupon-mom’s are asking for–so we know what the rules are so we can play by them. We are trying to follow the rules, but that is nearly impossible when the rules are changed constantly on the whim of the cashier!
funnybottoms on June 10, 2008 4:23 pm
RE: Jenn Kutzko

I experience that problem at Meijer all the time!! Anytime I go to get something that is advertised on sale - it is not there, the shelf space where it’s suppose to be is completely empty!!! This happens every time that Scotts toilet paper is (suppose) to be on sale and it has also happened with Motts apple juice and other things. Outrageous!

Though one time, I saw in the checkout aisle a color ink cartrage for 19.99, I rarely have to buy ink so I didn’t think anything of the price, but it was actually 36.99 and the 19.99 was for black cartrages… I didn’t realize til I looked at the receipt at home later… when I called the store to complain that someone left the color cartrage where the black ones should have been they sent me a $25 gift card. That was very nice, but I still continue to go there only to find sale items are not in stock
Andi on June 17, 2008 9:28 pm
Jenn Kutzko & funnybottoms, my mom and I experienced the lack of sale items at the Eastgate and Milford stores many times. I wish they were like Target where you could collect the product raincheck tickets and then they get scanned at the front desk to product the actual raincheck, otherwise you have to remember everything you wanted that wasn’t stocked.
christina on October 9, 2008 8:11 pm
I know this is an old post.. but being an ex-employee I had to comment on this blog because I completely agree with the whole post! not only was it annoying to have to abide by the managers ridiculous changing rules but it was also completely pointless because half the cashiers listened and the other half didn’t. In regards to rain checks (yes I know they are a pain, this is why I avoid meijer) meijer does give rain checks but just like coupons each store is not consistent on the amount of rain checks per item per person either.