Reader R. had an experience at her store that was very frustrating. This is her question and my advice. What advice do YOU have for her?
Reader Question:
Hello Paul. My name is R.
I am upset. I went to the Walmart store on ——– I was going to use the $1/1 crayola washable markers. A supervisor J.W told me they will no longer take printed coupons. Have you heard that? Is it up to the actual store? Please help. Also if u price match a ad at walmart say for example Walgreens ad. If it says on folgers coffee$2.99 with card. Will walmart price match the $2.99 with card price? 1 walmart didn’t let me price match a item because it said with card!! Thank you for your time!!
My Answer:
They were wrong on both occasions. Sounds like you will just need to print both the coupon policy and the price match policy and have them with you at your store when you go. I would also have 1-800-walmart on speed dial and if you run into that again I would stand in line or politely get out of line, and call and ask corporate. Now this sounds extreme, but some stores just need to be reminded. You can ask corporate to call your manager back at that store and correct them. They will call you back and let you know what happened. Best of luck!
What is YOUR advice?
R
Did the coupon scan? Most stores are VERY picky on that as most reproductions won’t scan. Also, you must make sure the ad for Walgreens folgers is matched identical to the ad. Coffee is a difficult one to match as walmart has different sizes then most sales ads state.
I have a store that can give a few problems if you get the wrong cashiers…. That is why I either bring the ad or have it pulled up on my smart phone 😉
Also, if you have a problem that is not resolved by management…. Make sure you are speaking to THE store Manager, not just a manager 😉
Best of Luck!
I had a similar experience with a Walmart that I go to. I had four of the $1 off Bic stationary. My printer had started running out of ink on the last 2 coupons I had printed, and the picture wasn’t very clear. When I was checking out the cashier called the manager over because it said negative 13 cents and I explained to her that the cashier gives me the change. When the manager came over she gave me a hard time saying that from now on if I did not have a picture on my coupon then they would not accept it. Have you heard of that?
I should clarify that everything was legible just the picture was distorted because I was running out of color on my printer.
The cashier should never owe you money. For example, if the coupon is for $1 and the item is for 97 cents, they are supposed to basically lower the value of the coupon in the computer for 97 cents. I could understand the manager being annoyed but he didn’t take care of it properly…she should have taught the cashier how to enter the value of the coupon correctly.
That actually is not true. Walmart’s policy allows for overage. If they lower the value of the coupon, they are committing fraud since they will get reimbursed the face value. The only way this doesn’t occur is if the coupon states “up to” or like the new P&G coupons say no overage.
I have LOTS of problems at my Wal-Mart, mainly they always ask to see the ad in order to price match but I know that corporate policy says I dont have to bring in the ad. Every single time, the cashiers ask (I’m pretty sure they are told to do so) and I have to state ‘Corporate policy says I dont have to being the ad” and they get frustrated and go find someone else to ask them etc… I have called corporate about it but they cant answer my price match questions! They say the manager at my Wal-Mart will call me back, which they never do. Most important thing is for you to print the price match policy, bring it with you, and know the rules so you can show them.
I recently had an issue where I price matched Walgreens $.79 BIC highlighters and used the $1 off printable coupon. The cashier matched without an issue but called a manager because she didn’t think it was right to accept a $1 coupon for a $.79 item. The “manager” came over (head cashier) and told her she should’t have price matched because it was a Walgreens coupon – and they don’t match competitors coupons. I told both of them they were wrong on both accounts and pulled up the walmart coupon policy on my phone. The head cashier called the on-duty manager (again, not a real manager as one isn’t available in the evenings apparently). I showed him the policy as well. After other customers starting huffing and moving their merchandise to other registers, the manager finally agreed to take the $1 coupon and the $.79 price match. (I had other items in my order so they weren’t going to be giving me cash back.). I called the store manager the next morning and he said thanks for letting him know that his employees aren’t following policy – it’s a training issue and he would speak to them again. Make sure to get the employee names when there are issues and make sure the actual store manager is made aware. It is just a training issue… Good luck!
Hi! I was just at Walmart on Tuesday. I had several internet printables and they were all clearly printed including the picture. The cashier had a problem with the Kikoman printable because it wouldn’t scan. Instead of speaking to me (she didn’t even say hello to me even when I loudly said hello) she just put her hand up and a manager came over and said the coupon wouldn’t scan. He put the coupon through, but no explanation, I tried to ask the cashier what the deal was, but she wouldn’t even acknowledge my existence nor would the manager. I have found it is hit or miss with the cashiers, they either know what they are doing with coupons or don’t. I gave up on the managers a long time ago because either you can’t find them or they also don’t know what they are doing. I probably would have taken my coupons elsewhere and not bothered with them. I have tried to price match, but I got the same talk about the price is with the store loyalty card. I know Walmart is usually the cheaper alternative, but to me it isn’t worth the hassle of the cashiers and taking a gamble of if they are going to take my coupons that day. Good luck out there couponers!
My advice avoid Walmart, I do NOT shop there because of the insane customer service
Call the district manager and report them. Our Walmart is worse….The manager there won’t even let you exchange merchandise fro another store even if you have the receipt. Some of these people don’t respect the customers and feel they are doing their store greatness by trying to show their authority. I called the district manager and he is investigating these people. There is NO reason to feel like a criminal because you want to use a coupon!!
R…. Don’t give up. Persist in using your coupons at Wal-mart. I have found that “I” have to train the Wal-mart checkout people and CSM’s people. Be polite. If they don’t do it the way you think they should, call the 1-800 Wal-mart number. Explain to them what happened and ask they how it works. I have found that they contact the local number and have them contact you. If by the time the local store contacts you, and your coupon expires, ask them if they will still take it. If the local store does not contact you, then call the 1-800 Wal-mart number back. Don’t get upset but be persistent. Take names so if they have you go to customer service, you can tell them who sent you. These managers tell you to do something and that they will talk to their people and then when you arrive, no one knows anything and you need to be able to tell them who you talked to. After awhile you either have the checker trained that you know what you are doing or if you have a problem checker, you know to go to another checkout line. There are two different German ladies that if I see them, I checkout in their line. These ladies seem to know what the heck they are doing and they know how to read coupons and if the coupon does not work after they have identified that you actually have the product the coupon is for, they manually key it in. I’m now noticing that if they manually key a coupon in, that a CMS has to come and approve it. Good Luck!
I agree with Paul. I have had to pull out both policies and educate not only my cashier but the CSM helping the cashier. They should price match the competitors advertised price. I have even price matched penny deals from various stores at WalMart. If the competitors advertises it, walmart should honor their own policy.
In reading some of these issues other readers are posting, such as the picture, etc on the coupon…it seems to me the CSM in question is just being difficult. The coupon policy doesn’t state anything about the picture of the product on the coupon. That’s just silly. When stuff like that arises, I ask for the store manager.
new policy? I had a very bad experience with printed coupons too. The manager wouldn’t take my printed coupons because “walmart does not accept duplicate coupons.” I was using several printed coupons for dental floss. When i pointed out that each coupon had it’s own number and were not duplicates she showed me the policy and said again that they don’t take duplicate coupons. I emailed the store and the another manager told me that we can only use one printed coupon per item per transaction. She said in order to buy multiple items i have to do them in separate transactions.
I should note that the second manager i spoke with did apologize about the duplicate coupon issue, but related to me that they would no longer take more than one coupon of the same kind in one transaction and explained that they needed to be done in separate transactions.
I have taken my unscanned coupons to the customer service desk with the receipt and they scan it and give me the money. I have one occasion when the cashier price matched most of my items and questioned one then asked for a manager for help and was then told that they would not price match any of my items because the sale ads stated a store coupon or with a store coupon. I simply refused to pay and told them to put everything away. I went the next day to another Walmart, which gladly price matched and took my coupons except for one and I got my items for really cheap. I simply avoid that Walmart and mark it as unfriendly. (I always bring store ads with me for price matching) Unfortunately, there are quite a few of them in Houston that are unfriendly. I guess more complaints are needed for change.
I recently had a similar problem, as R., at my WalMart. Without hesitation, I went home and sent out an email with all the details, to Corporate. Within 24 hours, I received a phone call from one of the Store Managers, where I had shopped. She told me WalMart has been working very hard to overcome cashier coupon ignorance, but it has been a long hard struggle. She left me with her name, her co-Store Manager’s name and assurance that she would soon be doing a training with cashiers and urged me to return with the same coupons, to try again.
R.: I would make every effort to source out the Store Manager where you shop, and nicely speak with him/her, letting him/her know that you are a “regular” shopper and you were very unhappy with the treatment you received. If the issues continue, be sure to notify the Managers, so they can correct the behavior.
My Walmart here in Hardinsburg , Ky and surrounding ones in Louisville have been great, If I was her, I would have had the coupon policy with me and I also would have followed up with 1-800 walmart so they would know what happened and save someone else a headache. Make sure you talk to the MAIN manager. If at night followup with a call the next day to the MAIN STORE ANAGER and let them in on what happened. Too many people print coupons for them not to take them. Target has a price match policy too and they LOVE coupons….
Hi My advice avoid walmart. Its horrible! I hardly ever have good experiences. It does NOT matter if you call Walmart and complain. I called many times and they always end up telling me each store managers makes their own decisions. Walmart is full people who are underpaid and unhappy, and once you use coupons they have heart attacks. I had to price match coke cola because all the cvs in my area ran out I went to walmart and they told me we dont price match without the ad. I said really! because look above up, here it says we price match even without the ad. He said no the management said we cant. I said are you serious its right here in your face. The manager was called and he had to match it. Needless to say the next time I went they took all those signs out. And once when I was starting to coupon they had a lot of good things in the clearance section and I used my coupons and had a bit of overage, the manager had to come to approve it, they were going to void the whole transaction because they told me they dont allow it. I showed them the poilcy so they had to.The manager asked me where I got those items. I had to walk him and show him see its says clearance and the price scanner gave the clearance prices. When I went the next day after I went to my families houses to print more coupons they changed the whole clearance section! Needless to say i went to each place to find the items and buy them anyway. ha ha the manager was pissed off when he had to come and give me overage again. WALMART SUCKS! I had about 3 good couponing experiences and like 100+ bad ones. So I avoid them altogether, oh wait except in Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rico walmarts are way better, and so are the staff. It might also be since I live in Long Island and they suck here.
After “training” associates at Walmart, I found it so frustrating when it took over an hour to purchase a cart full of groceries! The new policy of employees writing their initials on each coupons takes time too. Finally, I found two employees who understand the coupon policy. Yeah!!! So, I shop evenings when one of them are working and I only check out through one of their lines. I am highly organized, so the associates don’t mind me coming through their line. I always take the competitors ad with me and I hi-light the date. What are your tips for making checkout smoother?
I would make sure to separate the items you are price matching and put the price match items last. That way they see the items you are paying full price for. The last thing is that you have to find a cashier that you are friends with and make sure you always go to her line. I hope that helps!
Yes, I do separate the price matched items, but I usually place them first since I don’t want to forget what I am doing. LOL Paul, I like your concept about “letting them know that some items are full price.” I live between two towns, so the associates like it when I leave them the other town’s newspaper with good sales on milk…both of the associates have children! I have also contacted management, but to compliment the great service I have received while couponing. Maybe we need to change the opinion towards people who coupon?