Worst brag EVER

[Lynnie]

As most of you know, this week is 20x the points event at SDM on Cosmetics and what not. So getting all excited because I'm new to the Optimum card, and hearing from most people that if you buy one cosmetic product, and sometimes if you buy anything in the store and your total is $75 or more, you get the points. So I was annoying a bunch of people on SC asking them for info to make sure I didn't screw up. When I went to SDM, I finally found a bunch of stuff I could get for free with coupons from clearance, and other things. I wanted to surprised my parents because they tell me to stop "playing" with coupons and to focus on school, when I already do focus on school. I was also hoping to have enough points for the bonus redemtiom so I could get Christmas gifts for people, and some of the stuff I was planning to buy were not for me. When I was there, I found these Olay Regenerist products on clearance and I knew that with my $3 coupons, and my Buy 2 Olay Regenerist get 1 cleanser free, that I could easily have gotten 3 products for $14. I was so excited. I had a bunch of other things in my basket too. So first I bought a $25 gift card and I went to another cash to check out. At the end, the total was $88 before tax, and $140 after tax. I panicked a bit because I had only brought $80, thinking it would be less than that after coupons. And mind that I was in the store for almost an hour looking and looking for stuff to get. I bought 2 of the Dove soaps for $3 and used my $1.50 coupons... but the woman tells me that I cannot use more than 1 coupon per purchase. I tell her that I'm using one coupon per product, and she tells me I still can't. I also say to her that they're different products, and she tells me that I can't use more than one, even if. So I get angry and frustrated because half of the stuff I had more than 1 coupon for, and she had already used my $5 Colgate Palmolive coupon and had already written on it so I couldn't take it back.

When the Stayfree used to be on sale, I have gone to that store using maybe 5 printed coupons in one transaction, and the cashier happily took them. Now I'm stuck with $15 in a SDM coupon, I come back home with soap that I could've gotten cheaper somplace else, and instead $55 dollars in cash. And the $5 I got from change when purchasing the gift card was pretty much ...brown. The bill looked like it had miraculously "rusted"

Now I'm upset that I didn't get my bonus points, upset that I came home too late to go to my boyfriend's house to go to his hockey game, and upset that I had spent all that time with my hopes up about getting a bunch of things and ended up with almost nothing.

I wanted to also prove to my dad that I was good at couponing and I could get a bunch of stuff to help our family...and now I can't say that. The good thing about this trip? I got a Garnier product for free with my $2 coupon (even though I used one of my late expired coupons instead of my November expires) and the Advil I bought had 20 extra tablets as "bonus"

Should I complain?

[iluvcoupons]

Sorry to hear your worst brag. I have done some shopping and had regrets after too. Didn't you get your bonus points? I don't shop at SDM much, I don't have time to figure out how to get all these bonus points etc. Take back the product if you have to. You are a great coupon shopper! I hope you have a better day!

[Clippins]

Sorry to hear you had such a hard time. I am so very new at this coupon thing, I only discovered this last month.
However, I don't think what the cashier told you about the amount of coupons you can use is correct. I would at least check with a manager. Next time ask her/him to call the manager while you are checking out.

Hope your day imporves!

Clippins

[peacestar]

Sorry you had bad experience. I think the cashier is wrong. Which SDM?

[lekate]

Yea, the cashier must be wrong, why would they only take *one* coupon per transaction?!

[thecountess]

Having previously worked in retail for many years both as a cashier and as a manager, whenever I read "One coupon per purchase" on a coupon, I always interpreted it to mean that a customer cannot stack coupons all on one product. It doesn't mean they can't use one coupon for each product they buy.

Theoretically stores want you to buy as many products in their stores as possible. By being anal about coupon wording and attaching assumed meanings to coupons that manufacturers never intended, they are just reducing the amount of sales being rung through in their store, because the customer has to go to another location (or even a competitor) to buy the full amount of the product they have coupons for.

[Patty Smyth]

It's hit and miss with SDM. I know one that will take more than one coupon per purchase and others won't. Not a store I frequent often. I don't even have a points card.

Sorry to hear about your bad experince. You did everything right! You were prepared, organized and then to be let down, argh!!!! Thumbs down to that SDM but maybe you can find another one that will do it properly for you.

[madeinczech]

Sometimes cashiers are bitter but it depends on who you get. Sorry to hear about this. Hopefully your next shopping would be better!

[SmackUTwice]

I'm so sorry you had a rough time. As someone else said... and I can relate... I've done shopping and had "regrets" after too!! As silly as it may sound, it allows us to grow, haha.

I may not be understanding what coupons you have, but $1.50 off Dove... is that on ANY product or "$1.50WUB any 2 DIFF Dove product lines"? Huge difference. May be a side note as you might know already, but SDM doesn't (shouldn't) "stack" coupons. I get caught in that sometimes and figure it out and go "aww crap! I can't do THAT!".. but at LD I can--if they carry the item, haha!

[avoncallingu]

Sorry about your hassle and also that you missed the hockey game! I know how you feel about other people who don't understand all the "ins and outs" of couponing (like your dad) It takes a lot to understand it as you do. What you learn in school is certainly important (I spent my career in education) - but learning how to show responsibly and save money is a VERY IMPORTANT skill that many students your age don't have. You should be proud of yourself! And good luck next time!

[couponclipperfun]

[quote=Lynnie;1442104]. At the end, the total was $88 before tax, and $140 after tax.

uote]


how did this end up 88 pre tax and 140 after tax? Seems like a lot of tax for that amount

[lekate]

[quote=couponclipperfun;1443381]

. At the end, the total was $88 before tax, and $140 after tax.

uote]


how did this end up 88 pre tax and 140 after tax? Seems like a lot of tax for that amount

she probably meant coupons not tax!

[NancyM]

i'm sorry that sdm gave you such a hard time with your coupons i've used used more than one coupon before at sdm so i'm very confused about that

[thecanucktoque]

Feel better Lynnie.

It was a cheap lesson, don't be discouraged.

[Lynnie]

I'm so sorry you had a rough time. As someone else said... and I can relate... I've done shopping and had "regrets" after too!! As silly as it may sound, it allows us to grow, haha.

I may not be understanding what coupons you have, but $1.50 off Dove... is that on ANY product or "$1.50WUB any 2 DIFF Dove product lines"? Huge difference. May be a side note as you might know already, but SDM doesn't (shouldn't) "stack" coupons. I get caught in that sometimes and figure it out and go "aww crap! I can't do THAT!".. but at LD I can--if they carry the item, haha!

It was the $1.50 Dove body wash coupons. The cream oil ones or something like that