Walmart Canada HQ is my FAVOURITE!!

[middleclassmom]

As you may have read in some of my posts, I've been having some difficulties with my local Walmart. I finally had enough and decided to call Customer Service yesterday. This morning I got a call from the Store Manager who addressed me by calling me "that Lady with all the coupons" and it pretty much went downhill from there.

Anyhow, to make a long story short I was displeased with our conversation so I contacted Maria Della Grotta who is the Customer Relations Manager for Walmart Canada. Well.....my Store Manager received a phone call from Maria today, and shortly thereafter I got a call back from him and his attitude was a total 180 from this morning. He told me I am now welcome to use all my coupons at the local Walmart and that he would be meeting with all his Customer Service Managers to ensure I receive better service from here on in!!!!!!!! He told me if I receive any grief at the till to have them contact management and they will ensure things go smoothly from me I seriously could not believe this was the same man with whom I had just been speaking with earlier today

I am including the copy of my email that I sent to her which sums up my experiences as of late at Walmart and my complaint about the store manager from today. (I even attached a copy of the Nivea coupon for her to look at to see what all the buzz was about.)

If anyone is having difficulties with their local Walmart and the implementation of the new coupon policy, I strongly recommend you contact Walmart Canada HQ!!!

**************
Dear Maria Della Grotta,

I first want to acknowledge that I think you have done an excellent job at addressing consumers concerns and questions regarding the use of Coupons at Walamrt stores across Canada. I was thrilled when I received a copy of the latest Walmart Canada coupon policy as it reflects the one recently released by Walmart International.

Secondly, I wish to say that my family and I are huge Walmart shoppers. We spend thousands and thousands of dollars every year at our local Walmart. Not only do we purchase grocieres and health and beauty products, but also clothing, houseware, small appliance, tires, cleaning supplies, baby items, toys, seasonal goods, etc. We shop at your store because it provides great value to my family. As we are budget conscious we incorpoate the use of coupons into our weekly household shopping. While our coupons are primarily for food and health and beauty items, they amount to just a small fraction of our overall spending at the store in our community in Port Alberni (Store #1018).

While most of your cashiers are pretty good about accepting coupons, I have received quite poor customer service from your Customer Service Managers....how ironic. I am treated as though I am swindling the store by using coupons and even more so have been insinuated that I am a thief if I manage on occaision to get the products I purchase with coupons for free. It has become apparent that I am the topic of conversation among the Customer Service Managers as when I now encounter someone with whom I have not interacted they state they are already familiar with my coupon use.

Here are just 4 examples that have happened to me over the last month:

1) A Customer Service Manager tells me if I want to use more than 1 print-at-home coupon at a time that I have to make one purchase, walk out the store, walk back into the store, make another purchase, walk back out the store, and so on and so forth.

2) I am walking through the store making my weekly purchases and telling a little nursery tale to my baby boy when I am approached by a Customer Service Manager (with whom I have had previous encounters at the till as she has issue with me using coupons in the store) and she tells me Manufacturers don't release coupons for any one person to use more than one of them and that I am abusing what the intent of the coupons are put out for. This was completely unprovoked and extremely accusatory. I was minding my own business shopping at the store and accused of misbehaviour even though I have done nothing wrong. Furthermore, as I was not even at the cashier's till yet she starts harassing me about my coupon use....she did not even know if I would be using coupons with my purchase that day!

3) A Customer Service Manager disputes the copy of the new coupon policy I have in hand when I am in the store shopping, questioning it's entire legitimacy in terms of it's legitimate source; Even though I received a copy from corporate customer service. The cost of the items I am purchasing (to give away as donations) are slightly less than the value of the coupon. She tells me I cannot use the coupon. I show her the policy and she tells the cashier to mark the value of the coupon down. I state that even if she doesn't want to allow the overages to be applied to my basket purchases that the wording on the Proctor and Gamble coupons states "GST/HST/QST and Provincial Sales tax (where applicable) are included in face value of coupon." And in front the the cashier, other customers and the Front End Manager, she turns to me and snaps "Nobody gets tax breaks these days lady."

4) Just the other night I was in shopping as I go to checkout the cashier tells me she has been informed that only 1 like coupon can be used per transaction. I state that I have been informed otherwise and that I should be able to use more than 1 coupon so long as I am only using 1 coupon per item as was the case. I told her to follow the wording on the coupons which would show her I am able to use multiple coupons per transaction.

I finally had enough and yesterday afternoon I contacted Walmart Canada Customer Service. I was told that I am able to use multiple coupons per transaction (as long as it is only one coupon per item....to which of course I agreed). I informed her of the treatment I have been receiving by the store's Customer Service Managers . The Customer Service Agent informed me she would be contacting the store directly. (as I side note I just want to mention that I never spoke to the agent about any one particular coupon for any one particular item, rather my call was more about the overall lack of customer service I am receiving when shopping with coupons at my local store.)

This morning I get a phone call from the Store Manager - Bill Robertson. When he greets me on the telephone he refers to me as the "Lady with all the Coupons". He then begins to speak to me about me using the Nivea coupon. Again, I would like to remind you that not once in my discussion with Customer Relations did I mention any one particular coupon. So the Store Manager is bringing up the discussion on one of the coupons the Customer Service Managers believe I should not be allowed to use. I inform the Store Manager that my complaint has less to do with any one particular coupon but rather the lack of appropriate treatment I have been receiving from his Customer Service Managers and their poor coupon handling. The Store Manager continues to want to discuss the Nivea coupon (I have attached a copy of it for you to view.) He states that I cannot use it on the Nivea Creme 15ml. I ask him to look again at the coupon as the coupons states "$2 off when you buy one Nivea Visage, Body, Creme or Hand product -- except 60ml or 75ml". I explain that the coupon DOES NOT exclude the 15ml size. The Store Manager states he has the right to deny use of the coupon because your policy states "the item purchased must match the item presented on the coupon. (identical in size, quantity, brand, style, flavour, color and / or any other specs used to identify the product on the coupon)" I indicated to the Store Manager that I agree with the need to follow the policy but there is nothing in the policy which would preclude me from using the coupon on 15ml Nivea creme. The Store Manager states the item isn't shown in the picture. I tell him that whether it is the Nivea coupon or other coupons that broadly state when you purchase any, or one, or two of a product line that it would be IMPOSSIBLE to put pictures every every single item from their product lines as most lines have 50-200 products. I state that a coupon is not just defined by the pictures displayed but also by the wording. So the 15ml Nivea Creme falls within the wording for the $2off Nivea coupon....therefore the store will receive full reimbursement plus handling fees from the manufacturer. Again I remind him that my complaint was not about the use of this specific coupon but rather the lack of acceptable customer service especially from his Managers. He continued to bring the conversation back to the Nivea coupon instead of addressing the larger issue.

He informed me that he would be getting in touch with you directly to which I wholeheartedly agreed. I wanted to provide you with the background information on my recent experiences with Walmart Store #1018 as well as my conversation with the Store Manager this morning. Bill stated he will be getting back in touch with me following his conversation with you. So I look forward to hearing how this will be handled.

Again, I want to reiterate my appreciation for you listening to customer concerns and suggestions with respect to coupons. I hope my individual concerns will get addressed as well so that my family can continue to shop with confidence in knowing that not only will we receive great deals form Walmart but also great customer service.

I greatly appreciate your attention to this matter. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions of concerns either by email or by phone at 250-xxx-xxxx.

Sincerely,
xxxxx


The following represents guidelines shared with our stores to facilitate coupon handling.

• coupon is accepted only if store carries the item
• must be presented at the time of purchase
• only Canadian coupons are accepted
• the item purchased must match the item presented on the coupon. (identical in size, quantity, brand, style, flavour, color and / or any other specs used to identify the product on the coupon)
• Expiration date must be present & be redeemed prior to the expiration

Types of coupons accepted by Walmart Canada:

• Print-at-home internet coupons:
  
  • must be legible
  • must have "Manufacturer Coupon" printed on them
  • have have a valid name & Canadian remit address
  • must have a valid expiration date
  • must have a scannable bar code
  • can be buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons
  • are acceptable in black, white or color
• Manufacturer's coupons
  
  • dollar/cents off
  • free items
  • buy one get one free (BOGO)
  • has "Manufacturer Coupon" printed
  • must have valid name
  • must have valid expiration date
  • must have a scannable bar code

• Competitors coupons qualify if:
  
  • issued by a Canadian competitor
  • for a specific item for a specified price i.e. $2.99
  • buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons for items with a specified price
  • they have a valid expiration date
  • and are acceptable in black, white or color

# of coupons that can be used for each item

• only one acceptable coupon may be presented for each purchased item within a transaction
• store managers reserve the right to limit quantities where multiple coupons are being used for multiple purchases of the same item

When coupon value exceeds the price of the item:

• the excess amount can be given as cash or can be applied toward the basket purchase , at the customer's choice

Free merchandise with a coupon (BOGO)

• no sales tax is applied on the free merchandise

Hoping the information provided adds some clarity. I remain,
Respectfully,
Maria Della Grotta
National Customer Relations & Research Manager
Phone 905-821-2111 ext. 74389
Fax 905-821-6354
[email protected]

Walmart Canada Corp.
1940 Argentia Road
Mississauga, Ontario L5N 1P9
Save money. Live better.

[caroman]

very well written! glad to see you got the proper response and hopefully the associates in the store you shop will treat you with more respect from now on.
the way you were treated has been degrading, I certainly hope this attitude towards you (and other couponers) disappears.
congratulations on being a powerful voice for consumers!

[bc_chik]

Competitors coupons qualify if:
issued by a Canadian competitor

• for a specific item for a specified price i.e. $2.99
• buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons for items with a specified price
• they have a valid expiration date
• and are acceptable in black, white or color

???? DOes this mean we could say use a coupon zone coupon from Extra foods say??? This has me confused.

And I find all cashiers at our Walmart have to read the coupon for like 5 min before they will take it......makes me feel like such a pain!

[nosobbq]

great letter!!

wow ... i didnt realise how BAD that store really was!! i have some issues with the guildford one!! i cant stand using coupons at this location!!

so happy you got resolve!!

[Murren]

Wow...very well written...and bravo on handling yourself in such a respectful manner...I would have lost it and they would have been finding Walmart employees bodies everywhere...LOL...thank you for standing up for all of us...

[anisa]

Competitors coupons qualify if:
issued by a Canadian competitor

• for a specific item for a specified price i.e. $2.99
• buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons for items with a specified price
• they have a valid expiration date
• and are acceptable in black, white or color

???? DOes this mean we could say use a coupon zone coupon from Extra foods say??? This has me confused.

And I find all cashiers at our Walmart have to read the coupon for like 5 min before they will take it......makes me feel like such a pain!

it means that is you have a flyer, or a little piece of paper that has ben published by a competitor saying the actual price that the item is on sale for (eg 2.99) walmart will match the price.

they will not let you use a coupon that says $1 off crackers, because the other store might have a regular price that is high anyways. they will match an actual advertised price (in the form of a coupon if it exists)

[anisa]

there is just something sick in these ppl's heads, if they think they can just walk up to ppl and harrass them.

if they walked into a bank, a movie theatre, a dr's office and were treated the same way, they'd be all huffing and puffing over the poor service they were getting.

[reallyloveyourstuff]

Well done! I have to admit that parts of it made me laugh. Most especially his groveling afterwards. Way to stick up for yourself. No one should be treated like that by a store employee. Thanks to you I now know what to do if I encounter any problems going forward.