What to do when the cashier enters the coupon wrong?

[RedEng]

I'm new to using coupons and need some suggestions from the coupon pros.

Frequently when I give the cashier a stack of coupons, she'll miss at least one or enter the wrong price. I usually don't notice until later, because I'm too busy bagging my purchases.

Does anyone have suggestions on how to reduce the chance of coupons being missed, without annoying the cashier too much?

Thanks

[patiofurniture1f]

I never give the cahier a stack of coupons, I set them with each item, highlight the expiration date, and if they include tax, I find the Free product coupons they often read as buy one get one free and I have to correct them\
My advice, watch the cashier ,be polite but firm, and bag later

[parkmomma]

I like to clip all of my specific stacks together, and ensure that I am able to pay attention as she is entering them. Or, give her the coupon as you are checking out each product - in between the others, to ensure that she can save time by not having to go back and check each thing.

This way, you can pay attention too.

[barbs]

exactly...give her the coupon with each product & watch the till like a hawk.........so you can catch a nistake when it happens, and not realize it later & have to return.

I generally know what my final price will be at the end (if it varies, I'll stay in the store & re-read my receipt to make sure there's no mistakes, and if there is I can get it fixed immediately.)

[miss__brittany]

I do coupons bothways...

Sometimes I'll put them on each individual item, and sometimes not. However, I've noticed that when I put them on each item, I've had the cashiers just grab them and put them in a pile, so that they could do it at the end.

My suggestion is the same as the others. Before bagging, I make sure to watch that each was entered correctly. I've had once or twice a person miss a coupon. Usually it's not a big deal $1-2, but you still have to double check. Mistakes happen

[frugal_gal]

...I generally know what my final price will be at the end (if it varies, I'll stay in the store & re-read my receipt to make sure there's no mistakes, and if there is I can get it fixed immediately.)

Depending on my shopping list I also will tend to have an idea of what my total should be. More often then not though I don't know what the total should be. Expecially at WM where I do the majority of my shopping as they are good with coupons and I can PM, I organize my items on belt with FPC items first, B1G1 type items next, PM items together, and WM priced items again together. I make sure to let cashier know before they scan first item that I have some PMing and coupons and point out if the 1st items they are going to scan have a FPC or B1G1 coupon and hand those over. The cents off type coupons I hold onto til the end as most cashiers like it that way; if the cashier prefers them as they go that's fine, I had them as they scan the items. I make sure I can see the little screen that shows price of items they scan and watch as carefully as I can; I watch what they enter for each coupon and also know the prices of items so if I see an error I can point it out and question it (that doesn't happen often as if I have any doubt on price I use self-scanner in store). Once the transaction is done and I've paid, especially if I wasn't sure about something I stay in store and look at my receipt so I can go to CS desk if anything needs to be corrected. At first it took some getting use to doing all this but I have found that it really isn't as hard as you think. If I happen to hold up the line especially if it's because I had to explain some coupons to cashier (especially the FPC or B1G1 coupons can cause 'problems' with some cashiers) I look back at the customers I apologize and when I am done and walk away I thank them for their patience.


So, I organize items on belt, let cashier know I have coupons and am PM and try to monitor the screen showing me price of items scanned as best I can. It's my money after all so I have every right to take the time I need to keep track; with practice you become more efficient at tracking so I don't usually hold up a line...if that happens it tends to be more b/c cashier isn't sure about coupons and takes time to study them.

If there are errors in coupons being entered I point it out at the time it's entered. If I missed it and notice upon review of my receipt before leaving store I go to CS.

[jaxflower]

I just shopped at Zellers and didn't notice until I got home that the cashier didn't ring in one of my free bodywash WUB Gillette antiperspirant coupons. Now I will have to go back and return the bodywash and be out a coupon as I doubt they will just give me my money back on my word. I really wish I had been paying closer attention but it was close to closing time and I just wanted to get out of there!
Jax

[glenglen]

I used 2 coupons last night at Superstore and she didn't know how to ring them in so she took my coupons and pretended to ring them in, I got out of the store and looked at my bill then went back in CS and the girl went and got the 2 coupons out of the cashiers till and gave me my money for them the CS rep told me she just started this week and didn't know how[great training] the coupons total 5.40,we have to always watch and double check.

[ColdCoupons]

I agree with frugal_gal, it is easier for the cashier and you to organize them on the belt and then watch as each one is rung in and hand over coupon at the time for the FPC and B1G1. I always do that and then the regular cents off coupons I give them at the end. I have never had a problem with coupons being rejected or missed in over 30 years of using coupons.

[$avvy$hopper]

Great suggestions SCers and very good question OP!

I've done both ways - coupons with each item and coupons at the end- based on the cashier's reaction when I say "I'm using coupons today!" :o

But my usual practice is to give the cashier my coupons at the end and watch as each one is entered...I focus on my bagging after I pay. The reason I do this is partly because I shop at places that give points/airmiles and/or use some coupons for mail in rebates. At SDM, it doesn't matter when the coupons are entered because you'll get the points/bonus points so long as your total purchases hits the base amount needed for the promo. At Rexall/Metro for airmiles promos, the coupons need to be entered after they swipe your Airmiles card...and if I'm doing mail in rebates on anything, I don't want the coupon discount showing up right under item. So long story short, best way for me is to do them all after all my purchases are rung in and deal with any issues at that time. CS is also great at fixing any errors missed.

Have fun couponing!

[RedEng]

Thanks everyone! I've been putting my coupon products at the end of the belt for grocery shopping and handing the coupons one at a time as they ring them in. I've had no problems since

SDM is still a pain, because the counters are really tiny at my store, and you have to bag yourself.

[annedougherty]

Great suggestions SCers and very good question OP!

I've done both ways - coupons with each item and coupons at the end- based on the cashier's reaction when I say "I'm using coupons today!" :o

But my usual practice is to give the cashier my coupons at the end and watch as each one is entered...I focus on my bagging after I pay. The reason I do this is partly because I shop at places that give points/airmiles and/or use some coupons for mail in rebates. At SDM, it doesn't matter when the coupons are entered because you'll get the points/bonus points so long as your total purchases hits the base amount needed for the promo. At Rexall/Metro for airmiles promos, the coupons need to be entered after they swipe your Airmiles card...and if I'm doing mail in rebates on anything, I don't want the coupon discount showing up right under item. So long story short, best way for me is to do them all after all my purchases are rung in and deal with any issues at that time. CS is also great at fixing any errors missed.

Have fun couponing!

Actually if you are doing an MIR, the best place to have the coupon show up is under the item. That way when you circle the purchase price you take a black sharpie and circle through the line above and below...the line with the coupon deduction.

For the Sunlight Green Clean MIR some people did not get the full amount back because they "assumed" that the 2$ coupon at the bottom of the receipt was for the green clean. That didn't happen to me but now I don't take any chances lol.

[dol09]

I had a cashier once enter in $10 instead of a $1. But I pointed it out and told them it should only be $1.

[Hunni]

I used 2 coupons last night at Superstore and she didn't know how to ring them in so she took my coupons and pretended to ring them in, I got out of the store and looked at my bill then went back in CS and the girl went and got the 2 coupons out of the cashiers till and gave me my money for them the CS rep told me she just started this week and didn't know how[great training] the coupons total 5.40,we have to always watch and double check.

Ya you are right we don't get the best training there lol I have been an RCSS cashier for years, and the worst thing for us is coupons, they don't give us the best training on it, so when goingto RCSS with coupons avoid ppl who look new, or have a senior cashier near them lol

[crowsnest]

I always place the coupons on top of the matching items on the conveyor belt, most cashiers seem to prefer that and it gives the people that may show up behind me a bit of a heads up.

Sometimes though, if I have an FPC a cashier will just void the item from the bill. What do you do? Tell them the right way to do it (ie - enter the price of the item as a manufacturer coupon) or just ignore it?