SDM - Should I be angry?

[thien_nga]

Ok, I just come back from SDM, and heard that I'm on the list with others shoppers, who are purchaing a lot of chocolate last time! I purchased 60 cadbury when it was Kraft event! So the manager said that there is chance that they might take my points back, since I'm beating the system and they don't like it!!! Buying a lot is considered you are selling them, seriously, I'm so angry, not at the fact that the points might be taken, but that I'm on black list like criminal!

That Manager also said that they might give me points on Huggies if I purchase today (saw me with 20 huggies wipe tubes) but will take away my points later! The way he said is like I'm selling them, I'm god mother of a twin and you would know that they goes through lot of diapers and wipes. The parents are new to the country and when they was born they wasn't covered by OHIP since Mommy arrived at 8th month pregnancy (It costs Mom and Dad almost 20,000$ for doctors and hospital )!!! I'm trying to help as much as I could with diapers and wipes as well as other baby stuffs! I know it's not SDM problem, but they OFFER the bonus points, why it is my fault? They could put the limit of 4, (so people would just goes back many times)


Never thought that I have to rant about Shoppers but today I have to!

Thanks for reading, sorry if I ruin your evening!!!!

[FallenPixels]

They would have a hard time taking the points back on only certain members, but it has happened in the past - some time ago it happened to certain users on a toothpaste promo.

As far as the Huggies, they were originally not on those wipes but they had complaints bc they showed the wipes in an image used for the advertisement so they had likely already sent the flyer to press etc. They get x dollars from the companies for these promos and while they know some people will take advantage more than once, the majority don't so people who go crazy on them do cost them money.

[thien_nga]

Thanks FallenPixels, I think what ruins this is there are people buy stuffs at SDM and then resell them, it's like they don't need more competitors.

[Minou]

With the "extreme couponing" fad and with people buying excessive amounts on things during points giveaway promos, I think store managers are just getting sensitive about what they see as abuse going on. I think SDM needs to look very carefully at the terms of their promos well in advance to make sure these problems don't happen -- in fact, I think that they need a panel of "extreme couponers" working for them so they can find out what angles will be played on the promo. When store staff tries to limit things through individual store policies, they get a lot of anger from people who want to buy large quantities of these items, whether the people buying are reselling them or not.

I'm just happy to get nice little bonus promos on a few items once in a while. I don't feel I need to buy large quantities of things. I think the Optimum card should be like the Safeway Club card, where it tracks how many "limit" items a customer has purchased during the week, and charges the after limit price when the limit has been exceeded. It reduces the need for cashiers and managers to "police" the limits, resulting in less conflict between customers and staff.

SDM has been very generous in its points promos, so I'm not going to push the limits. They need to make a profit, too.

[NICKER27]

We have two in diapers, 20 tubs would last me like 2-3 months max! Shoppers offered these bonus points, why should we not take advantage of it. I plan to go back a few times this week and hopefully I can find a few more stores that have 20 in stock and purchase a few more while redeeming my points.
I really hope that I can find about 40 more tubs or so. I dont see this at all as taking advantage - Im stocking up on an item that I use every single day and it quite expensive otherwhise.
I dont see this as any different than stocking up on an item that is free with a coupon.....AS LONG as its done at different store and different times, as to be fair to everyone.
If I were you I would contact Shoppers and speak with them about how you were made to feel but that is just me.

[Shwa Girl]

I dont see this as any different than stocking up on an item that is free with a coupon.....AS LONG as its done at different store and different times, as to be fair to everyone.

I agree. Different store and different time, to allow others to get some.

[FallenPixels]

It is slightly different, with coupons the manufacturers are offering a full refund of the face amount to the store plus a handling fee
With a promotion like this, the manufacturer are paying towards the promo but not the full amount, they know that SDM has a markup in place and that people will buy other stuff while in the store.

The wipes came about because of a marketing error. They were never supposed to include those wipes, just the more expensive large refill packs but the image used showed regular wipes. When they planned to have the wipes on sale at $2.99 at 20x they did not think that people would be buying them *just* for points. So SDM is now out the 20x which is a store promotion too.

As far as speaking to SDM, their HO people are usually very critical of people who do buy for points and their standard line is that offers are meant to be one per cardholder.

[renegado]

The problem lies wholly with SDM's marketing/promo department. Blaming customers for trying to get the best deal they can is ludicrous. That's how shopping works in a free market system.

If SDM do want to go after people who are buying to resell, these people aren't hard to find. Look on Kijiji or at the local flea market. Don't bully or try to intimidate every "smart" customer who knows how to make optimum use of the Optimum program.

I think what that manager told you about points being taken back is an empty threat. SDM HO assured customers no points from the Kraft promo would be taken back, and this Huggies glitch is much smaller. Few (highly dedicated) Optimizers were able to find more than 20 boxes of Huggies wipes in one store, whereas many were able to buy hundreds of chocolate bars during the fabulous anniversary event. Most people looking for Huggies wipes yesterday found empty shelves that are unlikely to be restocked until next week, when the price goes back above $5.

Yes, you should be angry. Report your experience on their Facebook page and to HO.

[thien_nga]

Thanks gals, I only used 1 huggie coupon yesterday, so I was not extreme couponer either!!!

I couldn't sleep last night, thinking of how bad it is the way they operate, beside of the wonderful optimum program, they seem to watch to punish the "smart" customers (who are loyal to SDM as well, I buy everything I could in SDM, bus tickets, lottery, stamp, restaurants, gas, store gift cards) Since I join Optimum 3 years ago it's been so fun each time I shop (except a few grumpy cashiers I got). But now I feel like they think that if you are spending that much money and getting that much points, you are criminal to SDM. Why they don't just follow the people who sale chocolate and wipe on kijiii, pretty easy to find, email them or call them and catch them!

I'm so tired!

[screamy]

I completely agree. If SDM's marketing folks aren't smart enough to figure out that we can read and perform basic logical analyses on their offers by now, they need to limit them, and honour them, in any event, to whatever limit (or lack thereof) that they impose/fail to impose.

I was lucky enough to find a bunch of wipes (which will be donated, apart from a few boxes I'll keep for makeup removers, not that it's relevant to SDM), paid for them (thereby fulfilling my side of the contractual obligation) and if they were to claw back my points after the fact, I would be livid.

The monetary value of the points would be irrelevant; it's the principle of the matter that would be the issue. Being me, and having only rarely encountered a windmill at which I was not prepared to tilt, I would likely file in Small Claims Court for the simple (albeit petty!) satisfaction of making them spend time and resources to respond.

Contract law is pretty simple stuff when it comes to retail; of course they always have the right to limit quantities, but they have to do it at the time, and in the store (and preferably in the flyer AND the store, but in any event there would need to be some mechanism to tell the cashier "you can't sell more than n of item whatever to a single person" and notify the customer of that limit), not after you have completed the transaction! Once you've sold something, you don't get to go back and say "Whoops! I didn't mean to give you X, I'm taking it back now and tough s**t if you don't like it!", if that was the case, no one would be able to carry on basic commercial transactions with any degree of assurance.

The manager may have just been trying to warn you, I don't know what the "tone" of the exchange was, but I'd post on FB about it regardless and have them follow up. If they're going to treat you like a criminal, there's no reason not to vote with your wallet and shop elsewhere.

The problem lies wholly with SDM's marketing/promo department. Blaming customers for trying to get the best deal they can is ludicrous. That's how shopping works in a free market system.

If SDM do want to go after people who are buying to resell, these people aren't hard to find. Look on Kijiji or at the local flea market. Don't bully or try to intimidate every "smart" customer who knows how to make optimum use of the Optimum program.

I think what that manager told you about points being taken back is an empty threat. SDM HO assured customers no points from the Kraft promo would be taken back, and this Huggies glitch is much smaller. Few (highly dedicated) Optimizers were able to find more than 20 boxes of Huggies wipes in one store, whereas many were able to buy hundreds of chocolate bars during the fabulous anniversary event. Most people looking for Huggies wipes yesterday found empty shelves that are unlikely to be restocked until next week, when the price goes back above $5.

Yes, you should be angry. Report your experience on their Facebook page and to HO.

[mrs.march6]

" If SDM's marketing folks aren't smart enough to figure out that we can read and perform basic logical analyses on their offers by now, they need to limit them, and honour them "

Well said..I totally agree!

[screamy]

" If SDM's marketing folks aren't smart enough to figure out that we can read and perform basic logical analyses on their offers by now, they need to limit them, and honour them "

Well said..I totally agree!

Thanks!

[RebeccaRYoung]

It's kind of weird to take back the points. It seems like they are taking away a promise somehow. I'm not sure what the qualify as too many. What if I purchase 5, is that too many. Who knew that a store would be upset that I purchased too much!?!

[FallenPixels]

The people who had used FPCs for toothpaste and had points removed had all bought 60+ in a short space of time

[marstec]

I think stores should set limits so that everyone can get the deals...I know a lot of people only think about themselves ("you snooze, you lose"-mentality), but there are people who work during the day...they should be able to buy the flyer specials and promos too. Not every store has the buying power of, say, a Walmart, who can bring in hundreds of pallets of stock. And I'm not sure whether having massive quantities of stock would have helped either...some people tend to gorge to ridiculous extremes given the choice.

I don't like how Shoppers backtracks on certain promos, that's not good for their public image and if they do it often enough, consumers are going to be skeptical about shopping there. They really need to be careful in the future about dotting their "i's" and crossing their "t's".