My CT Rant, You won't believe how I was treated!

[Binky5]

O so this is my first ever RANT. I can't help myself, I have to get this off my chest! So I go into CT today to buy some white swan tissue that's on for .79 cents. I have a few coupons for 75 cents off.SoI get my white swan and already before I get to the checkout I see them looking at me. Little glances from the staf, they didn't think I noticed! Anyway I get to the checkout and I tell the cashier that she can ring in each box of tissue seperately if she wants because I know that lately CT has this thing where they don't let you use more then one coupon per transaction. I know it's not right, but rather then argue with them I ask her to just ring each in seperate and tell her I have coupons for them. So I notice that it's my turn at the checkout and she is just standing there, not even scanning one box of tissue. Then I look up only to see a man (probably a supervisor) running to the checkout! He comes up to me and word for word this is what he said... " You were already spoken to about using more then one coupon and I see that you have a handfull of coupons"!!!!!! Really, your seriously gonna have a supervisor come right to the checkout and scold me for having more then one coupon in my hand?!! I said to him " No, I was told I could not use more then one scratch card, and I don't have any scratch cards" . He repeated again "you were told only one coupon per item and you have more then one item". So at this point I'm feeling like a criminal yet I know that I'm doing nothing wrong. I looked at him and said.. " I know these probably aren't your rules, I have friends that have had similar problems using coupons in other Ct stores..., but seriously, I can go across the street and PM your flyer and use all of my coupons without any issues. I told him as an example how I bought 100 cans of carnation with 100 coupons and had no issue, and he has a problem with me using 2 of the same coupons for 2 products. Anyway, I told him that was fine, I would take my business elsewhere, and it's CT's loss. I left the store fuming. I was treated like a criminal. Embarassed in front of how many people I don't even know! The conversation was very short. I told him no problem and left, but how can they do this to people??? There are coupons on the shelf in front of some of the products. Are they really going to send a supervisor/manager to the cash and make a scene every time someone wants to use more then one coupon? This rule is so "out there" I just don't know what they are thinking. I see people using multiple coupons (as do I) at all their competitors! Many people use coupons, not just us "crazy couponners" ( they called my daughter a crazy couponner a few months ago when she went to the checkout with 2 (yes I said 2) dog treat coupons! So I am definately calling their head office about this. I was treated like a criminal, and I want an appoligy! I willalso probably write a letter to the edditor at my local paper, and may just call "Live at 5". I'm sure that if I stole something from the store I wouldn't have been treated any differently. Lol, I'm still mad but it feels good to tell people who understand how nuts this is. Thank you all for listening.... I think I'll open that bottle of wine now and try to bring down my blood preasure!!!

[Zonny]

I think you're right to contact head office. The person who's giving you a hard time is probably just misinterpreting the policy, it doesn't actually matter to them what you're paying for your stuff. I remember when I worked at Superstore years ago, a customer had a big cart of stuff in the express lane and I pointed out it was for 10 items or less. He fumed over my comment, said, "I'm going to Sobeys next time!" and seemed to think I'd be terribly offended. I didn't say it out loud, but was like, OK, don't let the door hit you on the butt on the way out. Didn't matter to me if he came back in protest over something so silly.

[Binky5]

The thing is that it's the entire store! It's not just one or two staff, it's supervisors, managers etc. The cashier didn't actualy say anything to me. The man that came over (prob a manager I don't know) is the only one that spoke to me. But they all know my face and they all know I use coupons! I have absolutely no problem not going there and using coupons. There is only a handfull of items that I would go there for. But there is no need of the way they act when I walk into the store! I am not a criminal, not doing anything that the rest of my SC friends aren't doing. I was able to PM their flyer at GT and get my tissue! It's their loss. But I know that if they would have treated someone else like they treated me today that person would never return to that store. I could have filled my pockets with stolen goods and wouldn't have been treated any more poorly! There were dog food coupons on the shelf above the dog food. Can you imagine going to the checkout with 2 bags of dog fod and the coupons you just found on the shelf only to be told you can't use them??? Scandalous!!!

[cinpow]

just go straight to the head office! if I m you, i will never return back to that CT!

[elusive]

i hate using coupons at CT. i feel like this is the norm if you want to use coupons there, leave mad. i tried to use one coupon on a sale product and was told i cant. even if i am allowed to use a coupon, it takes them a loong time for them to confirm things. they really need to get with the program, such a turn off and that's why i avoid CT.

[Binky5]

I think you're right to contact head office. The person who's giving you a hard time is probably just misinterpreting the policy, it doesn't actually matter to them what you're paying for your stuff. I remember when I worked at Superstore years ago, a customer had a big cart of stuff in the express lane and I pointed out it was for 10 items or less. He fumed over my comment, said, "I'm going to Sobeys next time!" and seemed to think I'd be terribly offended. I didn't say it out loud, but was like, OK, don't let the door hit you on the butt on the way out. Didn't matter to me if he came back in protest over something so silly.

Yes, I know it's no point in argueing with them. I even said to the guy I know these arent your rules but you guys need to know that this is poor business. Someone is telling them to enforce these rules, and I have a hard time believeing it's head office. I think it's the local owner of the store that is mis interputing the wording of the coupon, and then forcing his staff to abide by his rules. I don't even care if they ever take another coupon from me again. I can get my stuff elswhere for the same price. I do however expect an appoligy, and I want the store manager to admit they were wrong.

[sjw80]

I also hate using cpns at CT. It doesn't matter what location I go to, I get a similar treatment.

[Zonny]

Oh I totally get what you're saying. They're losing customers by having these crazy policies. But in all likelihood, the staff at store level don't care. Not to say NO ONE without a financial stake cares, but IMO, the majority of folks in retail (and yes, I was one) don't care that much about the customer. Go to the competition if you want. Not right of course, managers and above need to see the big picture and how these silly things chase customers away.

I feel the same way at SDM. I buy GCs to make my purchases, perfectly legit according to head office. But I'm made to feel like a criminal for doing it. DH bought our bus passes the other day, bought the GCs at one store, the passes at the other, just to avoid the hassle (and we buy bus passes because we don't have a car, totally inconvenient!). To be honest, we don't really shop there much anymore; despite contacting HO several times to correct their behavior, they still beotch about it sometimes, so it's not worth the bother.

[Binky5]

Oh I totally get what you're saying. They're losing customers by having these crazy policies. But in all likelihood, the staff at store level don't care. Not to say NO ONE without a financial stake cares, but IMO, the majority of folks in retail (and yes, I was one) don't care that much about the customer. Go to the competition if you want. Not right of course, managers and above need to see the big picture and how these silly things chase customers away.

I feel the same way at SDM. I buy GCs to make my purchases, perfectly legit according to head office. But I'm made to feel like a criminal for doing it. DH bought our bus passes the other day, bought the GCs at one store, the passes at the other, just to avoid the hassle (and we buy bus passes because we don't have a car, totally inconvenient!). To be honest, we don't really shop there much anymore; despite contacting HO several times to correct their behavior, they still beotch about it sometimes, so it's not worth the bother.

I totally agree with you about the attitude of the staff. If no one at the top cares about customer service then why should they? Not caring about the business your working for is contageous. I used to manage a Tim Hortons. I did care (don't now thou lol) about the customer, and in training that was instilled in all staff. Most of my staff were very kind and went out of their way to help out customers. That could not be said for all the Tims stores in our area! I will not shop there until there is a scratch card. Then I will take my 1 scratch card in just to p$$s them off lol! And, depending on my mood, I will use my other scratch cards at other stores , OR hand them out at their front door so other customers can get free stuff!

[Bronwen]

This is how I feel about No Frills. They only let you pm 4 of the same item at a time and they don't give you overage....

Yet, from my understanding anyway, they submit the coupon and get money back. Like if your coupon is for $2 and the item is $1 they only give you $1 off so wouldn't that mean they're stealing from the company who issues them refund?

[Zonny]

Don't even get me started on No Frills. How can they advertise a sale, not have enough stock to get through one day and not be required to offer rainchecks? It's not a quick trip for me to get to NF, and to go there and find the stuff I went for is sold out...no longer worth my time.

[saddlebag]

the CT here in Sydney is horrible in every way possible, ie coupon handing, customer service....

however NF here in Sydney is awesome, always has stock....good with coupons...lovely staff

[couponmummy]

You say you are willing to call "Live at 5" which I'm assuming it's your local TV station. If you watch W5, sometimes they send in a reporter with a hidden camera. Maybe your local TV station could do a feature on you at CT, follow you around and get video of cashiers and managers, how they look at you, how they treat you when you check out and what they say to you.

Edited to say, I think it was The Fifth Estate, not W5.

[CrazyQT]

binky5, How many tissues were you trying to buy?

Zonny, I don't know of many SDMs that will allow a customer to pay for bus tickets with a SDM gift card. If you have been allowed to do this in the past you are lucky.

[Binky5]

Lol, good idea couponmummy but I dont think I want that much attention! I would rather call HO and possibly write a letter to our local paper . Live at 5 is one of our news stations and as much as I would like to kick up a stink I cant see how it would benifit me. I do see however how this story will hurt their business as a whole. They will have a bad name in no time if they treat people like I was treated today. Most people would never step foot in the store again but I know thats exactly what they want from me. I dont know how many people heard that man speak to me the way he did today, but im betting that anyone that overheard it was as uncompfortable as I was. You shouldnt be afraid that a store wont like your method of payment when you walk up to a register.