Was asked not to shop at Shoppers anymore. Can't handle my Volume

[jonesy]

This is why I hardly ever go to SDM. Main reason is that they are way over priced on everything.
Take the gift card, spend it at another SDM, make sure it is not owned by the same person/people.
Steer clear of that store since they don't appreciate your business. I understand about the limits etc, they have to have their policies, that's fine. They also should be treating people fairly and professionally. They took steps to make it right, but you will never feel comfortable going in there again. So don't go.

[sweet sparrow]

I encountered a similar issue with a different store (not SDM) in my city and accepted their apology from upper management and a $20 GC. Apparently, one employee had a bad day with other couponing customers and took it out on me. As background, I used one coupon on my purchase (two items) and she saw me holding another coupon in my hand (but had no intention of using it, I had just kept them both together). She loudly talked about me to other employees, made references to what she thought I was like, with about 10 other customers within range, etc., etc. It was awful.

As offended as I was by being singled out, I don't think her bad day is worth more time than I spent to write in a letter to head office. They were in touch with her manager, said she had a rough day with couponers trying to use about 20, thought I was another because I was holding an extra one.... I also spoke to the district manager who said it was not usual business practice.

To get this process started, I wrote a detailed letter, documenting times, dates, names, what was said, descriptions, ... I told them I can understand that people have "off" days and what I thought was going beyond a bad day (like the physical pushing, the yelling, the demeaning comments in front of other customers...). And yes, this was all because I had one, count it again, *one* coupon.

I also told them what I expected from the experience - a simple apology for her behaviour, and that she be spoken to by a manager about how they want the store to be represented by their employees. He said people had complained about her attitude on other occasions and knew who I was talking about.

It was a rough experience, as I'm sure it was for you, but I wouldn't think that it's really worth spending more of your valuable time on. Buy something nice with your gift card *at a different location* for yourself and enjoy it. It's possible that the employees of that particular store had a really rough day or she just needed you to make her day more exciting. It's not really worth more of your stress and happiness.

[nicolthepickle]

Wow, I don't know what to say. That's terrible. I would copy the letter they sent you and show it to the manager. And take the $50, but also ask them to deal with the problem at your local store.

[lecale]

.

[torontogal12]

I used to work in the media. No one will touch this. Limiting customers is non news

The choice is yours, BUT I personal would not take it. I would send a letter off to them saying how you were treated was not professional and how you will never shop their again and will look into your legal options. I would than do a newspaper article about yuor experience, because, it was not you in the first place!!! Also, they should treat customers with respect and be happy your shopping there and that you are donating to a great cause. I say lawyer up and stick it to them.

[Smartshopper21]

I dont shop there anymore I used my chip card once and had a return they would not return the item saying that my card did not match the number on the receipt it was different. Long story short I called to find out why to my card provider and was told that when it is a chip they change the number to protect you and any and all stores should know this I called the manager and was then able to make my return and she was going to inform all staff. This was not my job to look into or to look like a fool in front of other customers the staff should have been aware instead of wasting my time and gas money!

[CrazyQT]

I dont shop there anymore I used my chip card once and had a return they would not return the item saying that my card did not match the number on the receipt it was different. Long story short I called to find out why to my card provider and was told that when it is a chip they change the number to protect you and any and all stores should know this I called the manager and was then able to make my return and she was going to inform all staff. This was not my job to look into or to look like a fool in front of other customers the staff should have been aware instead of wasting my time and gas money!

My card is a chip card and the last 4 numbers of my card show up on my receipts. So it must vary from banking institution.

[kidsteph]

I think the fundamental problem is that the store owner/pharmacist has to pay SDM for the Optimum points that are issued. When the points are redeemed, SDM pays the store back, but not as much as the store was charged in the first place.

So it is the store location that paid for all the food bank transactions, and the customer still benefits with Optimum points above and beyond that, which the store location has to pay for as well.

Kraft may have paid promotional consideration to SDM but that would be at the corporate level, which does not trickle back down to an individual store. In fact, SDM Corporate forces pharmacist owner/operators to pay a high proportion for advertising per store, meaning the store may get doubly hit for these kinds of promotions.

There are a number of lawsuits that have been launched by pharmacist/owners against SDM recently that outline how individual store owners are being regularly squeezed dry by SDM Corporate. I see this as an individual owner trying to fight back against SDM policies that deeply affect his/her store's bottom line (and therefore profit sharing, as the store gets financially penalized if it does not meet sales goals. I mean real sales, not Optimum sales, which the store is already prenalized for). The structure of the Optimum program is somewhat unfair to store owners, and the unfairness is made worse by extreme couponers that strongly impact the individual store.

So it is somewhat unfair to hit up an individual store, then complain to HO, as you are playing off two sides that are in disagreement about the program to begin with. It is the store, not HO, that takes the financial hit caused by extreme couponers. Therefore I feel it is in the store's rights to attempt to preserve its profits against those who are manipulating the system.

If charity, and not personal profit, is your primary focus, donate the $50 GC to the Salvation Army, get a warm feeling in your heart, and move on.

Interesting info about SDM and owners/pharmacists.

"I think the fundamental problem is that the store owner/pharmacist has to pay SDM for the Optimum points that are issued. When the points are redeemed, SDM pays the store back, but not as much as the store was charged in the first place." I had no idea this was happening. Do you have a good source for the info - first time I heard about it and I am intrigued about their business model.

[torontogal12]

I've never heard this also. I figured that the optimum points costs were included in the SDM franchise fees that the owner pays to head office.Usually marketing costs like points make up a flat percentage of the franchise fees

Interesting info about SDM and owners/pharmacists.

"I think the fundamental problem is that the store owner/pharmacist has to pay SDM for the Optimum points that are issued. When the points are redeemed, SDM pays the store back, but not as much as the store was charged in the first place." I had no idea this was happening. Do you have a good source for the info - first time I heard about it and I am intrigued about their business model.

[elizabethjohn2005]

which store was this? in ontario??, i have some stores like this in my area

[sarajk]

Interesting info about SDM and owners/pharmacists.

"I think the fundamental problem is that the store owner/pharmacist has to pay SDM for the Optimum points that are issued. When the points are redeemed, SDM pays the store back, but not as much as the store was charged in the first place." I had no idea this was happening. Do you have a good source for the info - first time I heard about it and I am intrigued about their business model.

She is correct. Which is why a lot of stores don't like to give you the points when they don't automatically scan.
Costs them money.

[momof5boys]

Well put lol can't spell your name so I copied and pasted it ha didn't work very well. tjthemanto



but again I didn't clear any shelves. I made sure that there was a lot there and would be a lot left over after I was done. They had me confused with someone else. This promo was a Kraft promo as well Kraft paid for it. I completely understand the limits and the fact that they had to change the promo I get that for sure. However the way I was treated/ talked to and then asked not to come back was very upsetting to me.

They did apologize...so I wouldn't carry on about it....just my two cents.

[thien_nga]

Well let me put in this post and let's see what everyone think

I know there have been some discussions on the board about optimum points. As a (former) Shoppers insider, maybe I can shed some light on what has been happening.

Shoppers Drug Mart franchises their locations, so each actual store is owned by one person (a pharmacist). The pharmacist (Associate) pays an upfront free to have their own Shopppers store and continues to pay the company a percent of their sales. They must participate in all promos- flyers, sale prices, and Optimum points – no choice.

Meetings between Head Office and Shoppers store owners happen about 1-2 times per year, in huge conferences. Since Optimum began, store owners have made huge stinks about the Optimum program and the costs to the store. The reason is that the store, not the corporation, pays out the value in points. So if you spent $50 on a 20X point day, Shoppers Head Office makes a commission on that $50 sale, but the store owner must pay out 10,000 points (50 X 10=500 points, X20 = 10,000; about $21) into your Optimum account. (The store that makes the sale pays out the points value, not the store you redeem at. ) So the owners’ $50 sale just became $29, and he/she still needs to pay Shopppers’ commission on the full $50. Additionally, they have to pay regardless of what you purchased – most items on page 1 of the flyers are below their cost, so they are already losing money on the sale, even before paying out Head Office and your points.

According to what I have been told, the average store owner pays out about $300,000/year in points. Bigger stores claim to pay out more than $1,000,000 per year in points, and, as crazy as that sounds, it only takes $10 million in sales at regular earnings (10 points for every dollar), which is average for a larger Shoppers store in Toronto, and that doesn’t even take into account 20X point days, all their operating expenses (inlcuding staff), their Shoppers HO fees, or how much of that $10,000,000 sold was at a profit or loss. (This is why so many stores mysteriously are out-of-stock on Nintendos and other high ticket items on bonus days – the markup on the device is so low (on electronics at Shoppers, it is usually very low), and paying out 20X the points on that makes a steep loss to the owner. So some Associates intentionally leave it off the floor (against Head Office rules- of course, Head Office wants you to buy it so they can earn the commission on the sale, and HO isn’t paying out points to anyone.) If they simply don’t reorder the item – well, that’s also against the rules, and Shoppers can see if they have none in stock (but don’t bother calling and asking them to check for you).

And they don't say “Oh, well, we make lots of money otherwise, so it is OK”. They are really upset about it and keep pushing Head Office to roll back the program. So, lately, HO is trying to support the store owners by picking on a few people who earned lots of points to make it look like they care about the owners’ losses. Shoppers HO is usually very helpful customer service-wise, but since the store owners have been pushing for more control on the points program, HO has taken a less customer friendly approach.

And just to be clear – there is nothing inflammatory or rude about my post. I am not taking anyone’s side in any issue, nor am I suggesting one person is wrong and another is right.I am just sharing information based on my (former) position in an effort to help posters who don’t understand what is happening how the decisions are being made. In fact, taking away one woman's points is so unbelievably petty and small I am grateful I left that job with no new job in sight, just to have gotten away from that environment. Shoppers spends more on coffee stir-sticks than the value of the points they took away, and who benefits? Nobody, because HO did absolutely did not reimburse the store owners for all those points they paid out, though they did keep the commission the store paid on the sales. .I don’t work there anymore so I can’t comment on what has changed (if anything). But, I suspect, this is a sign of things to come for Shoppers.

[krazytwacy]

I kind of figured I was being singled out a bit because this is the Small Town of Sooke BC the population is less then 12000. There can't be that many coupons. I didn't use coupons but they know I do so they used the coupon thing to restrict me knowing I won't shop there. There way of getting me out of the store. I have enough points to do four redemptions and they know it. Every time I go shopping there the cashiers comment on it. I don't think they want me redeeming there. This is such a small town that a senior in the seniors center made front page news because she got a rare cribbage hand.

[katie333]

Very interesting thread and I agree the treatment was unprofessional and terrible.

To me, corporate is the real culprit here, after reading the linked post from thien. It sounds like SDM wants to reap the benefits of customers who are brand loyal (in large part due to the Optimum program), but then punish them for their use of the brand loyalty program. Word of moves this like will get out, and it will diminish people's willingness to shop there, albeit perhaps in small circles that overall do not make up the majority of SDM customers.

With that said, when I think pharmacy, I think SDM. They don't really have a ton of competition.