Apparantly Blackberries aren't Berries...but they are FREE!

[coupondiva]

OK, here's a brag that starts off fun, gets super-annoying & then turns out great!

Went to Sobeys this afternoon to use up a $20 gift card that was burning a hole in my pocket. Have to say that I rarely go to this store because it's too expensive, too crowded, and the cashiers are often coupon unfriendly. That said, I decided to get a few good deals & splurge on my favourite indulgence, pecan butter tarts! (Yummy)! I hemmed & hawed over buying them because they're $4.99 & I didn't want to go over the $20. Finally tallied my cart to $22.50 & headed to checkout.

Among everything else, picked up a package of strawberries ($3.49) & a pack of blackberries ($3.99) and attempted to use 2 of my FREE BERRIES coupons from the Special K promotion. (These have a maximum of $3.49--photo below). Here's how the conversation at the cash went:
Cashier: You have one strawberries, right? (while trying to pass the second coupon back to me)
Me: Yes, and one blackberries
Cashier: But these are only for Strawberries
Me: They're for a "Free Package of Fresh Berries, any size, any variety" (pointing at text on coupon)
Cashier: No, we have to go by the picture
Me: No, the text says, Fresh Berries, any size, any variety
Cashier: We don't see it that way
Me: You don't see that Blackberries are berries? (rude, but I was getting really mad at this point)
Cashier: No, well....
Then she decides to accept it. She deducts $4.49 from the bill. I start to say something because I know the max is $3.49 but she cuts me off
Cashier: They're $4.99 but the max is $4.49
Me: Oh, you're right. Sorry! (evil laugh to myself)
Cashier: So your total is $17.45
So I pay knowing full well it's supposed to be closer to $22.50.
Wished her a Happy Easter & left.

Turns out she NEVER RANG IN THE BLACKBERRIES AT ALL! So I saved $3.99 from that mistake & another $1 from her ringing in the coupon higher than the max value. So I essentially paid $5 less than I was supposed to. Serves her right for being so difficult! My pecan tarts are gonna taste even better now!

Laughed all the way home!

denise

[MillieH]

I'd feel bad .. Last time I shopped at Walmart the cashier gave me back $2 extra.. I didn't think about it at first but then realised.. so I went to csm and gave it to her.. I make sure they give me what I'm entitled to so I think I should say something when it goes the other way.. I want to have a trustworthy relationship with cashiers.. then I won't have issues when I coupon..

[walkonby]

I'd feel bad too OP........just recently I actually bought the WRONG brand of rice ( I reached for Uncle Ben's 700 gram box ) , but somehow when I checked out I had the Minute Rice 700 gram box! Neither I or the cashier realized it and she took off my $1.00 coupon ( which was for the Uncle Ben's only)
Walking out I saw the error on the receipt and could not run fast enough back to CS to explain, I made VERY sure that the cashier would not get into trouble, I missed it because the rices looked the same and were right beside each other on the shelf.
I confirmed 2 times that she was not to blame, we both made a mistake. I wonder if the cashier was young / new / not well trained in coupon protocol ? Anything is possible.

[coupondiva]

Well I don't feel bad at all. That cashier has been there for at least 10 years & always gives a huge hassle over every coupon. She's friendly enough but just not reasonable. And to make it even worse she's in a semi-supervisory role so she can do overrides and train in new cashiers. Then they all learn her bad habits. No need to argue with customers and make them feel bad when trying to use a legitimate coupon. And I've worked in retail customer service/cashier jobs for years so I know that's not the way to treat your customers.

denise

[Shwa Girl]

OP, I read your thread title and remembered that old thread, Romaine is not a lettuce.
That one was about coupons too.

http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/145696-...excuse-canada/

When I worked cash, we were tested on exotic fruits and veggies at least 2 x per year. Now I know why.

[Arvilish]

I used it at Coop; I felt like celeb or something as I was asked tons of questions about it...good that I only had one!

[coupondiva]

Shwa Girl, I don't remember seeing that originally, but just took a peek & that is hilarious! Just the sort of thing this particular cashier would love to argue about too! haha
Speaking of the good old days, do you remember way back in late 2008-early 2009 there were these fantastic $10 wub 3 Olay product coupons? There was a small photo showing some of the more expensive skin creams and stuff but the wording didn't have any exclusions? I got tons of small tubes of lotion, 2 bar packs of soap, cleansers and moisturizers for just the tax. Anyway, I remember arguing black & blue with the same cashier that I had today over these. I also remember giving up and buying my stuff at Walmart or Zellers instead.

I used to give up easier back then but have learned to stick to my guns more.

denise

[Kwala]

Great brag. It has been pretty busy last few weeks for me so I have not done much shopping or used many coupons and when I did try to use few last week, I ran into problems. I tried using 4.00 off chicken coupon at No Frills on Friday but they didn't let me use it because they have a meat counter and I bought the chicken breast from the meat counter but supposedly the chicken coupon can't be used for them. I didn't argue tried explaining once that it is for any chicken but gave up, didn't have the time or energy to argue. I had one Hasbro coupon for free toy from a trade up to a maximum of 20.00. It was expiring on March 31st, thought I should use it now so went to Walmart on March 30th. Picked up a toy for 19.93 thought it should not be a problem but the cashier refused it, said it had to be exactly 20.00 tried explaining but she won't listen and then she called somebody to read and explain and that person said the same thing. I just said forget it, I will go to the customer service. Had to wait there for 10-15 minutes because the cashier their didn't want to deal with it and wanted the CS Manager to handle it. Once CS Manager came, she said it was fine and I was able to buy the toy. On the other hand there was somebody behind me in line who was trying to return a cartload full of Glade melts without a receipt, the cashier said her maximum without receipt was 50.00 only and she needed Manager's approval and I was surprised when the Manager said it was ok to return it without receipt because they scanned at 15. something and I believe she said she had 24 or 25 of them.

[coupondiva]

Kwala, what a hassle!

I don't know why some retail staff find the need to be so confrontational. Where the heck were you supposed to find a toy that was exactly $20?! And the chicken coupon, don't get me started! The very first one I used on a small, whole fresh chicken. First the young guy cashier tried to tell me that it didn't apply because it wasn't on a styrofoam tray (it was in a bag). Next he told me it was for "Uncle Ben's chicken"! Um, no, there's no such thing as Uncle Ben's chicken, the coupons came from the Uncle Ben's rice tubs I just bought in this store and they will repay the store as long as I buy "any chicken"! Got it but had to fight for it. Geez! At least this young fellow had the excuses of youth and inexperience. Doesn't say much for the next generation not to recognize chicken, but then again, we're well aware that lots of the older ones are no better!

denise

[macw1960]

Gee whiz, you guys seem to get really hassled. The only problem I seem to have really once in awhile is that they want to charge me tax on FPC's and I even use French coupons.

[seylz_gurl]

any variety seems pretty clear to me...hope you can laugh about it now but I'm sure it wasn't funny at the time

[ticul]

Well, Thank you for the info. From now on we all know that Blackberries are not berries

Thank you for sharing............................

[ssbean]

Loved the title. Great brag!!

[Arvilish]

I hate when cashier cuts me off...Last month, Igrabbed 2 John Fredia set thingy but there were 1.99 each and I had $5 coupon. When I went to cashier and about to say that 'it should be reduced t..', I got cut off as cashier said 'wait a min, PLEASE; I know what I am doing!' But then he deducted $5 anyway...

For not getting properly charged in your favour, I have mix opinion about it. It can become so common too hehehe. I mean on one hand, I think it is not fault that I have to go back to the store to pay when it was the cashier who forgot to charge...especially at locations that are half hour away and involve changing two buses. Not to mention, once I went back to store because cashier forgot to charge me for Revlon concealer and cs be like 'how will I know that it was not two and just one'....what the heck???

On the other hand, my evil bro would call me 'thief' if cashier forgets to charge me, stating that it is 'same as stealing' so I feel bad

Gosh I hate life!

[Nina1]

Rude cashier in NFLD? Say it isn't so!