So the Scoop on My Target Woes...

So my previous post almost makes up for the crappiness that Target is exuding for me right now...almost....

Here's the deal:

So, last week I went to Target to pick up my free Olay bodywash. They had the smaller size priced at $3.54, and I had 4 $4/1 Olay Coupons from the 6/6 P&G. Well, of course they were out of that size, so I went to the registers to ask for a rain check. I talked to a MANAGER who said that she couldn't give me a rain check because the $3.54 was the new price, not a sale price, but a new price. She said if I came in next week it would be restocked and I could use my coupons. Great, I was excited.

So, I went back this week. They were restocked and also repriced, $4.79! Now mind you, I understand that I could have used my coupons and paid $.79 but that is not the point. The MANAGER wouldn't give me a rain check and now the price had changed. I was mad, but I figured they would fix it for me. So I grab my four bottles along with two go-gurts that I had free coupons for and headed to "customer service". You will see the words customer service in quotations the rest of this post because though that is what they call it, I firmly disagree that they provided this customer any service. So, I get to the counter and the girl says she will honor the old price. She scans them in, changes the price, and I hand her my coupons. Then the poop hits the fan....

She says I can't use my coupons. I inform her that not only is it their policy to price down the manufacturer's coupons, but I have done it there before. She again tells me no and then gets the other person behind the counter involed. The second checker who is a MANAGER tells me no I can't use my coupons, and even if I could, I can't use four in one transaction because they say "one per purchase". Well now, I'm fuming, because they are just wrong. Target allows both pricing down coupons AND "one per purchase" means one coupon per item. Both of the checkers are getting....uppity....with me and treating me as if I'm trying to steal. In fact the MANAGER said, "we can't just let you take items for free out of the store." But, in a calm voice I say fine, then I just want my yogurt. Well, they wouldn't let me use both of my free yogurt coupons in one transaction either, so I walk out of Target with my one yogurt and a very bad attitude.

Now I normally carry a copy of Target's coupon policy in my purse diaper bag just for these situations, but you see I was on the rare trip out of the house by myself and actually had a real woman's purse with me which alas had no coupon policy.

Well the next morning, after this autracity to couponing, I call Target's "customer service" line. She informs me that they get a lot of calls like this, and they've been having a hard time getting out the information about how coupons really work.....oh, really, I hadn't noticed! How hard is it to tell your employees information? I mean come on, meetings, memos, flyers, bulletin boards, phone calls, put a note on their time card or paycheck for goodness sake!!!!

Anyway, then I start to get confrontational, but still polite because I don't want to give us couponers a bad name, and I tell her I still want my body wash. She informs me that she doesn't know why the price changed but that it is not possible for her to honor my request and she starts to get....uppity... Now wait a minute, if I can't trust a MANAGER's word, who has the final say at a Target location? I mean, do I need to call "customer service" every time I want to make a purchase?

So, last night I went to inform the MANAGER at my Target store of the situation and demand ask her to honor the previous price of $3.54 and correct the situation. However, when I went to the aisle to pick up the body wash, guess what....they were gone! AHHHHHH!!!!

I decided that I give up on this for now. However, I will never let this happen again and from now on, I'm just going to call the "customer service" line on my phone and hand it over to the cashier, yeah, I'm serious.

Here is the bottom line: 

1. Target allows coupons to be lowered to match the price of the item.
2. "One per purchase" means one coupon per specified item.
3. Getting an item for free is not illegal, it is instead completely awesome and should be regarded as such.

You know what the worst part is, I am still going to shop at Target after all of this because they do have some really great deals. But, will not be taken advantage of again and I will shake my fist at them every time I walk in the door!