Evil Walmart cashiers
So, I know all about how awful Wal-mart is and I totally agree with the fact that they're kinda evil. However, even knowing that, I recently began shopping there anyway, strictly because of their price-matching and coupon policies. Basically, in case you didn't know, Walmart will honor their competitors ads, within certain guidelines, and each store has the right to decide what their local area is. The one closest to me only does so in my town and the next town over, which means since the Target is about 20 miles away,they won't match them.
At the one in Killeen, they pricematch for about 60 miles in each direction, which allows for a lot more stores. Their policy, which is found online at walmart.com, says you don't have to have the ads...basically, it's the store's responsibility to stock the ads. I've taken in the ads before, they never need them, and I'm always being told that I don't need to have the ads because they have them, etc. I print up and carry a copy of this policy in my coupon book, just in case.
So, I go to websites for all the grocery stores, drug stores, dollar stores, etc and make a list of what I'll be getting, details of sizes, price per lb, etc. With me so far? Yay!
I spend two hours in the store, I've got my coupons, etc., and I get in line. I tell the cashier that everything after the dividing bar is in the same purchase, but I'm pricematching. People do this all the time at walmart, so it's totally no big deal, right?
Wrong!
She asks for my ads, I tell I don't have them, she tells me I can't get my stuff, I show her the policy. Her voice goes up and up and up, she tells me that she works in customer service usually, so she knows everything about running the store, I have to have the ads. I ask for a manager, at first she won't call, because "she knows what they'll say", finally she calls for one....while we're waiting, she tells me that couponing and price-matching are just other ways to steal, and people who do either are no better than shoplifters.
I'm very quietly freaking OUT and when the supervisor gets there, she says I'm right, that there are ads at the podium, and that it's the cashier's responsibility to get or verify them. The cashier rings up my stuff, but as soon as her supervisor is out of earshot, she tells me again that I'm a thief, it should be illegal, and I'm wrong. I reported her to the store manager and I'm waiting to hear back, but I'm still really pissed off.
I saved about 12 dollars in coupons and 22 dollars in price-matching. Her damned screechy voice made it sound like she caught me red-handed sticking something in my purse! Honest to God, if I heard someone saying stuff like that to someone, that's what I would think. I was so mad that I was actually shaking.
It's important to know that for each coupon that a store handles properly, they are paid the full face value of the coupon plus eight cents for handling. And Price-matching just means I don't have to do tons of running around to buy what's on sale. It means my husband, who works about 45 minutes away from our house, doesn't have to stop by two grocery stores that are by his work to pick up things that are on sale. It means that I'm spending the money I would normally spend elsewhere at their store...these are all things that Walmart loves!
So, yeah, I know that nobody died, but I still want someone to tell me how following their guidelines that they print up is the same as stealing from them. Thanks for letting me vent!
Bobbie
At the one in Killeen, they pricematch for about 60 miles in each direction, which allows for a lot more stores. Their policy, which is found online at walmart.com, says you don't have to have the ads...basically, it's the store's responsibility to stock the ads. I've taken in the ads before, they never need them, and I'm always being told that I don't need to have the ads because they have them, etc. I print up and carry a copy of this policy in my coupon book, just in case.
So, I go to websites for all the grocery stores, drug stores, dollar stores, etc and make a list of what I'll be getting, details of sizes, price per lb, etc. With me so far? Yay!
I spend two hours in the store, I've got my coupons, etc., and I get in line. I tell the cashier that everything after the dividing bar is in the same purchase, but I'm pricematching. People do this all the time at walmart, so it's totally no big deal, right?
Wrong!
She asks for my ads, I tell I don't have them, she tells me I can't get my stuff, I show her the policy. Her voice goes up and up and up, she tells me that she works in customer service usually, so she knows everything about running the store, I have to have the ads. I ask for a manager, at first she won't call, because "she knows what they'll say", finally she calls for one....while we're waiting, she tells me that couponing and price-matching are just other ways to steal, and people who do either are no better than shoplifters.
I'm very quietly freaking OUT and when the supervisor gets there, she says I'm right, that there are ads at the podium, and that it's the cashier's responsibility to get or verify them. The cashier rings up my stuff, but as soon as her supervisor is out of earshot, she tells me again that I'm a thief, it should be illegal, and I'm wrong. I reported her to the store manager and I'm waiting to hear back, but I'm still really pissed off.
I saved about 12 dollars in coupons and 22 dollars in price-matching. Her damned screechy voice made it sound like she caught me red-handed sticking something in my purse! Honest to God, if I heard someone saying stuff like that to someone, that's what I would think. I was so mad that I was actually shaking.
It's important to know that for each coupon that a store handles properly, they are paid the full face value of the coupon plus eight cents for handling. And Price-matching just means I don't have to do tons of running around to buy what's on sale. It means my husband, who works about 45 minutes away from our house, doesn't have to stop by two grocery stores that are by his work to pick up things that are on sale. It means that I'm spending the money I would normally spend elsewhere at their store...these are all things that Walmart loves!
So, yeah, I know that nobody died, but I still want someone to tell me how following their guidelines that they print up is the same as stealing from them. Thanks for letting me vent!
Bobbie