Walmart Hiccup
As you might can tell by now, I favor Walmart deals. There is logic behind this. Most people, especially couponers try and avoid Walmart as much as possible. I get it. I was once that person! However, as of January 2011 my shopping circumstances changes. My husband graduated college and we moved for his new job. As exciting as that was, I realized that the new town we were moving to had limited stores to choose from.
I am sharing this with you because when we moved I realized I would have to make the best of Walmart, (if I wanted to continue to coupon and get good deals). So, with that said, I pulled out Walmart’s coupon policy and figured out the best way to shop there. It’s a great place to shop, if you how to use its policy to the fullest!
I want you to know that even though I have been a Walmart couponer for over a year now, there are still instances (very few) where I run into trouble. The trouble being maybe a cashier doesn’t know their own coupon policy and I have to explain to them that what I am doing is LEGAL! When this happens I sometimes feel like pulling my hair out! Sometimes it’s easy to explain, other times not so much. I don’t mind when a manger comes over to check out the situation, because then I know the cashier will be educated on the Walmart policy by someone they trust or have to listen to! It really helps that the key points of the Walmart policy are hanging at every register, that sometimes helps my situation.
The other day I ran into a ‘hiccup’ trying to check out. I had coupons of course, and without disclosing too much information, I want to share that everything was legit! The coupons matched the items, the coupons were in line with the policy, and it was just a case of the cashier didn’t know all the details of the Corporate policy. Yes, the policy was hanging at the register. But, even then, the cashier didn’t think I should get what I was getting for the price it would end up being! That’s the point of coupons! To get a great deal! Eventually I was able to check out with all my items and used all my coupons.
You will sometimes have a ‘hiccup’ at checkout. You are NOT alone. It happens to everyone. Even me. But, if you are doing things the right way, and following the store policies, everything will work itself out. (But you have to stick up for yourself)
One last note. I have gone into my local Walmart and talked with the store manager to make sure everything I was doing was within their coupon policy! This would be a great way for you to educate yourself with your local Walmart. It’s always nice to know that the manager has your back! Plus, I wanted her to know that I do walk around Walmart quite a bit to find great deals to share with you guys!
*Do you have a ‘hiccup experience? Share it with us below.
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I am not dissing on people with wic and other govt assistance in any way, if they need it then that’s fine, but they get their groceries for nearly free so why shouldn’t the rest of us??? The only hiccup I have had was a cashier that told me I couldn’t price match and use coupons!!! I was dumbfounded. Luckily there was a manager nearby to set her straight and she even apologized.
I totally agree, Carla. What some cashiers don’t realize is that the store gets reimbursed for all the coupons I use.
Ugh. I had this problem a few days ago — and it was a nightmare. I was price matching the Beneful dog food BOGO from Publix — which at first she told me that they do not do. I politely explained that if a price was listed, they do match the BOGO. I asked for a manager. The front end cashier came over and explained to her how to do it. No problems.
Next was that I tried to use a competitor coupon. It states over the register in a little sign that they accept competitor coupons. She said, “We don’t accept competitor coupons.” I said, “It states it RIGHT there on your register.” She looks up and sees it and says, “That is outdated.” I said, “Is there another manager I can talk to? This is corporate Walmart coupon policy.” She then says, “We all have different rules. We don’t take competitor coupons.”
I was so frustrated. So frustrated. I stayed calm. I smiled. I showed her the policy. I then said, outdated or no, if it advertises it on your register, you have to honor it. So then she scans the Target coupon, which of course, doesn’t ring up in her system because, DUH, it’s a target coupon. It works in THEIR system. She then says, “OH! We won’t take this because it doesn’t scan!” I said, “That rule is for when coupons are unreadable, etc.! Of course, a competitor coupon will not scan in your system!” ARGHHHH.
And as I’m walking away, the manager says, “Even if it did scan, I wouldn’t accept it because it is 2.00 off, and we only take 1.00 off”
Are you kidding me? Apparently they are making up coupons rules as they go which completely go against everything corporate walmart rules state. I left so upset — and to make things worse, the man behind me in line, even though I told him I was price matching, etc,. called me a name and said I had no respect for other people.
Jessica,
a friend and I had something similar to this happen to us recently, our cashier simply refused to do the transaction because she didnt want to lose her job, we had a couple competitor coupons, she literally freaked out and just refused while harping that we shouldnt be able to use other store coupons because its walmart… we ended up having to have a CSM check us out while hearing snide comments from her as well. it was an awful experience. I havent been back since, but I plan to go back this week, it was embarrassing because the ppl standing in line behind us prob thought that we were doing something wrong. Not only did she have a prob with the competitors coupons but she made rude remarks on the price matching too,… like, “you expect me to believe this is only $1.07?” it was an overall awful experience. :(
We also have had a weird experience with price matching and couponing. I prefer to go late at night shopping… a friend and I were approaching the registers one night when the csm that night, who is a friend of mine, approached us laughing and saying, ” yeah some of the workers already warned me two ladies were in here price matching everything in the buggy.” i was not upset with her at all but it rubbed me the wrong way to know that an individual who is supposed to be working would actually quit what they were doing walk all the way to the front registers to warn her that we were in there… it makes me feel like everybody thinks that we are doing something wrong… we arent wrong, we do everything by the policy and everything legit. I don’t understand why the employees think that it is such a bad thing, its not like we are taking money from their paychecks, but some do get very ill and defensive when I price match. It now makes me nervous, I will prob start going in the mornings now, it seems that all of rudys good experiences are from the morning shift! :)
I to have had better experiences in the mornings. If I ever price match I usually bring the ad with me – seems to make the process a little easier. Comp. Q’s really seem to cause trouble because they won’t scan and most of the time they have to manually out them in but they advertise they will accept them.
I am not a big fan of wal mart to coupon shop but there are deals to be had. I try to do small buys during the week and have found that much more successful. It does matter the cashier you get. Once in Wal mart i had a cashier that told me she could not take like coupons because they said “do not double” and to her it meant she could only take 1 coupon. I attempted to explain but to no avail so i politely paid for my items and wheeled into customer service where they re rang my order applying the q’s and gave me cash back for the difference, I have often suggested that the big stores like Wal mart should have a coupon/price match check out line. i think it would make checkout alot easier. Although i don’t price match very much ( prefer to just go the store with the lower price), living in a small town with wal greens across the street from Wal Mart and harvey’s up the road, there are always clearance deals to be found at each that i would otherwise miss if price match at wal mart.