the savvy shopper

Tonight, Heiko and I were going to have dinner out just the two of us.  I wanted to make a quick stop at Super Target to grab a few things first. I had some coupons that were about to expire I wanted to use. 

“The coupon you have is for $1.00 and the price of the item is $0.97 – we cannot accept your coupon.”  The cashier tells me.
“Yes, you can.  Target’s policy is to adjust the price of the coupon down to the price of the item.”  I said.  “Well, that means that you would get the item for free.”  She said
I replied grinning, “Yep, I’m a savvy shopper.” 
The cashier then begins to tell me that they are not allowed to adjust the price and it’s not Target’s policy.  So I ask her “can you please call your manager over?”  - I look over at Heiko and so far so good, normally he doesn’t like these types of situations, so I was afraid that we would have to hit the road but he knows that I’ve gone through this with Target before (same exact scenario) and he knows their coupon policy inside out same as me (he had to listen to me talk about it for hours before.) 

The manager / LOD comes over and tells me the same thing, that “Target does not adjust the cost of the item and the coupon that I have is for a normal size Head n Shoulders not the travel size.”
I quickly jump in and tell her that “ the coupon is for ANY size Head n Shoulders, per the coupon, it does not say excluding trial size nor does it say what size product I have to purchase. “

She then said, I kid you not, Heiko was there, and I’ve never seen my husband roll his eyes but when the she said “The picture on the coupon is for a regular size item and not a trial item.” I thought his eyes were on that roller coaster at six flags.  I looked at the customers behind me and said I am so sorry but this is going to take some time and then turned and said to the LOD “You’re mistaken; Target’s coupon policy is to adjust the price of the coupon down to the price of the item.” 

She again tells me that “I am wrong and if I would like to call guest services she will be happy to give me the number.”  Then makes the comment, “some people hold others up when clearly they don’t know what they are talking about.”  Hot dang, she is about to get a lesson and I am the one who is going to give it to her.  I wonder how many shoppers have either paid the full price, didn’t use the coupon or were so embarrassed they left the store.  Someone needed to teach this store their coupon policy and I was the one who was going to do it.  Yep, let’s go call guest services. 

While Heiko was loading everything into the buggy with the help of the cashier I begin to walk over to the LOD, who by the way is talking with the Target security guard and another rep about the situation as I walk up to them.  She then tells the other rep to “take her over to call guest services, “and continues talking about me to the security guard.  First off, what is the purpose of this intimidation – sooo not going to work on me honey, you don’t know your job OR your company’s policy.  So keep talking, your lesson is on its way, I am after all a savvy shopper and I know a store’s coupon policy before I shop.

The Target associate gives me the phone number but doesn’t let me call on the red phone; thank goodness I had my cell.  I called guest services and waited over 15 minutes for someone to come on the line.  I can tell that Heiko is starting to get a little impatient, we were supposed to have dinner just the two of us tonight and stopping at Target was supposed to be quick.  I knew, like sands through an hour glass my time with him was starting to trickle out.

The guest services associate comes on the line and I explain the situation, of course he agrees with me (duh) and tells me that he is going to call the LOD.  He asks me “do you mind holding while I call her on the other line?”  “Nope,” I tell him “please do.”  I wait another 10-15 minutes (tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock) he comes back on and tells me “we just had a new phone system installed and I am having a hard time calling out, just go ahead and tell them to call us if they have an issue but to use the coupon.”  What, helllooo, obviously, they aren’t listening to me which is why I am calling you, so I tell him “Could you talk to her through my cell phone, I don’t mine.”  He tells me that “it’s Target policy not to talk through cell phones but through the red phones and he will be happy to speak to her if she called in.” Obviously, something she should have done to begin with. 

I asked the sales associate behind the guest services counter to please page the LOD.  While she is on her way over I ask the associate “please speak with her, obviously she isn’t listening to me, which is why I called.”  He said “Why didn’t they have you call from the red phone,” Good question.  At this point the LOD comes over and I say to him hold on here she is – I am totally going to make him speak to her. The LOD takes the phone and speaks to the guest services associate and I hear her say “I wasn’t aware that was our policy, but the picture on the coupon..” Seriously, she was telling him about the picture.  She doesn’t say anything for a moment then I hear her say “ok, thanks bye.”  By this time there are a couple of associates just standing around (for what I have no idea,) and the LOD says ok ring them up and adjust the price of the coupon down to the price of the item. 

Ha-ha I think to myself, told ya so. I know I was glowing on the outside with all of the gloating I was doing on the inside and I knew I was gonna have to pay for it, but all I could think was finally, we are leaving soon.  Then, it happened, the piper wanted his pound of flesh for my gloating.  The associate scans the coupon (again, the coupon is from the Sunday paper ) and tells me that the Head n Shoulders coupon doesn’t recognize the Head n Shoulders product so they can’t use the coupon.  My head drops all the way to my chest.  Here we go again.  I tell her obviously the coupon is for Head n Shoulders and obviously the product is Head n Shoulders there shouldn’t be a problem.

Just so you know I am super calm through all of this.  I’ve found that by being calm you generally are able to be the voice of reason.  She calls over the security guard and again explains the situation; he picks up my coupon and then tries to tell me that I can’t use it because the sizes don’t match (repeating what she said to him earlier.)  Why I am dealing with the security guard I have no idea but maybe he can be the voice of reason here.  I say to him “Tell me where it says I have to purchase a specific size of Head n Shoulders, the coupon says on one Head n Shoulders period. He looks at the coupon again, puts it down and then moves away – why, because I am right. 

I tell the LOD that “maybe there is something wrong with your computer system, clearly this is a coupon for Head n Shoulders and I am purchasing a bottle of Head n Shoulders.” She tries to tell me that – here goes, ready, the cost doesn’t match up. My head falls to my chest again.  “Can you key it in?”  “No, I’ll get fired and lose my job.”  I happen (thank you God) to have a copy of their coupon policy on me and I say to her “Would you like me to email you Target’s coupon policy?”  She says “Obviously we have a copy here at the store.”  Now, I am clearly thinking have you read it because you have no idea what your own coupon policy is and I have now been here over 2 hours going around and around and around with this.  I asked her to call guest services again. 

While we are all waiting, I look over at my hubby who has been so patient throughout this whole thing and realize that a savvy shopper knows its past time to leave when you’ve missed dinner for two and an evening out with your husband.  I looked at the coupons in my hand put them down and told the LOD who was still waiting for guest services to please call me when the issue was resolved and turned to Heiko and said “Let’s go home.” 

We didn’t have dinner and we didn’t buy anything.  As I look at my clock it is now past midnight and my coupons have expired.  The lesson I learned today will stay with me always. 

A savvy shopper knows when to shop and when to walk away.