Archived Baby formula limit

[SFSFun]

An actual good reason for limiting purchase quantities is to make sure the store is complying with state law. Many states have regulations built into their WIC program that participating stores have a mandatory minimum amount of eligible product on hand at all times.

Here is one example: http://www.mfhs.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/wic_min_inventory_retailor.pdf
You can find others by searching "wic minimum inventory requirements."

The grocery store I work at got two warnings after a random state audit and follow-up for not keeping the minimum amount of formula required in this state. The third time would have been a fine against the store.

 

[RedorBlue]

My point that I'm trying to get across is that you can think of every customer or large transaction as a scam. Every company has budgets for bad debt, that's the price for working in a customer facing business.

I like to coupon and stack promotions. Sometimes when I'm in the checkout lanes I feel evil eyes on me because they think I'm a fraudster. When in reality I buy in bulk a few times a year for help keep cost down in my household so I can enjoy other things.

 

[redeye58]

Same here but you only get on their radar if you return said items regularly.
They've watched me nearly clean out a clearance endcap but it's things we stockpile (still using up the Dial lavender soap that went clearance last year).

 

[NPC]

My point that I'm trying to get across is that you can think of every customer or large transaction as a scam. Every company has budgets for bad debt, that's the price for working in a customer facing business.

I like to coupon and stack promotions. Sometimes when I'm in the checkout lanes I feel evil eyes on me because they think I'm a fraudster. When in reality I buy in bulk a few times a year for help keep cost down in my household so I can enjoy other things.

Uh, yes we can, and you should always be aware for fraudulent activities. Let's assume the "3%" number that you pulled out of nowhere were true, would that number be what was found after all the other scams that were stopped by employees? Stack all the discounts you want. I encourage my guest to save all the money they can. As long as you're able to do so while following the terms and conditions of the offers, and you're buying the permitted household quantity, I won't give you a second thought. More power to you! But no, I'm not going to let you use double coupons that all override each other for the entire shelf's worth of formula. Follow the coupon's terms and conditions. End of story.

 

[ClearanceMaster]

A guy asked to buy like 15 the other day because there was a spend $100 get a gift card offer. I went to the backroom and gave them all to him. The formula wasn't on sale so it's not like I depleted a hot item for him. There shouldn't be a limit unless there's a big sale that will make a negative experience for multiple guests.

 

[RedorBlue]

A guy asked to buy like 15 the other day because there was a spend $100 get a gift card offer. I went to the backroom and gave them all to him. The formula wasn't on sale so it's not like I depleted a hot item for him. There shouldn't be a limit unless there's a big sale that will make a negative experience for multiple guests.

This!!! ^^^

This is the way you should be looking at those transactions. Not that everyone is a scammer. This way of thinking shows leadership and business savvy judgment. There are reasons why hourly TMs always stay hourly TMs, they refuse to change there way in thinking about business.

 

[ClearanceMaster]

The last i checked, Target reserves the right to limit quantities to "appropriate household quantities" .. there is a bit of discretion you can use on determining how much that is.

There is something somewhere that says that. But what is appropriate household quantity for stuff like this? It's baby food. If I walked into your store and asked you how many cans of spaghetti-os you had, and then asked for all 50 of them.. there was no sale or anything going on besides a gift card for spending $50 in grocery.. would you deny me? Maybe spaghetti-os is all I can afford and I only have money once a month to buy food. If it's not on sale for like 30 cents a can there shouldn't be an issue. A sale is a sale and unless they are wiping you clean once a week let it go

 

[NPC]

A guy asked to buy like 15 the other day because there was a spend $100 get a gift card offer. I went to the backroom and gave them all to him. The formula wasn't on sale so it's not like I depleted a hot item for him. There shouldn't be a limit unless there's a big sale that will make a negative experience for multiple guests.

That's retarded. He bought them due to the sale.

 

[ClearanceMaster]

That's retarded. He bought them due to the sale.

Yeah he bought them because there was a gift card offer for every item in baby and that's the formula he uses. It's not like the gift card was only for that particular type of formula.. it was off "your baby purchase" if that formula was specifically on sale we might have limited him to half our stock but there was no reason to deny him

 

[LadyCynide]

This!!! ^^^

This is the way you should be looking at those transactions. Not that everyone is a scammer. This way of thinking shows leadership and business savvy judgment. There are reasons why hourly TMs always stay hourly TMs, they refuse to change there way in thinking about business.

...Are you serious? So now when he returns those cans of formula, that he got because he was ALLOWED by someone who doesn't care enough to pay attention, the store loses that money (because it has to all be charge out) AND they lose the $100 guff card.

You don't know what business savvy even is. It's NOT allowing the company to lose money just because you'd prefer not to deal with the hassle of limiting quantities.

Honestly, it's these comments, and people like you two, that are the reason hours keep getting cut, and raises are being handed out more and more reluctantly. You'd rather just insist that the initial sale is all that matters, when someone who really understands business and management would look ahead and see what's about to happen.

 

[ClearanceMaster]

...Are you serious? So now when he returns those cans of formula, that he got because he was ALLOWED by someone who doesn't care enough to pay attention, the store loses that money (because it has to all be charge out) AND they lose the $100 guff card.

You don't know what business savvy even is. It's NOT allowing the company to lose money just because you'd prefer not to deal with the hassle of limiting quantities.

Honestly, it's these comments, and people like you two, that are the reason hours keep getting cut, and raises are being handed out more and more reluctantly. You'd rather just insist that the initial sale is all that matters, when someone who really understands business and management would look ahead and see what's about to happen.

The OP asked if there was a limit on formula. There should NOT be a limit to anything if it is not on sale. Obviously If there is a gift card offer on the physical formula and they are buying tons there should be a limit, I did not deny that. I only stated that if they were buying out the stock there should not be a limit and we should not be accusing people of theft until actual theft occurs. Let the sale go through. Stop the return when it is happening (the no receipt refund). This is the way a business should be run.

It is the attitude of people like you that turn guests away from shopping at Target because they get looked at for possible fraud for every little thing they do. Honestly, this is the second post I commented on that you have attacked another poster for their comments that were legitimate.

 

[ClearanceMaster]

Any future fraudulent return is a legitimate transaction going through the register. They are doing nothing wrong until they try to return the items without Proof of Purchase

 

[LadyCynide]

The OP asked if there was a limit on formula. There should NOT be a limit to anything if it is not on sale. Obviously If there is a gift card offer on the physical formula and they are buying tons there should be a limit, I did not deny that. I only stated that if they were buying out the stock there should not be a limit and we should not be accusing people of theft until actual theft occurs. Let the sale go through. Stop the return when it is happening (the no receipt refund). This is the way a business should be run.

It is the attitude of people like you that turn guests away from shopping at Target because they get looked at for possible fraud for every little thing they do. Honestly, this is the second post I commented on that you have attacked another poster for their comments that were legitimate.

You have to stop problems at their SOURCE, not just at the end goal. If you PREVENT a problem, then it works out in the long run. And it's not just about seeing it all as fraud. It's about understanding sales. Why would you EVER sell out of your entire stock of something for one guest when you know that the item is one that is desirable and needed by many guests? You said earlier that you would only say no if it inconvenienced multiple guests. By allowing one person to have the entirety of your stock, you are now inconveniencing ALL of the other shoppers look for that item.

And it's not an attack when someone presents you with the way something SHOULD be done. RedorBlue said that some of us should stay hourly because we're not savvy. We are actually more savvy than anyone who believes in inconveniencing a whole group of people just for one guest to buy way more than is needed.

I am truly sorry if you feel attacked, but maybe you should actually pay attention to what is being said. You went against your own earlier statements, and now you're saying it's an attack. People need to start thinking before getting offended.

 

[ClearanceMaster]

You have to stop problems at their SOURCE, not just at the end goal. If you PREVENT a problem, then it works out in the long run. And it's not just about seeing it all as fraud. It's about understanding sales. Why would you EVER sell out of your entire stock of something for one guest when you know that the item is one that is desirable and needed by many guests? You said earlier that you would only say no if it inconvenienced multiple guests. By allowing one person to have the entirety of your stock, you are now inconveniencing ALL of the other shoppers look for that item.

And it's not an attack when someone presents you with the way something SHOULD be done. RedorBlue said that some of us should stay hourly because we're not savvy. We are actually more savvy than anyone who believes in inconveniencing a whole group of people just for one guest to buy way more than is needed.

I am truly sorry if you feel attacked, but maybe you should actually pay attention to what is being said. You went against your own earlier statements, and now you're saying it's an attack. People need to start thinking before getting offended.

I never went against my own statements. You might have read them wrong because you were so worked up about this post that you misunderstood them, but I never went against them

Any item at any retail establishment is desired by many. My store even let's resellers come in Saturday night if is not on sale next week and buy out our game systems. It's business. What the guest does after the transaction is unknown and you can't judge everyone based on a few bad apples.

 

[RedorBlue]

The comments on here are getting a little heated. There is no right or wrong way to run a business. I run my business a certain way and it has treated me very well; got me promoted multiple times and has helped me through college. There is a reason why I stick to my way of business.

I am not longer working as a manager in store level. FUNNY ENOUGH I have a cozy desk job for a Fortune 500 company doing guess what.... Fraudulent Investigator. I see on a daily basis more fraud then you will see in your working life at a store level. So please, your barking up the wrong tree if anyone thinks I don't understand fraud activity. How do you think I got promoted to this position, it was by understanding those transactions and being able to see trends. And even with all those shady transactions I see, I still whole heartly believe that most customers have the best intentions.

 

[NPC]

This thread makes me want to kill myself.

 

[redeye58]

Back when corp relaxed the return & coupons policies, our area was hit hard with scammers & coupon fraud. We even had an extreme couponer advertising in the local paper about saving HUNDREDS of dollars at 'stores like ours' so I was only too happy to see it rolled back.
Those folks weren't 'loyal' & were not worth keeping.

 

[Barcode]

The OP asked if there was a limit on formula. There should NOT be a limit to anything if it is not on sale. Obviously If there is a gift card offer on the physical formula and they are buying tons there should be a limit, I did not deny that. I only stated that if they were buying out the stock there should not be a limit and we should not be accusing people of theft until actual theft occurs. Let the sale go through. Stop the return when it is happening (the no receipt refund). This is the way a business should be run.

It is the attitude of people like you that turn guests away from shopping at Target because they get looked at for possible fraud for every little thing they do. Honestly, this is the second post I commented on that you have attacked another poster for their comments that were legitimate.

The store can limit quantities for non-sale items too if people are buying in excess.

"Household Quantities"

Two reasons to do this:
1) They are most likely going to return it all. In other words a known/suspected return scammer.
2) It will deplete the inventory severely for other guests.

The comments on here are getting a little heated.

I disagree, everyone has been pretty civil.

 

[HardlinesFour]

Those folks weren't 'loyal' & were not worth keeping.

More then that. They posed zero value, and were worthless for Target. They might as well have just looted the store, of course... one could easily say they did. Eh.

There's nothing wrong with buying 3-4 of something, or even 5. Just don't return it all. And don't be a prick to everyone. Just... be honest, be nice, and use the actual stuff your buying.

 

[ClearanceMaster]

The store can limit quantities for non-sale items too if people are buying in excess.

"Household Quantities"


I disagree, everyone as been pretty civil.

Yep I'm aware we have the ability to limit anything. I just don't believe in limiting non-sale items. If they were a "frequent flier" that wiped you out constantly that would be one thing. I do agree return fraud is a problem but I don't think we should stop the purchase, only the return.

 

[Barcode]

Yep I'm aware we have the ability to limit anything. I just don't believe in limiting non-sale items. If they were a "frequent flier" that wiped you out constantly that would be one thing. I do agree return fraud is a problem but I don't think we should stop the purchase, only the return.

Things may have changed since I was a GSA in 2013, but we were told it was best practice to stop the sale, because we almost had no power in denying returns. Could vary by store though.

 

[HardlinesFour]

I'm not a father. I don't know exactly how many cans/boxes/containers someone goes through. But doesn't it have a relatively short shelf life? Why would you want to buy so much of something..?

I always watched anyone picking up the stuff, like a hawk. It's stolen like hotcakes.

 

[ClearanceMaster]

Things may have changed since I was a GSA in 2013, but we were told it was best practice to stop the sale, because we almost had no power in denying returns. Could vary by store though.

Things are constantly changing.. I've been here 8 years and I don't think there is a policy that hasn't changed 5 times lol. And ASANTS even when corporate passes down a policy it seems stores alter them anyway to fit their store.

 

[ClearanceMaster]

I'm not a father. I don't know exactly how many cans/boxes/containers someone goes through. But doesn't it have a relatively short shelf life? Why would you want to buy so much of something..?

I always watched anyone picking up the stuff, like a hawk. It's stolen like hotcakes.

I'm not sure the shelf life.. we find formula about to expire frequently so it has to be semi-short.

Doing a wic transaction at my last job I've done 12 cans at a time though. (different checks) it's better than going out every 4 or 5 days for a can. I think that's how long they last.. it's been too long

 

[LadyCynide]

I'm not a father. I don't know exactly how many cans/boxes/containers someone goes through. But doesn't it have a relatively short shelf life? Why would you want to buy so much of something..?

I always watched anyone picking up the stuff, like a hawk. It's stolen like hotcakes.

The shelf life is EXTREMELY low on most of them, which is why someone buying more than 3 or 4 (occasionally 5 when the sale dictates), it is usually never going to be used.