Coupons. Deny fakes? Accept? Accept Returns? What do you do?

[starmaster1000]

It's a never-ending debate on those pesky Facebook groups and sometimes Reddit.

The typical "buys hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise with coupons, reducing the paid-for amount to a few dollars or even pennies" and "returns them all the next day for full value" scenario.

It plagues your Service Desk. It angers your old-timers. The TikTokers go wild. The Karens want your manager. Your RevLog Expert can't believe the amount of ESIM coming back there.

How do you handle coupons, both at the point-of-sale (checkout) and at point-of-return (Guest Service)?

 

[azure]

Just say I can do the return but I will have to manually remove the coupon value or I will have to deny the return unfortunately. It states in our return policy that we do reserve the right to deny any return and under the coupon policy it does state we are allowed to deny a return when manufacturer coupons are used. Normally we would just deny this return but I am giving you the option to get back what you paid just not the extra from manufacture coupons.

 

[azure]

Just take note of the receipt ID because we should never accept that many coupons and talk with your AP about it and they will get in contact with the person that did it.

 

[happygoth]

If you use a coupon and then return the item, why should you get the amount of the coupon back? That's ridiculous. If you decide you don't want the item, then you don't get to use the coupon. It's simple.

 

[Amanda Cantwell]

If you use a coupon and then return the item, why should you get the amount of the coupon back? That's ridiculous. If you decide you don't want the item, then you don't get to use the coupon. It's simple.

Exactly. We’re not gonna give you more money than you gave us.

my store denies fake coupons and adjusts down return value. most people use a credit card to do the return though so we can’t see what coupons were used. I hope new pos fixes this

what happens at GS is Asants but there is no reason any cashier should be allowing obviously fake coupons at the lanes or coupons that don’t match the product that is being bought.

 

[Frontlanegirl]

I think there is something in the coupon policy about denying a return with coupon abuse and putting the value of the coupons on a gift card.

 

[starmaster1000]

I think there is something in the coupon policy about denying a return with coupon abuse and putting the value of the coupons on a gift card.

It also says we can just deny anything where a coupon or rebate was used.

 

[DBZ]

At the checklane, if the coupon won't just go through, I adjust the price of the item. I hope the new POS changes things with the coupons. It's helped at the checklanes. It was worse on the old POS.

 

[Frontlanegirl]

It also says we can just deny anything where a coupon or rebate was used.

We ca, but if they push the issue will a lead cave? I’ve had it happen to me.

 

[Fluttervale]

We ca, but if they push the issue will a lead cave? I’ve had it happen to me.

If a lead caves, it's not a "failing" or fault on you, and don't take it that way. It's your job to make scamming difficult, and the lead's job to keep customers. It's a delicate balance, but it's not about you when the lead gives the guest/scammer what they want.

 

[checklane01]

there are situations where people will pay a dollar or a few cents on a prepaid visa, the rest with a gift card or cash. then they’ll go do the return and look up the receipt via the prepaid card. that’s how they get the value back in gift cards or cash without having the receipt. it’s definitely an issue we see in ap that comes in waves, hopefully new pos can help stop it.

 

[ISMike]

Deny the return entirely or refund the full amount. If (legitimate) manufacturer coupons were used, the store is getting paid for that and can't keep it twice (the value from/of the merch & the payment from the manufacturer for the coupon). Reducing the amount of the return is literally theft. Do/will people abuse this? I'm sure. So just deny it entirely then if you reasonably believe it's intentional fraud.

 

[Frontlanegirl]

If a lead caves, it's not a "failing" or fault on you, and don't take it that way. It's your job to make scamming difficult, and the lead's job to keep customers. It's a delicate balance, but it's not about you when the lead gives the guest/scammer what they want.

The issue I have is when the same person does the same behavior over and over and it is abuse.

 

[starmaster1000]

It's your job to make scamming difficult, and the lead's job to keep customers scammers.

When leads let scammers win, they keep scammers coming in, not Guests.

Your bottom line isn't increased by thieves who steal your merch and bring it back for store credit either lol.

 

[Fluttervale]

When leads let scammers win, they keep scammers coming in, not Guests.

Your bottom line isn't increased by thieves who steal your merch and bring it back for store credit either lol.

It’s a fine line, though. You can’t always clearly identify a scammer and you’ve got to act different when there’s a lot of guests vs no guests in the vicinity. Plus whether AP is in makes a difference.

 

[Frontlanegirl]

It’s a fine line, though. You can’t always clearly identify a scammer and you’ve got to act different when there’s a lot of guests vs no guests in the vicinity. Plus whether AP is in makes a difference.

Trust your guest service team, they know who the scammers are.

 

[IWishIKnew]

Trust your guest service team, they know who the scammers are.

This is why, if anything seems even remotely hinky when I'm backing up at the lanes I go straight for "I'm not a cashier so I don't know how to do anything, sorry" and call for help.

And also why I've had zero desire to be trained for the service desk and am grateful nobody has asked so I don't have to look like "not a team player" when I say "Oh fuck no".

 

[Amanda Cantwell]

Trust your guest service team, they know who the scammers are.

I wish I could print this on a poster and put it in the TL office lol

 

[Frontlanegirl]

I wish I could print this on a poster and put it in the TL office lol

Exactly! They are not a guest if they are routinely ripping you off.