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[EagleEye]

There are three types of couponers-
The couponers who buy massive quantities of items they will probably never use but stay within coupon guidelines and do not try to do return fraud.
The couponers who are the opposite, trying to slyly sneak in coupons that will work but are not for the purchased item and then go to another Target store and return the item for full value.
The coupons who make their own coupons on a computer and try to find the dumbest or newest cashiers that won't suspect a thing. ($20 off Leapfrog 20.01 or more, $25 off any Lego 25.01 or more, other fraudulent coupons)

Target has taken a (small) step in the right direction by now only offering a GiftCard refund when a guest used over $10 in mfg coupons in one transaction...but it's a SMALL STEP

 

[thatcashierdude]

There are three types of couponers-
The couponers who buy massive quantities of items they will probably never use but stay within coupon guidelines and do not try to do return fraud.
The couponers who are the opposite, trying to slyly sneak in coupons that will work but are not for the purchased item and then go to another Target store and return the item for full value.
The coupons who make their own coupons on a computer and try to find the dumbest or newest cashiers that won't suspect a thing. ($20 off Leapfrog 20.01 or more, $25 off any Lego 25.01 or more, other fraudulent coupons)

Target has taken a (small) step in the right direction by now only offering a GiftCard refund when a guest used over $10 in mfg coupons in one transaction...but it's a SMALL STEP

Huh, didn't know about that giftcard thing with more than $10 in manufacturer coupons. I noticed one day that missed coupon forced a giftcard refund instead of cash back, the coupons were legit but the guest wasn't happy about it. I haven't seen it force a giftcard after that, even for similar amounts of manufacturer coupons being refunded.

 

[redstripes]

How so? Like if you took a coupon for Tide, but the guest bought Gain, it won't set off an alert at Proctor & Gamble headquarters to not reimburse Target for that coupon.

I do see your point though about fake and copied coupons. I would not like the feeling that any guest with coupons might be trying to use me to defraud Target.

there is a go-around that some couponers use when they purchase something from the same parent company but for a largely different item. Look in the local paper and notice $3 off a Proctor and Gamble product will have the same exact barcode as $3 off any Proctor and Gamble product. The barcode for $3 off Tide is the same as $3 off Crest or $3 off Oil of Olay. It is the absolutely same barcode number.

Target normally has sales that are a small % off normal price, like 5% to 10% so the potential for additional savings is somewhat minimal, but some retailers are very big on 'Buy One Get One Free', or '50% off this product during this week' sales. Those stores are more susceptible to this hit, but we can still get it in cases such as clearance.

A couponer may walk into a store and put 8 bottles of Tide on the counter (exact number is irrelevant, just some larger number that in 5 minutes the cashier won't remember), get those out of the way and burry them in a cart and proceed scanning 50 other items including 4 Crest toothpastes that went on clearance for $0.75. At the end of the transaction the couponer hands the cashier 12 Tide coupons for $3 dollars off. The first 8 coupons are triggered to go through because of the 8 Tides at the beginning of the transaction. The next 4 coupons for $3 off Tide go through because the Crest is a qualifying product, despite being too low of a dollar amount. The cashier has since forgotten the exact count of Tide products, but remembers "yeah, I scanned a bunch and they were heavy and taking up room on the counter. Maybe I don't remember 12… but all 12 coupons scanned so…". Had the couponer handed over coupons for Crest the cashier may have made the mental note "these are on clearance, do not accept a coupon greater than $0.75" and then cut them off right there. In this example the couponer used 4 $3 coupons on 4 $.75 items that the register will not catch, and the cashier *should have* noticed, but won't always. The couponer just profited $9. The couponer is less likely to be noticed for an "oops, I handed you too many coupons, I must have thought I grabbed more, and the shelf was empty" than they will be for "I tried to hand you a coupon for a clearance product."

Again, in retailers where BOGO is a big deal or %50 off sales the potential for this rip off is much more common.

 

[SFSFun]

And in that example, there still really is no problem. Target sells lots of Tide and there is no way for P&G or anyone else besides the guest to figure out that the guest used the coupons for the wrong product.

I'm not saying we should encourage people to do that, but at the same time there doesn't seem to be much benefit from stopping it.

Best case: You save Target the hassle of waiting to be reimbursed for coupons by just not taking some of them.

Worst case: The guest gets all pissy when you start denying coupons, GSTL or LOD overrides it anyway, guest leaves a complaint/shitty review.

OR take the coupons and everyone is happy.

 

[redeye58]

Not everyone....

 

[redstripes]

And in that example, there still really is no problem. Target sells lots of Tide and there is no way for P&G or anyone else besides the guest to figure out that the guest used the coupons for the wrong product.

I'm not saying we should encourage people to do that, but at the same time there doesn't seem to be much benefit from stopping it.

Best case: You save Target the hassle of waiting to be reimbursed for coupons by just not taking some of them.

Worst case: The guest gets all pissy when you start denying coupons, GSTL or LOD overrides it anyway, guest leaves a complaint/shitty review.

OR take the coupons and everyone is happy.

If your opinion is "there still really is no problem" we will have to simply agree to disagree. I find it to be unethical, bottom line. It is simply not honest. It would be like me handing you Monopoly money in lieu of real money and saying "go get me a Starbucks from that specific barista, she is legally blind and won't know the difference." In addition, if anything were policed or enforced from the side of the manufacturer, this could fall under coupon fraud (yes, that is a thing) and the company, the cashier, the store, maybe the couponer, could they reasonably be found, could be held legally accountable.

As far as your worst case scenario, Target isn't as bad as some places, but I have worked in retailers where if a customer makes a complaint for the cashier or manager not taking a coupon, even in a case where it is completely expired or wrong product/size, the cashier/employee/manager would face coaching, up to and including (yes, INCLUDING) termination. On the flip side taking a coupon incorrectly also lead to termination. Every persistent couponer could be your last. This wasn't unique to one company, this has prevailed in different retailers leading to numerous people I personally know being let go for a small coupon. Nobody's job is worth someone saving a few dollars. Never. I feel very strongly about this, and I won't back down from that opinion.

To add insult to injury, countless couponers who are vocal and brag about how much they donate can be seen at the weekend swap meets selling products for nearly full price, having yard sales, or simply craiglisting everyday common goods to make money.

 

[SFSFun]

Fair enough and thanks for the insight!

Just one more reason why I'm glad I don't have to cashier...

 

[queencat]

Using coupons for things you did not buy is coupon fraud, and the guest (as well as possibly the store but i'm not certain) can get in legal trouble.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

What happen to the op?

 

[SFSFun]

What happen to the op?

He tragically passed away after being mobbed by a bunch of extreme couponers.