The other day I had a lady at the Uscan who was buying like $100 worth of Tide and Olay products. She had like 20 or so paper coupons for them. Now from previous experience with these types of coupons, I knew immediately she was a coupon scammer. I knew I had to make sure she had ONE coupon for every product, because these coupons scan even if the product was never scanned. I found like 5 irrelevant $3 coupons for products she didn't have. While I was doing this, making sure the coupons matched, she was like giving me attitude, "is something wrong? what are you doing?" But I just kept on going through the list. I gave her back the 5 irrelevant coupons, and she was like "Oh, I didn't mean to give you those."
I noticed there was no plus card scanned, but I continued scanning the coupons, because I thought that was irrelevant. I mean, I made the she had one coupon per item, right? Right. So I walked away to put the coupons in my drawer. I think she also walked away without paying for some sushi after there was some glitch with her EBT card that didn't pay for all of the sushi (WTF? I mean it scans as a cold food item, so...). So I had to void off the sushi from that order and tell her to pay for it in a separate transaction. So while I was away helping other customers, I saw that she paid and left with her stuff.
I still thought something was fishy with that, so I went back to that Uscan and reprinted the receipts. Turns out she put in her plus card after I had left. And that plus card was loaded with digital coupons for the Tide and Olay products. So she basically got like $100 ($120? I think? Maybe?) worth of Tide and Olay products for $20. Oh, and she didn't pay for the sushi. Guess she was angry at me for rejecting her 5 irrelevant coupons, so she figured she'd just take the sushi and call it even.
I told all this to ACSM and he said, yes, this is why it's important to make sure a plus card is scanned before scanning any coupon. I mean I already knew paper coupons cannot be combined with digital coupons. But I did not know the plus card was important for preventing this specific scam. Why do I have to find out about these things after they happen? Oh, Kroger and your lack of training.
Anyway, now that I know about this plus card trick, and that I have the right to refuse their coupons if they don't present a plus card, these coupon scumbags won't be pulling that trick on me again. But of course, there's plenty of new cashiers right now, so, whatever.
There's a limit usually on how many coupons customers are allowed to use. I always make sure people dont go over that limit because people have tried to do that to me and get a crapload of stuff for like $2 or not very much. These people always try to lie and say "oh thats not true it works at the other Kroger blah blah" yeah, sure. This is one of the main reasons Im so sick of cashiering and the Front End in general. I would die to be able to switch departments or leave Kroger for good.
Yup, this seems like the normal "known" issue with SCO with coupon people. Before taking off any coupons always get the shoppers card, if they mouth off, that a sign they are up to something. Most couponers that are legit know ALL the rules and will basically tell you points blank what is going on and you know they are legit. The normal response "I'm not a scammer, I'm just good at coupons", no scammer is going point out a possible scam or use it in any way. Normal people will coupons will make sure their total is correct before scanning any coupon!
Question. Even if I was to force the scammer to scan a plus card, can they scan a card that doesn't have any digital coupons on it, and then later when I've already scanned their coupons and have my back turned, scan their other plus card that has the digital coupons on them?
I ask, cause there have been times where I've seen two different plus cards scanned by customers who thought their first card didn't scan, or were confused which one had their digital coupons on them. And then they'd call me over wondering why certain digital coupons came on and the others didn't?
True, I thought the register did not allow a 2nd card to be scanned. You do run the risk of that, but cant control everything, just do your little part. In reality, if your believe something is going on, transfer the order. SCO wasn't built to process complicated transactions, I can tell you no CSM is going to say anything if your being cautious. Like I said, only people that will say anything are people up to something. Normal couponers will be like "All my I's are dotted and T's crossed", do what you need to do.
A couple of women came through with $300 worth of tide/beauty/etc products, and a literal STACK of $5 off diaper coupons. Attendant scanned the coupons (which went through without a hitch) and they got everything for free, even though they had not a single diaper in their cart.
They came back a second time through the other set of SCO's we have, the attendant there just straight laughed at them and they are now banned @_@
We got a memo about it and management went around and talked to every cashier about this today. Our store policy is also 5 identical coupons per customer per day, so that helps cut down on shenanigans a little bit. You should ask if your store has a similar policy.
I wonder why this is happening. It used to be if a customer had an ecoupon and we scanned a paper coupon for the same item, it would remove the ecoupon. It was absolutely hilarious, and especially when the paper coupon was lower valued than ecoupon.
One other shenanigan is to ask for a rain check at the ecoupon price, and then use a manufacturer's coupon on those items at checkout. We've gotten memos about not giving rainchecks on Saturday Sale items at all. We can give rain checks at the ecoupon price, but there's a very specific set memo about doing so.
We've also been getting piles of fraudulent Catalina coupons, mostly $10 P&G ones.
I hate it when couponers try this stuff at SCO. If there's coupon nonsense like this going around, I'll try to tell them policy before they start the order to save myself some trouble. Otherwise, I make sure they have a bad time and drag it out as long as I can. I check the expiration date, size, variety, and quantity of each item. I also make sure to help all of the other customers frequently. It pisses off the couponers, and the other couponers will walk if you make them wait. Card and clear for booze, walk to the freezer and get ice, walk to the other side of the store for cigarettes, everything I can.
Also, whenever I void an item at SCO, I take it with me.
Really sounds like being a cashier at this day and age just sucks. These customers that do this shady coupon **** are absolute scum
That's true, regardless of coupons. I'd say it's more about minimum wage, low hours, random schedules, poor benefits, indifferent/hostile management, scummy coworkers, and all kinds of other things.
Also, whenever I void an item at SCO, I take it with me.
When I voided the sushi, it was because we both agreed that she would pay for it on a separate transaction. So I let her keep it. Or should I still take it with me? Wouldn't they, or any customer, get a bit mad at that point?
True, I thought the register did not allow a 2nd card to be scanned.
I did some experimenting today. When you start an order on Uscan, you can scan as many different plus cards as you want. But as soon as you scan an item and a discount applies to that item, I'm guessing also digital coupons too, it won't allow you to scan any other plus card. It gives you an error message saying so.
I hate it when couponers try this stuff at SCO. If there's coupon nonsense like this going around, I'll try to tell them policy before they start the order to save myself some trouble. Otherwise, I make sure they have a bad time and drag it out as long as I can. I check the expiration date, size, variety, and quantity of each item. I also make sure to help all of the other customers frequently. It pisses off the couponers, and the other couponers will walk if you make them wait. Card and clear for booze, walk to the freezer and get ice, walk to the other side of the store for cigarettes, everything I can.
Ha, that's what I was doing too. I didn't check expiration dates all that much, but now I'll be strict on it and reject them if they're a day over expired, just for these scammers. Our store is very lenient on expired coupons, allowing them to go as far back as one year.
So as far as the max of 5 identical coupons thing, they're kinda lenient on that too. Just one coupon per item. Didn't get to ask a store manager about it but I'll ask if I should limit it to 5 for these scammers.
I hear conflicting things about coupons that I just want to quit lol. Some supes are like ast long as the only have 4 like coupons it is ok even though I'm trying to ask that the coupon says limit 2 per shopping trip. another says no you read the coupon. another says if the digital coupon comes off and the paper one scans it is ok. but I read it as you can't have both. idk it is so damn confusing to me and the ****ing system still scans the crap that should not ****ing work.
