Monday, April 18, 2011

Dollar General BOOOOO!!! Again!

Now if you've been following this blog long you know that it is a RARE occasion that I use this blog as a platform to blast anyone or anything but sometimes I just can't help myself and today is one of those days!

If you read the Another Week of Deals post from this morning you will have seen that I noted everyone should try their $3 Nivea coupons at Dollar General because that would make the body wash free. Dollar General sales the 8.4 oz. bottles for $2.50. They also carry the $1 boxes of Cap'n Crunch (the same ones as Walgreens) for which I had $1/2 coupons for ANY Cap'n Crunch Cereal, no size restrictions were indicated.

At any other store (except maybe Walmart) using these coupons would not be a problem. No hassles, requirements met here's my coupon, take my money..Thanks have a nice day! Well add Dollar General (at least the one in Vancleave) to the list of the Coupon Policy Uneducated! I picked up 4 boxes of Cap'n Crunch and 4 bottles of Nivea bodywash and went to the register with my 19 month old and coupons in hand. I'm about to get an awesome deal! 4 boxes of cereal and 4 bottles of body wash for $2!!!! Do you blame me for going?!

To start things off the lady checking me out was too busy talking on the phone to do her job. It just so happens it was her manager on the phone. I give her my purchase and then hand her my coupons. Now DG's policy states they accept internet printed coupons as long as they scan (which mine did!) but she immediately tells me she can't take mine because they are for the big boxes not the little ones. Well because this woman is uneducated in coupon etiquette she doesn't know that if the coupon doesn't specify a size restriction then it doesn't matter which box I buy...so I told her that...repeatedly...the conversation I hear on this side of the phone is "well yeah it scanned" "Ok I'll take it". GREAT! Moving on to the body wash! She scans my coupon and surprise surprise it goes through! Imagine that! Their computer took the coupon for the product it was meant for! It's crazy! (Guess this would be a good time to say that my first language is sarcasm!) She promptly throws them down on the counter and tells me she WILL NOT take those coupons because they are for more than the products value and I CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE IT WOULD MAKE THEM FREE. TO which I responded I Know! That's why I want them!

Her manager is still on the phone and she is telling her about my $3 coupons and the $2.50 price. I explained to her that they get reimbursed for the entire value and I fully expect her to price down the coupon to $2.50. I'm not one of those overage kind of people...I just like it FREE!

Here is Dollar General's coupon policy DIRECT from their website! You can print your from here.

Coupon Policy
Updated 11/5/10
 Dollar General is pleased to accept Manufacturer’s Coupons and Dollar General Store Coupons at any of our more than 9,000 stores.  These coupons come from a variety of sources, including, but not limited to, newspapers, magazines, print-at-home (internet), direct mail, product packaging, and in-store coupon boxes.
 Our coupon requirements are as follows:
 Dollar General will accept coupons, including Internet Coupons, provided they meet these requirements:
1.     Coupons must be original (no photocopies)
2.     Coupons must have a scan-able barcode
3.     Coupons must have an expiration date
4.     Coupons may be used only on products sold at Dollar General, and must match exactly to the item as it is packaged and sold at Dollar General.
5.     Coupons must clearly say “Manufacturers Coupon” or “Dollar General Store Coupon”
Dollar General will NOT accept the following:
1.     Manufacturer’s coupons that do not scan, or Dollar General Store Coupons with an invalid promotional code
2.     Expired Coupons
3.     Coupons for products not sold at Dollar General
4.     FREE Item coupon if printed from the Internet, unless a purchase is required (example: a “buy one, get one free” is acceptable).
5.     Coupons from other retailers or coupons that may be used only at other retailers

In addition, unless the coupons state otherwise, you may use multiple coupons in one transaction. You may also use a Dollar General coupon along with a Manufacturer’s coupon for the same item, as long as neither coupon states otherwise.


Do you see any where in that policy that they will NOT accept coupons for over the value? Well needless to say I walked out with NO cereal and NO bodywash and my blood pressure going through the roof! They refused to accept my coupons. As soon as this is published I will be calling the Dollar General headquarters and giving them an ear full! This is not the first time this same store has been turned in for the same problem. 

As for me, I'll take my coupons to a store that WANTS my money even if it is only $2 instead of $14! Walgreens and Target will be more than happy to accept it!

6 comments:

  1. I will call headquarters too because this is ridiculous. They have told me that they do not take ANY online coupons which I thought was crazy. They don't realize how much business they are losing. I would love to find out if another Dollar General would allow this transaction with no questions asked. Do they NOT understand that they are not losing money?

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  2. The one on Gautier-Vancleave Road will not take internet coupons so I quit going there....for anything.

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  3. If Cal Turner was still living this would not be happening...he was a fine, decent Christian man who owned Dollar General Stores. He lived in Brentwood, TN where I used to live. It's like when Sam Walton died and the heirs decided to use a more "modern" method of doing business and the store, where you used to find anything and everything, became the store where you can barely find what you need anymore and the prices have gone through the roof. As a Consumer Food and Merchandising Specialist, I have high expectations of customer service because I would not give less than what I would expect. I saw some of the worst customer service I've ever experienced when I lived in your area and it encompassed every industry. I have some nightmare stories I won't get into here. The best thing to do is contact Corporate Headquarters to find out what SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) is and if your area is following that. If they are not, then Corporate needs to know that.

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  4. What a bummer! It seems like the cashier was just...well...if I do not have anything nice to say....

    WM stinks for coupons here. They are actually kind of jerks about them. I have my Nivea coupons and will be trying them, but we will see....

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  5. Dawnmarie print out their coupon policy and take it with you!

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  6. I hate it when cashiers or store employees are like so ignorant and don't know what the policy is. You are brave, I give up when situations like this happen. Good for you!

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