T&T Supermarket Lucky Draw contest rules into, understand, electronic, experience

wranglery

First of all, I really hate shopping at T&T even though I do go there about once a month to use the $5 Entertainment coupon.  But it's one of the worst customer experience I ever have comparing to other stores (e.g. grocery, electronic, hardware, etc.).  T&T and Cdn Tire are pretty neck to neck when it comes to the worst stores.

Even before I went to their First Ave & Renfrew store last night, I knew ahead of time I would bump into some issues.....

I have read the contest rules and understand the $50 purchase must be before sales taxes and excluding newspaper, gift cards and other items.  But the rules never mention the $50 purchase MUST BE after any coupon discount!  I made a purchase of $52.13 + tax 1.33 = $53.46 in total.  Since my purchase is over $50, I used the Entertainment coupon of $5 and the total before taxes is $47.13. Both the cashier and customer service ladies refused to give me the contest entry form saying my purchase is less than $50.  It's NOT true, my purchase is $52.13.  Their rules does not specify the purchase must be after all coupon discount.  It's clearly their responsibility to hand me an entry form.  The CS lady argues that with the coupon, I didn't pay that amount.  But for manufacturing coupons, many companies send the coupons back to the manufacturer to claim the coupon back.  At the end, the store does not lose any money.
This morning, I asked the CS lady at the Tinseltown store and she suggested me to send them a note from their website to clear this item.  I believe their rules MUST specify the $50 purchase is after all coupon discount.

I know even if I have an entry form, there is no guarantee that I will win a single thing.  But that's not the point.  So I prepared myself to argue with the cashier and CS people way before I headed out to the door.

Also, regarding using the $5 Entertainment coupon at the First Ave store..... The staff like to "create" imaginary rules on most things.  Every time I use the monthly Entertainment coupons, all cashiers and CS rep make up rules that the $5 coupon is only good for purchase of $50 before taxes.  For example, I purchase $49 + $2 taxes = $51 total, they refuse to accept my coupon.  That has been going on for the last 2 years.  I asked the CS lady at Tinseltown and she said as long as the total is over $50, including taxes, the coupon should be accepted.  Even the coupon rules on the back NEVER mention the $50 must be before taxes!  Why do they make all these rules to themselves?  Making customers' lives miserable!

More... if you plan to use any manufactures' coupons for yogurt, candies, toilet paper, etc., best luck!  Their cashiers will check the coupon front and back and even ask some other staff to help them to read all over the coupon to make sure they can take the discount off, treating like the coupon is a fake.

If this happens in US, I believe people could easily bring them to the small claim court.

Purpleheart

首先, 我唔係T&T fans, 亦唔係佢地既staff,我只係路過的, 不過睇左你個post笑左! 點解你一直認為 Chinatown 個CS lady 講既野先係岩, 1st ave 係錯? 因為Chinatown 個CS lady 係相熟? 點解你唔打電話去T&T 既CS hotline 去確認? ( 號碼已在receipt上)

之前新聞報道過有騙徒自製一些假coupon去騙取折扣/免費換取貨品, 我估T&T 都係為左保障自己而揾多個人double check o者, 你諗下, 如果真係有個騙徒攞張假野出黎, 而個cashier又俾左discount/免費佢, 到頭來公司claim唔到錢, 咁邊個負責呢?! 個Cashier 就會話, "冇呀, 我驚個客人唔開心咪唯有唔出聲照用囉, 點知張coupon 係假架? "

bubblesalt

Wow.. You must have really good math that you can go to a store with full intent use a $5 coupon, then calculate the EXACT minimum amount $52.13 (oops you went over $2.13 wor) needed in order to use that coupon, but you didn't take into consideration of that big draw when you do that math......  

Awww.. Bad customer service at T&T... I agree...  totally...
And you think store CREATE rules JUST because they want to annoy you and only you!  They sure do!  How did you know?  Now that you know, they won't do that anymore...

I don't work for T&T or any large store, but I do understand what it means to have a policy in place, it's for the general public, if you can't stick to that rule, don't use that coupon.  READ the entertainment book, it HAS to say coupon is based on store's policy.

billykid

Let's all move to US!

pkphilip

Just go buy another loaf of bread of something then you are in the draw. Not worth spending time and effort for $5.

I think if you ask many big stores, coupons are not considered as a method of payment. And, if there are any promotions, the final amount should be before taxes and "promotional offers". Also, the coupon itself holds no monetary value, therefore I don't see a problem there.

Philip

wranglery

I asked them to clarify their rules.  If it's not stated on any of their rules, they should not force their customers down their throat.  I made it a big deal at the store with an intention to show how they conduct their business.  Somehow they still think they are still doing business in the 90's.  If they think they are right even though the rules are not clear, they can go their way.  I rarely have problems with other big stores, Safeway, Superstore, London Drugs.  Most of them will go their extra miles to help customers in a similar situation like that. Of course, except Crappy Tire.
When I asked about the Entertainment coupon rules, two CS reps from two different stores gave me two different answers.  Isn't that stupid or what?I am glad this post generates some discussions and over 150 views.

Prelude

Usually, promotion is at their discretion unless stated otherwise in writing.
Of course you can argue for it, just like everything else.  The difference is that T&T might not care about your loyalty, but Safeway and Save-on-foods would do the extra mile just for customer satisfaction purpose, not because they think you are right.

Save-on-foods even pricematch competitor for similar products (depending on the store manager) if you bring in the flyers, it's not policy, it's just for customer satisfaction.  T&T?  They just curse you behind your back.  

You shouldn't expect that much from T&T.

pkphilip

Well said Prelude. That's the difference between Asian and western culture. Asian tends to hold onto policy to avoid any recourse at the expense of the customers. Western tends to just keep the customer mouth shut by bending over.

If I am the cashier, I would just give out the contest form.. it's not worth my time to fight over trivial stuff like this.

Philip

sheep

回復 2# Purpleheart


    怪唔得成日嗌唔夠家用啦

Look4chrisng

Coupons are a small issue.  Cash registers ring up wrong prices is the biggie.  Which way the prices is wrong I let you guess.

There are code of conduct for supermarkets, if the price is wrong and under items are under $10, you get the item for free.  $10 discount for items over $10.  But T&T didn't sign up.  I did see it happened once at Safeway.

http://suite101.com/article/retail-price-scan-accuracy-a165686

Or they may get better if the following happens.

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2012/03/22/California-fines-Walmart-21-million/UPI-43011332450535/