SC event waiting to happen

[Ree]

Right now, we have an energy saving promotion going on, where, if people buy certain types of energy saving bulbs, etc., they can either get rebates or coupons for savings off the purchase.

We have done this every year for the past few years, and it always included the new compact fluorescent bulbs that save energy. (CFL's, as they are known in the promotional material.)


I needed new light bulbs, and I figured now was a good time to pick up the energy saving ones. I had heard the girls talking on cash, and they had discovered that the "curly fluorescents" weren't on the coupon after they had let some customers go through.

The manager had brought down the sheet with the details from the promotion, and it clearly said, "Regular 'curly' CFL's are not included in this promotion."

When they pointed out to him that the ads and the promotional material all have the curly bulbs in their pictures, he said, "You can't always go by pictures. Curly bulbs aren't included."
Right.


So, I went to look at the bulbs, and, right in front of a bin full of curly bulbs, there was the sign and a pad of coupons. I read it very carefully, and it specified "dimmable and 3-way CFL's".

I figured the girls were just misunderstanding the distinction as to which bulbs were on the promotion, which they are.

The curly bulbs are on the promotion, as long as they fit the criteria of dimmable or 3-way.

I looked at the package I was buying. It didn't specify "dimmable", but then, I couldn't find any of the bulbs that did specify that. I figured, since that particular bin and no others had the sign and coupon, they must be the right ones.

Nope.

I got to the cash, and the girls would not give me the coupon price. They said, "Curly bulbs aren't on it."

Great.

Yes they are!!!

I will give the benefit of the doubt, and say that, because my package didn't specify anything, they probably weren't on the promotion, but these girls are denying all bulbs, based on appearance, because of misinformation.

Now, we are going to have all kinds of SC's get all pissy about this, and I don't really blame them.

The guys in that department need to put the coupons in front of the items that are actually on the promotion.
Unfortunately, nowhere is there any type of listing for exactly which SKU's are covered, which would probably be the best thing for corporate to do, instead of leaving it to interpretation by some cashier who never sets foot in the electrical department, or some clerk working in that department, who doesn't know his knee from his butt. (The guys in that department are incredibly incompetent.)

I even went to the website for the promotion, and there's nothing there to specify which product is included, as there are so many different manufacturers.

This has me really ticked, since it was so misleading for me, and I work there, I can only imagine the crap that has yet to hit the fan over the next month or so.

[tropicsgoddess]

Management should really consider redoing the verbiage for the promo or .

[Ree]

The thing is, it's partially sponsored by the government and the hydro companies, so it's not just the wording of our company.

Corporate does have a master list, though, and they would know which bulbs qualify, so it wouldn't be that difficult to put out a list of the proper SKU's.

[Heatherina]

Maybe it was their intention to mislead customers. You know get them in there, they realize none of the bulbs are on sale but instead purchase other items. It sounds shiesty enough.

[LoTech]

The manager had brought down the sheet with the details from the promotion, and it clearly said, "Regular 'curly' CFL's are not included in this promotion."

So, I went to look at the bulbs, and, right in front of a bin full of curly bulbs, there was the sign and a pad of coupons. I read it very carefully, and it specified "dimmable and 3-way CFL's".

I can see why the promotion would be necessary: those dimmable CFL's are a pretty new product, and they cost a fair bit more than the plain old 'on/off only' ones.

But the manufacturers are all clearly labeling them as dimmable:


So if your store is promoting these coupons for dimmable and three-way fluorescents, but doesn't HAVE any of them to sell, then, yeah, that's going to prompt some disgruntled customers.

I'd plan on referring them straight to the manager who latched onto the word "curly" instead of the word "Regular" in that exemption phrase.

And best of luck coping with the fallout!

[Hyndis]

Wait...so there is a coupon where you can get some items for cheaper.

On the coupon is a picture of an item that is NOT on sale.




The stupidity of that just boggles the mind. Its like getting a coupon with a picture of a taco on it, when in fact the coupon is for a hamburger.