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It boggles my mind how much confusion there is about the Staples Ink Recycling Coupon program. Almost on a daily basis I get a customer who for some reason doesn't get it or has some ridiculous preconceived notion about how it works.
The Scoop: For each empty HP, Lexmark, or Dell ink or toner cartridge you bring in to any Staples, you will receive a $3 coupon. You may receive up to 10 coupons per day, and redeem up to 3 per day. The coupons are good for $3 off any purchase of $3 or more, and expire 3 months from the date of issue (we stamp them). No other brands (Espon, Canon, etc) or types (fax ribbons, printheads, etc) of cartridges qualify for the $3 coupons, though we can still recycle other ink and toner cartridges so they don't end up in a landfill.
Under the old program, any and all ink and toner qualified, and customers could receive up to 25 coupons per day. When Staples decided to change it, it was posted a good six weeks before the change went into effect, giving customers a long grace period to redeem any cartridges they may have had lying around. Once the change went into effect, there was a further one week grace period during which they could receive up to three coupons for non-qualifying cartridges, if and only if we received a "strong pushback" (taken directly from the email from HQ about). After that, they were SOL. And that was straight from corporate. NO MORE COUPONS EXCEPT FOR HP LEXMARK AND DELL CARTRIDGES AFTER THIS, PERIOD.
I think that's pretty straightforward, but I must be wrong, because there are all sorts of misconceptions about the program. Here we go:
•This program is restricted to HP, Lexmark, and Dell ink and toner cartridges ONLY. Your Epson, Canon, Brother, Sharp, Okidata, and Xerox cartridges DO NOT QUALIFY. This has been the case since September 17, 2006. That was four months ago, which is well beyond any reasonable grace period. So no, I CAN NOT and WILL NOT issue coupons for non qualifying cartridges. I will recycle them for you while you go and cry. NO ONE in the store will cave on this, as we have explicit instructions from the home office.
•No, Staples brand cartridges do NOT qualify. It is an HP/Dell/Lexmark compatible cartridge, not an HP/Dell/Lexmark cartridge, in the same way that a Compaq is an IBM-PC compatible, not an IBM PC. Only OEM cartridges qualify, because the Staples brand are previously remanufactured and cannot be remanufactured a second time (where do you think we get the hulls for our cartridges?)
•No, refilled cartridges do NOT qualify.
•No, the signs in the windows do NOT say "any" cartridge. I checked; they say HP, Lexmark, or Dell.
•Neither to the TV ads say ANY cartridge, you liar.
•Yes, I know you used to be able to redeem Epson and Canon. I did work here then. As the saying goes, that was then, this is now. The program changed 5 months ago (as of this writing). Get over it.
•I do not care if this program was the only reason you bought ink here. That changes nothing.
•I do not care how far you allegedly travelled "just for this." That also changes nothing.
•Believe it or not, you have to SURRENDER THE CARTRIDGE in order to get the coupon. You can't just flash a cartridge at me and get $3 off your order.
•On a related note, if you have short term memory issues and need to carry the cartridge to the Ink Wall to refer to when picking your new cartridges, then DO NOT turn it in before heading over there, then ask for it back. Get your new ink first, then turn in the cartridges at the point of sale.
•The coupons are NOT issued on a 1-for-1 basis. Therefore, you do NOT get to use more than three coupons just because you are buying more than three replacement cartridges. The limit is three per customer per day. Saying "but I'm buying four cartridges" changes nothing. That's NOT the way the program works, so don't bother trying to "explain it" to me.
•No, you can not split the order into multiple transactions and use three coupons per transaction. Nor can you hand me an expensive item along with a large stack of $3 coupons and expect to walk away with the item for free. Again, the LIMIT is THREE per customer PER DAY. NOT PER TRANSACTION.
•I am a perennial Staring Contest Champion. So just looking at me will not make me cave and give you a coupon.
•Yes, you can use the coupons right away, assuming you are buying at least $3 worth of merchandise (or $9 worth, if you want to use three coupons). Where the hell did you get the idea that they weren't valid until "next time?"
•Yes, you can use them on purchases that don't include ink. Hence "$3 off ANY PURCHASE of $3 or more." Idiot.
•These coupons have the same terms and conditions as any other Staples coupon, which are pretty much the same as ALL coupons everywhere. Specifically:
•For the LAST TIME, YES these coupons DO expire. I do not care if you didn't think they expired; they DO. Three months from the date of purchase. This is the very first thing stated in the fine print, and it's in boldface. And if you got the coupons from me and weren't redeeming them immediately, then I TOLD YOU that they are valid for three months only. If somehow you still didn't know, then you are SOL. You had THREE MONTHS to use the coupons, which should have been more than enough time. Failure to plan (or read) on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.
•NO, I will not accept them anyway.
•And NO, I will not issue you new ones to replace the expired ones.
•What part of "any purchase of $3 or more" is so difficult to understand? $2.99 or less is NOT $3 or more. So no, you can NOT use the coupon on that item. Saying I can keep the change/difference doesn't change this. Buy another item you cheapskate.
The Scoop: For each empty HP, Lexmark, or Dell ink or toner cartridge you bring in to any Staples, you will receive a $3 coupon. You may receive up to 10 coupons per day, and redeem up to 3 per day. The coupons are good for $3 off any purchase of $3 or more, and expire 3 months from the date of issue (we stamp them). No other brands (Espon, Canon, etc) or types (fax ribbons, printheads, etc) of cartridges qualify for the $3 coupons, though we can still recycle other ink and toner cartridges so they don't end up in a landfill.
Under the old program, any and all ink and toner qualified, and customers could receive up to 25 coupons per day. When Staples decided to change it, it was posted a good six weeks before the change went into effect, giving customers a long grace period to redeem any cartridges they may have had lying around. Once the change went into effect, there was a further one week grace period during which they could receive up to three coupons for non-qualifying cartridges, if and only if we received a "strong pushback" (taken directly from the email from HQ about). After that, they were SOL. And that was straight from corporate. NO MORE COUPONS EXCEPT FOR HP LEXMARK AND DELL CARTRIDGES AFTER THIS, PERIOD.
I think that's pretty straightforward, but I must be wrong, because there are all sorts of misconceptions about the program. Here we go:
•This program is restricted to HP, Lexmark, and Dell ink and toner cartridges ONLY. Your Epson, Canon, Brother, Sharp, Okidata, and Xerox cartridges DO NOT QUALIFY. This has been the case since September 17, 2006. That was four months ago, which is well beyond any reasonable grace period. So no, I CAN NOT and WILL NOT issue coupons for non qualifying cartridges. I will recycle them for you while you go and cry. NO ONE in the store will cave on this, as we have explicit instructions from the home office.
•No, Staples brand cartridges do NOT qualify. It is an HP/Dell/Lexmark compatible cartridge, not an HP/Dell/Lexmark cartridge, in the same way that a Compaq is an IBM-PC compatible, not an IBM PC. Only OEM cartridges qualify, because the Staples brand are previously remanufactured and cannot be remanufactured a second time (where do you think we get the hulls for our cartridges?)
•No, refilled cartridges do NOT qualify.
•No, the signs in the windows do NOT say "any" cartridge. I checked; they say HP, Lexmark, or Dell.
•Neither to the TV ads say ANY cartridge, you liar.
•Yes, I know you used to be able to redeem Epson and Canon. I did work here then. As the saying goes, that was then, this is now. The program changed 5 months ago (as of this writing). Get over it.
•I do not care if this program was the only reason you bought ink here. That changes nothing.
•I do not care how far you allegedly travelled "just for this." That also changes nothing.
•Believe it or not, you have to SURRENDER THE CARTRIDGE in order to get the coupon. You can't just flash a cartridge at me and get $3 off your order.
•On a related note, if you have short term memory issues and need to carry the cartridge to the Ink Wall to refer to when picking your new cartridges, then DO NOT turn it in before heading over there, then ask for it back. Get your new ink first, then turn in the cartridges at the point of sale.
•The coupons are NOT issued on a 1-for-1 basis. Therefore, you do NOT get to use more than three coupons just because you are buying more than three replacement cartridges. The limit is three per customer per day. Saying "but I'm buying four cartridges" changes nothing. That's NOT the way the program works, so don't bother trying to "explain it" to me.
•No, you can not split the order into multiple transactions and use three coupons per transaction. Nor can you hand me an expensive item along with a large stack of $3 coupons and expect to walk away with the item for free. Again, the LIMIT is THREE per customer PER DAY. NOT PER TRANSACTION.
•I am a perennial Staring Contest Champion. So just looking at me will not make me cave and give you a coupon.
•Yes, you can use the coupons right away, assuming you are buying at least $3 worth of merchandise (or $9 worth, if you want to use three coupons). Where the hell did you get the idea that they weren't valid until "next time?"
•Yes, you can use them on purchases that don't include ink. Hence "$3 off ANY PURCHASE of $3 or more." Idiot.
•These coupons have the same terms and conditions as any other Staples coupon, which are pretty much the same as ALL coupons everywhere. Specifically:
- NO CASH/CREDIT BACK. If you use three of these coupons to purchase a $10 item for $1, then return it, you will be refunded $1. Yes, it was a $10 item, but you only paid $1.
- And NO, you can not get new coupons, or otherwise pass the savings forward.
- NOT VALID ON PRIOR PURCHASES. If you are buying ink today but forgot to bring in the old cartridges, you do not get to bring them in and then get a refund for the amount. Instead, you are free to use them on future purchases.
•For the LAST TIME, YES these coupons DO expire. I do not care if you didn't think they expired; they DO. Three months from the date of purchase. This is the very first thing stated in the fine print, and it's in boldface. And if you got the coupons from me and weren't redeeming them immediately, then I TOLD YOU that they are valid for three months only. If somehow you still didn't know, then you are SOL. You had THREE MONTHS to use the coupons, which should have been more than enough time. Failure to plan (or read) on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.
•NO, I will not accept them anyway.
•And NO, I will not issue you new ones to replace the expired ones.
•What part of "any purchase of $3 or more" is so difficult to understand? $2.99 or less is NOT $3 or more. So no, you can NOT use the coupon on that item. Saying I can keep the change/difference doesn't change this. Buy another item you cheapskate.