Dear Giant:
Although I will continue to post the weekly deals on this site, I want you to know why I do not intend to set foot in your stores again except to take advantage of ridiculously cheap non-coupon-item loss-leaders (such as the $.49/lb ham), and hope that you never make another dime off of me.
1. Your coupon policy is both ridiculous and inconvenient. Why should I be forced to split my transactions in order to get around your "only double 1 like-coupon per transaction" rule? The end result is the same and it makes shopping at your stores not worth the extra time. Acme doubles unlimited coupons. Superfresh may have a corporate policy of only 4-like coupons, but every store I have been in has unlimited doubles. Genuardi's has unlimited doubles.
2. Your advertising of your coupon policy is deceptive. I know that the official policy is posted in small writing on a sign behind the Customer Service desk, but the customer just sees the big "DOUBLE COUPONS" sign on the front of your building and assumes that you mean what you say...that you will double all coupons up to a certain amount. Your average customer doesn't understand that if they have 4 like-coupons and buy 4 of those items, that only one of the coupons will double. Read the comments on my recent Giant post if you don't believe me.
3. Your cashiers are poorly trained when it comes to coupons. This is not the fault of the cashiers. I blame this on management, both at the store level and the corporate level. It should not fall on the customer to educate the store employees about coupons.
An Internet coupon does not need to be printed in color in order to be valid. If you don't believe me, please print out a coupon from your own site and note the writing in the bottom right hand corner where is says "This coupon may appear in color or black & white". A coupon printed in black & white is not an indication that it was photocopied...it is an indication that the consumer did not wish to waste their color ink (and considering that you make money every time someone prints a manufacturers coupon off your site, it would seem reasonable that you would train your employees to not treat Internet Coupons as if they carry the Ebola virus.)
The item purchased does not need to match the picture. The wording of the coupon prevails.
Getting an item for free because of a sale combined with a coupon is not stealing or fraud. It is being a smart shopper.
Despite the recent press about coupon misredemption and barcode decoding, the vast majority of coupon users are honest people. Treating them all as crooks is both unnecessary and offensive.
Coupons are not a discount. They are a form of payment.
"One per purchase" does not mean "one per transaction". It just doesn't.
4. Many of your cashiers are rude. I watched the self-checkout attendant literally interrogate another customer, pulling items out of a customers bags to inspect them. Never once did I see her simply attempt to scan the coupon to see if it matched up (thus ensuring that the store would be reimbursed). I have had cashiers sigh and roll their eyes at me when they see customers holding coupons. I even once had a cashier take one of my Catalina Coupons (that I saw print), lie about it and then yell at me for questioning her (oh - and a call to the Catalina Marketing Company confirmed that a Catalina DID print out for that transaction. Never underestimate the resolve of an angry customer. She might decide to tell 4000 people in the Philadelphia-area each day!)
5. Gas points. Perhaps Gas Points are a great deal for those who live less than 20 minutes (each way) from the nearest Giant gas station. For those who don't, there is little incentive to do those deals.
The days of customers not thinking about their grocery spending are over. Customers want and need to save money and are turning to coupons to help them do it. When a store treats their couponing customers poorly, they will seek out a store that welcomes them and their coupons.
For me, that store is Acme.
Bill Gates once said "Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning". It is my hope that you will take these complaints seriously and learn something.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Cherry
Rebecca
THANK YOU!!!! I have been boycotting Giant for ages for these reasons exactly! Everytime I go I come home unhappy! I went for the first time this year because of good sales...and still left unhappy for not doubling all of my coupons (I forgot that they don't double more than one of the same coupon since all of the other places I shop do so).
Another pet peeve I have about their gas points is the short amount of time you have to use them! When I lived in Pittsburgh the gas points that "Giant Eagle" (the regional food store chain out there...they have nothing to do with "Giant") let you use it for a 3 month period before they would expire...and you got $.10 for every $50 spent (not $100 like Giant).
I will continue to shop at ANY other local food store than Giant for these reasons. Along with their terrible customer service!
Mindi- Thank you for bringing this to everyone's attention!
kimmiep621
i have no idea what happened to you today at giant but i'm guessing it was really bad. I myself since learning how to coupons wont step foot in giant, not even for really really good sale. just not worth my time and effort. i only liked them before because of the tree house. but now i just leave the older kids home w/daddy while i go shopping at acme or some other store. poo on giant!!!
Heather
When I lived in Lancaster I preferred shopping at Weis instead of Giant. I liked being treated like a human instead of like an idiot.
Julie
It's sad that you've had such bad experiences at Giant. In my part of the Lehigh Valley, my shopping choices are Giant or a small IGA-type store that insists their weekly ad doesn't apply to their store, only to others in the chain.
I'm right with you on the coupon policy and the gas points. I'd love to see both of them changed.
The cashiers where I shop, though, are for the most part courteous. Yeah, there's one or two that roll their eyes, but the rest of them are knowledgeable or at least willing to learn.
I hope you'll continue doing the weekly deals as I haven't been able to find them anywhere else.
Kristin
I'm on the west coast but had the same experience this week with another store and internet printables. They wouldn't take them because they thought I made them up on the computer or something?! Seriously, with newspapers losing circulation and going out of business, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that internet advertising and specifically internet coupons are the future. GRRRRR.
I'm sorry you had such a craptastic experience!
Manisha
Amen, Sister. This is why I don't shop at Giant.
Mary
Wow. We don't even have Giant stores down south but I sure hope that you also sent a hard copy of this letter to their corporate offices. What a great letter!!
Hilary
Wow! I have never, ever had any of those experiences, with employees, at our Giant and I've been shopping at the same one for almost 20 years. Unfortunately, Giant is really our only choice, except for "Superstale" which is so scary that I refuse to step foot in the place! (Plus, I find their prices to be much higher than Giant's.) I don't like Giant's coupon policy, but I've never had a problem either. I wish we had an Acme near us.
Good for you though for speaking your mind and sticking to it. More people need to speak up about things when they're unhappy!!
amy
Hil, is that you? superstale? that cracked me up, has to be here, where else do superstale's still exist?
Kristy
You go girl! I've been a pretty loyal Giant customer but no more!
Devon
I couldn't have said it any better. Your post was excellent.
Shannon
I love how honest you are...:)
Andrea
Wow, amen, and bravo! You said it so well! I agree on all of your points. I hope you sent this to Giant. Unfortunately for me they are the only grocery store in my immediate area except for a Shurfine and I just don't go there.
Shannon
wow I thank you for continuing to post their sales when you yourself not only don't shop there, but truely dislike them(and I understand why) I am new to couponing and your site and like I've mentioned before your posting of the Giant sales is the only posting on any of my area stores so I like to compare your finds to mine to see how I did. I might have to venture into some of my other local stores and check out there coupon policies.
Andrea
Oh wait - one more thing that bugs me about Giant! The Giant I go to told me they will not accept BOGO internet printables (like the welch's aquajuice), or the free diet dr. pepper coupon I got in the mail that looks like a printable. I think this is crazy and annoying!!
Leah
AWESOME! great job on standing up to them! I have about had it with being treated like a criminal at Kroger and intend to start voicing my opinion about it! This past week was the last straw for me..they should be happy I am spending my money there and not pissed off that I'm using coupons to do it!!!!!
Alicia
I am so sorry you even had to write something like that!
I don't have a Giant in my area and I am very glad!! I would like to know what they said back to you!! Please update us!
Kim
Agreed!!! Funny you should post this today because I also had a bad experience at Limerick Giant today with my coupons! So bad in fact, that I want to call the store and tell them. I will plan on doing my shopping at Acme now too, I am treated so so much better in their store!
Jess
I too appreciate you continuing to post the Giant ads. I only have Weis and Giant in my area. Giants price and selection are better. Thanks
Bonnie Kendrick
Here in Hanover, PA, Giant is pretty much it, other than Shurfine (Andrea, we must be close). Although, I try to avoid them like the plague, I do go in for the best deals like you Mindi. The ham this week was awesome, I combined it with the $2/$5 meat coupon and got 4 hams for $3 and change each. And the moneymaker on the Mccormick gravy mixes were worth a trip definitely, but you won't catch me buying a single thing other than the frees and lossleaders from them. Mindi, you are so right, they don't appreciate us as couponers that still spend money, otherwise they would realize that when we stop shopping there, we SPEND no money! We do have a Weis and SuperWalmart so it stinks to shop between 4 different stores, but I'll do what I have to so that I can feed my family for the least amount of money. You should post that letter with a request for your readers to copy and paste it and resend it to Giant corporate, maybe they would make a change when they received it 4000 times!
Jacquelyn Cox
Mindi-
I hate that they don't double like coupons. I don't understand that and I always forget and end up paying more. Or if I remember...I don't buy the product because it ticks me off.
I love number 4. I was probably the customer that you saw in self-checkout. I was there on Tuesday and the cashier was searching my cart and pulling items out of my bags. She was also "sighing" at me. I use self-check out because I absolutely HATE the way the baggers bag my stuff. In fact I had a half gallon of milk leak of in my van and spoil because of the way it was bagged.
I love Giant because of their prices. However, I have been shopping at ACME too recently and have been totally impressed by their customer service. They always seem so helpful and their products are usually always in stock (unlike Giant).
Sorry you had a bad experience(s). I hope that they listen to your comments and make some changes!
money-savingmommy
I love this! I agree with your first point. This drives me crazy! I have my own issues with Giant. They wouldn't take my buy one get of free coupon for Welch's Aqua Juice saying they don't honor any internet coupons for something free. It's funny because a few months ago I used 12 coupons (12 transactions i the same night) for free bags Rice Works chips and no one gave me a hard time. Anyway, I found the same exact online Welch's coupon on their website the next day. I sent them an email and a woman did call me but I'm still waiting for her return phone call to tell me what's going on. I printed out several of them to use b/c it's false advertising if they won't take them....and I fully intend to tell them that if they try to refuse it again. I think it's really funnyThis is the first problem I've had with Giant so I will continue to go there unless more issues come up.
Donna S
I loved reading your letter. I actually still LOVE my Giant (Lancaster area) The cashiers are amazing, managers are always helpful and I have never been told that I can't use a coupon - even 'Free' one's. I'll have to see about the doubling only one coupon issue - I've never noticed that (maybe that means I should pay more attention) We also don't have Gas stations here so no gas points. I guess I'm lucky. We also have Weis here and I refuse to shop there, their employees are not trained well at all and it takes f-o-r-e-v-e-r to get checked out because they don't have baggers at mine. There is my rant! I love reading all of yours! 🙂
Jess
Just wondering Donna which Giant do you shop at? I live in LAncaster too? Thanks
Patty
I have found the Giants and the clerks in State College, PA to be very polite and helpful with coupons. Shopping at Giant has enabled me to keep our grocery budget much lower than I could otherwise. I live in a rural area and travel 45 minutes to go there. No other stores around me offer the customer service I receive there, nor the deals. Even with the mileage figured in its worth my time and gas.
Mindi
That's great Patty! I'm happy that you have a store that makes shopping easy for you!
Kim
Patty-
When do you go to Giant, and which cashiers are you using? I live in State College (about two minutes away from that exact Giant) and inevitably, I get a cashier who gets very upset that I have a lot of coupons. I try not to let it get to me, because I'm a poor grad student and really need the money that I'm saving with those coupons for other things, but it really gets to me sometimes-- the cashier will roll her eyes, sigh, etc. I always have my coupons out and ready, and pull everything that I'm not using so I don't accidentally give them a coupon for something I haven't bought. I've never had an experience like above, where they've taken things out of my bag, but I've never gone through the self-checkout with coupons before. I'm glad that you always have good experiences up here, though!! Maybe I should start doing my shopping with you!
Celia
Mmm, I am sorry you are not being treated like the valuable customer you are. Boy Howdy, if I were you I would email Giant with a link to this and tell them how many hits you get a day.
Even with my small blog that gets about 75 hits a day, when I had a major customer service issue with Comcast, my blog forced them to deal with me.
I have not had any problems with Giant thus far although I would agree that their cashiers are poorly trained.
Nothing is more infuriating than poor customer service.
DianeScraps
I so rarely even look at the Giant ad. Their coupon policy stinks, and spending an eternity in the checkout line every time is just not worth it to me.
Tara
Wow, this is a great letter. I had a bad coupon experience the other day. My BOGO printable was denied. They told me that they do not accept BOGO internet printables but they do accept any other printables up to $5. This would've only been worth 2.49. I haven't called corporate but I will be soon.
money-savingmommy
What's really funny about this coupon is that I found it on their website. Of course, when I sent a message to them, their response was to take it off. But not before I'd printed it several times!
Kim@moneyfordisney
I have a cashier at my local Shaws who is openly hostile about my rolling use of catalina coupons. Sometimes, if I'm having a bad day, I purposely get in her line over and over and smile my biggest smile as she seethes over my purchases. I might have a problem with passive agression.
Hey I noticed that you have an ING link. I'm on search of an active $25 referral link to open account for myself. If you have a link and can make the $10 referrers bonus post the link in a comment on my blog. Thanks!
Mindi
Thanks for thinking of me with the ING link. You can click on the picture and it will take you to where you can sign up, but I think I only make anything if you sign up for the Electric Orange account.
I have my money at HSBC 😉
Mindi
Thanks to everyone for your comments!
I did use the "Contact Us" section of the Giant website to send them a link to this post.
It was something that had been coming fo a long time and the final straw was yesteday, when they wouldn't let me use the Welch's BOGO coupon and then made me stand there for 10 minutes before they would take the Aquajuice off my order because they were too busy harassing another customer about her Airwick coupons...to the point where there were 2 cashiers and a "red vest" person interrogating this woman. When my transaction was done, I told the cashier that I wanted a new ice cream because they made me wait so long and I didn't pay for melted ice cream...and I got the dirtiest look. I was more annoyed with the way they were treating the other customer than the way that they treated me....because I saw what the other customer was buying (because they were pulling everything out) and what coupons she had. The customer was using the coupons correctly.
All the other points have been happening to me (or I have been hearing complaints from friends about it happening to them) for several months.
And let me be clear (especially if the people from Giant do choose to read this). Every manager at my Giant is a nice person. I have yet to have one of them be rude to me. The managers just need to train the cashiers better (both in coupon issues and in service)
As for corporate, they need to seriously consider their coupon policy. Theirs is the worst of all the area stores. They may have been able to get away with that when then economy was good...but not any longer!
Keli
Mindi-
First, I love your site. Thank you for still putting the Giant sale list up becasue it is the ONLY store around me. I have had multiple problems with Giant and my coupons. I hate going there but have no choice. I now use the self check out line because of the cashiers that roll their eyes and sigh when I go in their line. I so wish we would get another grocery store around here!
Mindi
The self-checkout lines are starting to be more closely scrutinized than ever. All of my friends like to tell me their "coupon horror stories" and quite a few have told me that they saw someone scanning a coupon, but putting a different one in the slot (which means that they can reuse the coupon).
And I always yell "Why didn't you report them if you saw them doing it???" 😉
Julie
You are absolutely right! I take my husband shopping and have even used my 13 year old son to shop with me so I can get the double coupons! Unfortunately, Giant is the best deal in the State College/Altoona area...we have Martins, similar policy but only doubles .99 cent coupons! We have Giant Eagle, but the one closest to me doesn't take "veri-fi" coupons!?! We don't have Acme, we have Bi-lo (not the one you're thinking of, this is a different one! I called!), Riverside, Your Neighborhood Market none of which double coupons or take printable ones. We have a butt-load of Wal-Marts but we all know their coupon ploicies, and for a lot of the small communities, like mine, it's the closest, and the cheapest compared to the small stores nearby--what's more they all have different prices, the one in Clearfield Pa. is closest to me, however their prices are about $1 more expensive per item than the one in State College!!!!! So, for me it is the only real alternative, once a week I pack my 3 sons, 13, 9, and 7, up in my minivan with my Husband at the helm, and we truck it 1 hour to State College to get my coupons doubled, because it is the only doubler within a range we're willing to travel. Though Giant has been a lifesaver financially for us they also don't make it easy for the customer to enjoy the shopping experience, and aren't we after all the ones they need to make happy??? Just because they are the only real game in town doesn't make what they do right!
coryanne
i had this same sort of experience at the Ralph's in California. I am wondering if they are conected stores. I wont ever go in that store again!!
Mindi
I think Ralph's is pat of the Safeway chain....which isn't bad (we have Genuardi's as our Safeway-owned store).
The only thing that makes me nuts about them is that they will only accept 1 like-IP per customer per day....but if I go to the Genuardi's/Safeway website, I can print off 2 copies of each coupon.
Jennifer Y.
Hooray!! You've said all of this perfectly. Thank you for being a voice for us. There is no Giant near me, but I will go to the one where I work if there is a free deal. Their coupon policy really is the worst. Actually, scratch that, Pathmark's is the worst. NO IPs!! Period, end of story.
#3 sadly applies to most places I shop. I had to argue with an Acme cashier recently about the Avenu program, and tell her, yes, you CAN use a mfr coupon along with the Avenu. After going through this several times, I called corporate and complained that their cashiers are not very well trained on Avenu or regular coupons. I know that they did call the store manager and request that they train their employees on Avenu.
I don't think my Acme accepts free IP coupons either. I overheard a manager say that one time and I haven't tried since. I have a really good relationship now with that manager and I want her to stay on my side! I haven't had any free IPs lately, but we'll see if the Aqua juice goes on sale there and what happens.
I also get the stinkeye often when using coupons, particularly IPs. LIKE I REALLY HAVE TIME TO SIT AROUND AND PHOTOSHOP A COUPON FOR 50 CENTS OFF CHEERIOS!!
Something needs to change. Either the manufacturer's need to just go back to regular printed coupons, or the need to get on the stores about accepting them.
Julie
You make a great point about the time it would take to create those on photoshop, not only was it true it cracked me up!! Mind if I quote you?
Mindi
See - I don't mind if a store won't accept IPs at all. SuperFresh doesn't either. If I know that going in to the store, I just plan accordingly.
What makes me angry is the "coupon policy of the day" that so many stores do. WalMart is notorious for this. Target is pretty good (at least, my Target is). Acme is great. Even Superfresh is consistent (including being consistent with not taking IPs).
And I love the "photoshopping" remark 😉
Gail
You rock!
I need to get off my butt and send letters to Kroger, Time Warner and our Internet provider. I used to be really on top of these things too, but I have let them slide for far too long.
Barbara Stokes
Amen to that. Wish I had had this letter when I was having problems with my local Kroger store....for the very same reasons. If you hadn't said it was a Giant store I would have thought you were talking about Kroger, poor customer service and all. The only thing I step foot in for now is the absolute rock bottom meat deals.
Mindi
Just FYI - I was told by Acme that they will accept the Aquajuice coupon because they don't consider it a coupon for a free item (because a purchase is required)
They won't accept the coupon for the Free 2-liter of Dr. Pepper. Target accepted mine, but I also didn't clip that coupon. I took it in as the whole sheet in case they questioned it (they didn't)
T.
Did you have your bad experiences at the Township Line or Ridge Pike Giant?
Caroline
Great letter! I love when you get all fired up - it gets my blood flowing just reading about it. 🙂 I guess I should consider myself thankful that the Berks County Giant I shop at has never hassled me over any coupons (including IP's for freebies - Riceworks, Aqua Juice and all!) I don't think I was aware of the doubling only 1 like coupon per transaction - I'm going to pay more attention next time. Thanks for making me appreciate my Giant more and also giving me a heads up for what I could be expecting from Giant!
teresa
Thanks so much for the heads up on the doubling of only 1 like coupon. I had no idea. I'm relatively new to couponing and have been doing the majority of my shopping at Giant. Fortunately there are many other places to shop in Berks county that don't have that policy. I'll be taking my business there.
Krissy
I used to shop at the Elizabethtown Giant all the time, because Giant to me seemed like the only store around with the best deals and the one I was most familiar with. I do hate their coupon policies and some of the cashiers had acted as if I were bothering them when I came through with a loaded cart of food and a huge pile of coupons. One day a friend told me about Wegmans and I decided to look further into it. I was happy to find out that Wegmans will double all coupons up to $0.99 and there is no limit on how many you can use! The only problem was that Wegmans is 30 minutes away and Giant is only 5 minutes. I decided to make the drive up there and try Wegmans out. I saved so much more than I would have at Giant and I found out that Wegmans will accept Giant's triple and double dollar coupons! How exciting! The cashiers at Wegmans have never given me a problem with coupons... and they are friendly and faster. So Wegmans is now my number one choice for my monthly grocery shopping trips and definately worth the longer drive. I still go to Giant for my weekly groceries like milk, bread, and eggs, or when they have the the double dollar coupons, but I have definately cut back a lot on visting Giant and I really don't miss it at all!
Mindi
We have a Wegman's that is supposed to be opening in October and I can't wait! (and it will be added to my "grocery deal lineup" as long as the circulars come in the mail like all the others do. Only problem is that half of the people in the area are also excited about it, so it should be a madhouse for the first few weeks after they are open!
I've never been to a Wegmans as a "couponing customer", but oh boy do I love their fresh-baked breads and perhaps the biggest olive bar I have ever seen!
I guess I always assumed that they were "higher end" and didn't double coupons. Good to know that they do!
Julie
I love Wegmans, I grew up in upstate NY, where they started, they have an awesome produce section and bakery!! However, their starting prices tend to be way more expensive than other stores, this is something you need to keep in mind there. On the other hand, their "W" brand of foods is excellent and is relatively inexpensive, no coupons for those though.
Stacy Becker
Thanks for still posting the Giant ad. I am in Berks county also and while I like my Giant store, I am wondering if I should make a switch to Weis. Does anyone do the best deals/coupon match ups for Weis?
Mills
Hey Mindi, I'm sorry you have such a hard time with Giant but I love the one I shop at. The cashiers are always nice to me and not once have I had them roll their eyes when I give them coupons. I moved from Philly to the burbs and was pretty sad that I didn't have a Shoprite near me to shop at. However, I've actually cut my food bill down by about $20 by shopping at Giant. I'm not sure if your Giant has a computer where you can print coupons out in their store, but my does, so I don't waste my ink at home...I use theirs.
Katie
I personally do like Giant. I am able to get the best deals despite the only doubling one like coupon per item policy. However, I completely agree with the cashiers. I have had cashiers HAND BACK coupons to me because they will not scan -- what??? They are nuts! I had to get the items and show them, and one was a Giant printed Catalina. Also, I tend to go early in the morning (mine is 24 hrs.) and the overnight girl is rude and does not even speak -- come on' it is early, but if I speak to you, at least say Hi.
How do we get Giant to change their coupon policy? This week I bought the Welch's Light and Welch's Aqua for 2.49 each. I had a .75 coupon for each and assumed since they are different drinks each would double, but nope, only one did. Frustrating!
Kim
Thanks for this. I wish that I didn't have to shop at Giant, but it's the only place that will double $1.00 coupons-- our Wegmans will double up to .99, but not the dollar coupons. WalMart, of course, doesn't double at all, and neither does Target. I guess our Weis doubles two like coupons per transaction, but apparently doesn't let you do it more than once a day (this is what I hear secondhand, so don't quote me on it-- I've never actually shopped there.)
I'm considering writing a letter to the higher-ups at Giant, because, while I still save a good deal of money, it does irritate me that I either have to split my coupons up into four different purchases (if I have four coupons) or essentially forgo three dollars of savings. Three dollars might not seem like much, but when you think about it, that might one day mean the difference between getting to class or work for someone-- three dollars is a gallon and some odd bits of gas.
So, anyway, thanks for this again (because I was one of those people last week that didn't know that Giant had this crazy "only double one like coupon per transaction" policy, and am kind of mad about it) and thanks for still posting the Giant deals, even if you no longer shop there, because it's so much easier for me to have you figure out what's a good deal than to have me do it (because I still have very little idea what I'm doing when it comes to coupons.)
Laurie
Its funny, Giant's sister store Stop & Shop does not have this coupon policy. I use Peapod, which is the shop at home service from Stop & Shop and they double everything up to $0.99. The stores have the same policy and sometimes run triple coupon deals. Its weird that two stores owned by the same parent have such different policies.