Tesco Coupon policy Complaint thread

Indy_Nial

Just because one person feels guilty for using coupons against items not bought that makes it wrong?

Feelings don't make it wrong, it being fraud makes it wrong - the coupon is an offer to sell you that item at discount, not currency to be used for a different transaction - this is usually laid out in the terms and conditions.

Tesco authorised us to use them, IN WRITING. It is them redeeming them with the manufacturers that is fraudulent, not us using them.

The reason the retailers let people abuse coupons is that its is free stuff for you and free money for them. The fact of the matter is that retailers their coupon abusing conspirators have been caught red handed in national press.

The most sensible thing to do now is to whistle innocently and walk away as it's a fair cop.

*edit - I would be utterly astonished if you could produce a document in which Tesco's admit willingly performing fraud on your behalf.

Domthemon

Indy_Nial wrote: »

*edit - I would be utterly astonished if you could produce a document in which Tesco's admit willingly performing fraud on your behalf.

I have a Tesco headed letter plus a print out from their internal store email from head office stating that customers could pay in full with coupons without buying the product(s). This wasn't the 'dirty' secret non-couponers seem to think it was. Again, we can submit anything as tender, if Tesco accept it no fraud is committed. It is what Tesco do with the tender that then becomes fraud.

The suggestion that a tender presented and accepted in good faith is fraudulent has no basis in law.

madmuppet5

LizzieS wrote: »

Many years ago Asda would take coupons. Long before sites like this came into existence, the scheme was pulled - perhaps due to too many who were using it unreasonably.

I was well aware of Tescos policy. Thing is if I had used the same high percentage coupons to spending that many see as perfectly ok, I would have been presenting over 200 coupons of various denominations at once.

People on here need to get out of the mindset of it being a select few using the scheme - every past/present employee of Tesco will have known, as would many of their friends/family.

200 coupons? Would you tell me where?!!! On whole most of the "couponers" were saving around five pounds per shop. Not all Tesco staff were privvy to the coupon policy as you might suggest, hence people getting their legitimate coupons refused due to the failings of T's staff to recocgnize their own policy. The "pay with coupons" has apparently been on offer for the past fourteen years and as Martin Lewis has stated before is a "chinese whisper". Fact; before he glorified himself on GMTV about the "coupon policy" that he seemingly claimed was his own, we were all emailing, phoning and contcting store managers to clarify the situation. After Martins' appearance we all knew the writing was on the wall. So come Black Friday it was no surprise. The only surprise was the swiftness of the policy to be implemented. It takes literally weeks for team leaders to receive their new instructions from "head office" via shhet #5. In my store they had fifteen minutes to put up the the new coupon policy with the gharrish yellow signs (p.s. we know you are not a thief but look out!) same as every other supermarket, close off the coupon slots at the self service and say thankyou for your custom but goodnight. A lot of hard work by regular couponers has come to an end because of the crass stupidity of a man that thinks just because we post on his web-site it's mine! Chucking the information out to the masses has done him no favours and certainly those who spent literally hours looking for offers an coupons no favours either.

LizzieS_2

madmuppet5 wrote: »

200 coupons? Would you tell me where?!!! On whole most of the "couponers" were saving around five pounds per shop.

You have evidence of that from every single store and from every single transaction? There's 2 posts in the last couple of pages alone stating £15 & £20 off relatively low spends.

Not all Tesco staff were privvy to the coupon policy as you might suggest, hence people getting their legitimate coupons refused due to the failings of T's staff to recocgnize their own policy.

This has been brought up on other threads before. How do you know it is always a staff member got it wrong? How do you know that stores were not setting lower limits to avoid head office clamping down like they did Friday? The trend suggests individual stores did try to reduce the coupons to fairer levels per person, but as can also be seen on this thread those determined to ignore Martins request to be realistic and accept sometimes things will be refused, just went ahead anyway and insisted the coupon must be accepted.


The "pay with coupons" has apparently been on offer for the past fourteen years and as Martin Lewis has stated before is a "chinese whisper". Fact; before he glorified himself on GMTV about the "coupon policy" that he seemingly claimed was his own, we were all emailing, phoning and contcting store managers to clarify the situation.

And as you know, different stores gave different answers - the writing was on wall before Martin appeared on TV.

After Martins' appearance we all knew the writing was on the wall. So come Black Friday it was no surprise. The only surprise was the swiftness of the policy to be implemented. It takes literally weeks for team leaders to receive their new instructions from "head office" via shhet #5. In my store they had fifteen minutes to put up the the new coupon policy with the gharrish yellow signs (p.s. we know you are not a thief but look out!) same as every other supermarket, close off the coupon slots at the self service and say thankyou for your custom but goodnight.

Swiftness usually happens when legal action is threatened against a company.

A lot of hard work by regular couponers has come to an end because of the crass stupidity of a man that thinks just because we post on his web-site it's mine! Chucking the information out to the masses has done him no favours and certainly those who spent literally hours looking for offers an coupons no favours either.

Your last comment is disgusting, especially when you are using the site of the person who you are calling.

monkeyspanner

jennytablina wrote: »

So because Tesco is actually managing well this gives customers carte-blanche to get away with using the coupons? "Well done on making a profit mate, you wont mind if I nick a few bob off you eh?"

Seriously some of the opinions here are terrible. Coupons are a bonus, and knowledge of them had been widespread for a long time. I wager some people who used this policy were not ever members of this site! It was common knowledge among Tesco staff that this policy was in place and we were allowed to inform customers of that particular policy up till it ended. We didn't hide it, just never advertised it because y'know, its not really the proper use for them

I agree with Martin that nobody is overall truly to blame here. It's simply that Manufacturers have started to feel threatened by their own promotional coupons backfiring in a bad way with consumers using them towards other means. If Tesco had kept the policy we might of lost some suppliers in time I imagine and that's bad for business so something had to give.

I mean really if you want to save money you still can! Tescos have items at various price points - they launched a HUGE budget range earlier in the year, the 5p petrol deal, Septembers Beer Promo, Octobers Spirits Promo, Double Clubcard points for the foreseeable future - various instore offers. If you cant find these deals I highly suggest trying shopping at tesco.com as they have a page dedicated to offers and you can make some good savings that way (I have occasionally managed to buy an entire shop just using the offers page)

If this isnt good enough then do feel free to complain! Tesco's really wants feedback and that can only happen if you go to the right channels, this means not just complaining to the poor cashier! Because we cant convey your complaint to the company half as well as you can!

I don't and never have condoned the misuse of vouchers. However Tesco must bear some of the responsibility as it was condoning and facilitating the misuse. This was not altruistic on Tesco's part but a cynical policy to retain market share. Obviously when a policy like this gets too expensive the company will drop it because it is not a matter of principle but a commercial decision.

I do hope that as a Tesco employee you have not had to tolerate irate customers comments.

Domthemon

A lot of hard work by regular couponers has come to an end because of the crass stupidity of a man that thinks just because we post on his web-site it's mine! Chucking the information out to the masses has done him no favours and certainly those who spent literally hours looking for offers an coupons no favours either.

LizzieS wrote: »

Your last comment is disgusting, especially when you are using the site of the person who you are calling.

Why is it 'disgusting? It may be 'his site' but many people spend a lot of time contributing and reading, and it should be remembered that the coupon policy and use of coupons at Tesco was not exclusive to MSE. There are other websites and not all couponers even come on MSE. Martin treats the info as his sole property! And people on here feel its ok for him to spout off because many people gained a lot from here. Yes many have, but there are also others who don't use MSE who have been affected badly by this. Its a big picture and Martin and many members on here haven't thought about that.

Princess_Coupon

What is all these accusations of fraud? fraud is deception NO-ONE WAS BEING DECEIVED.
Tesco were not being deceived it was THEIR policy. The manufacturer was not being deceived it was part of their contract with Tesco's (obviously they didn't like it, but they had agreed to it)

"Until now, Tesco had argued that it was impractical to ask its checkout staff to make sure that coupons were only redeemed against the right products. Indeed, the ISP has alerted its members to a clause in Tesco’s terms and conditions which stated that “due to the flow of customers at the point of sale, the Buyer’s policy (in accordance with industry practice) is to redeem all coupons presented by customers and not to check non-retailer-specific coupons in supermarkets.”

The T&Cs also said that Tesco would deduct the value of coupons against a brand’s account “without requiring proof of purchase.”

Taken from the ISP's website (The Institute of Sales Promotion Limited)

Please don't slander coupon users and accuse them of a criminal offence we don't apreciate it.

LizzieS_2

DomtheMon wrote: »

Why is it 'disgusting? It may be 'his site' but many people spend a lot of time contributing and reading, and it should be remembered that the coupon policy and use of coupons at Tesco was not exclusive to MSE. There are other websites and not all couponers even come on MSE. Martin treats the info as his sole property! And people on here feel its ok for him to spout off because many people gained a lot from here. Yes many have, but there are also others who don't use MSE who have been affected badly by this. Its a big picture and Martin and many members on here haven't thought about that.

If memory serves me correctly, Martin has made it his life to save as many people as possible money. Whether the coupon details are on this site or any other is irrelevant – the fact is it is in the public domain and can be quickly found by some-one who is intent of broadcasting to a wider audience. If people do not want the wider public to know, then they really should not be posting it anywhere on the internet.
What really annoys me about this is the attitude by some couponers – there are thousands of people who cannot even afford a computer so do not have access to sites like this, ok they save the internet fees but that doesn’t make them better off financially or less deserving of knowledge. Giving these people knowledge will enable them to use an internet cafe/library to print things they desperately needed but could never have otherwise known.

Princess_Coupon wrote: »

What is all these accusations of fraud? fraud is deception NO-ONE WAS BEING DECEIVED.

Personally I have only stated some have been too greedy. I do find it amusing though to see people justifying use of coupons as being above board, but change their minds towards those who could use the same justification a few days ago:

neas wrote: »

All your appearance did was probably make this gang or frauders alot of money

madmuppet5

LizzieS wrote: »

Your last comment is disgusting, especially when you are using the site of the person who you are calling.

:rolleyes:


swiftness usually happens when the cat is let out of the bag or the horses' stable left unbolted. Sorry, but you neither to seem to realise or comprehened the points I was making, thanks anyway

Princess_Coupon

LizzieS wrote: »

Personally I have only stated some have been too greedy. I do find it amusing though to see people justifying use of coupons as being above board, but change their minds towards those who could use the same justification a few days ago:

Neas was refering to the gangs of frausters using coupons (Pedigree) which should only be printed and used once but were printed 1000's of times and used in 3 stores in the Midlands in total £250,000 worth was used in the 2 days after GMTV as reported in the Sun newspaper, not so amusing after all.

Here is the shorter online version of the story

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2666392/Pedigree-chumps-at-Tesco.html