Help! Tesco coupon policy? I've been banned!

biglugs

Brummybloke really needs to consider just how much he knows about English - there is a big difference between advise (verb) and advice (noun) as any good barrack-room lawyer should know.
Perhaps a trip to Blackstones might help? Or maybe he could leave the legal advice to people who know what they are talking about?

igloo

brummybloke wrote:

...
... she was legally detained as she had commited fraud ( a criminal offence if you didnt know) they could have wasted their time calling the police but instead decided not to waste their time, unlike some suggestions that she should have called the police, they have then retrieved their property.

...

HOW THE HELL HAVE I COMMITTED FRAUD?

The bottom line is this. Their policy is to accept coupons.
Depending on which member of staff you ask they do accept coupons for items that you have not bought. But, there is confusion over how many to accept. Head office says one per manufacturer. Some staff say this, some say 10% of your bill, some say one coupon in total, some say whatever!-if they scan they scan. No matter who you ask, they do accept them.

So how am I committing fraud when it is their policy? Are you saying that Tesco are allowing millions of consumers to commit fraud? Does this mean that they will ban these millions?

Are THEY committing fraud by claiming the money back from manufacturers? To claim the money back, they are basically telling the manufacturers that they HAVE accepted the coupon in part-payment for their product.

alex69

Pretty shocking.

I would call the manager expressing (very calmly) your thoughts and advising him that you are about to:

1) Report what happened to the police for unlawful detention.
2) Report it to the local papers so that others are aware of the sort of management they have there.
3) Report it to Tesco Head Office - legal department.

If excuses are not forthcoming I would actually put 1), 2) and 3) into practice. Mind you I don't think anything will result of it (being borderline as it is) - but someone else might actually go and have a "chat" with the manager.

The question for tesco is not whether it was lawful or not but whether it is the way they intend to treat customers.

Noirmoutier

Hear Hear Biglugs! Just what I was thinking! As I understand it Tesco allows customers to use vouchers for products not purchased(even if they technically limit the number!) That is a deliberate policy. Whereas offering coupons in payment is perfectly acceptable. They could simply refuse for God's sake! They advertise money off coupons - they are willing to take other supermarket coupons aren't they?

As for those people on here who suggest that Igloo is somehow behaving immorally - well what does this site advocate all the time? It's not wrong to take advantage of the huge systems designed to part us from our cash when they make the odd mistake! They don't offer us our money back if we are taken in by their misleading offers!

I was absolutely mortified when a check was made on my credit card once! Marched off in full view of everyone in the store (Safeways) just as a random security check! I had young children to collect from school and was very aware of the number of people that were watching and assuming who knows what!

Hope she gets full compensation for defamation of character, sleepless nights and all the rest!!

bunking_off

I must admit to being somewhat bemused by all of this, on a series of levels.

First of all, let's be clear about this, the CSM in Tesco evidently badly mis-handled this episode. My personal view on this is there's plenty of scope for a nice apology and some freebies out of this, but claims for wrongful imprisonment etc are a bit rich. However, I'm neither a policeman or a lawyer, and if this is going to be pursued, it will be by Igloo approaching one of the above, not by the self-appointed experts on this board re-writing the law/what happened to suit their personal agendas.

I like to think that a board such as this would allow contributors to have a reasoned exchange of views. However, what I've actually seen in the 15 pages of messages has been somewhat acrimonious exchanges, particularly targeted at anyone who disagrees with the proposition that the CSM should be escorted outside and publicly flogged to within an inch of their life.

It is, I think, a gross exaggeration to say that Igloo has been abusing Tesco's coupon policy to the point that could be considered fraud. However, I think (outside the confines of MSE addicts), most people would consider paying for 50%+ of a transaction using coupons unrelated to the products purchased is somewhat taking the proverbial. Given the CSM had asked her to refrain, I can understand his/her frustration, but of course that doesn't justify the heavy handed approach.

That cashiers are willing to accept the coupons in contravention to policy is in my view a bit of a red herring. Cashiers are inherently low-paid staff who will take the path of least resistance rather than encouraging conflict with customers. Unless they're on a threat of disciplinary action, the likelihood is they'll accept tokens for an easy life.

Similarly, the view expressed by some that local management aren't/shouldn't be able to over-ride head-office policy is, in my humble opinion, naive. I don't know of any business in any industry that would not allow local management to vary national policies, if there are specific circumstances that justify it locally.

What I find absolutely bizarre is that, on the strength of this exchange, some people are willing to write to the CEO of Tesco or withdraw their custom. Igloo, I'm sure you're a very nice person so please don't take this as having a pop at you. However, the fact of the matter is we've only got one side of the story : for all I know, you could actually be the manager of a local Sainsburys, mischievously blackening Tescos name. I'm not saying you are, I'm just expressing surprise at how many people are willing to take posts on groups such as this at face value. Do these people also believe everything they read in the press? (cue the flames....)

I do hope that Igloo gets satisfaction from Tescos. If not, there's no shortage of Morrisons, Asdas and Sainsburys. However, in life we have two choices...remain bitter about what happened yesterday, or look forward to what may happen tomorrow : I know which approach I adopt.

richiethekid

Told Mrs The Kid about this last night - she works as a cashier in Tesco. She couldn't help much on the coupon policy - none of the checkout staff in our local store have been told what the policy is - but she accepts any coupon that scans OK. Surely if Tesco were that concerned about this, they would have at the very leasy briefed the checkout staff?

Maybe with a bit of consumer power Tesco could be persuaded to train their staff properly. Mrs The Kid was never given training when they started selling lottery tickets at the checkouts, and just had to figure it out for herself.

lush_walrus

igloo wrote:

Help!

Can someone please please help me!?



HELP!

Im sorry but I have to agree with the customer services manager. You was warned what the policy of that Tescos was (whether staff follow it or not is nothing to do with their policy that is lax staff and nothing more), you ignored the warning and tried again.

Then when they requested to hand back their property (which 'your' clubcard is) you refused, I would have done exactly the same and banned you. Abuse of any system even if it is a big multi national company shouldnt be encouraged EVER. If everyone went running around cashing in as many coupons as they could to make their shopping free, what do you think would happen?

With regards to coupons it clearly states on any coupon that it should be redeemed only against the goods which must be purchased. No where does it say you can use them at your will and ruin their marketing campain!

I don't think you should be encouraged to complain at all, what the hell can you complain about, standard proceedures being carried out? Whether you admit it or not you know that trying to get your shopping for free by using a collection of unrelated coupons is not the right thing to do, and why do something like that with your children on tow, then complain that your children are upset, of course they will be.

Save money and make money honestly, any other form and ultimately you will be caught out.

bargain_2

I agree with bunking off sure igloo is a nice person but igloo you said you was not vary good at writing letters but what i can see of your post you seem vary good at writing.

igloo

bargain wrote:

I agree with bunking off sure igloo is a nice person but igloo you said you was not vary good at writing letters but what i can see of your post you seem vary good at writing.

I dont think I'm good at writing. If you think I am, thank you

Del_Boy_Gupta

I have been reading these posts over the last couple of days and have to admit that I am totally bemused over the whole situation.

Like others before me in this post, I have to admit to some sort of cynisism about the whole affair. Whilst i don't condone what the CS manager may or may not have done, does it not cross your mind that it is not as if someone has been jailed or had a public allegation made about them, it is simply a case that the private store has banned you from their premises and retracted their property back from you, which they are entitled to do.
If you have as many points as you say you did on the card and were using the amount of coupons you were I am not overly surprised- the 11000 points in a 3 month period (as Tesco vouchers are sent out every 3 months) equates to roughly £1000 worth of shopping a week (assuming no special deals). i know you mentinoed that you had joined a few clubs etc to get bonus points however the only way these would equate to the amount in question would be ( i state in my view as i am not casting any comments regarding your situation or your character)
a)if you were doing vast amounts of shopping per day, i presume with coupons
b) specifically targetting bonus point items and making excessive purchases more than the stores bulk buy policy
c) putting points on your card from receipts that hadn't had them added on already as per a previous thread.

Obviously given that clubcards are a form of lookng at what people are buying (invisable big brother) the triggering of your card when purchasing the shopping for which you were 'caught' may have been highlighted by the store manager/management as being out of the ordinary for you or extremely excessive and caused them to ask to speak to you in respect of the matter, when next it was used.

Igloo it could help if you would clear up a few points:
what was the store in question?
whether you could specify roughly how many coupons per week you were giving?
how the amount of points had been amassed?

However please note i am neither a laywer, or a policeman or casting any doubts on your integrity , i just think the whole matter has been blown up out of hand and that there are more pressing issues to hand. I think it is just time to move on and as others have said there are plenty of other retailers out there.