Home Depot doesn't accept its own coupons !

We had received an email from the Home Depot garden club for a free suet with purchase of a bag of bird food. I went to use that today and was told first that "it's Home Depot corporate policy" to never accept any computer printed coupons. Then, the woman told me she was a garden club member and she had never gotten one of those so it must be a fake. However, after arguing with them and three other clerks I was told they would take it this one time, but never again. Funny thing, when they entered it into the computer at check out it came up as garden club promotion on the screen and as garden club email on the receipt. I emailed Home Depot about this but have not yet gotten any response.

Ken in Glassboro, NJ

We have that happen in our store a lot. (Retail deapartment store.) I can understand their reluctance but all they needed to do was check or ask a manager. That's a crappy way to treat people. Sorry you had a bad experience.

That and other reasons is why I only go to our local and nearness one if that is the ONLY place around that has what I need and I need it now...

Otherwise I go 30-40 minutes away to another HD or Lowes. Our HD is a royal pain in the ARSE in all ways. Not helpful nothing.

That's crazy. So they e-mailed you a coupon they never intended to accept? I'd report that to the Better Business Bureau - it sounds like "bait and switch".

I've gotten that a lot lately with promotions - I'm on a campaign to report all of them to the BBB and Consumer Reports, with a copy to the highest-ranking officer of the company I can find.

Kathy

Sorry you had such a rotten experience. I had that happen to me at a local bedding outfit. I normally don't shop there, but I had a coupon for 25 percent off a high count sheets. I wanted to get this for one of my nieces as a wedding present. I pushed back, hard. And ended up with the manager. The only thing that saved the situation I happened to have the e-mail in my purse. I'd torn the coupon off the end. So my attitude was much the same a yours. You're company is sending me this offer, that's your business name in the from line! Or is this a "bait and switch" ? I finally got the sheet set, but I'm in no hurry to go back there again. sheesh
I did e-mail their HQ and detailed what had happened and how dissatisfied I was with the whole experience. No reply, but no more coupon offers either..........LOL Great way to treat customers...............

It's unfortunate that this happens. There are people who make up fake coupons on the internet and pass them around. This is why retailers are reluctant to accept the coupons that ARE valid. We had some that were valid but through a different division of the company. Someone had altered them to make them look like ours. The few make it hard for the many.

It was a bad way to treat the situation and you. On behalf of retailers. I apologize. This should not have been handled this way. A simple phone call should have fixed the problem.

Or maybe companies should stop sending out Internet coupons in general if there is danger of having fake coupons circulated? I just hate that the retailer makes it your problem that they can't police coupons. Either do it or don't.

I guess, because I work for a company that values service so highly that it employs a whole business office to design systems to assure service and catch fraud at the same time that it's hard for me to accept that the "corporation" makes the Point of Sale employees and customers the ones who bear the brunt of the actions of the few.

Not your fault, Kwanjin, just that a company as big as HD should know better.

They probably do but it's the employee who first gets it that is the problem. They don't get educated. HD should know better. I agree.

(And I know it's not my fault. ☺ I just can't help but see both sides.)

I'm with you, Kwanjin. :-) I guess that's why I get so bad at the "organization", because they put the employee and the customer in a no-win situation.

You're right, Katie. ☺

Send a note:

http://consumerist.com/361337/email-home-depot-ceo-francis-blake