Ok, this blog post practically writes itself! I mean WOW! I was even amazed by this one!
As most of you know, Kroger sends out loyalty coupons to "supposedly" their most loyal customers based on their purchasing on their Plus card.
Well, that is interesting to me for a few reasons!
1. My mom got a loyalty card over 7 years ago when she was living with us during the work week (she would come in on Sunday and leave Friday night) helping me with my kids! She now still gets those coveted home mailers even though her address they mail them to is at least 3 HOURS from the nearest Kroger store.
2. She obviously does not shop regularly at Kroger seeing as when she does come visit is it only for a day or so.
3.Obviously Kroger has their head up their posterior when it comes to what they are gonna offer as coupons! Supposedly these coupons are BASED on what we buy, ok that I will accept, but THIS IS WHERE I HAVE AN ISSUE!!!!!!!!!!!
Ok, for the most part, you know I NO longer shop at Kroger unless it is a money maker, which makes it worth my time. Well, there is one more reason I am forced into a Kroger store. That is when mom gives me her coupons and says "Please go pick up my freebies for me!"
How can I say No to the woman that reminds me often I was almost born in the parking lot of the hospital! (funny side note - dh's thinks this is totally funny, I was born in a hospital called "SPOHN" (pronounced SPAWN! lol), I am sure Church Lady would totally agree with dh, hmmmm!)
So anyway, back on to the "wonderful" Kroger. So, it seems my mom received a free coupon for a 24 count of Tylenol Pm.
So being the obedient daughter I am hoping you "think" I am I decided to stop in on my way home today! Well, I was baffled to notice absolutely ZERO Tylenol on the store shelves. NOT ONLY THAT but there were ZERO empty spaces for the actual Tylenol to actually be located! So I looked HIGH, I looked LOW, I looked on the other aisle LEFT, I looked on the other aisle RIGHT. No Tylenol to be found.
So, I did the next logical thing, I waited in line at the pharmacy to ask where the heck they were hiding the Tylenol.
My turn, great,
Me: I was wondering where you are hiding the Tylenol?
Pharmacist: We no longer carry the Tylenol brand, only store brand
Me: Well, if that is the case, why is it you sent me a coupon for a FREE BOTTLE (shows him the free coupon)
Pharmacist: Oh, well that coupon is for Tylenol PM
Me: Yes, I am aware of that and I would LOVE for you to show me where you are hiding that
Pharmacist: Well it is over there on the left
ME: NO it is NOT and if you would care to show me where I missed it I would LOVE that
Pharmacist: Give me a moment (he comes out from behind the counter and GUESS WHAT!!!!! not only do they NOT have Tylenol PM but they don't EVEN have an empty spot for it! (SERIOUSLY!!!!!)
Pharmacist: Well, I guess you need to contact corporate as to why they offered you a coupon for a product we dont carry!
WTH!!!!!!GRRRRRRRR
Kroger I give you an F in customer service. Sounds a LOT like bait and switch advertising to me if you send customers into your store to get a freebie you dont EVEN CARRY!
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14 comments:
bleh! I would love for a Kroger to come to Tyler to offer some real competition to Brookshire's, but I'm not sure that's what I'm after either. :-)
I hope you do contact them, I would LOVE to hear their excuse.
good luck!
jamie
I noticed that no store has any Tylenol...was looking for the PM the other night. Not at HEB, not at Walgreens, not at CVS. What's up with that??
I do, however, get the nice Kroger coupons, but I just started getting them in the last 3-4 months. Only a fee freebies, but not bad. Of course, I still live in the land of doubles and triples so I haven't given up on Kroger just yet...
The Albertson's here in CS has started marking down up to 50% off. Food items are only 5% and 10% so nothing to go bananas over yet!
Kelly
Been there done that, just before the end of last year I got a catalina for a free bottle of a brand (can't remember it's name) of ginger ale they don't even carry. I went to customer service and they checked their system and told me they've NEVER carried that brand. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? The manager just let me get what they did carry instead. Kroger has HUTBS (head up the butt syndrome) in a major way. Ready to send my card back to them to make my point.
I have received a few coupons from our kroger smith's store for items they do not carry and I ask the manager what they will substitute for the free item. They usually will give me the store brand and it saves me a wasted trip. It's worth a try next time. Hope that helps.
Kathy
I had a similar experience during one of their games that loaded a free product to your card. I went in 2 looking for the canned tomatoes with no luck. I checked by the health foods, by the ethnic foods, by the canned tomatoes, no luck. I asked the manager. He said he didn't know if they had them, didn't sound familiar. He didn't know anything about the on line game. Now get this--I was told he was busy but if I'd come back in 2 days he would try to look into by then. Really, 2 days & a 20 min. drive each way for a $.50 can on tomatoes. I know exactly how you feel.
As you know Kroger replaced the dbl/trpl program with the electronic coupons which WE are supposed to load to our cards. My last trip to Kroger, the register refused my paper coupons b/c the electronic coupons had been loaded! I DIDN'T load them!!! Kroger did and refused to take them off! Why in the world would I load coupons of less value? Ridiculous!
In one of my last mailers, there was a coupon for yobaby toddler yogurt. I was very excited since I never see a coupon for that, and my 1 year loves it. Guess what? They don't carry it.....at least mine doesn't.
Kroger customer service will probably never respond even if you do write or call them. Their customer service is HORRIBLE!
I "won" a free Crystal Light on one of their promos. After buying the product twice and realizing it never came off my receipt, I attempted to contact them. Long story short, I never did get my "free" product nor any explanation and the emails just ceased arriving.
Does anyone know if krogers is hurting for business since they stopped doubles/ triples in April....I sure haven't been shopping there and many people I know stopped as well...
Does anyone know if krogers is hurting for business since they stopped doubles/ triples in April....I sure haven't been shopping there and many people I know stopped as well...
I have noticed that Kroger is starting to replace almost everything with store brand stuff.
I have been a long time follower of your blog and I used to enjoy reading your blog but have really had it up to hear with your badmouthing Kroger. It just seems to me that you loved Kroger as long as they were giving you free items but as soon as they stopped doubling and tripling coupons you have nothing good to say about them. The whole Facebook boycott is ridiculous. It looks really bad for your blog to say things like "WTF" and "...Kroger has their head up their butt". I'm disappointed.
Anon, you are certainly entitled to your opinion and I have tried to reduce my bad mouthing of Kroger, but this was a home mailer and the ONLY item I went in to get. Why would a store send you a personal coupon for a free item them don't carry? That seems very shady to me.
I would have said the same things if this happened at CVS, Randalls, Walmart or any other store, it just so happened Kroger sent this coupon to my mom that is 100% worthless.
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