Warehouse Market Refuses to sell BBQ sauce to my son at advertised price because they "know" it's all going to the same house Tulsa, Oklahoma

WOW I am actually stunned at the rudeness that comes off of some people, even in print.  Perhaps you would make a great sales clerk.   I will agree to disagree on my "ethics" and "raising my son" however I leave you with one final thought.  I am teaching my son frugalness.  I am teaching my son that you don't have to go into debt with McMansions to survive.  I am teaching him that with hard work and creative shopping you can make it.  I will NOT apoligize for this. 

I did not embelish the story, I suppose I could have imagined a better story than BBQ sauce.  Again I stick by the fact that if they were concerned about losing money they simply should change the advertisment or stop the loss leaders. 

So your unethical behavior was technically approved and you will continue to teach your son that it's OK - even desirable to bend the rules to fit your poor ethics.

Also, I seriously doubt that anyone yelled at him, I'm sure just added that for dramatic effect.  Because of your demonstrated lack of ethics, there is no reason not to believe you exagerated your sorry tale.

" The corporate store informed me that they will speak directly to the store manager regarding their unofficial policy. They seemed to agree with me in my understanding of the ad and apoligized for the clerks attitude.   They agreed that you cannot define a customer by age or relation to another customer.  Alls well that ends well I suppose.  "

So now I'll know who to blame when the price of BBQ sauce goes up. Enjoy cheating the system.

Thank you all for your thoughts - even if I disagree.  I have been accuse of playing games... okay fair enough.  But Supermarkets that advertise loss leaders like these are also playing games.  They are betting that I will go and buy more items.  But regardless my orginal post was intended to state that my son whether he lived with me or not is a "customer".  The ad says customer not "family".  I did not create the game or the ad.  They "the supermarket" did.  I simply won the game.  

If the arguement is that I am taking product from other customers than I argue where were you?  I would feel completey different if BBQ sauce was being rationed  but come on there were pallets of them.  It there was a long line of people waiting to get their sauce I again would have acted differently.   

Now onto the update.  I talked to the store manager and recieved no assistance.  So I then called the corporate store.  I was told that this was NOT their official policy and that I was allowed to purchase as many items as people that I had.  So technically I didn't even need to send my son in another line.  The corporate store informed me that they will speak directly to the store manager regarding their unofficial policy. They seemed to agree with me in my understanding of the ad and apoligized for the clerks attitude.   They agreed that you cannot define a customer by age or relation to another customer.  Alls well that ends well I suppose. 

 

Here are some thoughts...

The OP was "technically" correct in that it did say limit 3 per customer.  In the end it does appear that they were able to get the additional items, and because of the way the coupon was worded they probably should have anyways.

However, it also appears as if the OP knew that it was not really what was in the spirit of the coupon because they sent their son to a DIFFERENT line.  Had they really thought there was nothing wrong why didn't they just have them go before/after them in the same line?  That really does send a mixed message to your child.  On one hand you are saying that you are allowed to do this.  But the mixed message is well just so we don't cause any problems(even though it is allowed) I am going to send you to a different line.

By the way if this was such a great deal that the store was taking a loss on each item, it does not matter what brand it was.  A loss is a loss.  There is another reason for "limits" in addition to where the special sale price is actually a loss.  It has to do with how many items a store gets.  How many times have you heard complaints that a store is out of a specific sale item.  Well, if every household effectively got 6 items when they should have only gotten 3, you are going to run short for other customers.  Other than finding a loophole what makes this customer any more special than other customers.

Now with that said the cashier should not have yelled at the son and hopefully the management did handle the situation with them. 

 

As was pointed out in an earlier post, you were playing games to take advantage of the store. 

Was the clerks behavior out of line, probably so, but you put your child in that position.  You were solely responsible for what your child received.  Involving an adult, who can refuse to participate, is one thing but putting your child through that to save a few $ is irresponsible parenting. 

Yes I am a parent, and no I don't play those games.  It's more important to me to try and instill values of honesty and integrity rather than deceit, imposition and entitlement.

At a large grocery chain, I would have denied your purchase too. Its not age discrimination.

Grocery store ads say that they are subject to change. SO they can decide the rules of their sales on the spot. You are trying to rip off the store by purchasing more than they allowed. I would not have yelled at your child, I would have simply refused service.

We all know these sorts of promotional deals are common. Typically the business is selling the promotional item at a loss, so naturally they need to limit purchases per 'customer' to ensure one person (or the competitor down the block!) doesn't walk in and buy all the stock. The promotion is meant to draw consumers into the store, and to build reputation and goodwill with its customer base.

Now any business running this type of promotion ought to be fully aware that there is a segment of their customer base who will send their kids to another aisle in order to buy a larger quantity. (How many of us have split our items so that we can get through the express aisle? It is the same thing ...) Every intelligent business promotion will be priced (or quantity controlled) such that this 'value-conscious' segment is accommodated without alienating anyone. Effectively this woman who doubled her allocation of underpriced goods did so at the expense of the business AND OTHER CONSUMERS who couldn't enjoy as deep a discount as they otherwise would have. That said many of us have done it from time to time, depending on the item etc.

In my view, on its face this looks like a simple example of very poor customer service. Check out staff ought to know better. The woman apparently did get her double allocation so apparently management understands this, and may scold the checker in private. There may be other things going on that we don't understand: did the checker speak to a child inappropriately? was the consumer someone obnoxious in there activity such that they offended other customers? are they known to the store to be less-than-desirable customers?

This is NOT a 'rip-off.' Simply one clerk displaying poor understanding of the business he/she is in.

To Ramjet, You obviously have no children. You missed the point of the post I presume.

Although what she did in order to "cash in" on a great deal may not have been on the up and up, BUT I have seen ads like this all the time that say limit X amount per CUSTOMER, not per household.

I myself have sent my husband in at a separate time to get his limit as a customer after or prior to me getting my limit as a customer. If the store truly had an issue with how many items went to ONE household, that should have been stated in the ad.

In this economy who wouldn't want to cash in on a great deal?

SHAME on that store clerk for yelling at a child. The original poster did not mention the age of a child other then the fact he was a tween. I have an 11 year old daughter and let me tell you, if someone would have spoken to my child like that I would have raised CAIN.

And SHAME on you Ramjet for missing the intent of the post.

I agree with Joy, you should contact the manager of the store and report the actions of the clerk. There is no excuse for the clerk to treat any paying customer like that much less a child.

You should not feel bad about being upset your child was treated like that. That is one of the problems with society these days. You are not allowed to discipline your children beyond a time out here and there. (not that I agree with corporal punishment) But it is acceptable for a total stranger to scold and belittle a child in public. And no one cares (but the parents of said child) of the emotional ramifications of such action.

So to the original poster, I am not sure of your personality, but the fact you posted here says something about your feelings as a parent towards the treatment of your child. And like I said, I would have/or would now bring the matter to the attention of management and demand that some sort of corrective action be made.

This is just my opinion and should be treated as such.

I wish you the best of luck. And remember to hug your children everyday (no matter how much the protest), remind them that you love them, and cherish them always. Tomorrow is not guaranteed for anyone, not even children.

you were obviously playing games with their system.  You know it and it's clear that they knew it. 

The intent certainly was to provide the sale for a household, not every person in the household.  They may not have had the foresight to close EVERY loophole but you knew what you were doing was shady or you wouldn't have had your kid go to a different line.

You should be ashamed you made your son complicit in this scheme.  A poor example. 

 

Hi - If I were u I would have made a complaint to the store's manager regarding the sales clerks attitude.  This type of behavior should not have happened to you or to anyone.  The sales clerk was in the wrong and it needs to be brought to the manager's attention.

I would contact the store, or go in person, and make the complaint which I'm sure the manager will make the necessary steps to make sure this does not happen to another customer, and if necessary, relieve the sales clerk from the position.

jojo