I’ve heard a lot of you are starting to have problems using your coupons at Smith’s and other Kroger owned grocery stores. So I reached out to them and was surprised that they changed their coupon policy without really publicly announcing it anywhere.
Anytime a store changes their coupon policy, it can be hard to adapt to. I’ve uploaded the New Smith’s/Kroger Coupon Policy online so all of you can see it, print it out and take with you on your shopping trips.
Keep in mind, this policy says ” The Manager has the right to accept, decline or limit the use of any coupon.” So, if you aren’t lucky to be in a coupon friendly store, you might find yourself to have issues.
Mindy
Thank you for checking that out. Now if they could just educate their cashiers. I had one yesterday tell me they could only take two of the same coupon per customer per day. I didn’t think that was right. Thanks again Melea. I will print it off!
Dawn
individual stores can limit it to 2 per customer per day….
Mindy
I don’t think it is this store’s policy. I think it is just this particular cashier’s policy. I haven’t had this issue with anyone else, just him. Also, he went to ask someone about it and they said it was no problem to take the coupons. I guess I’ll just avoid that cashier.
Cindy Barber
My last shopping trip I attempted to use coupons that I had cut out along with their downloaded ones. Refused! My cut outs were higher value than the downloaded ones but was refused to use them. I reminded them none of our other stores in town won’t accept their own coupon along with one of ours but didn’t matter. Won’t be downloading Any more!!!
Kelly
The smiths downloaded ones are considered manufacturer coupons and not smiths coupons which is why they won’t let you use both. However, I would think they would let you use your higher value paper ones instead of the downloaded ones.
lindsey
My issue with this is IF they are manufacturers coupons than Kroger should value them at $1- which they dont. I stopped downloading coupons to my card because of this and just stick w/ the paper ones which they do value at $1
Anna L
If you scan your card after the coupons, it shouldn’t be an issue. Some cashiers insist you can’t do it that way, but others don’t care. I don’t bother downloading, because I like to visually see what I’m using, but I have a friend that does it that way.
Charissa
They always seem to ask like 10 times if I have my Payless card (our Kroger here) but as long as I say I want to scan my coupons first and stay insistent, then they’ll do it. One time a cashier said he couldn’t scan my coupons without scanning my card, but when I said I do it that way all the time and requested that he asked someone, he did and they seemed like it was no big deal.
The only coupons you can’t scan before your Kroger card are the store coupons that they sometimes send in the mail. So your order should be: Man Coupons, Kroger card, store coupons
Danielle Conklin
This makes me sad. I have a horrible CSM who hates couponers at my Smiths 🙁 She always makes me feel like a criminal. Just last night she refused to use a Beech Nut coupon…just cause. Thanks for posting, I appreciate. I’m a newbie but Im trying to hang in there, even through the dirty looks and snarky remarks
Dawn
report poor customer interactions to CORPORATE.
Dawn
I don’t have a Krogers but our stores are also changing policies. Most policies do state ‘The Manager has the right to accept, decline or limit the use of any coupon. or “individual store policy may be different than corporate policy”.. which makes it extremely difficult when you get up in line to find they went from 4 to 2 per person….And many deals are now ‘odd man out’ reqrg 3 of something, you can only use 2 q’s. Or Must buy 5 and only use 4 q’s…. Shop Rite here has gone to limit of 2 internet prints per type of item, and max 2 transactions at a time. You must then ‘leave the store completely, load you groc in your vehicle, before you can come back in to do another transaction. (you cannot go out w/ your cart and come right back in w/ purchased items in your cart) So it doesn’t matter if you have 2 computers, 2 printers. or buy 10-20 papers anymore. I have done 4 trans only once (to use the catalinas on the next purchase) when the store was closing and NOONE was behind me. What is she going to say, “sorry we don’t want your money”… its all in the timing. It seems to be a competition of “how to make it work for you w/ their rules”. Look at the bright side- more daily trips just means more chances to score in the clearance aisle, right?
Cheryl Potzner
Doesn’t anyone think this all started because of the Stupid Coupon Show?? It is scammers like that-that make it so hard on those who really need to pinch those pennies.
Dawn
and blurry will be a problem for me …..its an economy printer…
Mindi
I decided not to watch the extreme couponer shows because it angers me to see people hoarding things beyond any need they will ever have. Just because something is free doesn’t mean you need 100 of it to expire or rot in your storage. I really do think a large amount of the stricter store policies are based on that type of couponer. It’s frustrating to those of us that do need those extra dollars that come with couponing to actually feed our children.
Margaret
I agree with you. I don’t even order samples if I won’t use it or have a friend in mind I can give it to that would be interested. On sale is great, cheap with a coupon is better, and free is the best but needing to take over your garage with 20 years of products that you add to daily is overkill. That’s not extreme couponing… it’s hoarding.
kim
Stores are in the business to make money, like all of us. I think they have a right to accept or decline any coupon. Do I like it, no, but it is their right. If you do not like one stores policy don’t shop there. The only way to show them is with your money. Don’t like something, shop some where else. Plain and simple.
Tricia
The thing with coupons is that the store WILL get their money if it is a manufacturer coupon. We aren’t cheating stores out of anything using a bunch of coupons because they will get it in the end…with processing fees attached. They may even come out on top!
kim
Either way, still their choice. Private business. Shop elsewhere. The only way to get a message across is with your dollars.
Rhony
I am a hometown girl from Ohio and the Kroger Corporation wants to know why so many people have FAITHFULLY started shopping at Wal-Mart and other grocers who are customer-friendly in economic times like these.
alisa
The sugarhouse Smith’s is very friendly, in fact yesterday I took two coupons for a FREE fruit naturals coupon I had cut from a cereal box, but I forgot to cut the UPC code with it. The cashier let me use the coupon anyway. I have never had a problem with cashier’s at that Smith’s.
Patricia Mohl
This looks made up by 1 manager. Needs to look more official.
Margaret
I had a problem at a store where I made my cashier ask the manager. He gave me the go ahead because even after coupons I was spending well over 100$ on food. That might be a selling point to others so please keep it in mind. It may help.
Liz
I thought I’d never admit it, but Walmart is sounding better all the time. I usually never have problems price matching and using my coupons there. I really want to support the local stores instead of Walmart but when they start putting limits on things it’s really frustrating. My husband is going to school full time and working part time and I stay home with our two kids, and this is one way that we save a lot of money while he’s been in school. It’s sad but the only way to get a message across is with our dollars.
jody
I LOVE LOVE the policy that you can only use 5 coupons for the same product! Finally!! 5 of one item is more than a fair number. Maybe now when I go shopping and their is a fantastic deal with coupons there will be products left on the shelf! There is nothing more frustrating than spending the time to clip and print coupons and put my shopping list together when then the stores are cleaned out because of HOARDERS. It’s not fair! This policy makes it fair to every shopper and EVERY SINGLE STORE should adopt this policy. Does anyone agree with me?