Maths is hard!

[Teefies2]

Okay so I've been milling this around in my brain for a few days, and I have to admit I'm stumped. What is so hard about this? And why didn't I come up with the ultimate winning answer in the first place?

I get a call from a cashier - he's new, so I'm glad he called instead of just assuming he knew what to do. He asks me "this lady is returning the item she bought about an hour ago, can I give her the coupon she used back?"

Wait! What??? <record scratch>

Let me get this straight. You are returning an item you bought a little while ago. You used a coupon when you bought it (therefore making your payment due lower than the sales price). Okay, so to me that means .... you get refunded the PRICE YOU PAID after coupon.

She could not understand this. "But if I return this, then I should get the coupon back, because it's like the sale didn't happen!"
Ummm no.

"Ma'am, you USED the coupon when you bought the product. You paid <price of item> MINUS <value of coupon> for the product. That means you paid P-V=S (okay I didn't say it like this, but that's what it is!) We are refunding you S, so you have gotten back exactly WHAT YOU PAID.

"But I wanna use the coupon again!"
"No you can't do that" repeat repeat repeat ..... then it hit me!
"Manufacturer coupons are all coded digitally. Even if I gave it back to you, "the system" would recognize that the coupon had been previously used. No coupon can be used more than once". Okay, so I made that up, but she doesn't know that!

She seemed satisfied with that explanation ... when my brilliant math skills and excellent customer service skills <LOL sarcasm> didn't penetrate her brain.

"You have a nice night ma'am"

[mjr]

Let me get this straight. You are returning an item you bought a little while ago. You used a coupon when you bought it (therefore making your payment due lower than the sales price). Okay, so to me that means .... you get refunded the PRICE YOU PAID after coupon.

She could not understand this. "But if I return this, then I should get the coupon back, because it's like the sale didn't happen!"
Ummm no.

To tell you the truth, I understand this line of thinking.

If I purchase something that is $10, and have a $1 off coupon (thereby making the purchase price $9), then I decide I don't want the item an hour later, assuming the product is still packaged, I don't see why I couldn't get back the $9 I paid for the item, plus the coupon. The transaction is, essentially, being reversed.

[Nunavut Pants]

The transaction is, essentially, being reversed.

That's what I was thinking as well, and what I would have expected in her place. Of course, there's a right way and a wrong way to express that, but it sounds like the lady wasn't sucky about it.

[notalwaysright]

I do follow the logic, however almost all coupons say they must be surrendered at time of transaction. The coupon was used, it's now gone, void, regardless of if *merchandise* is returnable or not. Coupons are not going to get returned, not at any place I've ever shopped.

[mjr]

I do follow the logic, however almost all coupons say they must be surrendered at time of transaction. The coupon was used, it's now gone, void, regardless of if *merchandise* is returnable or not. Coupons are not going to get returned, not at any place I've ever shopped.

Not to play Devil's Advocate here, but in a case like this, why should you lose the coupon?

So if I buy a $20 book with a 20% off coupon, making the purchase price $16, then I discover that I don't need the book, I get the $16 back, I understand that, but I'm not sure I understand why I have to lose the coupon.

The transaction is essentially being reversed. I'm essentially "losing" money. Why can't I get back the $4 from the coupon, too?

[Teefies2]

Not to play Devil's Advocate here, but in a case like this, why should you lose the coupon?

So if I buy a $20 book with a 20% off coupon, making the purchase price $16, then I discover that I don't need the book, I get the $16 back, I understand that, but I'm not sure I understand why I have to lose the coupon.

The transaction is essentially being reversed. I'm essentially "losing" money. Why can't I get back the $4 from the coupon, too?

No you're not "losing" money. You didn't spend the $4 that the coupon represents. You got back exactly the dollar amount you paid. Coupons are not designed to be used more than once, and as someone above mentioned, must be surrendered at the time of use. If anyone is "losing" money, it's me. Since the transaction was reversed, I cannot legally turn that coupon into the manufacturer for reimbursement. I have to destroy it.

Therefore I just ate $4 - the $4 that you got off your purchase price. You got a FULL refund what you paid back, I took a $4 loss. Actually, I've lost more than that, because the item returned was one that can't be returned to the shelf.

Take a look at every manufacturer's coupon that has been issued in the last ..... 20 or 30 years. In the fine print it states "No cash value". It also states words to the effect of "reimbursed at 1/20 of the stated value". That means that: 1 - you can't get cash for it, and 2 - that $4 stated coupon value is worth 8 cents to me. It's essentially a piece of paper. Retailers honor coupons based on the coupon issuer's promise to pay 1/20th of the stated value to the retailer that honors it.

So, to recap, you got back the price that you paid, I lost the ability to turn in the coupon to the manufacturer for reimbursement AND I lost my cost for the item, since I can't resell it.

I truly hope you guys are playing devil's advocate, but somehow I doubt it. If only one poster had questioned this, I would have said okay. But to have several ... that makes me sad, not only for this country, but also for this site.

[RealUnimportant]

Therefore I just ate $4 - the $4 that you got off your purchase price. You got a FULL refund what you paid back, I took a $4 loss. Actually, I've lost more than that, because the item returned was one that can't be returned to the shelf.

This bit lost me. You've not lost $4 unless you refunded the full pre-coupon price (wear & tear aside.) You've simply given them back what they gave you.

I think we're suffering a little FTSTS here. Unless I turned around as I was walking away from the checkout, I'd assume the coupon to be lost; it's not like I could expect every coupon ever used to be stored safely awaiting the day I decided to return my purchase.

[mjr]

No you're not "losing" money. You didn't spend the $4 that the coupon represents. You got back exactly the dollar amount you paid.

This is true. But consider:

I returned the book, and got back the $16. No argument there.

The 20% coupon was voided. Ok, I understand why that's done.

But now, let's say I've found a book I don't have, and do want to purchase. And let's say that book is also $20. Now I can't use a coupon (since the coupon was previously voided), so the book is $20. So I am, in theory, out the $4 from a coupon I could have used.

I understand why the system is in place. But in this case, couldn't a credit be issued as well?

That way it doesn't matter if the next book I buy is $15 or $60.

I'm seriously not trying to sound like a SC, but I do think there are better ways to handle situations like these.

[Teefies2]

As much as I would like to continue this discussion, I'm afraid that I'm about to get into Fratching territory, so I'm done.

Have a nice night.

[Seshat]

Take a look at every manufacturer's coupon that has been issued in the last ..... 20 or 30 years. In the fine print it states "No cash value". It also states words to the effect of "reimbursed at 1/20 of the stated value". That means that: 1 - you can't get cash for it, and 2 - that $4 stated coupon value is worth 8 cents to me. It's essentially a piece of paper. Retailers honor coupons based on the coupon issuer's promise to pay 1/20th of the stated value to the retailer that honors it.

We either don't get that sort of coupon here, or I've never seen them. That is ... wow, that's awful for the retailer.

[Argus]

We either don't get that sort of coupon here, or I've never seen them. That is ... wow, that's awful for the retailer.

I've never seen that either. I see coupons with policies like "You will be reimbursed for the face value of coupons or if the coupon calls for free merchandise, for your retail selling price (up to the stated cap amount), plus $.08 for handling each coupon." (Crayola) or "KF will reimburse you for the face value of coupons, (or if coupon calls for free merchandise, for your retail selling price up to any maximum value printed on the face of the coupon), and a handling/processing allowance of $.08 for each properly redeemed coupon." (Kraft).