Just thought I'd share my story about this Duracell promotion with you guys. You are NOT gonna believe this one. Just warning you, it's gonna be long!

My friend and I had been to our local KMart several days in a row to see if they had gotten the coupons for the promotion in (the only one within 30 miles either way) and of course they didn't but the front end manager said that as a courtesy, they would do it without the coupon. We said, are you sure because we want to do the promotion a bunch of times and she said that she would personally ring it up at CS herself as many times as we wanted.

At this point, we are psyched that this is gonna happen so we spent 2 hours in the store meticulously selecting our batteries and P&G products. It took so long b/c we were matching up P&G products to coupons we had. When we were all finished, we go to CS to start ringing up. We were gonna pay cash for the OOP on the first transaction and keep rolling over with the gift cards we received to cover the OOP on subsequent transactions. Well this one old lady, I'm assuming she was the shift manager b/c she was over the front end manager, comes over and says what are you doing? The front end manager tells her and she says "OH NO!!! You can't do that! We got a memo from corporate about this!" She goes and gets the memo and tells us that she will "allow" us to do the promotion 2 times since there were 2 of us. We tell her that the ad for the promo on the back of their flyer has no stipulations about how many times you can do this. She gets all flustered and says it doesn't matter, she has a memo from corporate saying not to do it. She told us that if we roll over the gift cards for the next transaction, we'd be getting the stuff for free. Well, NO S*$T!!!!! I told her that's exactly why we were doing it and she said no, KMart loses out that way. They have to make cash on the transaction in order for them to give out the gift card. She had me rolling laughing at this point because everything that came out of her mouth was ignorant and and her story changed everytime she said something. She then tells me that you can't use a KMart gift card to buy batteries! I swear to God she said that! I asked her how she figured that and she said that's just KMart's rules. So I said "you're telling me that if someone bought a $500 gift card and gave it to me for my birthday, you wouldn't let me buy batteries with it? She said that was exactly right. I said to show me on the gift card where it says that this card was good for anything EXCEPT batteries. She said, well, it doesn't say that, but that is the rules. I said that that was the most obsurd thing I've ever heard and that she knows she's just making all this stuff up as she goes.


So I tell her that ok, forget rolling it over. I will pay CASH for EVERYTHING and then she can give me the gift cards and I will take it up with the store manager in the morning. Get this....she actually told me that I couldn't pay cash for 150 packs of batteries and 300 P&G products!!!! I told her that I'm sure P&G would LOVE to hear that a customer that is willing to pay cash for 150 FULL PRICED batteries and 300 FULL PRICED other products is being denied the transaction. She said she didn't care what P&G thought. I said how in the world are you gonna limit me on items that I'm paying cash for? She said that I could only buy one pack of Duracell and 2 P&G products. Period. No more discussion on the issue. I said fine, I'll buy my "one transaction worth", and my friend will buy her "one transaction worth" and since her son was there, he'd buy his "one transaction worth". She said that as a courtesy to us, (gee, thanks for being so generous) she would go ahead and "allow" her son to do the deal. I said what do you mean "allow" him to do it? He's a customer and has just as much right to do it as anyone else. She said no he doesn't but she'd be nice and let it happen this once. I told her that that is age discrimination and she's just digging herself deeper. To top it off, she wouldn't let him buy an ICEE with the gift card that his mom got from doing her "one allowable transaction."

I must say that I am completely floored at what's going on down here. These people in management at KMart must've been shaken as babies. Something's not right upstairs, if you know what I mean.

So, we tell her that we want to leave our stuff in the buggies with our names on it until we can come back in the morning and talk to the store manager. She gave me the paper to write our names on and I swear I almost wrote B***H and B***HIER on it. But as we were leaving, I apologized to the front end manager (who was just as nice as can be. She was trying not to laugh at the other manager this whole time) for having to work beneath such an imbicile and we left.

We came back the next day to talk to the store manager and he backed up the lady from the night before saying that we could only do it once each. He wouldn't budge. So we walked outside and called KMart CS on the cell and the lady on the phone said the exact same thing! Even that you couldn't buy batteries with a gift card?!!?!?!?!? WTF?!?!?! Am I crazy, or does that just sound like the biggest bunch of crap you've ever heard? We got really heated and I told her that KMart was scamming people and that I was gonna contact the local newspaper, the BBB, Proctor and Gamble, and whoever else I could think of to get the word out that KMart is ripping people off. We exchanged a few "choice words" and she told me that if I didn't lighten up on the language, she'd have to terminate the call. My response was Eff you, and have a crappy day!

Now, some of you might think I took this too far. I don't. I'm sick of being made to feel like a scumbag because I use coupons and shop good deals.

What do you think?

Well, when I shop at KMart, I certainly do not expect intellectually challenging conversations with their employees, so I'm not surprised.

I'm cracking up here....this is why i stay away from Kmart...Wally mart is often questionable, but Kmart is just way over the top for me.

Ok, I confess...I am the partner in crime on this one and I am still absolutely floored at K-Mart's ignornance.

I'm glad you guys find this as amusing as we do. Trust us. We are sooooo not going to let this one go. I WANT MY COPPERTOPS!!!

Trust me, if it wouldn't have been for the thought of getting mulitple $10 gift cards, I never would've stepped foot in there. I just figured I'd use the gift cards to buy school supplies and clothes for next week. This particular KFart has had alot of upgrades in the last year so I thought it might be better than the craphole it used to be, but I was wrong.

I'm with SG on this one. There was never a happier day than when K-Mart went under in DFW, IMHO!!! What you said above is a great example as to why.
Working in retail is hard, did it for 5 yrs. as a manager of several K-Marts, but one thing the ENTIRE store lacked was what they were paid to do...Customer Service!! I always felt that if customers left happy, they'd come back. My DM got onto me a few times because I'd go the extra mile for customers, and in turn, would sometimes not get projects completed to her liking, yet she ALWAYS brought corporate to my store because when push came to shove, I'd work overtime to get things completed. Bottom line is, in the end...it didn't matter. Their idea of customer service is making sure the counters are stocked full, the store looked impeccable, and that's about it. Now you know why they went outta business here in DFW! Texans demand respect and customer service! LMAO

It's amazing how they pull new rules out of thin air.......you can't buy batteries with a gift card?????? Unbelievable. If they are gonna be jerks about people trying to get a good deal then they seriously need to think about the WORDING on their rebates and such. Between Kmart and fighting with Walmart......I need a drink.

From what I've read on different boards, this is going on ALL over the country. K-Mart really screwed up with this one and people ARE NOT HAPPY! I know it doesn't help, but maybe youu'll feel a little better knowing that you're not the only ones this has happened to.

This is something interesting that I found on **********~

I just hung up with P&G and was provided the following information:

They have been made aware by the mass public that Kmart is not honoring the coupons as printed 'one per purchase'. Because so many people have been calling and complaining they have a specific group of people working on this issue. They are forwarding all comments/complaints to that group of people. They (CS) were told to take the information and tell the consumer that they will get a follow up to the issue within 5 business days. She told me she would personally be calling me back in 5 business days.

I asked if I could speak with a manager or supervisor to get some specific questions answered and she told me that there was one next to her on hold with someone else. So I asked the her the questions which I then heard her repeat to someone who provided the answers to her. Most of the time I could hear the conversation between her and the other person, only once did she actually put me on hold.

My questions:
If P&G printed this coupon how can Kmart post that it was a misprint without P&G's knowledge. (I explained how I was told in a previous call that they were unaware of any misprint). She told me that this coupon was printed by Kmart and NOT by P&G. She said that it was actually a Kmart promotion that was being 'backed' by P&G and possibly Duracell. I heard the other person say she didn't know what Duracell's involvement was. The actual coupons were printed by KMart. She could not tell me if P&G designed the coupon or if they saw the coupons before they were put out on display, only that Kmart printed the coupon.

I asked if I as a consumer can use more then one coupon. She covered the phone on this question as I could only hear some muffled talking. She came back and said that was one of the concerns that were being addressed by the team working on a resolution. She appologized that she didn't have a yes or no answer. My follow-up question was if when P&G puts 'one coupon per purchase' on their other coupons if that limited me to using only one coupon and she said no, I would be welcome and encouraged to use as many as I wanted.

I asked what products were considered "participating P&G products". Her first response was 'quoted' in the same order as they are on the coupon. When I asked why when I called P&G earlier last week for a list of products I was told ANY. And why it stated 'participating' instead of stating 'listed' she told me (after asking me to hold on again) it was P&G's initial belief that the qualifying products for this promotion would be ANY P&G products providing they were not trial/travel or single use sizes. She didn't go as far as to say that Kmart is putting the limitations on only products listed but it sure did sound like that is what she was wanting to say. (Maybe that Kmarts intent all along was only those listed products while P&G's belief was that it was any P&G products, at least that is what I read between the lines as I listened)

I asked her if Kmart would be reimbursed the $10 for each coupon mailed to them. She told me that the coupon does not state that Kmart is reimbursed $10 for each coupon. When I asked if I could get a copy of the 'requirements for proper coupon redemption' as stated on the back of the coupon she told me that information is the 'standard' clause on all coupons being paid by P&G. If there is one specific for this coupon, she does not have it and it would be meant for the Dealer and not the general public. It would cover the 'terms' of P&G paying anything for the redemption of that particular coupon.

In closing I told her how I was treated in Kmart for attempting to use 1 coupon with my sister in line behind me also trying to use 1 coupon. I explained to her that the negative experiences I have had in Kmart is (unfortunately) leaving a bad taste in my mouth about P&G because as a consumer, I believe these coupons to be issued by P&G. I also explained how 99% of consumers would look at this coupon and believe that it was printed by P&G and not by Kmart. She appologized for it and said that they are aware of the consumers problems and P&G is really sorry for them. She told me that P&G has put together a team to work exclusively on resolving this as quickly as possible.

So that is what I found out....ya just never know when you call Customer Service what kinds of answers you will get. I guess I won't know if her answers were accurate until I (do or don't) get that call in 5 business days. If she was just bs'ing me she was good at it. She seemed to really be concerned about getting my comments and questions down accurately to forward to the 'team'. (or file 13 for all I know).

At this point I am giving them (P&G) the benefit of the doubt that it was Kmart's f-up by not being clear enough on the coupon in the first place (about qualifying products) and continual f-up making the 'printing' error of one per purchase. I think P&G was fine with honoring the coupon the way it was printed and they didn't have an issue with consumers buying anything other then travel sizes. Sure would be nice to know who's pocket this promotion is coming from - all P&G? If so, why would Kmart be messing this up so bad - the high-up's know that this doesn't hurt their bottom line!

I am laughing here~~~

ok i was reading this and done this for you. who ever you were talking to at kmart heardquarters was siding with the manager. i just called the customer service number and asked them if i had a kmart gift card if i could buy batteries with it and she said you could buy anything with the gift card as long as there was money on it. so if it was me i would go back in there and tell that b***h manager what you found out and maybe even call them and let them tell them right in front of her. now that is just me. i am like that. the number i called was 866-562-7848 and press 12 to get past all that directory crap and straight to a cs person.

NO Batteries with gift cards???? I've NEVER heard of such a thing in all my life!!!!! Why? Did you ask them WHY? Whats this world coming too! I must admit you had me reading word 4 word your entire story! I feel so bad for you dear! I get flustered like that when I want to stand my ground too! xoxox

OK, I decided to call corporate also. The woman who answered said "Sears Holdings" so even tho KMart is owned by Sears, I'm not sure if this makes a diff. or not....anyway, nice lady said I can buy anything I want I just can't get $$ back. So there! those people were just making ST up as they went along. What a bunch of ignoramuses!!! I refuse to shop there. It doesn't matter which town, state, or country I am in, if I go to KMart I wait in line a min. of 20 minutes even if there's no one in front of me!!!
I am still floored by the fact that the manager and the chick on the phone made this crap up! As if the $$ is coming out of their pockets?! I don't get it!

In the immortal words of Rainman: KMart SUCKS!!!!

Good luck to you!!

Tell me about it! My K-Mart maybe has 6 cars in the lot any time I go and it seems like I wait in line wayyyy too long! and agian, even if there is no one in front of me!

Not that it matters much but K-mart bought Sears. They own Sears. Is this the kind of service we have to look forward to at Sears now?