[babbzz]

I think I read some where that after X number of coupons, the register will beep. Is this true? Let me explain what happened today to my MIL and maybe you guys can tell me why.

Bought 2 bayer, 1 Aleve and at least 5 other small things. Total was around $20. Used the following: 3 off of 15, 4 bayer coupons (2 mfc/2 cvs), and 1 aleve (6 coupons total). Tried to pay with one $11.97 EB and the register wouldn't take it. Manager was ringing up the order and said that the register had reached its coupon limit (or something similar). I tried to convince my MIL to void the order and try again, but she just paid the $13 OOP. (This manager is very coupon friendly and even allows using multiple EBs in one transaction. She said that what we should have done, in this case, was apply the EB before the coupons.) That's when I suggested voiding the order but my MIL didn't want to do it. My MIL will still get $10 EB as a result but I feel a little bad since I'm the one who turned her on to earning EB.

Any thoughts would be appreciated! Thanks!

[NikkiLDS]

what was the value of the coupons, and the pre-coupon total?

Sounds like her pre-tax total was probably under 11.97, so when they tried to scan the EB, the amount allowable was less than that. The manager could have modified the value of the EB, which I would've done if it was only a couple of cents off. Or, you could've added another item (candy?) to bump up your pre-tax total.

[babbzz]

I didn't give numbers in the op because I didn't have the receipt in front of me. Just called MIL for the exact figures...

Bayer 3.99
Bayer 3.99
Aleve 6.99
CVS wipes 3.99
4 headbands at .49 cents each
Subtotal 20.92 before tax
==============
Coupons used
$3 off of $15
1.00 Bayer CVS coupon
1.00 Bayer CVS coupon
.55 Bayer MFC coupon
.55 Bayer MFC coupon
1.00 Aleve MFC coupon
Sub total before tax 13.82
Total after tax 13.94 (which she paid OOP).

She tried to use one $11.96 EB

ETA: The EB was printed at home. Could that have made the difference? I've told her I prefer to let them print at the store and she said she was going to start doing that too. Just trying to help her out.

[NikkiLDS]

huh. you either have a very low tax rate, or medicines are not taxed. or a combination of the two!

I don't think the fact that it was home-printed should've made the difference, unless she was having the 30-coupon limit, which she's not if she's just getting started with CVS.

I don't know what to tell ya...

[babbzz]

Thanks. She definitely doesn't have the 30 coupon issue.

Have you found that after a certain number of coupons (more than, say, 6) the register begins to beep? We tried to make sure that we had more items than coupons so that she could use the EB. Learned that on here.

I've tried to figure out the taxes (usually 6%) in the past, but it seems that when I use lots of coupons and EB, I usually pay very little in tax even if the items were taxable.

Thanks again for your opinion!

[taygirl]

Originally Posted by babbzz

(This manager is very coupon friendly and even allows using multiple EBs in one transaction. She said that what we should have done, in this case, was apply the EB before the coupons.)

So, is it better to use ECB first? Or at the end? I just think of them as "payment" and have been using them at the end-- are there times when it would be better to use them first?

[babbzz]

After this incident, and after reading the thread about Negative Subtotals, I am beginning to wonder the same thing. (There was never a negative subtotal in this transaction).

Question to all: In what order to you give your coupons and EB?

My main concern is that they wouldn't accept the EB (after using 6 coupons). I know I shouldn't, but I feel bad for my MIL. I told her I would try to figure out why and that is why I came here. Just thought I'd add this info...I made a purchase right before MIL with same manager. I had 4 items (2 coopertone, 2 always pantiliners). I used a $3/$15, $2 off of skin care CRT, and 2 different EB. I tried to use a 3rd EB and the manager was happy to take it but the register beeped. I then realized that I had more coupons than items and that's why the last EB wouldn't go through. My mistake so I paid the difference OOP. I shared this so that you would understand how coupon friendly this manager is. She seemed sincere when telling my MIL that she just couldn't take her EB.

Again, the only thing I can think of is the register would only take X number of coupons/EB before beginning to beep. Anything after that would have to be manually entered. (Just a guess). Maybe the manager could have manually entered the EB, that I don't know, but she said she couldn't do anything at that point. Maybe my MIL should have given her coupons/EB in this order:

3/15
EB
$1 cvs q
$1 cvs q
$1 aleve q
.55 q
.55 q

The worst that could have happened was that the last coupon (.55 cents) would have beeped. Maybe the manager would have manually entered that one (as opposed to manually entering the larger EB) since it was a small amount. In any case, my MIL would have been out .55 cents plus the difference. I hope that makes sense!

Can you tell I've been thinking about this all night? Thanks again for all the replies. It's nice to get some "real" feedback. If I happen to call CVS, which I'm thinking about doing for MIL, then I'll let you know what they say.

barb

[NikkiLDS]

babbzz - my experience: you CAN have more coupons than items. But only 1 CVS and 1 MFR coupon per item. In YOUR transaction, you used 4 CVS coupons on 4 items, so that's why the 3rd EB wouldn't go through. But you could've used 4 MFR coupons without problem.

The second CVS Bayer coupon probably would've beeped b/c the register usually won't accept more than one identical CVS coupons in one transaction. So the second may have been manually put through.

But I still don't have a good answer as to why the EB wouldn't go through.

And I always give the coupons as you did, with EB last.

[babbzz]

Nikki - Thanks for your input.

Originally Posted by NikkiLDS

babbzz - my experience: you CAN have more coupons than items. But only 1 CVS and 1 MFR coupon per item. In YOUR transaction, you used 4 CVS coupons on 4 items, so that's why the 3rd EB wouldn't go through. But you could've used 4 MFR coupons without problem.

Let me make sure I understand you correctly. So if you have 4 items, you can use 4 MFR coupons and pay with EB (up to 4 counting as 1 CVS each)? Thanks for the explanation...I learned something new.

Secondly,

Originally Posted by NikkiLDS

The second CVS Bayer coupon probably would've beeped b/c the register usually won't accept more than one identical CVS coupons in one transaction. So the second may have been manually put through.

I hadn't thought about the identical coupons for the Bayer. Good point. Thanks again.

[NikkiLDS]

yup, you've got it right.