Extreme Couponers and CHEESE

[Deleted]

Publix made a mistake in their printed ad and in their register programming. They meant to put 8 oz. blocks of Kraft cheese and 16 oz. singles on sale 2/$7.00.  What they put was "Blocks or singles" 2 oz. - 16 oz.  Meanwhile there is a Publix store coupon for $3.00 off the 16 ounce blocks.  You see where this is going, right?

People are going nuts!  The store managers tried to fight back by calling it a misprint (but the register was programmed at that price) and then by hiding it all in the back.  Lol.  Publix has a reputation for the "Publix Promise," so Corporate is saying, "Sell them the danged cheese."

People were buying 10 or 20 blocks at a time when they could find them since they are only 50 cents a block.  Of course, the stores are out, and now the argument is over whether the stores have to give them rain checks.  Meanwhile, the stores are now saying "2 per customer."

You would think these people have a God-given right to cheap cheese if you saw them arguing over how the store "has" to honor this sale.   It is hilarious. 

So do you agree?  Are people entitled to cheese at this price since it was advertised and programmed (that is a key in my opinion) at that price?  How many would you have bought?

I did buy two.  And I got a raincheck for two more, but that was because I wasn't sure the other store had any and got the raincheck first.  I already used my coupons, though.  The cheese is good until May.

[ArchietheDragon]

Be still my heart... The things I would do with 16 pounds of cheese.

[Deleted]

Cheese freezes well. 

[dannylion]

I'm thinking that a lot of the people who bought carloads of cheap cheese to take home and freeze will forget they've got it in the freezer until it turns into a desiccated, unrecognizable lump.

[Tiny]

I might have purchased a block or two - but only if it was sharp or extra sharp chaddar. Kraft is not my favorite cheese.

I suspect a lot of the cheese that people purchase will go to waste... or maybe they plan on 'reselling' it for a profit?

I hear people do this with the 'free' or nearly free stuff they get via couponing especially when they buy in quantity. I've seen some 'stock piles' being sold at garage sales. I'm assuming the 30 jugs of laundry detergent and cases of jarred mustard are things people 'extreme' coupon'd to get.

While I might take a chance on a $2 jug of detergent at a garage sale - not sure I'd buy something like cheese.

[Ryan]

[Cookies Galore]

Kraft cheese? Ew. I'd have bought zero.

[Apple]

Now, if it was Tillamook cheese, I would have bought a minimum of 10 (I buy a couple when it goes on sale for $5/2 lb block).  Left unwrapped and in the back of the fridge (where it's extra cold), the medium cheddar will last a year or more, and get sharper as it ages (about a year is perfect, not sharp as sharp cheese, but sharper than a fresh block).  If I'm in a cheese cracker making mood, may as well double that (if they are only 16 ounces).

Sometimes I buy the Tillamook when it's on sale and just give some to my parents as well.

Kraft though, probably stick with 2-4.

[toomuchreality]

If it was real cheddar I'd have bought some, otherwise no.
But I hope you enjoy it!

[Deleted]

Dec 29, 2014 22:09:42 GMT -5 Cookies Galore said:

Kraft cheese? Ew. I'd have bought zero.

As always, you guys are the experts.  Here in Alabama, Kraft "Natural" sharp cheddar doesn't usually merit an "ew."  I would have bought it at regular price . . . Not because it was GREAT cheese, but it works for cooking.

[Deleted]

My boys are cheese fanatics.  I could have stocked up and wouldn't even have had to freeze it. 

[mollyanna58]

Dec 29, 2014 19:38:29 GMT -5 @southernsusana said:

Publix made a mistake in their printed ad and in their register programming. 

The store managers tried to fight back by calling it a misprint (but the register was programmed at that price)

I have seen signs in stores advising there was a misprint in a circular or newspaper ad, and the correct price was whatever, with apologies for the error. 

However, since this price was programmed into the registers as the correct price, then it became the correct price and should have been honored.

[teen persuasion]

They don't put loopholes and disclaimers in their ads?  Our grocery store ads are full of phrases like "selected varieties", "we reserve the right to limit quantities", "no rainchecks", "while in stock".  They also limit availability of store coupons, and only let you use one (track thru loyalty card).

Lately, our store ads are next to useless, to me.  Most of the items are simply BOGO, but don't list the regular price.  The "regular" price is outrageous, so even at essentially 50% off, I refuse to buy it there.  Needless to say, I mainly shop Aldi now.

[cael]

mmm, cheese.... too bad we don't have any Publix around here!

[midjd]

So do you agree? Are people entitled to cheese at this price since it was advertised and programmed (that is a key in my opinion) at that price? How many would you have bought?

I think the people who purchased cheese before the mistake was discovered are entitled to it. After the mistake was discovered, Publix should have had the right to correct it ASAP, and anyone trying to purchase after that point should be held to the correct price.

Also agree with teen persuasion that there were probably disclaimers in the ad that would give Publix the right to say "too bad, so sad." Whether they decide the financial loss is worth the public backlash, I don't know.

I was at a gas station a few years ago when they were changing the price from $2.99 to $3.something. Something got screwed up and changed it to $1.something (but you wouldn't have known it unless you were already there and saw the price on the pump). When I headed back past the gas station an hour later, the lines were out to the highway. I heard they honored the price until they ran out of gas... I'm sure the employee was fired, but IMO they would've been justified in shutting the pumps down until they could fix the mistake. 

[bean29]

Dec 29, 2014 20:40:49 GMT -5 Tiny said:

I might have purchased a block or two - but only if it was sharp or extra sharp chaddar. Kraft is not my favorite cheese.

I suspect a lot of the cheese that people purchase will go to waste... or maybe they plan on 'reselling' it for a profit?

I hear people do this with the 'free' or nearly free stuff they get via couponing especially when they buy in quantity. I've seen some 'stock piles' being sold at garage sales. I'm assuming the 30 jugs of laundry detergent and cases of jarred mustard are things people 'extreme' coupon'd to get.

While I might take a chance on a $2 jug of detergent at a garage sale - not sure I'd buy something like cheese.

LOL, I would assume it was stolen goods. I would probably not purchase it.

I always worry that I might bring home some critters with stuff like that.

We have had a few posters that had bed bugs. I am afraid of getting cockroaches in my house too.

I can afford to buy my laundry detergent in a regular store.

As far as free cheese goes, well I buy mozzarella for tacos, and DH and his mother buy something similar in the Mexican store, but DD and I don't eat any cheese...so even for free I wouldn't be really motivated to bring more than 1-2 packages home...and only then if I could envision a use for it.

[Deleted]

Dec 30, 2014 9:22:47 GMT -5 midjd said:

So do you agree? Are people entitled to cheese at this price since it was advertised and programmed (that is a key in my opinion) at that price? How many would you have bought?

I think the people who purchased cheese before the mistake was discovered are entitled to it. After the mistake was discovered, Publix should have had the right to correct it ASAP, and anyone trying to purchase after that point should be held to the correct price.

Also agree with teen persuasion that there were probably disclaimers in the ad that would give Publix the right to say "too bad, so sad." Whether they decide the financial loss is worth the public backlash, I don't know.

I was at a gas station a few years ago when they were changing the price from $2.99 to $3.something. Something got screwed up and changed it to $1.something (but you wouldn't have known it unless you were already there and saw the price on the pump). When I headed back past the gas station an hour later, the lines were out to the highway. I heard they honored the price until they ran out of gas... I'm sure the employee was fired, but IMO they would've been justified in shutting the pumps down until they could fix the mistake. 

Yes, there is small print about quantities, and that is what the store managers are now doing.  In most places, there is a limit of 2.  Corporate is supporting the store managers on this aspect; store managers must always have the ability to set limits.

However, Corporate is also honoring the price "mistake."  They actually do this all the time--put out coupons that are stackable with their sale prices and store coupons.  I'll actually stop by today to pick up some diet coke.  It is B2G1 free.  It is true that a 12-pack sells for $4.99, which is a horrendous price.  But the sale makes it basically, 3/9.98.  They also have a store coupon for $1.25 off the 12-pack, and you can use 3 on this particular deal.  Now that becomes 3/6.23, which is a fantastic sale price for coke products.  If I had a manufacturer's coupon, which I don't, I could save even more.

My point is that Publix is always doing stuff like this so it really didn't strike most couponers that this was a price mistake until everyone, including the store managers, went nuts.  Now it is funny in an absurd way as the store managers hide the product and coupon books, and the couponers whip out their screen shots of conversations with Corporate.  There are "cheese alerts" as people try to figure out which stores have cheese and which stores will write rainchecks.

[thyme4change]

I buy two pounds almost every week.

[8 Bit WWBG]

Thats pretty low that they would stoop to hiding the product and claiming they are out of it.  How long before customers start sneaking into the back to search?

[swamp]

Dec 30, 2014 10:09:14 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

I buy two pounds almost every week.

And 4 pounds of laxatives?

[imanangel]

Kraft cheese?  Eww. 

[Value Buy]

Where is The Haitian when we need him?

I am sure he would tell us who is correct in this situation

[dancinmama]

Since it was programmed into their computers, the price in the ad was not a misprint.  I agree that they should honor the price, but I also agree that the managers have the right to set limits. 

That said, I don't have a Publix; but if I had and was still a couponer (I retired my scissors two years ago), I would have bought several because cheese freezes exceptionally well.  Depending on the type, after thawing, the texture might limit it to "for cooking only".

[NastyWoman]

Dec 30, 2014 13:29:07 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

Since it was programmed into their computers, the price in the ad was not a misprint.  I agree that they should honor the price, but I also agree that the managers have the right to set limits. 

That said, I don't have a Publix; but if I had and was still a couponer (I retired my scissors two years ago), I would have bought several because cheese freezes exceptionally well.  Depending on the type, after thawing, the texture might limit it to "for cooking only".

.  I would probably have bought as many blocks as they would let me, kept 1 or 2 blocks and I would have taken the rest straight to the foodbank.  Might as well make the most of it

[beergut]

Dec 29, 2014 19:38:29 GMT -5 @southernsusana said:

Publix made a mistake in their printed ad and in their register programming. They meant to put 8 oz. blocks of Kraft cheese and 16 oz. singles on sale 2/$7.00.  What they put was "Blocks or singles" 2 oz. - 16 oz.  Meanwhile there is a Publix store coupon for $3.00 off the 16 ounce blocks.  You see where this is going, right?

People are going nuts!  The store managers tried to fight back by calling it a misprint (but the register was programmed at that price) and then by hiding it all in the back.  Lol.  Publix has a reputation for the "Publix Promise," so Corporate is saying, "Sell them the danged cheese."

People were buying 10 or 20 blocks at a time when they could find them since they are only 50 cents a block.  Of course, the stores are out, and now the argument is over whether the stores have to give them rain checks.  Meanwhile, the stores are now saying "2 per customer."

You would think these people have a God-given right to cheap cheese if you saw them arguing over how the store "has" to honor this sale.   It is hilarious. 

So do you agree?  Are people entitled to cheese at this price since it was advertised and programmed (that is a key in my opinion) at that price?  How many would you have bought?

I did buy two.  And I got a raincheck for two more, but that was because I wasn't sure the other store had any and got the raincheck first.  I already used my coupons, though.  The cheese is good until May.

 Am I the only one who is confused? Did the sale become 2 16 oz blocks for $7? So, a $3 coupon makes it $1 per every two blocks, or $.50 a block?

[weltschmerz]

You couldn't do that in our stores.

"Specials cannot be combined with any other offer" and there would be a limit of two.

Three, tops.

[swamp]

Dec 31, 2014 5:29:44 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

You couldn't do that in our stores.

"Specials cannot be combined with any other offer" and there would be a limit of two.

Three, tops.

Which is why my grocery store is packed to the gills with bargain hunting Canadians.

Seriously, half of their sales are to Canadians.