11/16/2009

Dear Michael's Arts and Crafts,

Dear Michael's,

If you want to get new customers and retain the ones you have, give them something of value. Case in point... I had to make several quick craft store runs last week to pick up one or two last minute supplies. On each of these runs, the cash register printed out a coupon for one item at 40% off. When I returned today to use my coupons, I was told that I could only use one 40% coupon per day. If I had coupons for other values, I could use them, but in order to use my other 40% off coupons, I would have to come back on three different days... or get someone else to be a "customer" for me.

Oh, and by the way, while my cranky, ever-so-not-helpful toddler does count as a royal pain, she does NOT count as a Michael's customer.

Seriously?

Ok, I mean I get it. You're trying to cut down on possible fraud. You don't want the same person making 15 transactions for 15 different items all in the same day only to turn around and use their 15 different 40% off coupons.

But, here's a thought for you... Instead of giving me a stupid 40% off coupon every time I come into the store that I won't be able to use anyways... how about saving me some of my valuable time? After all, I'm a mom, a cook, a laundress, a nose wiper, a tear fixer, a taxi driver and more. And oh, when I get some free time, I'm a crafter. Except I can't craft as much because in order to use my "customer appreciation" coupons I have to go to the craft store every day (never mind the fact that the craft store in mention has a "new and improved" yarn section with a selection that's worse than Wal*Mart at twice the price).

So what do you say? If you're not going to let me use the coupons, stop giving them to me. I'm not coming back to the store 7 times next week. If you can't see that the coupons came from different purchases on different days and that I'm an honest customer trying to enjoy her craft, then you're really not the type of craft store I want to visit.

7 comments:

  1. Oh, I have had this same problem. Weird thing is Joanns will take as many coupons as I have on my person, even those from Michaels, and use them all at once. Still I hope you were able to obtain more Fuzzy Whazzits fixins, the world is a much nicer place with them in it! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree with ya! maybe try a Joanns if ya have one close.I use as many 50-40% coupons while in the store.good luck and I love the cupcakes!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ha ha! I totally agree. Michaels has been on my bad side lately, too. What is up with their horrible "new" yarn section? Nightmare.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Perhaps they could stamp your card or have a card to swipe so that when you reach a magic number you get something...like the turkey give-aways at the grocery store. Keep your chin up, the toddler years are so fleeting.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm another disgruntled Micheal's customer. Totally agree with what you & everyone else here has said about their coupons. They're totally useless! My Mom & I are only able to get into town once a week - if that - and when we do hit Micheal's we get coupons for days we won't be anywhere near a Micheal's to even get the discount. I LOVE the idea of having a "customer appreciation" card of types.

    Nightmare doesn't describe their "new" yarn section! I'm finding Zellers has better prices and variety than them & Wally Mart put together!

    Let's hope someone from Micheal's corporate sees this post and does something about those darn useless coupons.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Coupon restrictions are ridiculous. It's a paradox because they want to increase sales but they don't want to lose money. So they wave the coupons in your face to entice you but there are all these stipulations to using them - like one per customer, per day, per transaction and not on sale items. I couldn't use a 50% coupon at AC Moore last week because the yarn I wanted was already on sale. Granted, the sale price was cheaper than it would've been with the coupon, but I could've saved even more if that policy wasn't instated. Only a few stores allow you to use multiple coupons at the same time and on sale items (and they're usually all grocery stores or drug stores. The only retailer I can think of that does this is Toys R Us, my employer, but I'm sure there's a couple others) and it's all about profit. But they would get more repeat business if they allowed it, rather than forcing a customer to come back to use another coupon. If they're required to do that they're more likely to just not bother and then the coupon will expire and they still won't come because now they don't have a coupon to use.
    Frequent buyer cards or rewards programs would be more logical. AC Moore has one now and I think JoAnn but I'm rarely at JoAnn. Michaels needs to step up. I'm fortunate to have all three within a short driving distance from me (JoAnn's is furthest but not ridiculously far) but it's still a pain to go back and forth to keep using coupons or because Michaels won't have one particular color of Red Heart but AC Moore does or vice versa. Luckily, I do a lot of my errands with my fiancee in tow so sometimes I'll make him stand in line behind me so I can use 2 coupons at once.
    BTW - I'm StringTheory101.etsy.com from the CreateCrochet Team, just so you know I'm not some random person :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. That's so silly - I can't believe they did that! I am not a Michael's fan at all - the people that work there are NOT friendly or helpful! You're more of a yarn pro than me, but I ordered some I love this yarn yarn from craftsetc.com and so far so good! I know you can't compare colors and touch the yarn, but it's better than Michael's :)

    ReplyDelete

LinkWithin