The Couponator 11: Barcode Of Duty

(I work in a grocery store that has printers at each register which automatically prints either coupons, or advertisements for ways to earn coupons. Whichever it prints is based on your purchase. Because they come from the same machine and use the same paper, both have some common information such as our store name and “Manufacturer’s Coupon” printed at the top. However, the ads don’t have a barcode to scan whereas the coupons do, and in very large font on the ads it reads “Non-redeemable coupon”. I’m bagging for a coworker when the customer we’re serving pulls what appears to be some of our coupons out of his pocket.)

Customer: “I have a coupon for [Item], and this $10 coupon, too.”

Coworker: “A $10 coupon? Hmm, may I see it, please?

(The customer hands my coworker the paper, who then shows it to me. It is very clearly an ad, although his other coupon is actually a coupon to save money.)

Me: “I’m sorry, sir, this $10 one isn’t actually a coupon. It’s just an ad.”

Customer: *snatches the ad from my coworker, then shoves it in my face* “COOOU-POOON. It says so right here!”

(He points to where it says “Manufacturer’s coupon” at the top. I take the ad and turn it around, pointing to where it says “Non-redeemable”.)

Me: “Actually, sir, I’m sorry but it says right here it’s non-redeemable.”

Customer: *snatches it back* “COOOU-POOON. It says right there, COOOU-POOON! Give me my $10!”

Coworker: “I’m sorry, but I can’t. I can take $5 off of your order today to make up for the confusion, but I can’t—“

Customer: “COOOU-POOON! Can you read? COOOU-POOON!”

Coworker: “Sir, please be patient with me; I’m trying to help you. As my coworker explained, this isn’t redeemable.”

Customer: “It printed in your store! You have to accept it!”

Coworker: “I’m sorry, sir, but no, I don’t.”

Customer: “What?!”

Me: *holding up his ACTUAL coupon* “Sir, would you bear with me for a second? Do you see this barcode? And how this paper says ‘Save $1.00 on [Item]’?”

Customer: “Yeah, so?”

Me: “[Coworker], can you scan this one in please?”

(He does so, and the register displays -$1 for the coupon. I gesture to my coworker.)

Me: “Can you please hand him the other piece of paper?”

(The customer obliges and seeing where I’m headed, my coworker tries several times to get the ad to scan. Obviously, it doesn’t.)

Me: “I’m sorry, but since this doesn’t have a barcode, and says it’s non-redeemable, we cannot accept it as a $10 off coupon.”

Customer: “Try again! You just didn’t line it up right!”

Coworker: “Sir, I tried every single way I could. I even did it backwards. It didn’t scan.”

(My coworker holds up the ad, and then notices what else it says.)

Coworker: “Sir, did you get two [very expensive supplements]?”

Customer: “What? No! Why?”

Coworker: “Even if this was a coupon and not an ad, I couldn’t scan it through. It’s an ad saying you could earn a coupon for $10 off two [very expensive supplements] for a future visit if you purchase one prior, not $10 off your entire order.”

(The customer goes bright red, staring at the ad for a moment. He swipes it from my coworker, crumples it up, and throws it on the floor. He doesn’t say another word for the rest of the transaction, and throws his receipt on the floor as well. As he storms off, the next customer steps forward and picks up his trash, throwing it into a garbage bin.)

Next Customer: “Hi! I have a coupon today, and because I can read, I know for sure it’s a coupon for $1 off two [items], which I’m buying, and not an ad.”

Related:
The Couponator 10: Expiration Day
The Couponator 9: The Passive Aggression
The Couponator 8: The Fabric Of Reality