HEB say it aint so!!!!! HEB is changing it’s coupon policy to exclude “stacking” the HEB yellow “B” coupons with manufacturer coupons. They claim it is because they are making way for digital coupons. This is what they have to say:
Beginning January 29, 2013, H-E-B will launch a new coupon system in an effort to bring more innovation and efficiency to retail couponing. Our new system will allow H-E-B to incorporate digital couponing in the near future, a feature that is in high demand from our customers. The upgraded system will give H-E-B customers the opportunity to access more coupons than ever before while improving their shopping experience with faster transactions at the checkout counter. In order to implement these upgrades, the newer technology will no longer recognize combined (stacked) coupons on one item.
This is what I wrote on their Facebook page (which I am sure will get some canned corporate answer):
HEB bad move. You have never been coupon friendly and who ever is consulting for you, has obviously no connection to the “coupon world.” You could KILL all the competition if you ever jumped on the coupon bandwagon and got coupon friendly. There would be no reason to ever shop anywhere else if you got up to speed, you would crush the competition. But now, you are eliminating the only thing that is keeping you competitive with any other stores as far as the coupon population is concerned. Couponers don’t really like digital coupons. They have been around for years and you are NOW just trying to jump in the game? Couponers will just price match your ad at Walmart. You just shot yourself in the foot. Check out Randalls… The new Just4U program? Thats isn’t going very well…. There is nothing digital that you can do, that will replace in-store “B” coupons which can be stacked, to make it worth it. We have all been there and already done the digital thing that every store has promised will be so “great.” Let us know when store traffic is down and you are hiring a new “marketing and strategy” consultant, I know a few people.
Feel free to tell them what you think on their Facebook page as well….
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Just added my 2 cents, for whatever that’s worth
I used to only shop at Wal-Mart because I thought their prices were the best…until I learned about stacking at H-E-B. Once they take away the stacking capabilities, I guess I’ll go back to Wal-Mart.
I really love HEB and find that their prices are less than Wal-Mart most of the time. I have to agree with you 100% they are terribly unfriendly when it comes to coupons. I have NEVER been able to use a printable coupon there (including the ones they offer on HEB.com) without having to pitch a fit to a manager over it. Even when I would use a printable coupon that was an actual HEB coupon they could give me a hard time. I finally just gave up on anything printable there. At one point in time even freebie coupons that came in the mail or in the paper seemed to be an issue. You are right if HEB would play their cards right they could be #1 here in Houston because Wal-Marts prices are higher in many cases and well Kroger and Randall’s are over the top! Thanks for sharing!
They have the best produce hands down and a lot more healthy options than Randalls, Kroger, and Walmart. For the healthier products, there typically aren’t coupons anyway.
🙁 I am in San Antonio so I am pretty much stuck with them, regardless of what they do. Definitely missing Kroger, Randalls, and the chance to pay less than $5.75 for Blue Bell (It NEVER goes on sale since there is very little/no competition in the grocery world here!) a little more today.
Tiffany, That is perefect! Well said!
Katie, I am in SA too. It stinks that we don’t have many other options. I would LOVE to shop a Kroger Mega Event! At this point, I typically only go to HEB for produce and meat. The rest I get at Walmart and Target.
Price match at Walmart? Sometimes CVS has cheap ice cream
Good one!
I think their POINT is to eliminate the “couponing” customer that’s why they have always been so coupon unfriendly
I think so as well, which is so wrong in this economy.
Exactly! I have always “hated” HEB. Well until the Market Street opened up in The Woodlands then it turned into a less hate issue. I used to go to Sawdust rd, that place is horrible and smells horrible. They are the most un-coupon friendly place ever. I have had horrible experiences in their store, some not even having to do with coupons. One time they were having some big store thing with all the GM’s and top dogs in the store. I asked a group of them where an item was… NO HELP. They just brushed me off to some poor kid while they stood there and did nothing. Needless to say I put my items down on a shelf right in front of them, gave them a look and walked off. UGH. Now I hate their store once again lol
HEB never accepts my coupons so I hardly ever go in the store! But, with this move I will be going to HEB less.
There are only 2 stores in my town to buy groceries – HEB and WalMart.
🙁 HEB does offer a points card for our area – I’m betting they are going company wide with this card. Currently you collect points for what you purchase and every quarter you get $ off based on the #of points.
I stopped going to HEB because they always gave me problems with my coupons. Hell will have to freeze over before I go back in there!!! That’s why I love Wal Mart. They always have priced matched my stuff and let me use as many coupons as I want….with never a problem!! Even if a Wal Mart cashier has ever doubted the validity of a coupon, they have simply called over a manager and then they would ok the coupon. Always, always, easier at Wal Mart!!!
Same here. Once a had a problem, and I pulled the coupon policy. They read it, and the manager said I was right. We had a very friendly conversation.
The last time I was at HEB during the make up sale. I got a lot Almay and Covergirl
This makes me furious! They are building a brand new HEB here in Conroe, TX to be opened this Spring 2013. (FM 105 & Loop 336). Being new to couponing, I was excited to “learn HEB couponing”. Now, I will continue to shop Kroger, WalMart and Target which are ALL 5 minutes from my house! Likewise, I think they have shot themselves in the foot!
I think I remember meeting you at Kroger once, Christine!!
Tiffany,
Well said, I do not shop much at HEB, now will do less. Remember to use your 10 off 30 from the P&G deal they had a while back.
Just posted on their site as well. Randalls is closest to my house and I can’t stand the Just For U program they think is so great. I switched to HEB for stacking specials and now it will be Target/Walmart.
I am so bummed because I have NEVER had a problem using coupons at HEB. They always take my printable, store, and newspaper coupons with no problem. (Missouri City, Sienna Plantation location) Now I won’t be able to get free makeup anymore 🙁 i will still shop there though because they have so many yellow coupons they hang in the store that I can get alot of good deals. I agree with you Tiffany though, I don’t like digital coupons because i can’t keep track of what I have and if the coupons actually are taken off the total.
Thanks for the information. I gave them my opinion on it. Goodbye HEB.
This is what I posted:
I am not a fan of your new coupon policy and I think it is a lame excuse to say “In order to implement these upgrades, the newer technology will no longer recognize combined (stacked) coupons on one item.” You are a large business with plenty of money to develop new technology, or hire a company that can, that recognizes stacked coupons. I believe this is a conscious effort to stop the practice of stacking coupons. I will shop elsewhere!
Your response is perfect! I haven’t lived in Texas in a few years, but I loved the ability to stack coupons at HEB. I agree with you, HEB made a very bad move.
the digital coupons do not always come off in your transaction. I found that out one day when I went to Kroger and used some of the digital coupons. See with digital ones unless you print out what you have you will forget and that is what they are counting on.
When times were tough – we shopped at Food Town. The one by my house is really clean and the staff know us. It may not be as new and nice as some of the other stores – but it has the best prices. Now that I shop with coupons – I go primarily to Randall’s – its not as busy as the HEB and they have better deals. I rarely go to HEB because the prices are higher. The only think that would bring me in – would be to stack their yellows. Never been a big fan the of the Heb. Now even less. And yes the Just for U can be confusing – but it consistently gives me deals on the things I buy – that keep coming up. Plus the gas discounts…
I thought I would past this information to everyone else on here.I post this on HEB facebook this morning:Yall already got rid of taking your customer’s coupons and now you going to get rid of the rest with digital coupons??? They are about as much worth as yall are if yall do that means NOTHING!Will take majority of my business else where now and go to yall when I need to. And than HEB Post the following:Donna, we are not getting rid of coupons, just limited the amount of coupons to one per item. We remain committed to low prices, coupons and helping our customers save. This new program will expand your coupon selection to many more products. Mine response was Yeah Whatever
Heb doesn’t care about couponers, period. They really don’t need too, either. I don’t care if I’m shopping at HEB in The Woodlands, Conroe, or Vintage Park, the parking lot is totally full and the store is packed. I’m guessing only 20 percent of their shoppers even use coupons. I just hope they aren’t going to a loyalty card like everyone else has done. If they say that they are going digital, how else would the coupon be used except that you would have to load it to your shopper’s card?
Anonymous, that was exactly what I thought! Not another loyalty card! I’m not a big HEB shopper already and now I will be even less so. I don’t trust ecoupons since they don’t always come off the order. I like being able to hand over what coupons *I* want to use when *I* want to use them!
I won’t even look at the HEB ad anymore. This only reinforces my decision to NEVER set foot in HEB again. They have turned their back on “normal” people and only want to cater to people who don’t seem to have to worry about money at my HEB. Not everyone in Kingwood has money to burn!
Change is not always a good thing . . . so bye bye to HEB if they do away with stacking and back to Kroger, Walmart and Trader V’s. Trader V’s has the freshest produce in town . . . and limited stock, but great prices if you know what you are going after. Cash only, of course.
I posted on their FB page as well.
This is horrible. I’m sure heb is just the first of many stores going this way over the next few years. My heb has become much more coupon friendly over the last year, but I notice their B coupons disappear not long after an M coupon comes out, while the surrounding HEBs still have them up. I’ve never understood the purpose B coupon anyway, Why not just put the items on sale?
I have had problems with HEB and their coupons. I went there one time and they would not take half of my coupons. I was so mad. I told them were to go. Some of their products are not to good. Their bread I don’t like. I live in San Antonio and the only shopping place for grocery’s in area is HEB, Walmart and now we have Arlen’s. I like them because they double and triple your coupons.
If they are going to get rid of the “B” coupon then they need to make that their sale price. Their sale ad is already misleading. The prices are adjusted down to match the yellow “M?” coupon. Everywhere else I can use my coupons for the entire ad. At HEB that is not the case.
I live in the BCS area where they are testing out the digital coupons and I love it! They offer some really good coupons! I have gotten free eggs, 3 dollars of my produce purchase of 10 dollars, two dollars off my bakery cookies and twice I have used a 5 dollar off your 50 dollar purchase. It so easy to go online and clip your digital coupons then just enter your number in the pin pad at the store. No printing coupons. Plus you still find a lot of other yellow coupons in store! I don’t know why everyone is complaining about HEB. They really do have some of the best prices out there. What some people don’t understand is that they may be able to use their damn little coupons at other stores but the item is priced Higher yet at another store they don’t have coupons but the item is still priced less. Don’t fall into that psychological trap. Always look for the lowest price, with or without coupons!!!