The rumors are finally being confirmed. Kroger in the Houston TX/LA region have decided to end the doubling and tripling of coupons.
What in the world are they thinking? During the economic times we are in, to pull a program like this is stunning. Double and triple coupons are the reason that I personally shop at Kroger, without that incentive I am better shopping at Walmart and HEB, even Randalls will double or triple 1.
These are the reasons why Kroger is pulling this program.
- Kroger data shows that only 7% of households take advantage of doubling and tripling.
- Only 1% use more than 10 coupons in a transaction. (Huh? I must know everyone of those 1%!)
- With the growing popularity of digital coupons, mobile apps and manufacturers producing coupons valued at more than 50 cents, Kroger feel’s it’s an ideal time to test out a new money-saving program and discontinue double/triple. There’s a possibility they may re-introduce double/triple by hosting special shopping events intermittently.
- Kroger will still continue to accept coupons at face value. Part of the new policy states there is a limit of one electronic or paper manufacturer coupon per item. The opportunity to stack is no longer available. A digital coupon and manufacturer paper coupon may not be combined on the purchase of a single item. More than 130 digital coupons are available daily at www.kroger.com.
I am sick over this ending. Use up the coupons you have $.50 and under before April 13th as that is the last day they will be doubling and tripling.
You can visit Kroger on their facebook page and let them know what you think of this decision. As soon as any more information is available and the new coupon policy is out I will post it asap.
I am not even sure what to say. I honestly think they have their numbers wrong and really do not have a grasp on the number of people that this affects and that people will shop elsewhere.
Kroger intends to move to an all electronic coupon system. This is the first step and they are testing it out in Houston, which sucks big time!
** You will be getting a letter in the mail from Kroger next week letting you know this information from them.
Part comedian, part Dad, part athlete. He will boss around your children while they play ball.
Just as angelic as she looks, this girl could easily raise a Village by herself, and all the children would grow up to be President.
Self proclaimed, she would be a webkinz dog. Because, "they're cute, and puppies are too. And they're sweet and they always get along with other puppies."
This mini-Martha Stewart can handle ANY craft you send her way. She isn't all bows and rainbows, she's got karate kid moves!
Not "Pick-Me-Up" like caffeine, she wants you to pick her up! AND NOW!
Anything that can be destroyed WILL be destroyed!
Practically Perfect in Every Way for now! Nicknamed "The Panda" she is rolly polly and lives by the motto, "the little one, is KING!"
The resident Labradoodle, Miller got his name because Mom won and got to name the baby! Need something chewed up? He'll take care of it. Especially if it's expensive..
Maybe we should all start sending emails about how much we dislike this change
Yes please do. I already have.
I also request all to get on Facebook and “Liking” other’s comments, so numbers build up and show a HUGE number of people agreeing to the resistance of changing the coupon policy.
do you think the tlc show is causing so many changes to the couponing? I am new to couponing, and starting to learn how which is great. But i worry the show will eventually cause the couponing to end or to be cut down drastically:(
I do not even know what to say. My heart just sank. I just feel shocked!!!!
Well that stinks. If only 7% of households use it, what does it hurt to keep it going? Does it really cost Kroger that much? Guess I don’t have to avoid Walmart any more.
Yes it does actually, as an employee of kroger, The real reason they are getting rid of this program is because it costs way too much for the company. Most customers who use this program end up using one coupon for every item they get. That order ends up losing us money. We don’t make any money off customers who use a ton of coupons. By getting rid of this program, we are scaring away customers who quite frankly don’t make the store any money to begin with.
Actually, MOST people who use coupons do not use them to the extreme. You are scaring away customers that DO spend money in your store DESPITE the fact that most of your employees are rude, your facilities are disgusting and your produce is poor. Frankly, I think THAT is what is losing Kroger money and think you should focus on keeping EVERY customer you have got. Even when you did double and triple coupon and were right next door to my house, I drove SEVEN MILES to HEB because Kroger has fallen far from my graces. Now you are driving away the few people that still find you valuable???? That’s hilarious. And Kroger stated only 7% of customers use coupons for double and triple but ONLY 1% of that do it to the extreme. SO in reality, they are alienating 6% of there customers to scare off 1%? Great math…. How about putting limits on it instead? Otherwise you may have to spend time and money other places to keep people in you store. For example, hiring and training FRIENDLY, KNOWLEDGEABLE employees, cleaning a restroom, clearing expired items of your shelves, having decent if not (WOW, dare I say it???) FRESH produce in your stores! Way to go Kroger, and all your idiot ANONYMOUS employees.
if you drive out of your way to go to heb and not Kroger, then what do you care? Dumb idiot anonymous “customer”.
Um your an idiot. This post is a few years old!
if it’s costing YOUR store too much money, then why is another store continuing to DOUBLE and TRIPLE coupons. I was under the impression that the manufacturers reimburse the grocery store the money from the coupon. Frankly, I have never shopped at Kroger and don’t intend to. In the state of the economy, couponing is not going to go away. And I think if you are really honest with yourself, you use some coupons as well.
I am a new kroger associate about 2 months now, and I do not shop at kroger. I drive to Heb or Walmart which is farther from me but they are cheaper anyways. walmart will give me money back (not store credit) on left over money from coupons krogers even with their policy in their face they refused to give my sister her money from a coupon that was owed to her and refused to give store credit as well (but they took the coupon and entered the full amount into the register so they will get the full amount of the coupon and more)! walmart and heb take the krogers catalina coupons now that krogers screwed up and stopped the doubling and tripling.
Another STUPID policy krogers has is that their associates will get FIRED if they use anyone elses catalina coupons or if a catalina prints out for an associate the only person allowed to use that catalina is the associate not even a spouse or a family member could use the catalina or they will be fired. HOW STUPID! and yes people have been fired already for this at krogers (but they don’t get fired for acting stupid or cursing or using their cell phone while on the job calling in “sick” and this is just the cashiers I’m talking about). krogers has a person who sits on their butt to monitor the redemption of employees catalinas coupons. Sad they pay a person for this when they can put that person on a register instead to lower the lines!
they lady who hired me was bragging about how the krogers has made it to the top two of grocery retails (right behind walmart and she even said walmart will ALWAYS be #1) but they probably only made it to the top two because of the coupon double or tripling they HAD for their customers. now they they made it to the top they stopped that! smart! I dont get it!!!
and why would any company want to “scare away” ANY customer? the customer is what makes your paycheck!
FYI krogers is only limiting the money they “COULD” make because they WOULD get paid the face value plus shipping and handling and maybe even more from the manufatures for every coupon they take and double and triple.. so how in the world are they losing money?
I’m just say’n it not a smart move! I have customers who complain to me all the time about the new coupon policy and they all hate the online coupons and say that the coupon didn’t go through. and who get’s yelled at for that by the customer? the cashier who gets paid minimum wage not the managers.
The krogers saying is spend more save more! Really? how can a family spend money in a place where it is so expensive and save money in times like this? its not possible people. stupid saying.
It is not April 1st so this can’t possibly be an April fools joke :).
I am sick about this as well. I am a stay-at- home mom who counts on keeping my grocery bill as low as possible to keep me within my budget.
I sure hope that this new “money-saving program” that they want to test out proves to be just as good.
Tiffany, I feel your pain!
Well crap! I am not sleeping well tonight! I just got home from Kroger $249 before coupons $51 after. All double and triples. I am writing some letters.
Melissa
I posted on their FB page and asked them what part of their stats included consumer opinion. 🙁
BTW if anyone wants to see/add to other Facebook comments, you have to hit the “Most Recent” button because Kroger manipulates FB page to only show company postings. I think adding to other’s comments better captures the mass of disagreement.
OMG!!!!!!
All I can say is I plan to do most of my shopping at Walmart now. I only shop at Krogers because of the extra incentive on their coupons. I cannot believe this! Thanks for letting us know.
:(……… This Realy sucks!! I just started my coupon collection. With my four kids 3 being teens the thought of cutting my grocery cost,Was realy exciting. I guess the jokes on me. Well I guess I’ll just chunk it up to another one of lifes disapointment. DISAPOINTED:(((
Excuse me while I pick my jaw back up off the floor! I am, like everyone else, speachless! I simply can’t believe the stats either. One of the reasons that I was able to cut back my hours at work to part time and be able to stay at home with the kids was because I was able to cut our gorcery budget down so much. This is going to effect our family so much. I am just heartbroken by this news.
I am terribly disappointed, like many, I am also a stay at home mom and need to keep the grocery bill low to stay in my budget. Just another another thing to add first gas prices, then grocery prices, and now no double or triple coupons! We have cut expenses everywhere else already……..UUUUGGGHHHH…….
This news is really sad! I love shopping at Krogers and especially love all the money I save with coupons. I just left a comment on the Kroger Facebook wall about how unhappy I am with their new coupon policy. Please keep us updated if there anything else we can do!
I am super disappointed!! I just posted a comment letting Kroger know how I feel about this. I will definitely start shopping elsewhere because that is what made them competitive. I LOVE Kroger and do 99% of my shopping there, but that ends April 13th!
This is pretty outrageous! I honestly don’t know what they’re thinking, they must think this won’t hurt their business but boy will they be wrong!
I just emailed them on their company website as well. Tiffany do you know where this information came from? I want to read up on it but I couldn’t find it.
Julia,
This information came directly from a meeting I and other Houston bloggers had last week with the corporate management at Kroger. They are releasing a new coupon policy next week, but we were given permission to let our readers know ahead of time. You will be getting a letter in the mail from them.
Thanks for the other email, too….I just can’t fathom this…I wish they’d change their minds. I just don’t see how this could be beneficial to anyone.
THis will probably become chainwide, won’t it? I personally hate the ecoupon programs because you can only use one per card of each item. With my big family, we buy multiple items!! My Kroger doesn’t triple coupons but (as of now) they do double unlimited coupons. That is the ONLY reason I shop there. THeir normal prices are NOT competitive compared to Walmart or Meijer.
I hate e-coupons as well.
That is the only reason I shop at Kroger’s. Do they not realize how many customers they will lose?
I’m sick over this, I was just starting to get into the whole couponing thing, and only shopped at krogers for the incentive as well, looks like I will be going back to my old grocery store.
Is it just going to be in Houston only or all over Texas? I live in the Dallas/Ft Worth area. This stinks:(
Looks like just Houston right now.
In CA they took away double coupons a long time ago. Now they say they do double coupon days but that is ONCE IN A BLUE MOON. They will double 1 coupon of each kind up to $1…other than that we are out of luck. I feel your pain. Sorry, this totally stinks!
This is terrible. I didn’t shop at Kroger before coupons so looks like back to my old ways. I LOVE Wally, well sort of. Looks like HEB is back in the coupon running!
I am so upset about this. I was just getting pretty good at couponing at kroger. I shopped at heb before taking your kroger class and only started shopping at kroger because if the coupon policy. I am so upset.
Let’s rally the troups and start hitting their facebook page with our comments and disappointment and e-mail and talking to store managers. We can’t go down without a fight.
Joy, I think you are right… I am not going without a fight. The pampers dry max moms were able to make a change it is worth a try. Any ideas? Email campaign….
I’m really bummed about this because it means a whole new coupons strategy. Unfortunately is also probably means Kroger will no longer be my primary grocery store. Ugh!
In Houston, where you find a Kroger you tend to find a Randalls nearby. So long as Randalls is still doubling/tripling they will be gaining some more regular customers, I’m sure.
I am so sad about this! 🙁 Kroger will see me much less with this new policy.
I’m with everyone! I posted on there site as well. I’ve only been doing this for a few months and I had just gotten so good at it, grrrrr oh well I still have old faithful walmart.
I just wanted to encourage the new couponers not to give up on couponing because of Kroger’s new policy. I just moved from California where I never had ANY of my coupons doubled or tripled and I was still able to WELL stock my pantry/Fridge/freezer and toiletries for a LOT less money. There is still a lot of money to be saved.
I am sick over this. What are they thinking? I just sent Kroger an email from the Contact Us portion of their website. Maybe if they get enough negative feedback from this they will reconsider!
Our Phoenix Kroger (Fry’s) stores just stopped giving the reusable bag credit too. I asked why and they said not enough people used it to warrant continuing the program. WTH? And discouraging the use of plastic bags isn’t enough?
I’m shopping at Super Wal-Mart from now on, as much as I hate to do so.
We never had that at our store! I live a little south of Houston and they didn’t even know about it!
How can they govern wether you use a ecoupon or a paper? I hit our Fred’s which would be kroger and did my whole purchase from $45 down to $22 then when they took my rewards card it took it down to $5 and it was all off items I just used the paper coupons on. Maybe I just got lucky that day!
Well the only real way to get there attention is to shop somewhere else.
I will go back to Walmart and HEB even though Krogers is closer to my house. This really stinks!!!!!
This is “money-saving program” for THEM ! I chose Kroger over Walmart BECAUSE of the “doubling” up to .50 coupons. We have never had “triplers” here. Sorry for the Houston shoppers, hope it NEVER comes here, or at least takes a LONG LONG time.
I called two stores in my area which is spring, tx area and spoke to two different managers and they said they have not heard anything about it.
I asked in COnroe yesterday and they did not know about it. They did however tell me they are always the LAST to hear about changes within the company.
This is SO disappointing!!! Ugh! The doubling and tripling is the only reason I choose to shop there! I told my husband about this and he said “Well…I guess you can go to HEB!”
I feel like crying! I was finally learning to coupon and was saving us so much money and stretching our dollars. We were barely making it with the doubling and tripling… i can imagine when its gone. A 20yr old fulltime college kid, 2 jobs, single mother of a 3yr old… time for a new strategy… going to rally up everyone I know and make them write Kroger.
Oh my gosh, about a month ago a manager told me they no longer did double/triple but was corrected by a cashier, I guess he knew it was coming. I want to cry.
If it makes you feel better there is NO such thing as coupons in Australia and everything costs 3 times as much (or more) as the normal price in the states.
Boo Kroger- that’s why I loved shopping there…
Wow! I am shocked also! They are so much more expensive than Wal-Mart so it doesn’t make sense to shop there if you can’t make up the difference in coupons (doubling, stacking) etc. I will have to re-route my grocery shopping.
Weirdest thing – I called the Customer Service #, and the rep I spoke with had not heard of the change, and said she had the current policy in front of her. So, I told her about the website stating it and she took my information and said she’d pass my concern along. Hope everyone contacting Kroger to keep the program helps!
I’m writing them an email this second. This has always been my favorite grocery store! There sales have been unbeatable. I can’t fathom shopping at Walmart since my store is ALWAYS PACKED! And… Randalls is almost 1 hr away! This is crazy. I’m not a big fan of HEB’s prices either. What’s a Kroger gal to do??? 🙁
I don’t know for sure but I would guess in this economy people were using more coupons and along with the extreme coouponing shows, I would hazard a guess that they are losing money. Oh, they wouldn’t admit this, bad customer service, but I don’t see any other reason that they would risk losing so many customers.
Consider yourselves lucky while it lasted. Where I live NO store has ever doubled coupons, plus we pay 8 1/2 per cent tax on the total before coupons are deducted.
This is truly a shame.
They are going to loose so many customers to other HUGE stores like Wal Mart and Target, who have the means to stick out this poor economy more easily (as well as being extreamly competitive).
I am wondering if Kroger is totally responsible for this policy change, or if this is the result of other efforts. The coupon manufacturers could be playing a big part in this too. Why should they pay .75 to Kroger when they only have to pay .25 to store X? Remember, they send those coupons in and are paid for their value.
To be honest, I have been loyal to Kroger for a number of reasons; they will double and triple my coupons, I save my points for gas, and because I WANT support local growers/buisness. I will have to think long and hard about what I am willing to sacrifice when shopping.
I also can’t help but wonder if we will begin to see changes in the amounts manufacturers value coupons for or couponing in general?
I hope this is not the beginning of even harder times.
Either way…it will not discourage me from saving money for my family!
I just got off the phone with Randalls in Katy, TX and they said that they are phasing out doubling and tripling coupons as well..they said that they are recieving too many fraudulent coupons…as a mother of 3…this is truly disheartening that saving money is now going to be even more difficult in this economy…
Are there any other stores in Katy that double?
Ugh! I live in Virginia, but do a ton of shopping at Kroger’s with doubles. We rarely ever get triples here, and the doubles are only up to .50. But if Kroger puts that policy in place where I live, I’ll probably never shop there again. Within a mile of my local Kroger, there’s also a great Food Lion and a brand new Walmart, and while neither doubles, their starting prices are substantially lower than Kroger’s. Say it isn’t so, Kroger!
Literally this really sucks I am so upset they would do this I Love Coupons! They will loose many , many, Customers this way ! That is the only reason I shop at Krogers but other than that I will go back to walmart ! VERRY VERRY DISSAPOINTED AT THIS ACCTION BEEING TAKEN !!!! And I know many are too !
I’m a Kroger employee that cares about our customers and may be able to let our upper management know how this effects our customers. I want to know how this effects you. Please give me your feedback so I can give honest feedback to the company on how this effects the most important people to Kroger. Our customers. Tell me your story. 8322457896. I look forward to hearing what the most important people(Our loyal customers) think so we can truly take care of you.
so what store does still double coupons?
help
This really SUCKS!!!!!! I live at my Kroger I know a lot of the employee’s. I felt at home there now I have to look else where to shop. I’m a newbie to this coupon world. I did use them from time to time, but just started getting into serious couponing then they pull the plug. Wal Mart here I come. I wish I had another store that doubled & tripled coupons. I don’t even want to walk in there to pay my bills. Kroger u SUCK
it’s in dallas now too. i just saw the ad online and as of 9/14/11 no more double/triples.
i’m moving my prescriptions and have already sent a comment in. Tom Thumb has a gas program just like krogers and still double/triples and walmart is testing a double/triple program in several states.
in april, after the houston change: The change came after Kroger realized the growing popularity of digital coupons, mobile apps and manufacturers producing coupons valued at more than $.50.
“We feel it’s an ideal time to test out a new money-saving program and discontinue double/triple,” the company said in a news release.
they’ll learn how wrong they are.
As of 9/14/11 Palestine, TX Kroger is no longer double or triple coupons 🙁
It is so sad, this hug company has decisde to do that. It will hurt them, and I know my busniess I will take to Albertson. Have a miserable Life kroger.
I don’t use a tremendous amount of coupons but now can go straight to Walmart instead being certain to go to Krogers on ‘blue hair’ day..like to go to Kroger so I can drop a bag off at the food bank which is closeby