Banned from Staples Store - Excessive use of rebate cards as method of payment

Mickie3 said:   Glacierwolf said:   
ABSOLUTELY WRONG. You can be banned from any store at any time so long as it is not a violation of a protected class, i.e. illegal discrimination. A store IS private property and their representatives may ban you because they don't like your shoes. It's not necessarily a good business decision but it is their right.


I would say its a good business decision when the effort to deal with one customer is interfering with the conducting business with many others. What has staple's got to lose from the OP never coming back again? Not a thing, as far as I can tell.


The FWF crowd seems to think that a business has to service them when, in fact, nothing could be further from the truth.

I was actually referring to banning someone based on their shoes or some other silly reason. I'm inclined to believe the manager in this case was trying to do what was best for his store, just not in the best possible way. Luckily, they worked it out in the end.

Glacierwolf said:   Mickie3 said:   Glacierwolf said:   
ABSOLUTELY WRONG. You can be banned from any store at any time so long as it is not a violation of a protected class, i.e. illegal discrimination. A store IS private property and their representatives may ban you because they don't like your shoes. It's not necessarily a good business decision but it is their right.


I would say its a good business decision when the effort to deal with one customer is interfering with the conducting business with many others. What has staple's got to lose from the OP never coming back again? Not a thing, as far as I can tell.


The FWF crowd seems to think that a business has to service them when, in fact, nothing could be further from the truth.

I was actually referring to banning someone based on their shoes or some other silly reason. I'm inclined to believe the manager in this case was trying to do what was best for his store, just not in the best possible way. Luckily, they worked it out in the end.

Restaurants that have dress codes ban customers from entry for silly things all the time. It is perfectly legal to ban ANYONE you want to as long as you are not doing it based on discrimination against a protected class and you can indeed ban someone who is a member of a protected class if you have reasonable grounds (banning all members of a protected class is illegal, but banning a member of that class is not.)

bobbybore said:   "He cannot tell me to go back in line for each item I wish to ring up separately" Of course he can, other customers must have complained about the checkout time due to your multiple transactions.

My Staples has 5 checkout lanes, but anytime I go in there only one register open. Staples offers these deals to get folks in the store, I come to their store because of it, follow their rules, they make us wait in checkout lines... why should they get cranky about it?

bobbybore said:   "He cannot tell me to go back in line for each item I wish to ring up separately"

Of course he can, other customers must have complained about the checkout time due to your multiple transactions.

Hence I mentioned the fact that there were other registers available. The Manager can open additional register..there were no more than five people in line at the time of the event. Three registers were opened.

cantstop said:   Staples franchisees can lose their franchise for banning a customer. OP can sue Staples Corporate for franchisees actions.

Staples Corp screws their franchisees with loss leader deals that OP is savvy enough to hammer.

Staples cashiers are typically not astute enough to enter all discounts and rewards without messing up. The OP is seen as a difficult customer because of this. The manager does not like the OP because he loses money when the OP shows up: Both in lost sales when the OP is holding up the line and due to the OP hammering the loss leader sales.

OP could be a tad considerate by waiting for no line at the cashier prior to checkout.

Manager has let staff know that he does not like OP, so OP's experience at store will not be pleasant in the future. Staff knows that they will not be reprimanded for 'mistakes' made on OP's orders.

Not much else to say.

It looks like you're Mistaken

fixfox69 said:   bobbybore said:   "He cannot tell me to go back in line for each item I wish to ring up separately"

Of course he can, other customers must have complained about the checkout time due to your multiple transactions.

Hence I mentioned the fact that there were other registers available. The Manager can open additional register..there were no more than five people in line at the time of the event. Three registers were opened.

Tip the manager for the holidays and I bet he will open another one for you anytime. I agree that the Staples checkout can be time consuming. More so if someone is doing more than a one or two transactions at a time. My Staples usually opens another line if there are more than two people in line at the one that is open.

ach1199 said:   SlamminMOFO said:   ronj75 said:   I'd go in with my phone set to record the entire conversation, confront the manager politely and ask him to explain what policies you are violating and on what grounds he is banning you from that store.
If he cannot adequately explain his actions make sure you have his name so you can contact HR/corporate about the incidents.
Banning a customer is NOT a policy they should have if all you've done is cause delays at the register.

In most states, it's illegal to record voice without consent.

I thought that one party/two party consent thing only applies to the telephone conversations and not the regular audio recordings. No ?

No.. it applies to any type of audio recording, especially if intended to use for possible malicious intent. A judge or jury would have to determine for sure if it was 'ok' to record and who wants to take an issue that far if they don't have to?
If I was the OP, I would go in and speak to the manager and specifically get to the bottom of the issue with normal verbal communication. Maybe after sitting down with him/her, the problem can be smoothed over. I am thinking there is a little more to the story. JMHO.

BenH said:    Nothing being done is illegal. Unless, of course, you use e-junkie, etc.

SlamminMOFO said:   Nevada - Two Party

That *WAS* my understanding. Since then I have come to understand that we are two-party with regards to the telephone, one-party if it's in person. I am NOT a lawyer, though, don't take this as legal advice.

I'd suggest you not shop there anymore. Maybe find a different Staples. They have a right to refuse service. Deal with it.

I think we only have part of the story. I stopped in to my local Staples last night to grab a Kindle HD. The clerk asked me if I needed a case of anything for my new Kindle. I said, "No thank you," and he cheerfully checked me out. I routinely purchase items entirely with rewards and/or gift cards. Many of the associates recognize me when I come in and come over to say hi and offer assistance.

The manager was only mad because it is cutting into his bonuses

I use a lot of rebate cards to pay for things as well. I bought $1000 worth of VC gc using 20+ rebate gc's. My store knows me as a person who uses a lot of gift cards & coupons.
I know the limit used to be 10 Straples gc and now it sounds like its down to 5 but my interpretation was that the policy pertained to Straples gc not the Visa gc we get from rebates because as the Straples Rebate site tells us, those are just like cash.

I think if you were to contact Corporate they would tell you that the limit applies to Straples gc and not Visa gc such as are issued by Straples/Parago for SER's.

I always take longer than the average person to check out so I do it when it is less likely to cause a problem.
If I'm in line and people join the line I always let them go ahead of me.
The customer says "are you sure?"
"Yes, go ahead."
"Really?".
Cashier says to other customer "yes, go ahead of him", lol
I shop off-hours which also makes it easier. If the store is busy I'll do one transaction and go through the line again for the next one.

At Rite Aid (yes, I'm one of those folks) they often have to call to have another register opened because a line forms while cashier is handling my purchase. Sometimes I'll find the back up cashier in the aisle before I check out and let them know that they'll probably be needed. SM and AM will hang out near register when I check out knowing that there may be coupon issues-- cashier or system related, not because I'm mis-using. I'll tell them in advance of problematic coupons and let them know when they won't need to hang out any longer. Sometimes I'll get "attitude" from a new cashier because I'm only paying pennies for $100 worth of merchandise. They think of me as a thief. Once someone explains to them that coupons & gc are forms of payment and store gets reimbursed for them, the attitude changes.

In grocery store I'll let front end manager know of any issues before I check out. Sometimes they open a register for me rather than have me hold up a line.

All of these stores know that I use a lot of gift cards and coupons but I am not mis-using them. They know that these are all legitimate forms of payment. They realize that I spend a lot of money in their stores. They treat me very well.

To the person who asked, you can't use Staples gc's to buy gc's but you can use Visa/MC gc that we receive for rebates to pay for other gift cards. YMMV tho as some stores (ignorantly) won't allow it.

I agree, it sounds like the manager was having a bad day. He apologized but he also needs to know about the attitude the cashier copped.