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

Been shopping at locat store for years, including the happy days of "coupon crazed" shopping, so they know me well, as what BB terms "Devil Customer" (if you've been on here long enough you know what I'm talking about..).
Anyway, on Sunday, 12/2/12 I went to the store to purchase some FAR photo paper and paid with a number Rebate Cards. I've done so in the past a few times, particularly when there's a small amount left on the cards, to get rid of them. Recently I used about 20 of them to convert to MC GC per their recent promo - purchased 1k worth.
I sometimes ask the cashier to ring up items separately if I'm using some coupons, or for my tax reasons, so I, at times, take longer to checkout than the average shopper. That's it.
Tha Manager informed me that Sunday, that I'm no longer welcome at the store - the whole episode was quite unpleasant as you can imagine, however I kept it cool and didn't get angry, rais my voice or "complimented" him. Didn't call Corporate either so far, but am going back to the store in about an hour to pick-up orders from Staples.com.
I don't see how the Manager can do so based on this reasoning, perhaps I'm wrong.
Will report back if I manage to pick up my orders...

UPDATE:
Almost as soon as I entered the store the Manager approached, held out his hand and apologized - I explained in detail what I thought was his unacceptable conduct (things I didn't go into here to keep thread from getting too long) - he again apologized - the conversation was calm quiet and respectful which to me, is even more important than the now "lifted" ban. He went and got my orders - shook hands again before I left - looks like I'm going to have excellent service in the future at the store (it's the only one in walking distance).
So good ending, and good call not to call Corp. right away.
One last thing, he did show me Staples memo from end of November allowing maximum of 5 Rebate Cards per transaction. Now you know too.

Edit:
Posted originally to Finance section so felt it best to keep the focus on the "excessive use of Rebate Cards" aspect.
Additional details: Manager said (basically) that he needed to talk to me when I was still standing in line - what he said and the way he said it, caused poeple in line to look at me as if I got caught shoplifting there last week, and am now trying to shop at the store again.
When I got to the register, he claimed I purchased 2 laptops and paid for them w Rebate Cards except the last $25 of the total. I didn't recall anything like this..in our "make up" conversation I raised the point and he said it happend 9 months ago. I still don't remember this.
I then asked the cashier to ring up each of the 4 Photo Paper separately and used 10% coupon (cpn limit 1/item) on each - the manager said that each time I want to do a separate transaction I'd have to go back in line.I handed the cashier my Rewards Card - she scanned the first two transactions, when I noticed and told her she didn't do so on the next, she said "you can add it at home", put my purchase in the bag and walked away from the register. I told her I had some orders to pick up..she looked for them, threw the sealed packages (2) on the counter and left. Took my keys, cut open the boxes took out the items and packing slips, cut out my name from the cartons and left.
As to the responses so far, the store is indeed a private place, but being a place of business is not on the same ground as individual private property, that is, there must be "logical, grounded" grounds before you can ban someone from it, and I do not see this being the case here - particularly when no rule/abuse of Corporate policy occured, but the Manager as an agent of the Corp. does have the authority to ban someone.
If he feels I'm taking too long to checkout he can open another register (more than one were availabe and it's done often). He cannot tell me to go back in line for each item I wish to ring up separately, or ban me because I've been using too many (5) Rebate Cards and that's not to his liking.
But, it's difficult to judge things without bias when you yourself are involved - hence this post
My opinion, of course, I could be wrong.

Can you ask for him to provide a written reason for why your not welcome at the store? Including a description of any store policy you might have violated?

It would be cool if they had security do a citizens arrest for trespassing! That would make a good post. This post is looking in the red to yellow area. If you get arrested I'll give it green.

stormdog123 said:   Can't you just go to another Staples store?

There are a lot of Staples stores near me.

I'm guessing OP doesn't live near you.

If OP lives near me, he and I would only have 1 Staples store in a 100 mile drive.

Not all of us live in bigger towns.

This is stupid. Tell that manager to give you a written reason. You're not doing anything wrong, you're playing by the rules of the Staples rewards program and if he has a problem, tell him to call corporate relations (or whoever handles the rewards program) and have them change the rules. Sounds like that manager had a power trip.

BenH said:   Again, only you know if you are in the right and if the Manager is acting way out of turn. It seems very strange unless you have grossly under-stated the situation from your end.

This is what I'm thinking. You have to be pretty damned annoying to be "known" and then banned.

I gave OP green though because I want to see if there's a resolution.

Al3xK said:   BenH said:   Again, only you know if you are in the right and if the Manager is acting way out of turn. It seems very strange unless you have grossly under-stated the situation from your end.

This is what I'm thinking. You have to be pretty damned annoying to be "known" and then banned.

I gave OP green though because I want to see if there's a resolution.

You really don't have to be annoying to get the attention of the manager if your in a Staples in a small town ((hence the only Staples store within a 100 miles or more)). Anyone that follows FW Staples post will be carrying out so much free stuff that not only will the manager know you well but every employee in the store will know you along with a few customers that witness this FW deals induced fiasco. I'm in a similar situation (( only 1 store within 100 or more miles )) At least 19 times out of 20 when I approach the register the cashier calls over the manager to check me out because the cashiers have figured that some how I'm not only robbing Staples but that I was also robbing them (the cashiers).
One night after carrying out 2 printers for 0 cost I got the police called on me. Its a way to long of a story to set down and type out at the moment but long story made short the manager on that shift was fired over the incident.
This is simply a version of the FW effect, you guys and gals don't realize how much incredible deal information you've been cranking out over the last few years.
So green also for the OP for the effort of letting us know about this.

Imjusthappytobehere said:   
You really don't have to be annoying to get the attention of the manager if your in a Staples in a small town...
One night after carrying out 2 printers for 0 cost I got the police called on me. Its a way to long of a story to set down and type out at the moment but long story made short the manager on that shift was fired over the incident.
This is simply a version of the FW effect, you guys and gals don't realize how much incredible deal information you've been cranking out over the last few years.
So green also for the OP for the effort of letting us know about this.

This is exactly my point. Nothing being done is illegal. Can it be exploiting the system? Perhaps - but they are the ones who designed the system and they are full aware of how it can be exploited and if they wanted to stop it they could adjust the system. They are offering good deals to bring people in. If people only take advantage of these good deals - well then that isn't the consumer's problem. Banning people from a store is not the proper way to handle it.

Especially today when there are so many news stories and web sites on bargain shopping and deals, retailers expect this behavior from the masses.

If we have the whole story then the manager should be fired...or disciplined as he is the one operating outside the boundaries.

OP: I feel your pain. The people at some office supply stores have a strong dislike for me, although never banned.

That being said, I would try to resolve this quietly with the store and if not, take it to corporate,

however in the future, just pay with ink bold or whatever flavor you prefer and switch rebate cards when possible to checks (90% of the time this is possible with Staples easy rebates) and if you end up with any rebate cards, burn them out through A.P.

JOE: All right, all right, just hold it right there.

JERRY: What?

JOE: This fruit isn't for you.

JERRY: (shocked) Wha, what are you talking about?

JOE: You think I don't know huh? Mangos, plantains, plums with the red on the inside, that's Kramer!

JERRY: I can't buy mangos and plantains?

JOE: All right, get out!

JERRY: You're making a big mistake, Joe!

JOE: I'll tell you something else: I don't what your business anymore either.

JERRY: Are saying you're banning me from the store?

JOE: That's exactly what I'm saying.

JERRY: I'm banned?!

JOE: You're banned.

Do what i do. Hit record on your phone record the whole thing. Submit it to corporate. If your not satisfied with what they tell you then post on youtube. I have always found that if you have problems. Videos and recordings dont lie. Alway give them a chance to make it right. If they dont then post it. I went as far as to create a website one time and linked it to all sorts of sites. I went from 1 pc to 3 free pc's after the above. Had to sign a disclosure stating i would pull down my website and not say anything bad about a said pc mfg. Take it to the masses if all fails. To be quite honest they read this site im sure as well.

I'm scared. I don't wanna be banned.

SlamminMOFO said:   In most states, it's illegal to record voice without consent.There are some two-party states where it is illegal to record someone without their permission.
However, most states are one-party states where you, the person doing the recording, may do so with no consequences.

fixfox69 said:   
UPDATE:
Almost as soon as I entered the store the Manager approached, held out his hand and apologized - I explained in detail what I thought was his unacceptable conduct (things I didn't go into here to keep thread from getting too long) - he again apologized - the conversation was calm quiet and respectful which to me, is even more important than the now "lifted" ban. He went and got my orders - shook hands again before I left - looks like I'm going to have excellent service in the future at the store (it's the only one in walking distance).
So good ending, and good call not to call Corp. right away.
One last thing, he did show me Staples memo from end of November allowing maximum of 5 Rebate Cards per transaction. Now you know too.

That's good. Guess he was just having a bad day.

It is interesting about the "memo" - but as far as I know a memo is just an internal document. If this isn't publicly posted anywhere then a customer cannot know.
If they say "it is our policy" then all they have to do is not accept more than 5 cards and that's that. Not process 10 of them and then get mad at *you*.

Of course that is per transaction... so you can always go out to the car, come back in, and do another transaction.

Personally, if I were you I would still write to corporate and tell them about this incident. You may choose not to mention the store or at least the Manager name as you can conclude that he did apologize. The reasons I would write is to share this experience and then reference the memo in-particular and then ask Corporate something along the lines of:

"If you choose to provide rebate cards instead of cash on rebates, and then restrict the use of these cards, how is one to utilize the cards when small amounts of money are left? Will you cash these out or combine them onto a large card for me?"

In most cases 5 rebate cards should be enough - but I dislike policies like this because they design it so you have a whole bunch of cards with $2.00 on them, and you can't apply them all to one order.

Your check out acumen ranks up there with Obama's motorcade and the problems it causes and people who pull out the checkbook when the cashier tells them the amount due and then they write slow and enter the purchase into their ledger.

Speed up your check out process and knock off the separate orders. I ban you too.

mangos

Call the Staples Presidents 508 hotline. Predict they will not let you completely report your long detailed complaint and will go direct to asking you for a solution to make you happy.

Inside a store with long transactions, try to go first thing in the morning when the store opens when there is no customer traffic.

I happened to be stumbling through channels past one of those couponing shows and the person asked the cashier to ring them up as 50+ separate transactions so that she could use all 50+ of her coupons for the same item that limited one per customer. I'm honestly surprised any store entertains such requests. I've never even considered such a thing. Apparently some people have a lot more nerve.

fixfox69 said:   
As to the responses so far, the store is indeed a private place, but being a place of business is not on the same ground as individual private property, that is, there must be "logical, grounded" grounds before you can ban someone from it, and I do not see this being the case here - particularly when no rule/abuse of Corporate policy occured, but the Manager as an agent of the Corp. does have the authority to ban someone.

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.

Glacierwolf said:   fixfox69 said:   
As to the responses so far, the store is indeed a private place, but being a place of business is not on the same ground as individual private property, that is, there must be "logical, grounded" grounds before you can ban someone from it, and I do not see this being the case here - particularly when no rule/abuse of Corporate policy occured, but the Manager as an agent of the Corp. does have the authority to ban someone.

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.

(Amazingly) you appear to be CORRECT.
I stand corrected

Edit:
It appears that your blanket statement is wrong after all, although it's the prevalent view on the Internet.
In reality, the issue depends on the State approach to the issue. For instance, you cannot be banned from a place of business in CA if the manager does not like the color of your shirt.

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.