Ripped Off by JC Penney

Last week on Lisa Ricard Claro's blog, she posted "No Customr Service - Still," about her problems getting service from Sears. When I read her post I understood what she was talking about; I have shared her pain with big chain stores making promises but failing to deliver.

Yesterday I had a similar experience with JC Penney. Yep. I got ripped off by JC Penney with their bogus coupons and misleading business practice of "price adjustments."

Question: Where is a $10 off coupon not really worth $10?

Answer: JC Penney, at least the one at Mid Rivers Mall in St. Peters, MO.

Here's what happened: Last Thursday my granddaughter bought a dress for homecoming at JC Penney at West County Mall. She used my debit card, and I must admit; her dress is adorable and she got a good deal.

After I saw where she bought the dress, I remembered I had a $10 off coupon and found out I could get a price adjustment.I figured the $10 could go towards buying a pair of shoes to go with her dress.

So, yesterday, I took my receipt, debit card, and $10 off coupon to our closest JC Penney story at Mid Rivers Mall in St. Peters.

The cashier told me that since my granddaughter used my debit card she would have to refund my purchase in cash then I would have to rebuy the dress to use the $10 off coupon. No problem so far.

With cash in hand I waited for the cashier to rering the purchase and deduct the $10 coupon. The final result was a refund of $6 and change.

Wait. What?

I held the money in front of her and asked, "What is this?"

"It's because of the tax," she answered.

"But it was a $10 off coupon. I should get more than $10 back,not less, because of the taxes."

"Let's see," she said, studying the receipt.

Then she told me that the dress had gone up in price since last Thursday so she had to charge me Monday's price for the dress. Hence my "price adjustment" was that I actually paid MORE for the dress before the coupon was deducted.

"Sorry that's the best I can do," she said, as she tore up my coupon and put it in the trash before I could ask for a do-over and use my $10 coupon to buy something else.

Because I was in a hurry to pick up my grandson from school I didn't have time to ask to talk to a manager--and there was a long line of people waiting behind me.

"Well, it's better than nothing, but not much better," I said, fuming.

As I stepped aside and  put my receipt and credit card away, the woman behind me in line told the cashier she had a 20% off coupon, but it wasn't good until Wednesday.

"That's okay," the cashier said, ringing up the woman's purchase, "You can buy it today and bring it back on Wednesday for a price adjustment."

Good luck with that, lady, because at JC Penney the price adjustments aren't what you think they are.

My lesson is to avoid shopping at JC Penney, where apparently a "price adjustment" isn't what it seems and the JCP actually stands for Jerking around Customers, Plenty!

Hey, wait. Maybe I'll write to their corporate office and see what they think of my new acronym.  Who knows, it might catch on.

Everyone Has A Story to Tell

Today in St. Peters, MO: Drizzle, high 49 degrees. A good day to stay inside and write.

Lately I've met some people who have led fascinating lives. During my talk last Saturday, I met writers from outstate Missouri, West Virginia, Washington State, and Arkansas, and briefly talked with man wearing a Pearl Harbor survivor cap--wish I would've gotten to talk with him longer.

Ann, the woman from Arkansas, was a Senior at Little Rock High School during the Little Rock Nine historic event, when President Eisenhower ordered the National Guard to enforce integration at the high school. She shared a bit of her experience with us, but the clock was ticking and she seemed reluctant to say more.

While we were on the subject of high school experiences last Saturday, I mentioned that I went to an all-girls' Catholic school in St. Louis, where we had to invite our dates for prom. My date for senior prom was Mike Blassie, who was headed for the Air Force Academy after graduation. Mike later became a pilot. In May of 1972 his jet was shot down in Vietnam, and Mike was declared missing in action. Flash forward to 1998, when DNA testing determined Mike's remains were those which had been interred in in the Tomb of the Unknown back in 1984. In 1998 Mike's family made the decision to move his remains to Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis. My husband Walt, also a Vietnam Veteran, and I attended the ceremony, and I wrote about the experience in my story "Welcome Home" in A Cup of Comfort for Military Families.

A gentleman in our Coffee and Critique group is working on his memoir. When he joined our group I recognized his name immediately. He is a local singer and songwriter of some note (no pun intended). He is a wonderful storyteller who can weave words magically, yet he is soft spoken and not sure of his gift. Yesterday after critique he causually talked about the night he met a local crime boss while he was performing at a night club, although he didn't realize who the man was at the time. Then he talked about the time Elvis Presley pulled a gun on him while he was a Marine stationed in Memphis--that event made the headlines.

A while back, another critique group member told a few of us about the time she was living and working in Dallas in November 1963 and was questioned by the FBI about a co-worker, who later fled the country. While living in Texas she also came into contact with mass murderer Richard Speck--how frightening is that. This woman is a novelist, but has lived a fascinating life and met some famous--and infamous--folks along the way.

The lesson I've learned from all this is to take time to listen. I never know what I might learn because everyone--even the quiet ones, or maybe especially the quiet ones--has a story to tell.