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.