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Younkers Black Friday Sale Isn’t Green
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I’m not sure if this is the second or third year that Younker’s Department Store has done this, but it seems like someone at their Bon-Ton Store headquarters should rethink their day-after-Thanksgiving, “black Friday” strategy. I got up at 7 A.M. on Thanksgiving Day and drove to the Highway 6, Casey’s General Store in Waukee. After grabbing some donuts to kick off my holiday weekend, I headed to the check out counter to buy a Des Moines Register newspaper…mainly to check out the ads for the busiest shopping day of the year. The lady behind the counter said, “we are all out of papers…several people were in this morning and purchased 5-10 papers each.”.
I then went to a Kum & Go station, and fortunately they had a few papers left. After returning home, I explained the situation to my wife and she informed me that the same thing happened last year…evidently due to a coupon being offered by Younkers that was worth $10 off a purchase on black Friday. In Younker’s defense, the coupon included some rules to limit the $10 discount to certain items, and only one coupon could be used per item, and only one coupon was allowed per customer…but you know what happens with rules.
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Later that day, I heard that some people had purchased as many as 30 newspapers that morning (guessing they were all Des Moines Register editions, but I can’t be sure) in order to get $300 off their Younker’s store purchases on Friday. Even though the price of that daily paper jumped from 50 cents in 2006 to $1.50 this year, that person still realized a net savings of over $250…assuming he/she was able to go from register to register without getting caught for breaking the rules.
I wonder what happened to those 30 newspapers, once the Younkers sale coupon was removed? I also wonder how many others went to Casey’s that day to get a paper, only to leave empty handed. I imagine a similar scenario played out all over Iowa, and quite possibly in many other cities and states (Bon-Ton owns stores in over 20 states, but I’m not sure if they have a similar marketing approach at those locations.). My recommendation would be that Younkers change their approach next year and rather than stuffing $10 coupon in newspapers, they instead hand one to each customer who enters the store between certain hours that day. What do you think?
Update - 11/24/09: Just noticed the TV ad for Younker’s after Thanksgiving Day sale. Appears they are doing the $10 coupon again.
Update - 11/25/10: We are just hours away from learning if Younkers will be running their less than eco-friendly coupons again. What’s it going to be this year?
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Comment by Kala on 15 November 2008:
Worst idea ever, seriously. Why don’t you just subscribe to the paper? Not everyone wants to stand in line for the $10 gift card, you know what happends then. People get screwed out of a card after people cut in line. Bad idea, keep it the way it is Younkers.
Comment by SHOPPER on 26 November 2008:
IN RESPONSE TO THE YOUNKERS COUPONS IN THE PAPER, GET UP EARLIER TO GET YOUR PAPER, YOU SNOOZE YOU LOSE. HAPPY SHOPPING.
Comment by retail worker on 26 November 2008:
When I wanted to buy a paper tonight to check out the ads I was unable to buy one at my local gas station as they were all out. I think it is unfortunate also for other stores who’s ads were in this paper because they will not be seen either. Now I am online trying to find copies of the ad’s for younkers and other retailers with not much luck.
Comment by Coupons worthless on 28 November 2008:
I had a few coupons (legit-family who weren’t going to Younkers gave me their coupons) to use this morning. When I arrived at Younkers, I was approached by two customers that wanted to give away their $10 coupons. Fishy. It seems like this year, Younkers had much of their inventory on Door Buster, Incredible Value, or Yellow Dot clearance - not eligible for coupons. Oh, and most items that weren’t in these sales categories were priced at $9.99. I had a tough time finding items that would qualify for the coupons. I did find several high priced garments that were eligible - but I still wouldn’t pay $50 for a sweater, or sweatshirt. Their coupons were an absolute joke, and to the people who bought mass amounts of newspapers for these coupons, well - you got screwed!
Comment by Younkers Qs on 12 November 2009:
I tried to use my $10 coupon in 2008…I stood in line for nearly an hour only to find out there were so many restrictions that not a single item I had picked up was acceptable.
I have been shopping at Kohl’s ever since.
Comment by Jessica on 25 November 2009:
I am guilty for this. Although my family subscribes to the newspaper, we go out and buy about 10 more for the coupon. In the store people got very frustrated w/ the coupon because it takes patience to find items that you can use the coupon for. Once you realize what you can use the coupon on, you really can save tons of money. I typically only get items that are 10-12 so they turn out to be free or only $2. In the past, this is how I did a lot of my Xmas shopping.
Comment by norma on 25 November 2009:
the thing that gets me mad is trying to find and item to use the coupon on and to wait in line and then told you can’t use it is enough to pull your hair out….i thik they are only hurting themselves wit the way their coupons can be used….give us a coupon and then let us use it any way we want like kohls does…your business just might go up……
Comment by Anna on 26 November 2009:
I had the same thing happen to me! My husband got up to get the kids donuts and us coffee and the paper. I was looking thru all the ads for the Younkers coupon and there was no Younkers ad in the paper at all or Toys R Us for that matter! I even made my husband look thru the whole paper because he didn’t believe me that the ad wasn’t in there. I think Younkers should hand them out at the store entrances also! I’m glad to know that I’m not the only one this has happened too.
Comment by Leanne on 26 November 2009:
I guess I have lucked out 2 years in a row. When I stopped at the convenience store early Friday a.m. 2 years ago to pick up a paper they told me they were all out in the dumpster (since the ads were in the previous days paper). So…I went dumpster diving. The dumpster was short and there was no garbage. Fortunately I found about a dozen papers complete with ads and the coupons. Last year when I stopped at the same convenience store on Friday morning the papers hadn’t made it out to the dumpster yet. No diving necessary and they didn’t charge me for the papers. I’m not expecting to be so lucky this year but it was fun while it lasted!
Comment by Kaytee on 27 November 2009:
Nice Green store! What a waste.
Younkers is most hated store anyway. The whole coupon printed everyweek thing gets old and prevents me from going there. They have taught customers not to buy anything a regular price or shop there Mon-Thurs when there are no coupons. If I need or want something on one of those days, I have to stop and say “gee there will be a coupon tomorrow”.
Plus…the bathrooms…NASTY!
Comment by kathy on 18 November 2010:
love younkers keep it the same $10.00 off coupon
Comment by Wilma on 24 November 2010:
Yeah - I think the Younkers coupons are a joke, too. Last time I was there with one of their coupons I actually FOUND an item that wasn’t on their restriction list and they still didn’t want to apply the coupon. When I asked another store clerk (nicely) why? she said “well, it doesn’t say that we can’t use it” so she finally gave me the credit. That is the ONLY time I’ve ever been able to use one. What a joke. I don’t waste my time with their coupons anymore. Kohls it is for me, too.