Know your options when JCPenney makes mistakes

I’ve been ordering items from JCPenney online for about 15 years. Despite the dozens of orders I’ve placed, JCPenney always got my order right — until now. Twice in the last month, the company has sent an item different from what I ordered. First, I ordered two pairs of pants and a set of sheets. What I received was a pair of shoes and two pairs of pants that were not the same size or style as the ones I’d requested. Then, I ordered another set of sheets because I didn’t like the color of the first set. This time, JCPenney did send the same brand of sheets, but they were not the same color as what I ordered. In both cases, the information on the packing slip was correct, but what was inside the box was not.

My two wrongly fulfilled orders led to phone calls to JCPenney’s customer service line to address the problems. Here’s a key lesson I learned: JCPenney will send UPS to pick up the wrong items at your home, but you have to request this. The customer service representatives’ first line of attack was to suggest I return the items to a store. I don’t live close to JCPenney, nor do I want to drive all the way there to fix an error that wasn’t mine. So, I asked if the company could send UPS to collect the items. In both cases, the representative agreed to do this. If you take advantage of this option, you simply set the item on your porch for UPS to pick it up or give it to the delivery driver when he rings your doorbell. UPS will only make one attempt to collect the item, so be sure to have it ready. Make sure you ask the driver to give or leave you a receipt for the package so you have proof you sent the items back. Unlike other companies, JCPenney doesn’t send you a return label to print out; UPS puts one on your package at the time of pickup.

Other notes from my JCPenney customer service encounters:

• Things went most smoothly with the mix-up involving the wrong color of sheets. The representative seemed to know exactly how to handle the situation. She also informed me that I would get my refund sooner if I took the item back to the store.
• The case of completely incorrect items being sent to me seemed to confound the customer service staff. I was placed on hold a couple of times while the representative tried to determine what to do, and I got a follow-up call the following day from another representative. In this situation, the company did not wait to receive the incorrect items before issuing a credit to my credit card.
• During my latest call, the representative answered the phone by stating her name and mentioning she was located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was great to get assistance from someone with strong English-speaking skills. I also commend JCPenney for not outsourcing customer service jobs to other countries.
• In both experiences, I found the JCPenney representatives to be polite and friendly.

I am not sure what has led JCPenney to fulfill two of my last three orders incorrectly, but it seems some new quality control procedures are in order. What have your recent online ordering experiences with JCPenney been like?

Coupons returning to JCPenney? Company provides first promo code, paper coupon in months

Faithful JCPenney shoppers got a rude awakening in February 2012 when the company implemented a huge change to its marketing strategy. Instead of weekly sales and a variety of coupons and promo codes, JCPenney instituted what it called “fair and square pricing.” The basic idea was that shoppers would get the stores’ best prices all the time and wouldn’t have to wait for a sale.

The strategy appears to be an epic fail thus far, with news reports showing large drops in sales at retail stores and online. My recent visits to my local JCPenney store seem to confirm this, as the place looks like a ghost town. The sales and marketing disaster may have played a role in the resignation of the company’s president this summer.

It appears things may be changing at JCPenney. For the first time in months, I’ve seen a money-saving promo code for use on the company’s website. You can use code EXTRA30 to get 30 percent off clearance items, along with free shipping on orders over $50. Since February, the only coupon codes I’ve seen the company offer have been for free shipping when you spent a specified dollar amount online.

I also recently received a paper coupon in the mail from JCPenney. It offered me $10 in an attempt to woo me back into the store to view the company’s new in-store boutiques devoted to various brands, such as Izod and Liz Claiborne.

Were you a JCPenney shopper before the new marketing strategy? What do you think it will take for the company to get back on track?

Where to find promo and coupon codes to save money online

I’ve been an online shopper for many years, and I always take advantage of special offers that can lower the costs of my order, including free shipping or discount codes available on a retailer’s website. But it’s only recently that I’ve developed the habit of actively seeking out promotional (or “promo”) codes for retailers before I place my order.

It’s easy to get many promo codes and special offers delivered to your inbox. Just sign up for the email newsletters and sales ads offered by retailers like JCPenney, Kohl’s and Inkjetsuperstore.com. But even if a retailer hasn’t recently emailed you a promo code, you may still be able to find one online. The fastest way to do this is to type in the retailer’s name and the words “promo code” into a search engine. For example, searching “JCPenney promo codes” reveals a list of websites claiming to have these valuable codes.

Sites I’ve found to be reliable in delivering promo codes that work include Retailmenot, Dealigg, and DealsPl.us. When checking for codes on unfamiliar sites, I avoid those that require me to click a link to “reveal” the discount code, as I worry this could initiate a viral attack on my computer. While there are times I cannot locate a code to apply to my deal, I am able to track one down most of the time.

Promo codes aren’t just for clothing, shoes and printer cartridges. The other day, I saved $6.50 off the purchase of water filters for my refrigerator by using a promo code I found online for ABT, an electronics and appliance reailer.

To maximize your savings, remember to use promo codes in combination with other rewards programs, such as Ebates. Also, be sure to do some online price comparisons for the item you are purchasing; in some cases, you may get a lower price without a promo code by purchasing from a different retailer.

Have you found other reliable sources of promo codes besides those listed above? Please share your sources so others can learn and save!