I landed on Pink Cricut's site and noticed that she had posted a video yesterday regarding her shopping forays to Big Lots and Wal-Mart. Started watching it and decided that I'd give it a shot, too. I'm not big on shopping at Big Lots (it's not close enough to make it worth my time) but decided I'd use their ad to my advantage.
I printed their ad, which ended today, and it listed all of Martha Stewart's scrapbook supplies for $1.00 each. Yep - $1.00 each. That's a tremendous savings, even for Bit Lots. Martha Stewart stuff has been (traditionally) out of my price range and I've only bought a few things that were on deep discount.
I went to my local Wal-Mart and asked to speak to the manager. I got a customer service manager (CSM); not the same as the "manager" but decided I'd start there. I showed her the Big Lots ad and her first words were "you have to have the actual ad." I said, actually no, that corporate policy does not state you have to have a physical copy of the ad and I had a copy of corporate policy in the car if she'd like to see it. She said, then that they'd only price match exactly what was in the picture. I stated the picture was a representation of the types of Martha Stewart items you might find, but there was no way to photograph everything because the line was so large. So, she called "the" manager.
His first words were "We don't carry Martha Stewart supplies." Well.... hate to disagree with you, but I had a shopping cart with about 25 items in it. The CSM said, "she's got a cart full of it." He decided that he'd come up to the front and talk to me himself. I was fine with that; they were going to be doing me a favor and I had all the time in the world.
He got up there and explained they needed the item numbers because costs vary so much from year to year and item to item. I said that made perfect sense for items like electronics but not feasible for scrapbook supplies. He agreed and said that anything currently marked less than $13 (it was all on clearance as they're getting rid of Martha Stewart items) he would sell to me for $1.00 each.
These two photos are two views of what I bought:
After I got home, and was showing my stash to my son, he suggested I drive into Wichita to one of the stores closest to us. After about five minutes of deliberation, off we went. I had to go through the same routine with the CSM I was directed to at that store, after which she called the store manager to talk to me, which is what I had requested from the beginning. I explained to him that I wasn't trying to clean him out and I wasn't going to re-sell the stuff. I just wanted a few things and the duplicates were for my daughter. He looked over my cart and said, "Is this all you want?" I said yes, and he told the CSM that they would honor the ad.
This is what I got from the second store:
Once Amy got here, she picked through the stuff and took 15 items. Some of the stuff I got with her in mind and she took them. Others, I might try to trade with my sister but I think she got some of the same items I did. Amy wanted my cupcake punch, but since I only got one maybe she can get one from Kris. I shared the duplicates of what I know Kris had and maybe Kris and I can do some trading, too.
I don't know what the retail value is, but even off the sale prices we saved a ton of money. I'd like to find sales like that on a regular basis!
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