7 Woodman’s Policies Employees Wish Wisconsinites Understood Before Their First Trip

Woodman’s can feel like a lot the first time you walk in.

Wisconsinites who’ve shopped there for years know the house rules, but first-timers can get caught off guard.

Here’s what Woodman’s employees wish newcomers knew before that first trip.

1. Payment Methods

As of early October, Woodman’s FAQ lists Discover credit cards, personal identification number (PIN) debit cards and cash as in-store payments.

Checks, electronic benefits transfer (EBT) and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits are also accepted.

Discover is currently the only credit card Woodman’s accepts.

The company policies page, though, says Woodman’s doesn’t accept credit cards or money orders.

Accepted payments are debit cards, checks, cash, Illinois Link, Wisconsin Quest and WIC vouchers.

Those two pages don’t match.

Both pages list debit cards and cash, so those are the safer bets.

Your bank may place a hold on your account for more than the purchase amount.

Woodman’s and its card processor aren’t responsible for placing or releasing those holds.

2. Check Acceptance Rules

Most Woodman’s locations accept checks, but the FAQ excludes Racine and the Illinois store in Plainfield.

Under Woodman’s check acceptance policy, you must show a state-issued driver’s license, state ID card or U.S. passport on request.

The information on the check has to be preprinted, and a check can only be written for the amount of the purchase.

If your name is printed on the check, you or a legally documented representative must be present.

Woodman’s doesn’t accept payroll, two-party, temporary or starter checks.

Lottery tickets and gift cards can’t be paid for by check.

Woodman’s deducts a $25 fee from accounts on any returned check.

Woodman’s doesn’t cash personal checks.

3. Reusable Bag Rules

Woodman’s FAQ says you can bring and use reusable bags at any register.

Until you’ve paid, Woodman’s company policies bar placing items in its bags or any other method of concealment, such as personal bags, boxes or pockets.

Concealment of product before purchase counts as shoplifting.

4. Coupon Limits

Woodman’s coupon acceptance policy accepts three printed internet coupons per like item per day.

It doesn’t accept free-item printed internet coupons or printed internet coupons worth more than $5.00.

Woodman’s also doesn’t accept photocopied coupons, expired coupons or coupons from other retailers.

Coupons get no cash back, and Woodman’s may reduce a coupon to equal the purchase price when the face value is higher.

Digital coupons redeemed through the Woodman’s app are unlimited as long as the purchase requirements are met.

The Shopper ID also has to be scanned before the transaction is complete.

The FAQ describes a workaround for customers without smartphones.

You can create a free ShopWoodmans.com account at home or at an in-store kiosk, which lets you clip digital coupons.

To redeem them, print your Shopper ID or write down the number and give it to the cashier.

Woodman’s also partners with Ibotta and several other third-party savings programs.

5. Return Windows

Woodman’s merchandise return policy refunds or exchanges items returned unopened within 30 days with a receipt, with exceptions.

If you lose the receipt, you may be permitted an exchange for an item at Woodman’s lowest selling price from the last 30 days.

Store management has to approve it.

The return value of an item bought with a coupon drops by the value of the coupon.

6. Overcharge Refunds

If you spot an overcharge, Woodman’s will refund the exact amount within 14 days of the purchase, according to its company policies.

Your original receipt is required.

7. Service Animal and Firearm Policies

If you bring a service animal, the Woodman’s FAQ says it’s welcome in the stores.

Woodman’s defines a service animal as an animal trained to perform tasks or do work directly related to the owner’s disability.

Other animals can’t be in the stores.

If you carry a firearm, Woodman’s doesn’t generally prohibit open or concealed carry in its stores.

Woodman’s reserves the right to ask a customer not to carry a firearm if a special circumstance arises.

Store Hours

Woodman’s grocery stores are open 24 hours at 13 of its 14 Wisconsin locations, according to the store list.

If you shop at Menomonee Falls, grocery hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

You can buy liquor from 8 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. at 12 Wisconsin locations and until 8:50 p.m. at Appleton and Oak Creek.

Beloit’s liquor store opens at noon on Sundays.

The FAQ says the grocery stores have exceptions on some holidays and that liquor store, gas station and ShopWoodmans.com hours may vary from store to store.

Memberships and Order Fees

You don’t need a membership to shop at Woodman’s, according to the FAQ.

A pick-up order from $50.00 to $99.99 costs you $4.95 on ShopWoodmans.com, and pick-up orders over $99.99 have no fee.

Delivery orders have a $50.00 minimum and a $9.95 delivery fee.

Alcohol isn’t available for online purchase and has to be bought in person at a store.

Store staff doesn’t accept tips on ShopWoodmans.com orders, and customers can tip a delivery driver if they would like to.

Gift Cards and Other Services

If you want a gift card, you can't order one online, according to the FAQ, but Woodman's can fill gift card orders through the mail.

Woodman's can mail a processed order to a personal address or send it to a store for pickup.

The person who picks up a gift card order must show photo ID.

A balance check takes the 16-digit gift card number.