Is this 'good' customer service? Part 2

Please read the earlier blog by this title to get the background.

So I get the coupon in the mail. Pleased that they took the time to send me the coupon, I almost forgot about it. (An issue with coupons and rebates: they provide comfort to customers, but no real value when they are not used)

Today, I decided to redeem my coupon for a "free 2-liter or 1-liter product" made by the company. I was briefly puzzled by why they would offer me a "free 2-liter or 1-liter product" instead of saying "up to 2 liters", but I quickly shrugged it off. Only so many problems I can solve, right?

After mulling over the range of products offered by the company, I grab a 2-liter bottle, head to the check out counter, where I was informed that the coupon had a value of $1.49 and that the product I selected was $1.89. To buy the product, I would have to pay an extra 40 cents.

The price and currency are irrelevant, the point being, I got a coupon that said "free", then put a limit to what I could get as "free."

I left the store without making a purchase, but my head was buzzing with the following thoughts:

• Where in the company's strategy execution did the process break down? Did anyone know that "free" and a limit of $1.49 sounded contradictory?
• These people were not stupid, but I was stumped. What could be the rationale?
• What could they do differently to catch this scenario?
  

This led me to think of another situation, this time with a well known online retail store. They offer free shipping on qualifying orders totaling $25 or more. However, many lower priced items top off at $24.99. This forces me to either buy an additional product or wait till I wanted another item. Its a brilliant strategy, designed to increase sales no doubt, but also a brilliant way to really annoy customers. If they had to make their customers buy more than 25 dollars worth, at least don't bring them tantalizingly close to that total.

I am sure pricing is very complex to design, but what do I care? I am the customer and I am always right!

Right?