I think people were probably making purchases, and then returning the stuff to make money. Say you purchased a mixer or something large and made $40 in Kohls Cash. You could then return the mixer and have an extra $40 to spend in store. I've worked retail for years, and I am still stunned by the different ways people think of to work the system. To me, that way is pretty obvious.
The crooks always ruin things for honest people.