New RA Raincheck policy?

[luv2eat]

I went into my RA last Saturday to get the Betty Crocker cookie mixes (2/$4 - VV Q - MQ get $1 +UP and 2 x $1 Snack +UPs). Of course, they were out and I asked about a raincheck--I was told they had a new policy. You pay for the product up front just like it was in stock, you get all your discounts & UPs and then they print a raincheck for the item which you have to keep with your receipt to check back and pick up at a later date. They said too many of us were complaining that they were losing out on the UPs with the traditional raincheck so this is what they are doing about it. I went ahead and tried it with the cookie mix...Anyone else heard this from their RA? I haven't decided whether I like it or not. I guess it's a good thing???

[RA1]

I went into my RA last Saturday to get the Betty Crocker cookie mixes (2/$4 - VV Q - MQ get $1 +UP and 2 x $1 Snack +UPs). Of course, they were out and I asked about a raincheck--I was told they had a new policy. You pay for the product up front just like it was in stock, you get all your discounts & UPs and then they print a raincheck for the item which you have to keep with your receipt to check back and pick up at a later date. They said too many of us were complaining that they were losing out on the UPs with the traditional raincheck so this is what they are doing about it. I went ahead and tried it with the cookie mix...Anyone else heard this from their RA? I haven't decided whether I like it or not. I guess it's a good thing???

It's a terrible thing. Never pay for an item if you're not leaving the store with it, especially these heavily couponed items. Often times these items run out at the warehouses and may not come back in for months- and you never know if that manager will be around (moved stores, quit, forgot you, etc) by the time the item comes in. Also, from time to time, these REALLY good deals are on items being phased out- either replaced by different sizes or totally discontinued, and the new item may not be the same (think Pringles- when they grew the can, and changed the price).

[CurtisBeers]

I would not like that new policy either for the reasons that RA1 stated.

A few weeks ago, I went to CVS at about 11:30 at night on a Saturday to do the Skippy and Ragu deals. You would get a $5.00 ECB for each $15.00 spent in products. I got all of the items and the cashier scanned them and I gave my coupons and used an ECB for the balance. The new $5.00 ECB did not print. I had the ad with me and showed the cashier. He claimed it was because I used coupons. I said "no, that's never been the case with CVS and I shop there frequently". He called a manager over and it took her 15 minutes to show up. When she finally did, she at first looked at the reciept and said "you didn't pay anything for it since you used coupons and ECB's, so you don't get the $5.00 back". I asked if that was a new policy and she said no. So I showed her a reciept I had in my reusable bag from the day before with the ECB intact and a very small out of pocket. She then said it was because it was close to midnight. I said it shouldn't matter. She then said the systems were updating and she could not print out ECB's that late at night (it is a 24 hour location) and since it was now after midnight, the deal was over.
I stood my ground, told her I shopped there 30 minutes before midnight, I should have gotten the ECB's, etc.
She then had the nerve to say "It's only $5.00"......so if that is the case, why the hassle?
She started writing down on a scrap piece of paper that I would get the $5.00 ECB if I shop in the store again when she is working?HUH?
So I told her most stores would give a gift card for the $5.00 so I could use it again.
She said she couldn't do that and gave me a $5.00 bill from the drawer without ringing anything up.

Moral of the story.....I think they have to take care of it right then and there. If you come back to the store, how do you know you will get the item?

[luv2eat]

Interesting thoughts on this new policy! I haven't been to another RA to ask for a raincheck yet. I'm curious if it's just my neighborhood location or if it's more widespread.

Curtis, you are a very patient person to be able to handle that CVS situation so calmly! I think I would have been too mad to speak clearly (much less make a logical argument as to why that mgr. was completely out of line) and probably would have ended up stomping out w/o my ECB's! Good for you!

[RA1]

Interesting thoughts on this new policy! I haven't been to another RA to ask for a raincheck yet. I'm curious if it's just my neighborhood location or if it's more widespread.

Curtis, you are a very patient person to be able to handle that CVS situation so calmly! I think I would have been too mad to speak clearly (much less make a logical argument as to why that mgr. was completely out of line) and probably would have ended up stomping out w/o my ECB's! Good for you!

Its not a new policy, it sounds like an individual manager trying to cheat the system.

[tiffinpa]

That is so strange. never pay for an item like that. The RA's near me state that, per Corp policy, they'll only give a rain check for 2 of a particular item. Dont know if it's really per Corp but I do know that Corp allows each store to limit the number of rain checks to a reasonable amount. I guess that's the stores limit.

[Saver10]

I got rc today-did not pay up front at all-must be that store.

[teardrop_089]

I know there are some new changes coming soon but I haven't heard anything about this at the Rite Aid where I work. When we do rain checks for items that have UP rewards, we have to write it for the price AFTER UPs, for example if something was on sale for $2.99 with a $2 UP, we'd write the rain check for $.99.

[CurtisBeers]

The manager of Rite Aid gave me a Gift Card last night for the +Up Rewards for the Motrin PM along with a Rain Check for the $3.00 price. I like this much better since it does not have an expiration date. Not sure if this is how this store will do it in the future, but I like it.

[Bear]

The manager of Rite Aid gave me a Gift Card last night for the +Up Rewards for the Motrin PM along with a Rain Check for the $3.00 price. I like this much better since it does not have an expiration date. Not sure if this is how this store will do it in the future, but I like it.

You received the gift card in advance? WOW, I wish I had a Rite Aid!