News Article: 5 Things "not" to buy at CVS, Target, Walmart

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I ran across this article of what not to buy at CVS which also has info on what not to buy at Target, Walmart. It also has articles about what to buy at these store.

http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/575/5-things-not-to-buy-at-cvs/

 

[maggiew]

Interesting. I will say that I won't buy CVS or any generic batteries anymore. I have found that they don't have enough power to even turn on my camera! When I bought my camera I found it wasn't working and took it to the Geek Squad or whatever they are called at Best Buy and he put in name brand batteries and the camera worked perfectly! So, I stick to name brand now. I just wait until CVS has a deal on those!!

I don't agree with the bottled water. CVS often has the bottled water on sale for $2.49 with coupon. So I would never pay the $5.99 they have listed in the article. But we don't actually buy bottled water except maybe if we are having a party or something.

Hair dryers. Well, I got a nice Conair hair dryer free at CVS, so I am not complaining.

Cereal. Yes it is high price at CVS but you can get it cheaper when they have sales, ECB and coupons. I wouldn't pay the $5.79 shelf price the article has listed.

Appliances. Yeah, I wouldn't shop for appliances at CVS. But I did get a cute slider maker for my mom at CVS when it was 90% off!

Maggie

 

[ceecee]

Like everywhere you shop, if you know the prices you know what's expensive. I watch the expiration dates on any food I buy at CVS, Walgreen and Target for that matter...I've gotten outdated items too many times. Last time Walgreen's had green tea on sale I bought 2 and it expired the next day! I know it was probably still good, but...DD wouldn't drink it. At Target, I got Pringles to take to WDW last year and they were expired by months and did they taste rank, I actually spit it out!

 

[maggiew]

This week CVS has Corn flakes and Raisin Bran for $1.66. They also have special k cereal 3/$6

Maggie

 

[Heidi Loves Disney]

In one Southern California CVS store, a sign beneath single-serving cups of cereal read, “Stock Up! 10/$10.” The regular price per cup? $1.00.

I see this in many stores. Their "sale price" is exactly the same as their everyday regular price.

I guess you just have to pay attention to what you are paying.

I didn't know that CVS batteries were considered bad. The alkaline kind? I just bought a bunch of the AA and AAA ones. Sigh.

 

[budafam]

I have gotten a lot of free cereal at CVS and Walgreens. I have also bought batteries at CVS but they were Duracell brand, not store brand.

 

[ajh88]

It is an interesting perspective, but not necessarily one I completely agree with (and I don't even have a CVS within 100 miles of me!). I think that in any given snapshot you could pick and choose items in ANY store and say they are over-priced, there is not enough selection, or there is some other obscure (or purely subjective) reason for not purchasing it there.

Of course, I expect more of a selection of appliances at Sears than at CVS...but I don't think that means I should *never* buy an appliance at CVS. I also suspect I should be able to find more of product X at any given specialty store (or find employees who know more about product X at said specialty store), but I also don't think that means I shouldn't purchase the product at CVS (or Target, or Wal-Mart, or wherever).

I also thought it was interesting because in the things never to buy at Wal-Mart they mention high-end electronics. I don't even think you CAN buy high-end electronics at Wal-Mart (maybe I've just never looked)...of course, I guess high-end to one person may be middle of the road to another.

 

[Judique]

Interesting. I will say that I won't buy CVS or any generic batteries anymore. I have found that they don't have enough power to even turn on my camera! When I bought my camera I found it wasn't working and took it to the Geek Squad or whatever they are called at Best Buy and he put in name brand batteries and the camera worked perfectly! So, I stick to name brand now. I just wait until CVS has a deal on those!!

I don't agree with the bottled water. CVS often has the bottled water on sale for $2.49 with coupon. So I would never pay the $5.99 they have listed in the article. But we don't actually buy bottled water except maybe if we are having a party or something.

Hair dryers. Well, I got a nice Conair hair dryer free at CVS, so I am not complaining.

Cereal. Yes it is high price at CVS but you can get it cheaper when they have sales, ECB and coupons. I wouldn't pay the $5.79 shelf price the article has listed.

Appliances. Yeah, I wouldn't shop for appliances at CVS. But I did get a cute slider maker for my mom at CVS when it was 90% off!

Maggie

Appliances - I have original crockpot that I got for $10 and I use the $5 toaster at work. Black friday deals 2 years ago. I bought some other small appliance there also for $5 but I gave it away.

 

[MaleficentRN]

Appliances - I have original crockpot that I got for $10 and I use the $5 toaster at work. Black friday deals 2 years ago. I bought some other small appliance there also for $5 but I gave it away.

I got a waffle iron there three years ago for $5 I still use. I get cereal there for $1 a box after coupons. I got five of those single serve cups for free by using the $1 off any Kellogg cereal coupon I got from the coupon machine. Those Yahoo people need a lesson in couponing!

 

[Colleen27]

Cereal is the one I'd quibble with. I've gotten very good prices, as low as under $1/box, for name brand cereals between their sales and coupons. It isn't something to schedule a trip for if you aren't in the area, but with a CVS three blocks from my house I've caught it at just the right time more than once.

Also, when it comes to appliances - post-Christmas clearance can be great. My new air popper was 75% off, for a total of a whopping $5 plus tax. I don't expect great selection from a place that pretty much only carries appliances to cater to the "mine just broke and I need to replace it quick" market, but if they have something I need/want at a good price why would I care that they don't have 40 other options as well?

 

[Swimalie]

Interesting about #4 under Target. It's about them not removing chemicals in their product's packaging. I wont shop at Toys R Us because they won't remove the chemicals from their brand packaging. Here is a report about the toxic chemicals in their packaging http://www.toxictoysrus.com/documents/Toxic-Toys-Report_11.17.10.pdf

 

[crisi]

I didn't know that CVS batteries were considered bad. The alkaline kind? I just bought a bunch of the AA and AAA ones. Sigh.

Brand name batteries are worth the difference. A couple of places have stopped selling store brands - the quality just isn't there - and by quality - its battery life. A battery that costs 20% less but only lasts half as long is not a good deal.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Brand name batteries are worth the difference.

I don't agree, at least in one case. I get huge packs of batteries at Costco under their Kirkland Brand name and they are excellent. Top rated in Consumer Reports.

 

[crisi]

I don't agree, at least in one case. I get huge packs of batteries at Costco under their Kirkland Brand name and they are excellent. Top rated in Consumer Reports.

Kirkland does seem to be the exception. I think both Best Buy and Target dropped their store brand batteries because they couldn't get the quality from their vendors.

Costco seems to have really good supplier control for their house brands. Most places really don't.

 

[Planogirl]

Interesting about #4 under Target. It's about them not removing chemicals in their product's packaging. I wont shop at Toys R Us because they won't remove the chemicals from their brand packaging. Here is a report about the toxic chemicals in their packaging http://www.toxictoysrus.com/documents/Toxic-Toys-Report_11.17.10.pdf

If I read it right, Target has removed the chemical from their own branded toys but many of those from other brands might still have it. It seems to be an ongoing issue with many stores unfortunately.

I didn't know that about shower curtains. I wonder if the last one I bought has it.

 

[Swimalie]

If I read it right, Target has removed the chemical from their own branded toys but many of those from other brands might still have it. It seems to be an ongoing issue with many stores unfortunately.

I didn't know that about shower curtains. I wonder if the last one I bought has it.

I think you did read it right. Sad that we have to worry about chemicals in toys With Toys R Us, they promised to remove the chemicals in 2008. They have yet to do so. It drives me crazy that my sister in law sent my son a Toys R Us Brand (True Heros) toy for his birthday. I want to throw it out but he will notice.