So frustrating when the store is out of the sale item!

[MELSMICE]

I'm not an "over the top" couponer, but every week I make a list for Rite-Aid, Walgreens & one of our local supermarkets, matching up sale items to coupons.

It is sooooooo frustrating when I stop at the stores & they are out of the items. This week I had 6 items on my Rite-Aid list. I walked out with 2!!! They were out of 3 of the items & the cashier would not take my coupon for the other because my coupon said "bathroom cleaner" & the cleaner they had on sale was "all purpose cleaner". I told her I didn't want the items then. The thing that annoyed me with that is that she is the only cashier at this particular Rite-Aid that doesn't override coupons like that. The other cashiers always override them!

They did have everything at Walgreens this week, which is amazing.......they are usually out of something that I want to get. A few weeks ago it was toothbrushes.

I have other things to do on Sundays & don't run out to the stores to try & snatch up the bargains. I make my lists & the first chance I can get to the store is Tuesdays.

It's just so annoying & I just had to vent, so thanks for "listening"!

 

[of the seas]

Wow! Finding everything at Walgreens in 1 trip, that must be a first! It is very very annoying when they are out, especially if you go the first day of the sale!

Can't speak for Rite Aid, as we don't have them here, but CVS and Walgreens are legendary for this. It can be such a waste of time and gas!

 

[lizabu]

If they don't have the item that they have advertised on sale many place will give you a rain check if you ask for one. You can then come back later when they have it and buy it at the sale price.

 

[RadioFanatic]

If they don't have the item that they have advertised on sale many place will give you a rain check if you ask for one. You can then come back later when they have it and buy it at the sale price.

unfortunately, rain checks don't work if the item gives you the up rewards or ecb's back to make it a good deal. and those seem to be the things that are always out.

 

[MELSMICE]

unfortunately, rain checks don't work if the item gives you the up rewards or ecb's back to make it a good deal. and those seem to be the things that are always out.

That's the thing.......I'm usually purchasing something that has the reward attached to it.

 

[Ava]

I have started doing all my grocery shopping as early as possible on Saturdays, because by Sunday they are out of half of the advertised items. Especially the produce & seafood items - by Sunday those departments are bare. The dairy dept is bad sometimes too; last Sunday they had absolutely NO gallons of fat-free milk out, in any brand. I had to find someone working in the dairy dept & ask him to go look in the back. Thankfully he found some, although it was the slightly more expensive brand. I also had to get a different (slightly more expensive) brand of organic 1% milk for DD, because they had no 1% in the brand I normally buy. I don't know if they are short on workers or what, but that was the first time I've gone in there and the milk shelves were so empty.

 

[KibbyCat]

I have started doing all my grocery shopping as early as possible on Saturdays, because by Sunday they are out of half of the advertised items. Especially the produce & seafood items - by Sunday those departments are bare. The dairy dept is bad sometimes too; last Sunday they had absolutely NO gallons of fat-free milk out, in any brand. I had to find someone working in the dairy dept & ask him to go look in the back. Thankfully he found some, although it was the slightly more expensive brand. I also had to get a different (slightly more expensive) brand of organic 1% milk for DD, because they had no 1% in the brand I normally buy. I don't know if they are short on workers or what, but that was the first time I've gone in there and the milk shelves were so empty.

This could have been related to winter storms that affected the entire country. Some stores who get multiple weekly deliveries ran out of items because their trucks didn't make it.

 

[Marionnette]

unfortunately, rain checks don't work if the item gives you the up rewards or ecb's back to make it a good deal. and those seem to be the things that are always out.

Unless CVS has changed their policy on rainchecks, they will issue an ecb coupon for the sale item when you purchase it later. The nice thing about CVS rainchecks is that they never expire. So unless you needed that ecb to roll that very week it's not that big of a deal.

 

[Piecey]

I don't do Walgreens but CVS definitely still gives you rainchecks with the ECB attached.

I just used my raincheck for the Finish tabs... buy 7 @ $3 each and get back $10 ECB. Used 7 $2.25 coupons and a $3/$15 and paid about $3 for 7 boxes and got back the $10 ECBs.

I have never done a raincheck at Rite Aid, though.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I think my local CVS doesn't stock very many of the sale items on purpose to try and get you to buy the more expensive things.

I gave up trying to get sale stuff at Walgreens and Rite Aid. They are always out unless I get there right when they open on Sunday morning.

It is definitely frustrating.

 

[mrspaha]

I've given up on Walgreens with their rebate rewards. Unless I've gone before church on Sunday, I've had little luck getting the "free" items. Another thing that I don't like about the Walgreens rewards, is that you only have 2 weeks to redeem them. And the store I go to absolutely refuses to honor the coupon if it's even one day after the expiration date. I've gone on Sunday with coupons that expire that very day, planning to use them on the new regate rewards items -- find that they are out of those items, and then I wander around the store trying to find a halfway decent sale on something I can use, just so I can use my rewards coupon before it expires. Plus they have so many other restrictions like the no dairy products, can't use it if you only buy one item and want to also use a manufacturers coupon, etc. So, like I say I just don't go to Walgreens anymore.

 

[maggiew]

Yeah, I went to Walgreens this week to get the Lysol automatic hand soap thing. I looked all over the store for this and finally asked and the manager said she doesn't carry that item. I was like, "But its in the ad???" Doesn't matter. Stores don't have to carry whats in the ad.

Maggie

 

[MELSMICE]

Yeah, I went to Walgreens this week to get the Lysol automatic hand soap thing. I looked all over the store for this and finally asked and the manager said she doesn't carry that item. I was like, "But its in the ad???" Doesn't matter. Stores don't have to carry whats in the ad.

Maggie

That happened to me at Rite-Aid. I was looking for the Cottonelle cleansing cloths. I searched all over until I finally asked a manager who told me, "Oh, we don't carry those!"

 

[Redwitch]

Chat with your friendly clerks and find out when the truck arrives. I generally am able to pick up my CVS deals mid-week by going around 5:00 on delivery day. Anything they did not get in, I request a raincheck, which has always included the ECB.

 

[Kycha]

That happened to me at Rite-Aid. I was looking for the Cottonelle cleansing cloths. I searched all over until I finally asked a manager who told me, "Oh, we don't carry those!"

Same thing happened to me at Rite Aid. They had the new Crest Pro Health Clinical Gum protection toothpaste on sale. Couldn't find the toothpaste in the store. I asked the clerk to write me a rain check. She told me she can't write a raincheck because there is no shelf tag for that item. She offered to call another store to see if they had it in stock. Thanks, but no thanks. If the nearest store was just down the block or across town I would have done it. I'm not driving 30 miles to save $1. I was so annoyed with her attitude I walked out leaving a cart full of stuff. I miss CVS.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Our Rite Aid is bad.

One time--they had a whole slew of items that were in their December advertisements but not in the store. They weren't just OUT of the item. They had no plans on selling it as there were no shelf tags or anything. Pleasantly, Target was offering a sale for a steal on similar items. So it was a blessing.

It is disappointing. There ads should at least come with a disclaimer.

 

[RadioFanatic]

OP, I thought of you today when I went to Rite Aid. They were cleared out of the Betty Crocker cookie mix, cake mix and frosting I wanted. The manager told me it's always the same person who does it and takes all they have, no matter how much they have.

Good news though, my store will give rain checks and deduct what the ups reward will be from each. So I will only have to pay $1 each when they come in and then use my coupons for it - yeah!

 

[MELSMICE]

OP, I thought of you today when I went to Rite Aid. They were cleared out of the Betty Crocker cookie mix, cake mix and frosting I wanted. The manager told me it's always the same person who does it and takes all they have, no matter how much they have.

Good news though, my store will give rain checks and deduct what the ups reward will be from each. So I will only have to pay $1 each when they come in and then use my coupons for it - yeah!

That's one of the things they were out of the other day. Well, they had one frosting left. Considering you had to buy 2 & my coupon was for 2 items, it was useless to get the one can of frosting!

Glad you were able to get a raincheck. I'll have to ask next time.

 

[lori123]

OP, I thought of you today when I went to Rite Aid. They were cleared out of the Betty Crocker cookie mix, cake mix and frosting I wanted. The manager told me it's always the same person who does it and takes all they have, no matter how much they have.

Good news though, my store will give rain checks and deduct what the ups reward will be from each. So I will only have to pay $1 each when they come in and then use my coupons for it - yeah!

This is the problem with the extreme couponing - those that go in and buy everything off the shelf kinda ruin it for those of us who just want to get a good deal on a couple of items.

 

[Kycha]

This is the problem with the extreme couponing - those that go in and buy everything off the shelf kinda ruin it for those of us who just want to get a good deal on a couple of items.

I think this is a little unfair. Especially when it comes to stores like Rite Aid and CVS. I am a couponer(not extreme in any way) and I often buy 4 of one item to stock up. Many times taking 4 items off a shelf at RA or CVS is clearing the shelves. These stores need to stock their shelves better. But I think if they are willing to give rain checks, that is a good compromise.