A lot of people have been rather angry over Rite Aid's new coupon policy. I was disappointed in it, but it's not the end of the world, nor will I be boycotting Rite Aid.
I'm not loyal to any store, or brand. I'm loyal to my family and our finances. I check 3 different drugstores, Target, Walmart, and all of our local grocery stores for deals. The ones that have the low prices on the things we need to stock up on, are the places I go. I generally narrow things down to 2 drugstores, 2 grocery stores, and Target (unless someone else is having a super great deal on a few items we need). If there is something we need to get that isn't on sale, I usually end up buying it at whatever stores I happen to be at.
In my city, I have 2 Rite Aids, 2 CVS, and 2 Walgreens, and all of them are located smack dab next to each other. It's really easy to walk to each one and pick up the best deals. So if Rite Aid cuts back on their deals, I'll just take my money to the other stores. Even with the little money I do spend, I've spent more money at Rite Aid in the past 6 months then I have in the past 10 years. If they don't want my money, I know quite a few other stores who will take my money. I'll take what deals I can, and if they end up being nonexistent with their coupon change, that's their problem. I appreciate what deals I got, and what deals we will get.
Take Rite Aid's paper plates. They usually (every other month) give a video value coupon for $2/2 Dixie Paper Plates. The paper plates are $3.99 at my store when not on sale. Usually you wait until a buy one get one free sale, then use the $2/2 coupon, so you would get 2 for $2. I'd wait for the sale and buy my plates. Now with the coupon change, I'd have to buy 4 sets of plates to use my $2 coupon, getting 4 sets for $6. I can go to Walmart and get the same plates for $1 (maybe $1.25) without a coupon. Stack that with a few other Walmart deals, and maybe my time is better spent going to Walmart with my other coupon stuff, then going to Rite Aid.
The only part of the policy that I do like is the limit of 4 like coupons per transaction (and if you want to use more, it's up to the manager). Maybe this will cut down on a bit of the shelf clearing that goes on at Rite Aid for the good deals. Also the limits on how many UP rewards you can get on a deal. I hope it makes it a little more fair so that the deals can be available to everyone, not just those who are at the store first thing on Friday morning to take all the stock. I have no problem if at the end of the sale, if there's stuff left to let people take it, but at the beginning rather stinks!
So only time will tell if Rite Aid will pay for the change.
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