Rite-Aid STINKS!!

*Update at end*
I have a small blog but I thought I would share my frustration about coupon usage with anyone who might choose to read these words! Rite-Aid has a really good deal this week on Huggies diapers. Pay $8.99 for a jumbo pack then get $2 back in UP+ rewards. Plus spend $25 on Kimberly-Clark products then get $5 back in rebate from the Rite-Aid rebate program. Well, a few months ago there was a rebate program, buy 5 packages of Huggies diapers get a coupon for a free package. Yipee, I can save money and get a free package back. I'll go for that.

So I received my coupon and headed to a local store last night. The clerk said she had to ask the manager about my free coupon. I said ok, it's on foil paper, it has a watermark, and it says specifically "REDEEM AT RITE AID" on the front. (Not redeemable only at Rite-Aid, which will be important later.) Then the manager tells me she'll have to talk to her boss in the morning, that they're only taking free coupons up to $5 because of coupon fraud. I'm an avid couponer and I understand this but this isn't a printable coupon. It's not on regular white paper. I explained that I received this from the Rite-Aid rebate program!!!! No avail, she said I could call in tomorrow. The store is about to close and I have other shopping to do so I said ok, I still bought the Huggies and asked if I brought the coupon in tomorrow and if it's ok that I could get my money back and she said yes.

So I was very frustrated but left and went to CVS. One of the clerks there was stocking merchandise and I explained my frustration and she asked to see it. She said they would be glad to take it!

I have been impressed with Rite-Aid lately and the deals there plus I like the new Wellness program but this is ridiculous. Part of my complaint, is that I would think there would be a notification process to make an exclusion for a coupon sent out by their own rebate program!! I called today and "the boss" is willing to take the coupon and she'll be contacting her District Manager to check into the use of this coupon. I told her that I didn't appreciate having to make a separate trip into the store (well, probably my husband).

I called the corporate # and he said the policy is not to take printables over $5 and I explained that this isn't a printable! He asked which store and would I like him to call them, I said I'd already called but I didn't appreciate the hassle or having to make a second trip in and that CVS would be very happy to take my coupon and that I might not be shopping at Rite-Aid anymore! Somehow I don't think my threatening did much good but maybe this blog post will at least warn others that they might want to take their free product coupon to another store!!

UPDATE-I called the store and the manager (big boss) was understanding but not very apologetic and was confused about what I wanted. My husband took the diapers in and was able to get her to do a return on them and then buy them again with the coupon, which they now took. On the bright side, another UP+ reward printed for buying a package of Huggies. :) I'm still avoiding that store location, though I'll probably get over it sometime.

Amazing!

Some things are amazing to me:

--I can move 2 times in one year and not break a bottle of olive oil that is past expiration and needs to be thrown away. Yet when I buy a new bottle at Aldi's, it doesn't make it home. It broke in the floorboard of the passenger front seat in our minivan. I had to throw away 2 reusable bags (Kroger basic black (freebie) and Whole Foods (freebie) but I did rescue the CVS green bag tag). I was very thankful I had Sunday's paper (bought for the coupons) to help sop up the extra oil. I decided to keep the cold reusable bag (freebie) that got a little oil on it. I guess next time I buy a bottle, I'll wrap it in bubble wrap and pack it more carefully in our minivan!! Olive oil - $3.99 at Aldi's.

--Gummy vitamins will melt into a big glob when left in the minivan in the sun, $3.99 at Aldi's.

--6 kids can entertain themselves when you spend $32 on pizza, drinks, and tokens at Chuck-E-Cheese (using lots of coupons!). Leaving another mom and I (we split the cost) to talk and hold one very sleepy snuggly 6-week-old baby! :)

Time with friends, new babies, and a trip to the "big" city - Priceless!