Giant Eagle has just changed from accepting an unlimited number of competitor coupons to only accepting ONE (1) every SIX (6) months. (They will still take an unlimited number of their own coupons -- but those are becoming much harder to find and usually have just ONE valid location printed on them -- lately, the Blacklick store only in the Columbus area. There's are usually the ones that let you earn $1 in FuelPerks with new/transferred Rx.)
To show Giant Eagle how displeased you are with this change, I encourage you to take all your Rx business away from Giant Eagle and to CVS where they will not only accept an unlimited number of their own coupons and competitor coupons when it's NEW or TRANSFERRED but, at least in Central Ohio, they also have a program where they will let you use a coupon WITHOUT transferring it.
Just bring a coupon with you (theirs or a competitor's) when you need to get a refill.
So, to clarify, here are my new rankings for BEST and WORST (in terms of accepting coupons from competitors):
BEST:
(1) CVS
(2) Kmart
POOR (ridiculously limited terms):
(3) Giant Eagle
(4) Kroger
WORST/(don't take any competitor coupons ever):
(5) Target
(6) Walmart
(7) Walgreen's
NOTE: There are regional differences and the ratings above are based on my experiences recently in Central Ohio. I'm told that the Giant Eagle change will be in effect at all Giant Eagles nationally by the end of this week.
Showing posts with label Rx. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rx. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Best pharmacies for using Rx coupons (from competitors)
*** This is an old entry (updated a few times). For more current information about best pharmacies for using Rx coupons from competitors, see the July 14, 2009 entry. *** In other words, it's "stale" -- kind of like some of CVS' prescription drugs/items they sell as you can read about at http://CureCVSnow.com . ;-)
-------------------------
UPDATE Friday, March 13
------>>>
CVS has really raised the bar in Columbus, Ohio, when it comes to competing for pharmacy business -- and KEEPING customers from transferring to a competitor because of an Rx coupon ... or doing Rx Ping-Pong out of necessity to save money or help cover cost of co-pays.
As mentioned at RxCoupons.Blogspot.com today, CVS now accepts at some locations competitor coupons even when your prescription is already at CVS. You don't have to TRANSFER a prescription away from them and then BACK to them to use a competitor's coupon. They will let you redeem the coupon just to keep you from leaving.
Thus, I have no choice but to give them FIRST place in this regard:
(1) CVS
(2) Giant Eagle
(3) Kmart
p.s.: Kroger would be tied for 3rd place but I have been told by former employees of theirs that they have banned customers from ever using coupons at their pharmacies again after a certain number. Also, I know that they have banned at least one customer from ever shopping at any Kroger again "because of an impasse" over that customer's use of "multiple coupons" at their pharmacies. How whacked is that? Go to CVS or Giant Eagle or Kmart. Or if you're tired of doing Rx Ping-Pong (I know I am), take all your business (or most of it) to CVS and stay there. After all, they have some 24-hour locations too that can be handy when you realize belatedly you are totally out of something.
-------------------------
UPDATE Saturday, Feb. 28
------>>>
I'm updating this post today (Saturday, Feb. 28) after learning from a friendly pharmacy clerk at Giant Eagle that the district manager of pharmacies in Central Ohio has decided to be more customer friendly about Rx coupons.
They will no longer limit you to using just ONE competitor coupon per "offer period" (say 1 Target coupon during the 2 weeks and 1 day its good ... until the next one is published). And when a competitor puts an especially restrictive limit on a coupon (as Walgreen's recently started doing -- saying ONE per 6 months), they're OK with honoring multiple ones of these. As long as you are transferring 3 prescriptions and have 3 coupons from a competitor (or from Giant Eagle), you can use all 3 in one day.
As a result, I'm modifying my original ranking for this category:
(1) Giant Eagle
(2) CVS
(3) Kmart
Thanks to all three of these! Again, this is based on my experiences at locations in central Ohio -- mostly at locations along Henderson, Bethel, Sawmill, and Powell roads or in Dublin/Worthington/Westerville/Columbus.
==================================
ORIGINALLY POSTED TUESDAY, Feb. 24 *
==================================
As you can see at the "Which pharmacies accept competitors Rx coupons?" list, it's very complicated and changes often and can vary from location to location and pharmacist to pharmacist on duty when you stop by.
But at this time I can say the best places to utilize competitors coupons are:
(1) CVS
(2) Kmart
(3) Giant Eagle
See posting below about the WORST places to try to use competitors coupons ... and list of those that no longer take them or never did.
* [See update made on Feb. 28 above as edit to this original entry.]
-------------------------
UPDATE Friday, March 13
------>>>
CVS has really raised the bar in Columbus, Ohio, when it comes to competing for pharmacy business -- and KEEPING customers from transferring to a competitor because of an Rx coupon ... or doing Rx Ping-Pong out of necessity to save money or help cover cost of co-pays.
As mentioned at RxCoupons.Blogspot.com today, CVS now accepts at some locations competitor coupons even when your prescription is already at CVS. You don't have to TRANSFER a prescription away from them and then BACK to them to use a competitor's coupon. They will let you redeem the coupon just to keep you from leaving.
Thus, I have no choice but to give them FIRST place in this regard:
(1) CVS
(2) Giant Eagle
(3) Kmart
p.s.: Kroger would be tied for 3rd place but I have been told by former employees of theirs that they have banned customers from ever using coupons at their pharmacies again after a certain number. Also, I know that they have banned at least one customer from ever shopping at any Kroger again "because of an impasse" over that customer's use of "multiple coupons" at their pharmacies. How whacked is that? Go to CVS or Giant Eagle or Kmart. Or if you're tired of doing Rx Ping-Pong (I know I am), take all your business (or most of it) to CVS and stay there. After all, they have some 24-hour locations too that can be handy when you realize belatedly you are totally out of something.
-------------------------
UPDATE Saturday, Feb. 28
------>>>
I'm updating this post today (Saturday, Feb. 28) after learning from a friendly pharmacy clerk at Giant Eagle that the district manager of pharmacies in Central Ohio has decided to be more customer friendly about Rx coupons.
They will no longer limit you to using just ONE competitor coupon per "offer period" (say 1 Target coupon during the 2 weeks and 1 day its good ... until the next one is published). And when a competitor puts an especially restrictive limit on a coupon (as Walgreen's recently started doing -- saying ONE per 6 months), they're OK with honoring multiple ones of these. As long as you are transferring 3 prescriptions and have 3 coupons from a competitor (or from Giant Eagle), you can use all 3 in one day.
As a result, I'm modifying my original ranking for this category:
(1) Giant Eagle
(2) CVS
(3) Kmart
Thanks to all three of these! Again, this is based on my experiences at locations in central Ohio -- mostly at locations along Henderson, Bethel, Sawmill, and Powell roads or in Dublin/Worthington/Westerville/Columbus.
==================================
ORIGINALLY POSTED TUESDAY, Feb. 24 *
==================================
As you can see at the "Which pharmacies accept competitors Rx coupons?" list, it's very complicated and changes often and can vary from location to location and pharmacist to pharmacist on duty when you stop by.
But at this time I can say the best places to utilize competitors coupons are:
(1) CVS
(2) Kmart
(3) Giant Eagle
See posting below about the WORST places to try to use competitors coupons ... and list of those that no longer take them or never did.
* [See update made on Feb. 28 above as edit to this original entry.]
The worst pharmacies to use for competitor coupons
This is based on experiences at various central Ohio pharmacies over the past two years ... but updated with the latest information I have about their newest policies.
WORST pharmacies for using competitor coupons at (even though they claim they accept them):
(1) Kroger (they were the only one that advertised in newspapers, flyers, and signs in their pharmacies that "We Gladly Accept All Competitors Coupons" and yet some pharmacists insisted that only one per day could be used ... or even fewer ... despite a pharmacy zone manager saying there was no limit; and then the regional pharmacy merchandise manager deciding to limit it and even ban a customer from going to Kroger over an "impasse" over use of coupons at their pharmacies). The last copy of the policy they finally created after pressured by a consumer complaint to the Better Business Bureau, they claimed that it's only an "introductory offer" and customers should choose a pharmacy to settle down with and quit expecting to have these granted within 3 to 4 visits. I've heard from a former Kroger pharmacy employee that many customers who were using a lot of coupons (those of Kroger or competitors) were banned from ever being able to use another Rx coupon to earn Rx Rewards. Some reward for doing business there, eh?
(2) Meijer is reportedly becoming very picky about taking these. No first-hand experience myself there recently. I couldn't stand how picky about coupons and how bad their service was 2 years ago.
These others just don't even accept competitors' coupons:
* Target (used to)
* Walgreen's
* WalMart (used to until Jan. 19, 2009)
WORST pharmacies for using competitor coupons at (even though they claim they accept them):
(1) Kroger (they were the only one that advertised in newspapers, flyers, and signs in their pharmacies that "We Gladly Accept All Competitors Coupons" and yet some pharmacists insisted that only one per day could be used ... or even fewer ... despite a pharmacy zone manager saying there was no limit; and then the regional pharmacy merchandise manager deciding to limit it and even ban a customer from going to Kroger over an "impasse" over use of coupons at their pharmacies). The last copy of the policy they finally created after pressured by a consumer complaint to the Better Business Bureau, they claimed that it's only an "introductory offer" and customers should choose a pharmacy to settle down with and quit expecting to have these granted within 3 to 4 visits. I've heard from a former Kroger pharmacy employee that many customers who were using a lot of coupons (those of Kroger or competitors) were banned from ever being able to use another Rx coupon to earn Rx Rewards. Some reward for doing business there, eh?
(2) Meijer is reportedly becoming very picky about taking these. No first-hand experience myself there recently. I couldn't stand how picky about coupons and how bad their service was 2 years ago.
These others just don't even accept competitors' coupons:
* Target (used to)
* Walgreen's
* WalMart (used to until Jan. 19, 2009)
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