Most of you know how confused I am with great couponing techniques and I am just starting out learning CVSing. On C.L.R's advise I went to CVS tonight and purchased :
1 Fabreze Noticeable starter kit
1 Fabric Freshener
1 air effects.
I also bought 5 soy joy bars because I had a raincheck for 4 with 4 extra bucks and a $1.00 off coupon for 5 bars. I also had my $4.00 noticeable coupon and a coupon for buy the freshener, get the air effects free. I had 1 extra buck for $2.00 and 1 Extra buck for $4.98. I thought this was an easy transaction for only my third week of trying this.
I get to the cash register and for once our store was not too busy. There is a young boy there that starts ringing things up. He uses my CVS card, and then starts ringing the coupons. Now he spots the rain check and starts yelling for someone to help him as he doesn't know how to do them. Another young guy comes over and starts ringing the same coupons in the computer. He tells me that the soy joy is on sale for $1.00 each and I don't need the raincheck. I asked him how I was going to get the extra bucks and he said that I should give it to the cashier when they are not on sale. What? I am confused enough but I let it go. He finishes my order and everything is screwed up. So an older gentlemen comes over and told him to re-ring up the order and asked if he wanted him to do it. Guy #2 says to him, why would I want you to do it, I taught you. I was upset that he spoke to the guy this way, but now there were about 7 people behind me and the older gent went to take the line in photo. Guy # 2, kept adjusting things and then he said to me, ok I got it now but I can't give you the full $4.98 on the extra bucks because we can't take off taxes. You have to buy something for $2.00. Ok then give me back the $2.00 extra buck and just take the $4.98 off. He says I can't do that I already took off the $2.00 one. OMG, my head is spinning now.
So I hand him 2 orbit gums that were $1.29 each. Ok, but before I get the money out Guy #1 says you didn't take off the $1.00 soy joy coupon. I said oh no, do you have to redo everything again. And guy #2 says, no here is an extra buck for $1.50. I am thinking ok, did I just make .50 cents on this deal, oh I am so confused.
Now according to my records I had $6.98 in Extra care bucks. I had $4.00 Manufacturer coupon for Noticeables and $3.00 for the free air effects, $1.00 soy joy. That is $14.98 in my book. Total of sale items $22.08, which is including the two gums he told me I needed to purchase. Why did I have to purchase the extra gum?
I am so worn out from my experience with that guy, but you know what? I don't care anymore. Total according to the smart guy, you owe 70 cents tax. So I got $22.08 worth of sale goods, $6.50 in extra bucks back, and I still have my soy joy coupon for 4 for $4.00 with $4.00 extra bucks back that I will redeem when someone else is in the store. I still can't figure out what he did and I am not going back there to ask. I am just surprised that I actually got my 30 cents back on the first try from my dollar.
I am beginning to love CVSing! Thanks C.L.R.!
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Comments: 10
Good to see a young smart a** taking care of business so wheel ! smart shopping .
See, the cashiers can be just as confused as we are.
The entire CVS extra bucks and stuff totally confuses me. I would not know if I had received an extra buck.
I t does take a whitle to get in the CVS mode---and the cashers are sometimes just as lost!!!! Some times you can come out a head! :)
Oh, boy!! Sometimes the cashiers don't know much about the coupons. I'll try to hit what I can figure out he was doing--though you are right, that is crazy, it doesn't add up.
First, the $1.50 is probably your quarterly extra bucks--unless it says it is for something else.
Extra bucks do NOT pay tax--I always ask what the sub-total is then I know if I figured right. BUT if he had just scanned that extra buck it would have told him to adjust it down to whatever the subtotal is. Some cashiers do this without asking if you want to buy something to cover it and you just loose it.
Even if he had already used the $2 extra buck he could have canceled it and handed it back--but he might not know that.
Oh, and read my cvs 101 about fillers again--that is what the gum would fall under IF you really needed it.
I would advise always handing your manufacturer's coupons first--watching as each comes off the screen to be sure they work (as a beginner--there is a benefit later to do it the other way sometimes, but until you are used to it all it is better not to). After they are all off ask what the subtotal is and see if it is what you figured and that your extra bucks add up to it--that way if there IS an error you either can use smaller or larger extra bucks OR you can grab a filler.
These kinds of problems also are lessened if you do smaller transactions. Can you imagine if you had done everything you want to buy this week in that one transaction?
I would advise also, if you think they are doing something wrong call and ask customer service to verify how it is to be done and then next time you will be informed and be able to share with them. I have taught my CVS a lot of what I have learned on the internet and thru customer service when things went crazy and they'd try it and it worked. Just don't mention the name of the store or sound like you are complaining because the store can get in trouble and you want to be friends with them. Now if they treat you badly personally, then you call and let them know.
So from this experience, you might want to call or email and ask if an extra buck can be adjusted if it is for a little more than your purchase amount and then you will know.
And I am glad you are loving the deals!! You will continue to run into crazy experiences, but the more you do and the more you learn the easier it gets. I hope you run into more informed cashiers for your future trips.
I am happy you got it right. I am waiting for some CVS gift cards from gather before I venture entering cvs, so i can monitor my progress and i will be going with so many coupons, I know that.
hugsssssssssssssss
I didn't discover the fun of shopping at CVS until recently, either! I love them.
It does sound confusing to me too!