[supercouper]

Hi,
Found this on the floor in a store, I guess someone dropped it. I typed it out for your reading pleasure.

"Extra, Extra, Read all About It!! Loss Prevention Series July-September 2008

The CVS Extra Care program is one of the largest most successful customer loyalty programs within the retail industry. The program provides customers with benefits and rewards that encourage them to shop more at CVS and CVS.com. In the past six months, CVS employees have scanned approximately 50 million unique Extra Care cards and in 2007, over 30 million CVS customers redeemed quarterly Extra Buck Rewards.

This publication is intended to answer the most common questions that CVS employees have in reference to redeeming coupons as part of the Extra Care Program.

Given the volume of activity relative to Extra Care Rewards and coupons, we must also acknowledge that close to 1200 instances of fraud were investigated by the CVS Loss Prevention team in 2007. CVS employees are reminded that they are prohibited from using their own phone numbers for customers who do not have an Extra Care Card. Use of a "Hot" extra care card by an employee as a Universal Card while ringing is not recommended. Additionally, CVS employees are reminded that their discount card is also their Extra Care Card and no other card is needed. Simply state, CVS employees are expected to perform at the highest ethical standard.

The Extra Care program is an important component to our Customer Service mission and it is critical that CVS employees are properly trained on coupon acceptance procedures. Last year, the Extra Care office logged 1.1 million phone calls in reference to the Extra Care program and coupon acceptance procedures. Additional coupon training information can be obtained from your Store Manager.

Although all CVS and manufacturer coupons have limits and restrictions, it is strongly recommended that store management use good judgment and err on the side of customers.

When accepting Extra Care coupons, please follow the guidelines below:

*Scan the customer's Extra Care card at the beginning of the transaction and ask the customer if they have any coupons they want to redeem.

*Review all coupons prior to scanning them to ensure they meet the requirements of the transaction and match the items purchased.

*Customers may redeem multiple coupons; manufacturer and extra care within the same transaction as long as the coupon limitations are met.

*A single coupon is only valid for a single item or single transaction. The same coupon cannot be scanned for multiple units of the same item within a transaction or a single coupon cannot be scanned for multiple transactions.

*Coupons are like cash to CVS. Once a coupon is redeemed, it cannot be used by another customer or CVS employee. Every coupon must be accounted for.

Here are some additional helpful hints:

*CVS has added new messaging on all open ended internet coupons limited use of just one coupon ($2.00 off $10.00 or $3.00 off $15.00) per transaction.

*Many CVS Extra Care coupons are funded by our manufacturers. This means that when the coupons are redeemed, and processed through the Coupon Clearinghouse, the manufacturers reimburse CVS for the value of the coupon provided they are scanned at the point of sale.

*Coupons are printed at the register such as $2 off $10, $3 off $15 and $4 off $20 can only be redeemed during the same transaction if the total pre-discounted amount of the transaction is equal to or greater than the sum of the coupons combined. In this particular case the customer would have purchase a cart value greater than $45 (add $10, $15, $20 = $45) in order to redeem all of these coupons within the same transaction.

*CVS policy allows for the acceptance of Internet/email coupons, provided the coupon features either a valid scannable barcode or a 5-digit coupon code that can be manually keyed in at the register.

Remember, proper coupon acceptance makes it easier for our stores, customers, and employees to save at CVS while increasing sales."

Whew. Huge document.
supercouper

[jenlovestoteach]

Thanks for taking the time to type that out

[lesliec]

Should I print it and take it with me, just in case I have any trouble?

[sar1]

How big was your grin when you found this on the floor? :-)

[jenlovestoteach]

*Coupons are printed at the register such as $2 off $10, $3 off $15 and $4 off $20 can only be redeemed during the same transaction if the total pre-discounted amount of the transaction is equal to or greater than the sum of the coupons combined. In this particular case the customer would have purchase a cart value greater than $45 (add $10, $15, $20 = $45) in order to redeem all of these coupons within the same transaction.


This piece is nice to officially know - not all cashiers like that...

[seedlady]

my,my, my! thanks !

[mrsfloyd]

Originally Posted by jenlovestoteach

*Coupons are printed at the register such as $2 off $10, $3 off $15 and $4 off $20 can only be redeemed during the same transaction if the total pre-discounted amount of the transaction is equal to or greater than the sum of the coupons combined. In this particular case the customer would have purchase a cart value greater than $45 (add $10, $15, $20 = $45) in order to redeem all of these coupons within the same transaction.


This piece is nice to officially know - not all cashiers like that...

Yes, but remember that's only referring to the CRT coupons like those, and not any internet-printed ones since the IPs have that new wording on them...

Thanks supercouper for typing all that up. I love the verification that CVS is reimbursed for ECBs from the manufacturers. We already 'knew' this, but know we really *know* it.

[stefani1]

This is awesome!!! Thanks for typing it out. I love how it says that managers should err on the side of the CUSTOMER!!!! Yeah right!! I bet you the one that dropped it on the floor is the one that will give you a hard time with the Q's!!!!

[supercouper]

I was very cool when I found it. Very calm. Stuck it in my purse, paid for my purchases, walked out the store.

Got in the car, did the butt wiggle dance.

[sunshinejanie]

Originally Posted by sar1

How big was your grin when you found this on the foor? :-)

no doubt, I would have been cheezin. Thanks for posting that, it's nice to see it all in writing

[antiqueforest]

I like your "butt wiggle dance". When I started reading this I was smiling. Wow this is like gold,pretty much! Thanks

[megger]

Thanks for taking the time to do this for us....wish they would "review" this with all of their cashiers to refresh their memories!!

[CookieMom50]

WOW! Very cool!!! THANKS for sharing!

[awatts04]

you rock, supercouper!

[GrannyGodley]

Very nice to know. However, the following

CVS is reimbursed for ECBs from the manufacturers.

I believe that in the article it stated that SOME ECBs would be reimbursed from the manufacturers. That would mean that some are reimbursed by manufacturers and some are CVS DEALS that they use to promote their stores.

[mrsfloyd]

Originally Posted by GrannyGodley

Very nice to know. However, the following

"CVS is reimbursed for ECBs from the manufacturers"

I believe that in the article it stated that SOME ECBs would be reimbursed from the manufacturers. That would mean that some are reimbursed by manufacturers and some are CVS DEALS that they use to promote their stores.

I take that to mean that CVS is reimbursed by manufacturer's of products producing ECBs that are not CVS-brand. Like when there's a deal on CVS baby wipes or Playskool or something, obviously CVS cannot reimburse themselves for their own ECB, so those deals are simply offered in order to create product awareness of the CVS brands. But I would assume that all other offers from other manufacturer's are probably planned out w/ the manufacturer of that particular product...

[macob]

Originally Posted by mrsfloyd

I take that to mean that CVS is reimbursed by manufacturer's of products producing ECBs that are not CVS-brand. Like when there's a deal on CVS baby wipes or Playskool or something, obviously CVS cannot reimburse themselves for their own ECB, so those deals are simply offered in order to create product awareness of the CVS brands. But I would assume that all other offers from other manufacturer's are probably planned out w/ the manufacturer of that particular product...

Yes, that's what a manager told me a few weeks ago also.

[smartino]

Originally Posted by supercouper

*Customers may redeem multiple coupons; manufacturer and extra care within the same transaction as long as the coupon limitations are met.

*A single coupon is only valid for a single item or single transaction. The same coupon cannot be scanned for multiple units of the same item within a transaction or a single coupon cannot be scanned for multiple transactions.


*

I am a bit confused we can only use one manufacturer q even if we buy multiples of the item and have more than one q for them???

[mrsfloyd]

Originally Posted by smartino

I am a bit confused we can only use one manufacturer q even if we buy multiples of the item and have more than one q for them???

No, it just means that you can't buy 16 Pert's and have them scan 1 coupon over and over again for all 16 of them. It's just clarifying that if you have 16 Perts and want to use a coupon for all 16 of them, you have to actually hand over 16 individual coupons. I think that part is just to let some cashiers know that each *indifidual* coupon has a specific cash-value, and that you can't just scan it several times and have it magically be worth more money.

So, basically, we just continue on w/ 'one coupon per item' meaning per each item that you buy.

[Cheapkate]

It's saying a *SINGLE COUPON* meaning if you bought 4 Colgates, you have to have 4 coupons, they can't scan the same coupon 4 times.

Some coupons for restaurants and stuff allow you to use the coupon in quantity, for instance when you go to Olive Garden, the coupon is say $4 off 2 meals, if you have a party of 6 you only need one coupon, and they will take $12 off.

[sar1]

Originally Posted by smartino

I am a bit confused we can only use one manufacturer q even if we buy multiples of the item and have more than one q for them???

I understood what this part of the letter meant, but I also read it and know it's going to be interpreted differently by some cashiers as only being able to use one manu q.

[GrannyGodley]

Originally Posted by mrsfloyd

I take that to mean that CVS is reimbursed by manufacturer's of products producing ECBs that are not CVS-brand. Like when there's a deal on CVS baby wipes or Playskool or something, obviously CVS cannot reimburse themselves for their own ECB, so those deals are simply offered in order to create product awareness of the CVS brands. But I would assume that all other offers from other manufacturer's are probably planned out w/ the manufacturer of that particular product...

Not being in the inner circle of CVS world, I can only make an assumption on this and it would be:

• CVS contracts w/ a manufacturer of a product to promote it with ECB. The manufacturer then reimburses CVS for the amount lost via the ECB.
• CVS offers an ECB on a brand-name product that they were able to purchase in bulk at a discount and therefore it allows for them to "lose" the money via the ECB
• CVS offers an ECB on a brand-name product that they buy at their regular cost but still offer the ECB. This is intended to draw the customer into the store and is similar to a "loss-leader" and there is no reimbursement from the manufacturer. It is simply an advertising ploy. CVS can then (if they track the value and cost to them) deduct it as an advertising expense and therefore a business expense and probably some sort of tax break.

So there would be several possible scenarios.

[jenbob31905]

Thanks so much for taking the time to type this up for us! Printed it off and into the CVS pouch it goes!

[angelger28]

Thank you for posting! I did a lit "butt wiggle" myself while I was reading this.

[bottbaby]

I love it!!! Thanks so very much. This is almost better than finding $$$$ on the floor!!!!!(small amounts ONLY under say $20.00) I am so tired of "HANDING A COUPON TO A CASHIER AND THEY LOOK & ACT LIKE I HAVE A GUN IN MY HAND AND I AM GOING TO ROB THEM!" So I a going to coin the phrase "Coupons are not the handguns of retail!" Yet your wonderful find could be called the A bomb of all CVS coupon problems!! Lets hope it does not have to be used often. Having said that I would suggest that we all save or print this b/c I am sure that once CVS LP gets wind of this, like other great things from CVS that were posted here it too will have to be removed.


THANK U THANK U THANK U