[Mommy Ingraham]

And I heard this from the manager of my local CVS that CVS will no longer being doing the $/$ coupons and will be cutting back on ECB's greatly. She stated that there are several people with more than one card abusing the system. So get those deals in while go can!!!

I hope that this is not true. I am just starting to get good at the CVS deals!

[HeatherEm2000]

ahh...man! i hope not!

[AngieP]

I'm not shocked that they would do away with the $/$$ coupons because they've already limited those over the past few months. There used to always be current $10/$50, $5/$30..etc. coupons available. I however would be surprised if they did away with, or even reduced in some way the ecb program because really that's all they have. The prices at CVS are escalated in such a way that they need the ecb program to keep people coming. I sure wouldn't shop there if it wasn't for ecb. I would be okay without the coupons because I don't rely on them as much. Everything I buy there is a couple dollars more than everywhere else. I don't mind it because I can get it for less rolling my ecb with mfg coupons and cvs coupons. Whatever they do, it won't surprise me much.

[Drea]

I argree with you too Angie, if not for the coupons, money off and ECB'S I wouldn't be shopping there either, they would lose a lot of customers I think..I hope thats not true...

[GrannyGodley]

It is fine to have a loyalty program such as ECB, but a loyalty program should first of all consider the base pricing of its items before offering an icentive for loyalty.

WalMart has no loyalty program, does not double coupons, does not like coupons, and offers only lower prices. The cost of shopping at WalMart is varied and I don't mean to count cost by $$$ in this case. Yet they have a loyal following seeking lower prices.

Food Lion doesn't really have a loyalty program. They do not double coupons and do not stack FL and manufacturers coupons. However, their regular prices are usually less than Harris Teeter.

Harris Teeter has a loyalty program that frequently offers a "product" that they give away for purchasing $XX each week for X# weeks. They also double coupons all the time and triple occasionally. Their prices are a little higher than Food Lion and Walmart.

CVS has its ECB and $/$ coupons that encourage people to shop at their store for items that are usually cheaper at FL or HT. What will they have to offer the consumer to be loyal customers to CVS? Lower Rx prices? According to a news item I read online, CVS has lowered its Rx prices so much that Walgreens has had to drop 4 insurance carriers from its list of companies they work with. So CVS is hurting its competitor Walgreens.

We'll see what the incentive program of various stores are, folks, and shop where we can get the most bang for our buck.

[Samantha85VA]

I only go in there for deals or if I need something the "neighborhood" pharmacy doesnt have... I would never go in if I couldnt get good sales or deals.

[BigJimSlade]

I wonder what % of CVS patrons actually utilize the ECB or $/$$. Would they be happy to see us bargain-hunters go away so that they could focus on their customers who shell out for the regular prices?

[marbear]

I went to CVS two times in my whole life before I found out about AFC. Once was to find a very hard to locate butt cream for my first born and the second was to get diapers from the P&G rebate. If they quit doing the coupons and incentives, I just won't go there due to cost. They may think that is a really good thing!

I will just focus my energy on Target and my coupon doubling and tripling Kroger

[Kmchamplin]

I was at CVS today and the manager wrote down the coupons that I used. She aslo said that people were only suppose to use the $5/$15 once and not with any other coupons. She aslo said that they weren't suppose to be copied. Huh? CVS lets you print off as many as you want (it's not like coupons.com where it only lets you print off 2).

So I am not quite understanding why she is writing down the coupons that I used, but then she would also have to write down my CVS number, which I didn't see her do. This is the second store though in MN that said they had to write down the coupons I used (though they have the coupons I used ). Am I worried? Nope not one bit.

[bclarkcaldwell]

No, if it's coming......Bring it on! I won't shop there w/o the q's....so then they lose lots of customers. That is the bottom line. They think it is affecting their bottom line now............................................... ................

[meems]

Well I certainly do NOT shop there for their pharmacy, they are WAY higher than any of their competitors around here!

[lochelle]

The $5/$15 and the $3/$15 that are out now are technically not suppose to be copied. These were in newspapers that are put online for people to read and the coupon happen to be a part of the scan..

i dont think the people at cvs would be dumb enough to do away with the coupons..i was in cvs 3 times yesterday..and they were all busy..almost every person i saw in there had some sort of coupon..i honestly dont think the higger ups at cvs are worried about the other stuff they sale..they want to sale the drugs..just my prescriptions alone are $1200 a month..the money they make off all the other stuff in the store is just gravy..

[emerson80]

I haven't heard even a whisper of this. The manager the other night made sure I knew how they get paid back for ECBs and how much money they make because so few people use their ECBs. I doubt they would change the ECB program in any way.
I have had ZERO problems at cvs, regardless of manager or associate who is there. I have my favs of course. But everyone is awesome.

I got 4 free Vives tonight. I wish I had BOGOs though!

[Marygod1234]

Between the Store Manager, District Manager/Regional Manager and depending on the bottom line of the store is why there are so many different coupon policies between regions and stores. Store Bonuses, District/Regional Bonuses and of course the Corporate Bonuses all focus on that bottom line.
When I was in my favorite CVS yesterday picking up my prescription I was talking to the Manager in Training, he had received his bonus from the third quarter he didnt say to the dollar what he got but he said he would be having a very very Merry Christmas. He also mention each one of the cashiers received a $50 GC to the local shopping mall because the sales promo for the pharmacy third quarter was so successful.

[mpayne]

"Food Lion doesn't really have a loyalty program."

They have the MVP program. I get some really good deals there using my MVP card - especially when they have the 10 for $10 sales and I have coupons for those products!

I agree with everyone about CVS - if they stopped the ECBs and coupons, I'd probably never shop there again. It's out of my way a bit anyway. My Walmart is great about coupons - printed or regular - so I'd just go there or Food Lion, which are both right up the road.

lochelle- I hope you've checked the Walmart $4 generic list for your meds! I can't imagine having to pay $1200 a month for prescriptions.

[LyndaSLP]

A rumor about CVS stopping certain incentives goes around every 6 months or so.

And the rumor usually starts at the mouth of a CVS manager.

I have yet to see CVS slow down on anything.

[Jayden'sMommy]

My husband asked to to check some prices on a few hygenie items he wanted to purchase for the detention center last night...so after I picked up DS's prescription I walked around writing down prices - OH MY HEAVENS!! If it isn't on sale MAJORILY or have ECB attached or REALLY good coupons there is no way I would be shopping there!! Some of the products were almost double what you pay in Walmart!! For this reason, I would be very surprised if they would do away with $/$$ and ECB because I'm sure they would lose a GREAT deal of business!!

[jmwolff]

double?? I think you would be safe to say triple. When they have ECBs and sales it just brings the prices down to normal...and occasionally cheaper than other places.

And I can tell you that the average shopper is only occasionally redeeming their ECBs...before I came here I shoved them somewhere and forgot about them, or just threw them out. I only went to cvs to filll presriptions..or maybe for makeup.

If they get rid of ECBs they would have to completely restructure their pricing system.

[SLance68]

Ok this "rumor" is due to a recently settled lawsuit in Florida. The problem was how the ECB's use to not print out on your receipt when you purchased the items they were for, then they would print out on your next visit and could be used on a 3rd visit. The lawsuit basically wanted them to apply the ecb's to the purchase of the item like using a coupon. Didn't see how the suit was settled it just stated in the paper what the suit was about not how it was settled. If I find more I will post a link.

Ok here is the link from the Orlando Sentinel.

CVS reaches settlement to clear up confusion over special deals -- OrlandoSentinel.com