CVS SUCKS

[thyme4change]

If this gets moved to the Smart Spending board, I'll be stoned.

There is a Walgreens one block from my house, and another one one block from my work. I run in and pick up things often. But two things happened - first, my insurance and Walgreens broke relations - so I could no longer get my (one) prescription there. Second, CVS built two stores - both on the right side of the road, so I could stop by and not have to make left hand turns during rush hour. Or worse, go around the block. So, I have been popping into CVS instead.

They NEVER have what I want. The first time, I was looking for dish detergent booster (Lemi-shine is the BOMB by the way.) No go - but Walgreens had it. The second time I was looking for one of 5 types of face soap - nope. Today I went in and looked for a bow for a present. There were 2 ribbons, but not even a place for a bow.

CVS sucks.

[Deleted]

We have Rite Aid and CVS and Walgreens. I don't have a reason to go into any of them. I never shop at any of them. I really don't see the point. I can get that kind of stuff cheaper at Walmart so for me it is one less stop.

[susanb]

I hate CVS also. Especially compared to the wonderland that is Walgreens. Really, they always have everything I need in that one teeny tiny store and it is a 3 minute drive from my house.

[Deleted]

Seriously, what is at any of those stores that i can't get at Dollar General, Kmart or elsewhere? What is the appeal?

[susanb]

Going to a store like Walmart takes me 1 hour (15 minutes driving each way and 20 minutes of wandering aimlessly trying to find things and 10 minutes of waiting in line), going to Walgreens takes me 12 minutes (3 minutes driving each way, 5 minutes of finding stuff and 1 minute in line) .

Also, I almost never shop anywhere other than the grocery store, Costco and the internet. If I regularly shopped at Walmart, I would pick things up there. I don't.

[Deleted]

Good point! I call Walmart the $200 Dollar Store cuz i will go in for one thing and come out with a huge cartful of stuff i didn't even know i needed until i walked in.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

My local CVS store is right next door to our favorite independent grocer, and it's where I get my RX filled. So, we shop there a lot. I'd have to go out of my way to shop at Rite-Aid or Walgreens or K-Mart or WalMart.

If other people hate it, that doesn't bother me in the slightest. ;D

[marvholly]

I have had MANY issues w/CVs: shorting me pills on my Rx, being out of stock on good sale/extra buck items by noon on Sun and NOT getting them in on the next delivery or sometimes for MONTHS...............

However, WAG in my area (5-6 stores I pass 2-3x/week) is NO better. Good sale/register reward items are gone 1/2 hour after store opens on ad day, rainchecks do NOT give register rewards, cashiers have issues w/taking any coupon that beeps, managers TOTALLY unresponsive to pages for customer help (ONLY managers can write rainchecks, accept beeping coupons).........

And w/the new WAG loyalty card (starts 9/16)I do NOT expect it to get better because:

there are alwys computer glitches w/a new program NO matter how much it is tested in advance
store staff already has NO clue how the program is 'supposed' to work and they have been 'training' on it for at least a month

Then again, I think the Safeway J4U program is a bunch of hogwash even though I got a bag of spinach and another of slaw mix for 0.64 on Tue. Not impressed w/Albersons 'new lower everyday prices' either. When you start in the stratosphere there is nowhere to go but down.

ETA: Molly & I are both active in Smart Spending.

[Deleted]

We are a CVS family.

[Bluerobin]

I shop at my local independent pharmacy! Our CVS sucks, and is always a mess, with merchandise stacked in the aisles, waiting to be put out, and mostly empty shelves. The manager should be fired. Other area CVS stores are much better.

[Opti]

Aug 30, 2012 23:42:57 GMT -5 @shooby said:

Seriously, what is at any of those stores that i can't get at Dollar General, Kmart or elsewhere? What is the appeal?

For me both Dollar General and Kmart would be a special trip. The Kmart unfortunately seems to have higher prices on everything I get regularly.

I tend to use grocery stores and Target more than Walgreens or CVS but sometimes they have deals no one else does. I got cans of Salmon for $2 each at CVS(took weeks though) and I get deals here and there at Walgreens including my favorite - when chocolate bars were available for $1.50/bar after coupons. Now if they would only run their special on my preferred toothbrush as I finally have a valid coupon again, I'd restart my WAGS bucks or whatever they are called.

I think it all depends on the stores in your area and how they stock.
The Rite Aid that was close to me closed over a year ago. I only got one good deal out of them anyway though.

[Deleted]

I just get everything at Target.

[973beachbum]

I love my CVS. Truthfully I would rather get poked in the eye with a rusty needle than go into Walmart.

They normally have everything I need or want but when they don't they are always very helpful and will either give me a rain check or substitute something if it is a sale. The staff is also really, really nice and helpful.

The last time I tried to fill a Rx, at Walgreens, it was for an antibiotic and when I said I would wait they told me it would be two days before they could get to filling it.


Has it ever occurred to you Thyme, that you might just be really picky?

[seriousthistime]

Aug 30, 2012 23:42:57 GMT -5 @shooby said:

Seriously, what is at any of those stores that i can't get at Dollar General, Kmart or elsewhere? What is the appeal?

I alternate between Walgreens and CVS. The appeal is that I take a lot of supplements (Osteo Bi-flex, calcium, etc.) and one or the other store usually has them at BOGO. When I have to spend $40 for Osteo Biflex, I would drive a distance to get a second bottle for free. When I'm close to running out, I go online and look at the weekly ads to see which chain is running the special. If neither store is running it that week, I can wait until one of them does. It's not like I will die without my daily supplements.

There is no K-mart here. There are Walmarts and Dollar stores, but I've never seen the BOGO deals on supplements at those stores. I do get some supplements at Sam's Club where the generic is basically the same. Osteo Bi-flex at Sam's is less than the full price at Walgreen's and CVS, but it doesn't even approach the BOGO price.

[justme]

I have had way more problems at Walgreens than CVS. They always give me an attitude and put up a stink about coupons (including refusing to follow the stated coupon policy). I only go there if they had a deal that CVS doesn't. I like that I get money back for rxs and other purchases...usually around $20/yr.

[thyme4change]

Seriously, what is at any of those stores that i can't get at Dollar General, Kmart or elsewhere? What is the appeal?

For me - it is the small size and proximity. I have to pass 5 Walgreens and CVS's before I get to Target or Walmart, and then walking to the area they have the laundry soap is a mile, and then back, and then standing while the lady in front of me buy $300 worth of groceries, clothes, toys, etc. I don't do huge loads at Walgreen - just pop in, get that one thing and leave. 5 minutes. It is worth the extra 50 cents.

[Frappuccino]

I have to get Rx at Kaiser, but I get makeup/toiletries at CVS all the time. I love their Extracare card. I always get $5 off coupons. My local CVS is pretty well stocked while the local RiteAid stinks. I wish my CVS carried Tapatio Doritos. Well, not right now since I'm on a diet.

[telephus44]

Around here, Walgreens is far worse than CVS. They never have anything in stock. I do some couponing and just do CVS stuff. I tried giving Walgreens another go while I was on maternity leave and everything was out of stock and they gave me a hassle on some of the coupons. Might be regional though, since in CO the Walgreens was pretty awesome.

I prefer Target to both of them, but CVS is 5 minutes away and 24 hour. Target is 20 minutes away and closes at 10pm.

[telephus44]

Oh, and I agree 100% - Lemi Shine IS the bomb. I buy mine at Target.

[andi9899]

Aug 30, 2012 22:51:47 GMT -5 @shooby said:

We have Rite Aid and CVS and Walgreens. I don't have a reason to go into any of them. I never shop at any of them. I really don't see the point. I can get that kind of stuff cheaper at Walmart so for me it is one less stop.

Yes, but it is impossible (at least, for me) to walk out of Walmart without spending at least $50, usually it's more like $100. Because they have everything. So I go there and think "Oh, I'm getting low on milk too." "You can never have enough TP with 3 girls in the house." Etc. It's almost as bad as going to Sam's. The Walton family has made a fortune from the Andi family over the years. Just sayin.

[Nazgul Girl]

We love our local, small CVS. It's well-stocked, the pharmacy staff is nice, and we get a lot of deals with the 25% off coupons they send us. I like the CVS brand detergent. My husband has gotten help from the pharmacist before re: diabetic supplies he needs. Their pricing is accurate and coupons are just fine with them.

Both our local Rite-Aid and Walgreens have screwed around with pricing on buy one, get one ree offers, and the check-out staff has acted like I was trying to put one over on them when I insisted on the BOGO-free at check-out, even though I pointed it out in their own flyers, and I had the right sizes of the products ( vitamins/minerals ). They were deliberately slow and picky during the check-out process, and I only had 4-5 things. I won't patronize either chain anymore unless I absolutely have to.

I guess preferences are just that: preferences.

[dancinmama]

Aug 31, 2012 8:02:20 GMT -5 973beachbum said:

I love my CVS. Truthfully I would rather get poked in the eye with a rusty needle than go into Walmart.

They normally have everything I need or want but when they don't they are always very helpful and will either give me a rain check or substitute something if it is a sale. The staff is also really, really nice and helpful.

Maybe it depends on what kind of shopper you are. If you watch the sales and are into using coupons, CVS is awesome. I shop at WalMart and Target very infrequently because I'd spend way more money than I do at CVS to get the exact same things.

[Gardening Grandma]

Sept 1, 2012 17:18:43 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

Aug 31, 2012 8:02:20 GMT -5 973beachbum said:

I love my CVS. Truthfully I would rather get poked in the eye with a rusty needle than go into Walmart.

They normally have everything I need or want but when they don't they are always very helpful and will either give me a rain check or substitute something if it is a sale. The staff is also really, really nice and helpful.

Maybe it depends on what kind of shopper you are. If you watch the sales and are into using coupons, CVS is awesome. I shop at WalMart and Target very infrequently because I'd spend way more money than I do at CVS to get the exact same things.

"You're doing it wrong!"

[Peace Of Mind]

I prefer Target but I do like our CVS. They make my decongestant and it's much cheaper and works better than Sudafed and any Rx my dr. has given me. Their location is great and they have sales all the time on reading glasses, sun glasses, M&M's... the important things in life!

[dancinmama]

Sept 1, 2012 18:42:45 GMT -5 Gardening Grandma said:

Sept 1, 2012 17:18:43 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

Maybe it depends on what kind of shopper you are. If you watch the sales and are into using coupons, CVS is awesome. I shop at WalMart and Target very infrequently because I'd spend way more money than I do at CVS to get the exact same things.

"You're doing it wrong!"

[8 Bit WWBG]

WWBG gets out his squirt bottle and squirts water at DM and GG.

No! Bad! HSSSSSS!