Walgreens’s Register Rewards program works just like CVS’s Extra Bucks program - almost. The each reward you with instant rebates that you can ’spend like cash’ on your next visit. But, there is a key difference.
You can only use one Register Reward per transaction at Walgreens. But, at CVS, you can use an unlimited number of Extra Bucks per transaction, up to your total. So, if you have more than one Register Reward you want to use at Walgreens, you’d have to split up your transaction into multiple ones. A time consuming and utterly pointless practice which does nothing but frustrate you, the cashier and the people waiting in line behind you.
I fired off an e-mail to Walgreens asking them if I can use more than one Register Reward per transaction. This is their response.
April 11, 2008
Dear Xx. Xxxxxxxx,
Thank you for taking the time to email us with your concern. Please be assured that Walgreens takes customer comments and complaints very seriously, and we will continue to try to improve the way we do business.
Currently, only (1) register reward can be used per transaction. Again, thank you for taking time to bring your comment to our attention. We hope you’ll give us another chance to serve you.
Sincerely,
Tonya P.
Supervisor, Consumer Relations
So, I responded with this e-mail and I attempted to copy some executives on the e-mail. I wasn’t sure of their e-mail addresses, so I tried to figure them out.
Thank you for your reply. A couple of points…
In its weekly advertisement, Walgreens states of its Register Rewards ‘SPEND IT LIKE CASH ON YOUR NEXT VISIT!’ What if my total was $30 and I presented the cashier with two $20 bills … Should I expect the cashier to tell me, “Oh, sorry. Only one bill is accepted per transaction.” No, of course not. In this regard, Walgreens comparison of Register Rewards to Cash is incorrect, don’t you think? So, why does Walgreens only accept one Register Reward per transaction? In that respect, Register Rewards DO NOT function like Cash at Walgreens stores. This is, at the highest level, false advertisement.
Additionally, if I have 5 separate Register Rewards, I’d have to do 5 separate transactions with the cashier. This does nothing but frustrate me (the customer), Walgreens’s employee (the cashier) and all the customers behind me in line. Not only that, I always pay by credit card. And, I’m sure Walgreens’s credit card processor charges them a few cents per credit card transaction, right? So, something that could easily be accomplished in one transaction has to be split up to 5 transactions resulting in Walgreens paying more money to their credit card processor.
Personally, I have no problems standing at Walgreens check-out counter for 15, 30 or even 45 minutes (whatever it takes) to complete however many number of transactions it takes in order to use all my Register Rewards. But, I’m telling you - this policy of only accepting one reward per transaction makes absolutely no sense unless its sole intention is to discourage a customer from using all of their Register Rewards.
And, if Walgreens’s Register Rewards program is meant to compete with CVS’s Extra Bucks program, then maybe Walgreens’s needs to actually stop by CVS and see how that program works. It’s infinitely easier to earn and redeem CVS’s Extra Bucks when compared with Walgreens’s Register Rewards.
Maybe that’s why the CVS near me is always crowded … and the Walgreens is, well … we’ll call it ‘not crowded.’
Thanks for your reply.
We’ll see what they have to say, if anything.
Update Sat., 4/12… Believe it or not, I just received an e-mail from Jeff Rein, Walgreens’s CEO. Apparently, I guessed his e-mail address correctly. He said he’d understood my points and will check into the situation and get back to me. I am actually very surprised I received an e-mail from a Walgreens’s executive. I really expected them to look at my e-mail and laugh. Let’s see what he is going to have to say.
Hello Mr Heritage,
I apologize for the hassles and inconveniences you have been through. I understand your points. I will check into the situation and get back to you.
Sincerely,
Jeff Rein
Update Mon., 4/14 … I received an e-mail from Doug Egan, Divisional VP of Marketing Service & Research. He asked for my phone number so he could call me and we could talk about the Register Reward program. I e-mailed him back and maybe I’ll hear from him tomorrow.
Dear Mr. Heritage,
I was hoping that you might allow me to give you a call and update you on some changes that we are having Catalina Marketing, our Advertising Division and our I.T. group make to better support the Register Reward program. I regret to say that some of our Ad Programs have created customer expectations that we could not adequately support with the system we had in place in the stores. Having spent almost 20 years in our stores the last thing our Store Managers and Store Associates need is Corporate Program that is difficult to execute and creates the potential to lose customers that they work so hard to service.  If you would consider sending me back and email with a phone number and some times that are convenient for you I will give you a call.  Once again sorry for problems we have caused but we do appreciate the feedback.  Doug.
Doug Egan
Divisional Vice President
Marketing Service and Research
Update Tue., 4/15 … I spoke to Doug Egan today. Nice guy.
- Doug agrees that the wording in Walgreen’s weekly advertisement is misleading. Register Rewards (RRs) do not function like cash. He says it was the creative folks in marketing getting ahead of the legal folks and the IT folks. He said that has already been corrected and updated verbiage will appear in future weekly advertisements which no longer state that RRs can be used ‘just like cash.’
- Walgreen’s cash register software has a technical limitation of only being able to accept one manufacturer’s coupon per item. And, since RRs are considered manufacturer’s coupons, this is the reason for the initial policy of only being able to use one RR per transaction. He says a directive is being sent to all store managers that will state customers can use as many RRs as they have items. For example, if you have 3 items, you can use up to 3 RRs.
- Their Catalina printers (that print the RRs and other coupons) have a further limitation that prevents them from printing a RR of > $10. So, if something comes with $15 in RRs, you’d get a $10 RR and a $5 RR.
- Walgreens is in the process of rolling out updated software for their cash registers. Once that is complete, Doug says that the RR program should improve and some of the restrictions that are in place today due to technical limitations will be lifted.
Update Wed., 4/16 … I guess Walgreens’s customer service felt the need to chime in one more time and get the last word.
Dear Mr. Heritage,
Thank you for taking the time to email us with your concern regarding our Register Rewards program. Please be assured that Walgreens takes customer comments and complaints very seriously, and we will continue to try to improve the way we do business.
I have reviewed your additional comments regarding this program. We completely understand your concerns but at this time these are the procedures put in place due to our POS system. We have shared your concerns with senior management to take into consideration.
Again, thank you for taking time to bring your comment to our attention.
We hope you’ll give us another chance to serve you.
Sincerely,
April S.
Consumer Response Representative
written by cybercjh
