The first, and the most important one, was to test the validity of rumors that began swirling around the blogosphere this afternoon. Word was that the +UPs weren't printing for the tuna and sardines. I had planned a trip this afternoon regardless as my main store got a delivery in yesterday solely to get more tuna. Long story short - the tuna & sardine deal is DEAD right now. I tested with two cans of sardines (the cheaper option) and, indeed, I did not get the +UPs I should have. Apparently the marketing department has pulled the unlimited monthly +UPs on the food items, including tuna & sardines, without any warning.
UPDATE: as of 3/10/11, the monthly food +UPs including Bumble Bee tuna & Port Clyde sardines have been "reinstated" through the end of this sale week. If you want cheap tuna, go get it now, by Saturday 3/12, if you can find any. My god, what a charlie-foxtrot this is becoming...
The second reason was to take advantage of some clearance items that were discovered in the last few days. These seem to vary by store, so get a price check to verify. Many NYC cosmetics are clearanced out to 75% off; this week, NYC cosmetics are giving a $1 +UP per item. Some items, including various lip glosses, nail polishes, foundations, and mascaras are marked down to $.49-.74 each, making them profitable after +UPs. In addition, some Sally Hansen nail products are also clearanced 75% to under $1 each, and this week they're giving a $2 +UP for each two purchased. My store didn't have any Sally Hansen clearanced, but I was able to get a nice assortment of NYC lip glosses!
6 RA coffee 11oz - $1.99ea, $11.94 (raincheck)
3 Desitin baby butt cream stuff - $.99ea, $2.97 (raincheck)
2 Port Clyde sardines - BOGO50%, $1.93
2 NYC foundation - $.74ea, $1.48
3 NYC gel lip gloss - $.74ea, $2.22
12 NYC stick lip gloss - $.49ea, $5.88
Subtotal $26.24, less six $2 off RA coffee, less three $1 off Desitin
Total $11.24, received back $18 +UPs ($1 ea for NYC, $1 for Port Clyde)
$6.76 profit!!!
Notes:
There were 6 coffees on the delivery my store got. I have rainchecks for 10 more, and the $2 coupons are good through the end of the month. I've got my mom looking at the 3 stores near her, so hopefully we can find the rest while the coupons are still good. With the price of coffee going up and the sales & coupons getting worse, I'll take as much as I can possibly get!
I'm still holding rainchecks for 4 more Desitin and 6 cotton swabs from the Johnson & Johnson deal the other week. I've got time on those.
That's a whole lot of lip gloss, now that I look at the photo. I think I'll see if my niece would like some because I won't be able to use it all!
Now, the rant:
ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME, RITE AID??
What the hell is going on in your marketing department?
This is the fourth deal in the last couple months that's been pulled midweek, without warning, because someone apparently is not thinking things through. According to the corporate office, the marketing department has set a limit of ONE for the monthly food +UPs (Bumble Bee tuna, the sardines, canned salmon, various other canned/jarred foods). As far as I can tell it's one $1 +UP per food type (i.e. $1 for sardines, $1 for tuna, etc) for the entire month. They rolled that update to the stores this afternoon with zero warning to the stores and, obviously, zero warning to customers. The stores still have the tags & signs posted indicating the $1 +UP which has lead to, and will continue leading to, customers buying multiple items and not receiving their expected - and advertised! - +UPs.
I'd heard about it ahead of time, so I didn't get burned. Others didn't know, and I'm sure tomorrow will find the Rite Aid customer service line inundated with angry customers who discovered the hard way tonight. Their Facebook page is already filling up with complaints.
It may be time to send everyone in that marketing department to some remedial marketing classes, RA. As mentioned, this is the fourth time in just a couple months that they've obviously not actually put any thought into the store's advertised sale, and the second time that Bumble Bee tuna has been involved. We seem to have a serious case of rectocranial inversion going on here and, to be honest, that's not acceptable for a national company trying to pull itself back from the brink of bankruptcy.
As someone on Rite Aid's Facebook page noted: "Shopping at Rite Aid is now a 'guess'. I need to 'guess' if you will honor your +UP deals?" I want to save money, I don't want to guess. No one wants to be forced to guess, or to hope that advertised deals are valid.
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