Walgreens - IVC=MfrQ No stacking???

[Joyfulmom4]

I have been out of the couponing loop for awhile and policy seems to have changed at my local Walgreens stores.

I used to be able to stack the Instant Value coupons from the monthly booklet in the store with other manufacturer coupons. Now they won't allow that.

They say that you can still use a Wags ad-coupon together with a mfr Q but since the IVC coupons state that they are mfr coupons, they cannot be stacked.

I keep reading all around the net about all the deals involving stacking these coupons.

So what's up with this?

Usually I am annoyed by the many creative ways coupon policy gets interpreted at Wags, but I have to admit, this time, they have a pretty valid point. The IVCs clearly state "manufacturer coupon" on them, and they say "not valid with any other offer".

Has anyone else experienced the same restriction at your stores?

[Mikki 316]

The IVC coupons have had this wording for a couple of years. However, they are only valid at WAG and required to get their "sale" prices. Similar to the way consumers need a store loyalty card at some stores to get the sale prices. WAG cashiers are not required to keep the IVC coupons to be submitted to a clearinghouse to be paid, as with "regular" MQs. The company is paid by the manufacturer in a different manner, according to the number of times the IVC is scanned or entered into the register system.
We have asked WAG Corporate on several occasions to verify that it is allowable to use a MQ with an IVC and each time, we have been told that it is acceptable.
However, WAG does not have a company-wide "official" coupon policy. Each store manager is allowed to set the coupon acceptance policy for his/her store, which can be quite frustrating to consumers, as you well know.

[Mikki 316]

By the way, did the cashier just refuse to scan the IVC or did it beep after the MQ? Sometimes they are programmed weird and you will need a filler item to use both.

[gctattoo]

I don't use the IVC's as much as I used to. But I just did the other day along with manuf. Q's and had no problem with it. My stores are pretty decent when it comes to their coupon policies.

[im4bargains2]

As a suggestion you could show them this week's ad on page 9. In the upper right hand corner John Frieda hair care is advertised 5.99 -2 ivc= 3.99 and right next to the pic of the product it says coupon savings in most sunday papers. (atleast that's what's in my ad) It seems to me that wags is encouraging customers to use the in store coupon (ivc) along with the man. coupon from the newpaper. Just wanted to point this out so that if you want to you can use it to reason with them. HTH ;-)

[Joyfulmom4]

By the way, did the cashier just refuse to scan the IVC or did it beep after the MQ? Sometimes they are programmed weird and you will need a filler item to use both.

Well, both actually. A few days ago, the register beeped when ringing in coupons and the cashier questioned it. This brought another cashier over and they debated it. It turned out that when I added a filler, the register accepted the coupons.

Then the next time I came to the store, the same cashier was there and she was insistent that they were no longer accepting use of IVCs with mfr Qs b/c of the wording on them and she refused to take any or even try to scan them.

There are two Wags in my town and the other store had been refusing all along. The store that I visited recently used to be very coupon friendly but now has gotten a lot less so. I wonder if it would be worth my time to write corporate since the managers can make whatever decisions they want anyway?

I don't get why they are so against coupon use. The store gets paid either way, right? I think they all must think that coupons make the store lose money or something. Quite the opposite really. I wouldn't even shop at Walgreens, ever, if not for coupons. But since they have coupon deals, I also pick up other items on sale while I'm there, like pop and snacks and cosmetics, etc. If not for coupons, I wouldn't shop their store at all. And fwiw, I'm not the type of coupon shopper who only picks up the free stuff. I spend my own dollars there too. But I can always take them somewhere else!

[Joyfulmom4]

As a suggestion you could show them this week's ad on page 9. In the upper right hand corner John Frieda hair care is advertised 5.99 -2 ivc= 3.99 and right next to the pic of the product it says coupon savings in most sunday papers. (atleast that's what's in my ad) It seems to me that wags is encouraging customers to use the in store coupon (ivc) along with the man. coupon from the newpaper. Just wanted to point this out so that if you want to you can use it to reason with them. HTH ;-)

Good idea. I always shake my head at the paradoxical way that Walgreens appears to encourage the readers of their ad flyers to look for the coupons, but then when you try to use the coupons at the store, the cashiers and managers act like you're a criminal.

[Mikki 316]

Well, both actually. A few days ago, the register beeped when ringing in coupons and the cashier questioned it. This brought another cashier over and they debated it. It turned out that when I added a filler, the register accepted the coupons.

Then the next time I came to the store, the same cashier was there and she was insistent that they were no longer accepting use of IVCs with mfr Qs b/c of the wording on them and she refused to take any or even try to scan them.

There are two Wags in my town and the other store had been refusing all along. The store that I visited recently used to be very coupon friendly but now has gotten a lot less so. I wonder if it would be worth my time to write corporate since the managers can make whatever decisions they want anyway?

I don't get why they are so against coupon use. The store gets paid either way, right? I think they all must think that coupons make the store lose money or something. Quite the opposite really. I wouldn't even shop at Walgreens, ever, if not for coupons. But since they have coupon deals, I also pick up other items on sale while I'm there, like pop and snacks and cosmetics, etc. If not for coupons, I wouldn't shop their store at all. And fwiw, I'm not the type of coupon shopper who only picks up the free stuff. I spend my own dollars there too. But I can always take them somewhere else!

I totally agree. I am in a new area and only have one WAG in my town. The cashiers really don't understand and try to hassle each time. I just get what works and don't argue. I have CVS and other stores close by and a stockpile, so they can keep it. It's really sad though. Couponers are what keeps their sales (besides prescriptions) up.
Most of the time when the cashiers become really strict about coupons, they've had a recent loss prevention training (or the manager has) and they've been drilled about coupon fraud and their jobs threatened. It really makes honest couponers suffer, not the fraudulent people out there. The honest ones are the ones who return week after week and spend actual $$ in their stores. You'd think someone would figure that out, wouldn't you?

[Mikki 316]

As a suggestion you could show them this week's ad on page 9. In the upper right hand corner John Frieda hair care is advertised 5.99 -2 ivc= 3.99 and right next to the pic of the product it says coupon savings in most sunday papers. (atleast that's what's in my ad) It seems to me that wags is encouraging customers to use the in store coupon (ivc) along with the man. coupon from the newpaper. Just wanted to point this out so that if you want to you can use it to reason with them. HTH ;-)

Also, in this week's inserts there's a WAG ad that shows a product on sale, with RRs and the MQ in the insert.

[Lurkergirl]

A week ago I went to buy the prevacid .I had the ivc coupon for 2 dollars off and then a manufacture coupon printed from Walgreens for 10 off .
She scanned the ivc first and then tried the manu .It beeped or something so she called for the manager .
He thought maybe it wouldn't work and then I said then I can't afford it .He unscanned the ivc one and scanned the manu first then the ivc and it worked .

I also used a ivc and manu for the sense and spray last week with no problems .