2010 CVS Coupon Policy
CVS is a chain of drugstores that operates Nationwide which has some excellent deals on a weekly basis if you are willing to spend a little time learning the CVS coupon and CVS reward system. You can use the CVS Store Locator to see where the nearest CVS store is in your area. While it does take a bit of time to learn, the payoff can be huge in free and nearly free items on a weekly basis. The first thing to learn is the CVS coupon policy.
CVS accepts a number of different types of coupons. CVS stores accept the following types of coupons:
1. Manufacturer Coupons (this includes both coupons from newspapers / magazines / other print sources ans well as manufacturer online printable coupons)
2. Store Coupons (this includes CVS store coupons found in their weekly fliers , CRTs and purchase based coupons)
3. Competitor Pharmacy Coupons (they do not, however, accept any other type of competitor coupon)
4. Extra Care Bucks (called ECBs for short, they are like a Catalina from the grocery store that is printed out at the cash register)
CVS allows a shopper to use one manufacturer and one store coupon per item. In addition, the shopper may also use Extra Care Bucks (ECBs) since they are treated by CVS like a gift card, not like a coupon. Since a shopper can use three types of discounts on a single item, this makes for some great deals each week.
The official CVS coupon policy is that if an item is on sale as a Buy One Get One Free (BOGO), you may use two manufacturer coupons when making the purchase. It appears that CVS has made a change to their Buy One Get One Free (BOGO) coupon policy and will now only accept one coupon for the item you buy, but not one for the free item. This has been confirmed with a phone call to CVS.
CVS does not allow overages. That means that you will not be able to get cash back (although you will be able to earn money with their ECBs). If something $0.95 and you have a $1.00 off coupon, the CVS register will make a nasty beep. When this happens, the cashier simply need to override the coupon and bring the amount down to mach the product price (in this case $0.95). Most cashiers are very familiar with this, but it's good to know if you happen to get a new cashier and you can prepare yourself for the beep if you know that you will have an overage.
These are the most up to date 2010 CVS coupon policy that we are aware of. This current CVS coupon policy is pretty well established and we assume that it will continue as the 2011 CVS coupon policy as well (we will update if there are any changes in the 2011 CVS coupon policy when that time comes).
The above information has been confirmed by contacting CVS. CVS does not list their coupon policy on their website. If you want a document to take to your local CVS, you can contact CVS/pharmacy Customer Relations at 1-800-SHOP-CVS (1-800-746-7287), email them at customercare@cvs.com (they also have a web based form on their website at the bottom under “Contact Us”) or by snail mail at:
CVS Corporation
Corporate Headquarters
One CVS Drive
Woonsocket, RI 02895
Please let us know if you find that your local CVS store has an alternative coupon policy so that we can write to CVS to get a clear answer.
They do not have the coupon policy listed on their website. I updated the post to include contact numbers so that you can have that information sent to you if you need something to show your local CVS store manager.
I went to CVS tonight with a raincheck for the “Buy One , Get One for a Penny” Purex laundry detergent. I also had a B1G1 coupon for the Purex. So 2 of the detergents rang up $8.99 and 2 rang up $0.01. The shift supervisor rang up the first B1G1 coupon at $8.99, but only wanted to allow the second for $0.01. I disagree, and thought that both coupons should deduct $8.99.
If it was a true B1G1 sale then they all would have been free without question, but since they were actually a penny, was he correct?
@Brooke,
It sounds to me like you were correct, but I would write directly to CVS to get clarification (and an email you can take to the manager). It sounds like he wasn’t sure and didn’t want to make a mistake so opted for the safer amount. This happens more often than it should.
Loved the info on policy! I emailed them and will print out the response to take with me to the store!!! Thanks for the CVS policy info!
I contacted CVS regarding a coupon redemption problem I had at a local CVS. I emailed customer care as stated above and this is their reply.
“In response to your e-mail, we have reviewed your information. Please
be advised that you have reached the CVS.com online shopping support.
We are unable to assist you with this particular issue. We have
forwarded your inquiry or comment to our Store Customer Relations
Department for further assistance. If you wish to follow up on this
issue, you will need to contact the Customer Relations Department
directly at (800) 746-7287, or by email at storecomments@cvs.com.”
Tonight, at my CVS, a cashier refused my $1.00/1 coupon for dawn dish liquid (on sale for $.97). When the manager came over, she said that the policy is to not accept coupons valued higher than the price of the item. When I inquired if she could “adjust it down,” she said that isn’t their policy. Does anyone know if this is new?
I go into a CVS every day to look for clearance sales mostly as each store has different clearance items. Each day I buy one item and scan my green tag.
I also visit the kiosk to print out the deals for that week. Each day of the week I get the same coupons for about 5 days in a row. Then I redeem them all at once at the end of the week. For example this week I took in five $2 off two bar soap coupons and tried to buy 10 bars of soap which totaled about $12. I should get 10 bars of soap for $2. For some reason at one particular sore they had a cow and said that because the computer beeped at them they would not accept the coupons at all. The coupons are valid. Nothing on the coupon says one per person, transaction, or whatever. The store manager was downright rude. I’ll never visit that ghetto CVS again.
The manager claimed it is one per person which sounds just wrong. The store near my house does this for me all the time. What’s the deal?
BOGO coupon question – does anyone know if I can use a B1G1 coupon on an item that is B1G1 free and get both for free. – ie., covergirl?
Thanks!
Thanks for posting the policy. It states that you can use a manufacturer and CVS coupon. I printed coupons off of CVS site, The coupons say “manufacturers coupon” but the paper says redeem at any CVS store, but can’t these be used any where? I’m assuming actual “CVS coupons” are those printed at the coupon center?
CVS coupons will have the CVS logo on them – if it doesn’t have the CVS logo (even if it is printed off the CVS website), then it can be used at any store. If it has a CVS logo (even if it also says manufacturer’s coupon as well), you should be able to use it with a non CVS manufacturer’s coupon. Does that make sense?
I tried to use a coupon printed off coupons.com and the cashier told me that they don’t accept any internet coupons. Is this correct? Does it vary store to store?
@Shana That is incorrect. You should talk with the store manager. If the store manager says the same thing, then you should contact CVS and explain the situation so that CVS can explain it to the store manager.
Actually, I went to my CVS today who stated they recently changed the policy and they do not take internet coupons since so many are fraudulant. I have written corporate for a copy of their policy as well.
Check with your stores
@ Liz
I had 8 B1G1 Sobe coupons from the online Sobe game. CVS had Sobe’s B1G1 free last week. So essentially by using the coupon it makes it B1G2 free. I got 24 for only $8. I didn’t have any problem using all the coupons at one store. I actually stopped at another CVS, but they were out of Sobes and the girl said she had done this for several customers that week with multiple coupons. So If you have B1G1 free for cosmetic, it would be B1G2 free not both free.
Does CVS double mfg. coupons up to 50 cents?
Not that I am aware of. If they do, it is regional.
Is there a limit on the amount of ECB’s you use in a single transaction? Recently,one of my ECB’s would not go through. The cashier said I had reached the limit? Can you clarify the policy for me?
@Angel
There shouldn’t be – the only thing I can think of is that the ECB’s were more than what the price for everything was which would make it beep (ECB’s can’t be used for tax so it may seem like it should go through but still won’t)
I bought 3 clearance items this week and my manufacture coupons were rejected by the scanner at check out. The cashier said it was because the items were on clearance, I didn’t see anywhere in the policy that clearance items are not part of a coupon deal.
From what you wrote, they should not have been rejected.
Please i need your help! I went to CVS to buy soups that was on sale $ 0.68 cents each, and I had 6 coupons of 0.60 cents each, the coupon said four cans for $ 0.60 cents. Now can I use 6 coupons in the same transaction? ho I have to buy 4 cans and receive a discount of $ 0.68 cents for 4 cans? someone please help me? Answer me!!
@Maggie
As long as there is not a limit posted in the ad on the number you buy, you should be able to use all of the coupons in one transaction.
I called CVS today and they told me that if CVS has a promotion B1g1, I could only use one coupon. The coupon could only be used for a product I was paying for, not to a product that was already free.
so the nasty cashier who thinks she’s the coupon police wouldn’t take a coupon for a clearanced item…be serious! she even the manager told her that, so i called cvs. she’s wrong! of course she’s wrong…cvs was even nice enough to call and speak to the manager who said he never told the cashiers any such thing and the district manager will be told of their behavior. i feel better!
When i tryed to purchase yhair dye marked down to 2.25 last week they refused them all. I was told that clearance items on the regular shelf where they belong can have a coupon used on them. Once they h9it the clearance rack ,, At my store they have a green circle sticker they can no longer have a coupon used on them because they don’t get refunded the coupon price any longer at that point, hmmm, I shop here in Maine. . Is this how it should be? thanks in advance…
@Crystal — You should really write your story to CVS and get a response from them.
Thanks for posting the CVS coupon policy. I had questions too. As for clearance items, the CVS flyer will state (in fine print) whether a coupon can be used on a clearance item; whether you can use your ECBs in more than one transaction; whether you can get a rain-check, etc. For example, I’m looking at the current flyer (4/17-23) and it states that you can get $3 of ECBs if you spend $10 on any Covergirl Cosmetics. However, it also states that it does not apply to clearance items. It says the same thing about the Maybelline products as well.
Another thing is that you need to read you coupons carefully. Even though CVS has its own coupon policy the manufacturer may have another. For example, it may say that the coupon can’t be combined with any other offer. This means that even though CVS will let you combine coupons, they do not. So maybe that’s why the coupons sometimes don’t work.
I would like a copy of an up to date coupon policy. I went into a store in Lake Charles and had two coupons. The coupon was more then the product by a few cents and she would not honor it. I had to buy another product so it could go through. Should she just lower the price of couponz? Please let me know. Thank you
Yes, she should have. If it was an issue, your best bet is to contact corporate and explain what happened so they will contact the store and give the cashiers the correct training.
Is there a limit to the number of coupons you can use on an item?
Other than the sales that limit the amount you can buy.
Yes, you can only use one manufacturer coupon per item. If you buy two of the same item, you can use two coupons — one manufacturer coupon on each.
I am new to the coupon world but would like to give a great thumbs up to a CVS store in Marietta, GA. I wasn’t really sure about my coupons so I waited until the line was clear and explained to the cashier what i wanted to do. He took the time to explain everything and told me that it was exactly what I could do by having two transactions and using my extra card bucks from the first transaction on the second transaction. He even caught one thing that I was going to ring up first with no extra care bucks that would save me on the second transaction. I know there are some cashiers that are getting irritated with coupons but I had a very pleasent experience with mine. Thanks CVS. You now have another loyal customer.