Why CVS Receipts Are Intentionally, Ridiculously Long - [SYTL 8 mins]
May 2, 2022 7:48 AM Subscribe
Receipts can target customer preferences far better than circulars or coupon offers. Ever walk into a CVS to pick up some gum, maybe some Chapstick, only to get hit with a ridiculously long receipt? It’s no secret that most CVS purchases come with these comically long receipts. But what might surprise you is that these long receipts are part of a marketing plan that's paying off big time for CVS. Cheddar Explains: Youtube. [SLYT 8mins]
Lifehacker outlines how to bypass being given CVS paper receipts entirely... the catch is that you have to install their official mobile app - which of course helps the company drill down into your purchase history with even more focus.
"Loyalty cards" (and apps) can be detrimental to those trying to stay on a budget because (among other things) they can increase the Sunk Cost Fallacy.
Often the 'points' accrued via loyalty cards, are actually not worth the spend required [SLYT 16 mins], and are also non-transferable.
For online shopping, 'Honey' - the browser plugin that scours the web for money off vouchers - is either a fantastic money saver, or a massive security risk to your purchasing data, depending on who you ask
Lifehacker outlines how to bypass being given CVS paper receipts entirely... the catch is that you have to install their official mobile app - which of course helps the company drill down into your purchase history with even more focus.
"Loyalty cards" (and apps) can be detrimental to those trying to stay on a budget because (among other things) they can increase the Sunk Cost Fallacy.
Often the 'points' accrued via loyalty cards, are actually not worth the spend required [SLYT 16 mins], and are also non-transferable.
For online shopping, 'Honey' - the browser plugin that scours the web for money off vouchers - is either a fantastic money saver, or a massive security risk to your purchasing data, depending on who you ask
Meh. I find Kohl's Cash more insidious than a coupon attached to a receipt. Or Menards rebate checks.
I use the CVS digital receipts and they continually send me a 40% one-thing discount every week. I'm okay with that. But my other rule of thumb is "if you need a shopping cart at a CVS or Walgreens, rethink your day".
posted by JoeZydeco at 8:12 AM on May 2, 2022 [10 favorites]
I use the CVS digital receipts and they continually send me a 40% one-thing discount every week. I'm okay with that. But my other rule of thumb is "if you need a shopping cart at a CVS or Walgreens, rethink your day".
posted by JoeZydeco at 8:12 AM on May 2, 2022 [10 favorites]
Wasn't the Duane Reed receipt longer than CVS? Also, they did this whole argument about how no one looks at circulars anymore and then showed data showing that most people still look at circulars weekly.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 8:13 AM on May 2, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 8:13 AM on May 2, 2022 [4 favorites]
Maybe I'm just unlucky but every time I've ever remembered the existence of retailmenot since it appeared in the 2000s, whatever codes or coupons it provides no longer work. Not once has the service provided me any value.
I buy a lot of shit online and am gradually disentangling myself from Amazon for some of the obvious reasons. This means I'm sometimes disintermediating an entire layer from certain purchases and more directly exposed to a product's retail presence. This'd be a great opportunity for a promotional discounting service like retailmenot or Honey but retailmenot is firmly established in my mind as hot garbage and Honey seems terrifying.
Call me hopelessly parochial but until what feels like somewhat recently CVS wasn't even a thing here. Longs or Thrifty or Walgreens, sure, but these other ones seemed to appear out of Zeus' forehead fully formed one day. These new ones don't seem to have anywhere near the breadth of product selection that Longs or Thrifty had: no garden center in the big ones, a paltry hardware selection, a variety of home goods useful only for emergencies. The drug store down the street is one of those but I'm never able to remember which one it is. Whichever one bought the rights to the Thrifty name, I guess, because they still scoop ice cream.
Either way, I don't accept paper receipts except under narrow conditions which means that I'm aware of the CVS receipt meme but it doesn't quite land.
posted by majick at 8:16 AM on May 2, 2022 [9 favorites]
I buy a lot of shit online and am gradually disentangling myself from Amazon for some of the obvious reasons. This means I'm sometimes disintermediating an entire layer from certain purchases and more directly exposed to a product's retail presence. This'd be a great opportunity for a promotional discounting service like retailmenot or Honey but retailmenot is firmly established in my mind as hot garbage and Honey seems terrifying.
Call me hopelessly parochial but until what feels like somewhat recently CVS wasn't even a thing here. Longs or Thrifty or Walgreens, sure, but these other ones seemed to appear out of Zeus' forehead fully formed one day. These new ones don't seem to have anywhere near the breadth of product selection that Longs or Thrifty had: no garden center in the big ones, a paltry hardware selection, a variety of home goods useful only for emergencies. The drug store down the street is one of those but I'm never able to remember which one it is. Whichever one bought the rights to the Thrifty name, I guess, because they still scoop ice cream.
Either way, I don't accept paper receipts except under narrow conditions which means that I'm aware of the CVS receipt meme but it doesn't quite land.
posted by majick at 8:16 AM on May 2, 2022 [9 favorites]
It's silly but CVS emails almost weekly a 40% 1 thing coupon which is a decent enough discount to make the rest of the fluff worthwhile. When I'm there I occasionally impulse buy some jellybeans, I'm not the ideal demo. Although I suspect this coupon cycle may just be a bug in their system.
posted by sammyo at 8:22 AM on May 2, 2022
posted by sammyo at 8:22 AM on May 2, 2022
Definitely not a bug. Once you transfer that 40% code to your ExtraCare card (a necessary and important step), it's locked into your brain as well. And then you get email reminders. Code expires in two days! You remembered that, right? Right?
And when the batteries in your remote give out and you're putting your shoes on and deciding where to go, that coupon pops up in your cerebral cortex and off you go to CVS. It's definitely a loss leader, but now you're standing in front of the higher margin items and CVS wins again. And now they know you're using it, so here comes another one. Not always the very next week, though. Just like slot machines, random positive reinforcement is crucial.
It's a level of marketing above the receipt coupons and worth another YouTube video sometime.
posted by JoeZydeco at 8:35 AM on May 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
And when the batteries in your remote give out and you're putting your shoes on and deciding where to go, that coupon pops up in your cerebral cortex and off you go to CVS. It's definitely a loss leader, but now you're standing in front of the higher margin items and CVS wins again. And now they know you're using it, so here comes another one. Not always the very next week, though. Just like slot machines, random positive reinforcement is crucial.
It's a level of marketing above the receipt coupons and worth another YouTube video sometime.
posted by JoeZydeco at 8:35 AM on May 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
Or Menards rebate checks.
I really, really, wish some state AG would go after Menards and stop them advertising everything in the store is 11% off. No, it isn’t. The 11% is only if you take the time to mail-in the rebate paperwork. And the rebate is only in-store credit, not cash in-hand.
posted by Thorzdad at 8:41 AM on May 2, 2022 [10 favorites]
I really, really, wish some state AG would go after Menards and stop them advertising everything in the store is 11% off. No, it isn’t. The 11% is only if you take the time to mail-in the rebate paperwork. And the rebate is only in-store credit, not cash in-hand.
posted by Thorzdad at 8:41 AM on May 2, 2022 [10 favorites]
And it's on paper, never digital. So when you get to Menards and you realize the check is in the kitchen drawer they win again.
posted by JoeZydeco at 8:59 AM on May 2, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by JoeZydeco at 8:59 AM on May 2, 2022 [3 favorites]
Half the time I go into a CVS to pick something up I walk right out again because there's one register open and a line of 10 people. It's a completely disfunctional company.
posted by bleep at 9:08 AM on May 2, 2022 [10 favorites]
posted by bleep at 9:08 AM on May 2, 2022 [10 favorites]
I'm waiting for that cycle where a company decides to take on two extra employees per store, and makes a big deal out of it in their advertising. "Frustrated with long lines? Come to Generidrugs. We actually hire people to serve you."
The problem is there's this huge Narrative of received retail wisdom that no one dares buck because they'll get fired. It dictates cutting costs above all else, immediate pennies of profit overrule all other factors. It'll probably take some self-styled maverick to buck the trend, then if they're successful, other companies will fall over themselves for a while to copy it. Mind you, if they fail, then that will become "the reason," to the Narrative, why they failed.
posted by JHarris at 9:25 AM on May 2, 2022 [3 favorites]
The problem is there's this huge Narrative of received retail wisdom that no one dares buck because they'll get fired. It dictates cutting costs above all else, immediate pennies of profit overrule all other factors. It'll probably take some self-styled maverick to buck the trend, then if they're successful, other companies will fall over themselves for a while to copy it. Mind you, if they fail, then that will become "the reason," to the Narrative, why they failed.
posted by JHarris at 9:25 AM on May 2, 2022 [3 favorites]
It's silly but CVS emails almost weekly a 40% 1 thing coupon which is a decent enough discount to make the rest of the fluff worthwhile. When I'm there I occasionally impulse buy some jellybeans, I'm not the ideal demo. Although I suspect this coupon cycle may just be a bug in their system.
I'm terrible at using those receipt coupons, even though some of them are indeed on target. But I did join their whatnot, rewards program--got bullied into it on a medication run early in the pandemic, was too stressed and tired to fight it--and honestly I don't hate it. Costs five bucks, pays out ten, every month. Once a month I stop in for a six-pack or some nail polish and get it for "free" (aka the five bucks I already spent).
That said, it only really works because the CVS is my only walkable drugstore, so they're gonna get my business several times per month regardless. And, I don't tend to impulse buy, which I'm sure they're counting on.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 9:42 AM on May 2, 2022
I'm terrible at using those receipt coupons, even though some of them are indeed on target. But I did join their whatnot, rewards program--got bullied into it on a medication run early in the pandemic, was too stressed and tired to fight it--and honestly I don't hate it. Costs five bucks, pays out ten, every month. Once a month I stop in for a six-pack or some nail polish and get it for "free" (aka the five bucks I already spent).
That said, it only really works because the CVS is my only walkable drugstore, so they're gonna get my business several times per month regardless. And, I don't tend to impulse buy, which I'm sure they're counting on.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 9:42 AM on May 2, 2022
I'm having less luck with Honey than I used to, but it's still pretty good for coupon codes. The big bank where I work has a Honey-like browser extension, too, but I don't use it and can't vouch for it.
posted by emelenjr at 9:43 AM on May 2, 2022
posted by emelenjr at 9:43 AM on May 2, 2022
I'm having less luck with Honey than I used to, but it's still pretty good for coupon codes. The big bank where I work has a Honey-like browser extension, too, but I don't use it and can't vouch for it.
I have the honey browser extension, it doesn't work very well anymore. And I noticed somebody advertising a thing to web businesses that basically makes honey not work. Like it will DO the same thing, but then it will tell you none of the coupon codes are good. I've had some luck with watching the coupon codes as Honey cycles through them and then entering them manually.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 9:52 AM on May 2, 2022
I have the honey browser extension, it doesn't work very well anymore. And I noticed somebody advertising a thing to web businesses that basically makes honey not work. Like it will DO the same thing, but then it will tell you none of the coupon codes are good. I've had some luck with watching the coupon codes as Honey cycles through them and then entering them manually.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 9:52 AM on May 2, 2022
The CVS near me sells a “Rolled up CVS receipt” squeaky dog toy and every time I see it I have the mental argument of “it’s so stupid I love it and I should get one for my cats” and “ugh stupid marketing gimmick got my attention”
posted by sick pippit at 9:56 AM on May 2, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by sick pippit at 9:56 AM on May 2, 2022 [4 favorites]
I would be less* disappointed in CVS's long receipts if they weren't printed on thermal paper. There are some health and environmental concerns related to thermal paper, and yet companies keep using it. Is there any particular reason retail stores use thermal paper for receipts instead of regular paper?
* I would still be disappointed, but maybe 5% less disappointed.
posted by pxe2000 at 9:58 AM on May 2, 2022 [7 favorites]
* I would still be disappointed, but maybe 5% less disappointed.
posted by pxe2000 at 9:58 AM on May 2, 2022 [7 favorites]
So they said in the video that they removed the toxic plastic coating from the receipts. I'm not sure how much that helps, but there's that, at least.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 10:00 AM on May 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 10:00 AM on May 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
Is there any particular reason retail stores use thermal paper for receipts instead of regular paper?
Cost. Thermal printers have no moving parts other than the paper feed and cutter. And no ink ribbon to runout in the middle of a print.
posted by JoeZydeco at 10:16 AM on May 2, 2022 [6 favorites]
Cost. Thermal printers have no moving parts other than the paper feed and cutter. And no ink ribbon to runout in the middle of a print.
posted by JoeZydeco at 10:16 AM on May 2, 2022 [6 favorites]
I'm waiting for that cycle where a company decides to take on two extra employees per store, and makes a big deal out of it in their advertising. "Frustrated with long lines? Come to Generidrugs. We actually hire people to serve you."
The big box grocery store where my mother likes to shop advertises "Every cash register open all weekend long" which is in that vein. I'm not sure all their stores do that, but the one location she shops at does, and it *is* nice, and it does work. Several times we've been planning to go for groceries and I've said "Won't Superstore be a complete zoo right now?" and she says "no, because they have all the registers open on the weekends so there's never much of a line". And she's right -- other than during peak COVID, there's never a line at the cash at Superstore on weekends, even though those are their busiest times.
posted by jacquilynne at 10:25 AM on May 2, 2022 [10 favorites]
The big box grocery store where my mother likes to shop advertises "Every cash register open all weekend long" which is in that vein. I'm not sure all their stores do that, but the one location she shops at does, and it *is* nice, and it does work. Several times we've been planning to go for groceries and I've said "Won't Superstore be a complete zoo right now?" and she says "no, because they have all the registers open on the weekends so there's never much of a line". And she's right -- other than during peak COVID, there's never a line at the cash at Superstore on weekends, even though those are their busiest times.
posted by jacquilynne at 10:25 AM on May 2, 2022 [10 favorites]
I bought something today morning and was given a no print option for the receipt. I said yes to the receipt as I usually get a 2 dollar off and a 40% off everytime.
But this was the firs time I was given a choice.
posted by indianbadger1 at 10:48 AM on May 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
But this was the firs time I was given a choice.
posted by indianbadger1 at 10:48 AM on May 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
I get the 40% off coupon every week although it stopped for a while in January, February and March. They're back. I use them for big ticket items or to try out one of those "As Seen on TV" items. Getting that $20 item for $12 seems like an even better deal. The one that cooks 4 eggs in the microwave that is shaped like a big egg, totally worth it.
What kills me about CVS is that their pharmacy shuts down from 1:30 to 2:00 for lunch. I do not begrudge them from having a break, but I have gotten there at 1:20 waited for literaly 10 minutes on line and then when I got to the front, they shut down in my face. To not take everyone who was on line well before the cutoff is rude. Maybe they could staff the place such that they could take staggered lunch breaks.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 10:49 AM on May 2, 2022 [3 favorites]
What kills me about CVS is that their pharmacy shuts down from 1:30 to 2:00 for lunch. I do not begrudge them from having a break, but I have gotten there at 1:20 waited for literaly 10 minutes on line and then when I got to the front, they shut down in my face. To not take everyone who was on line well before the cutoff is rude. Maybe they could staff the place such that they could take staggered lunch breaks.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 10:49 AM on May 2, 2022 [3 favorites]
Yeah, I *might* visit a CVS twice in a calendar year, though certainly not every year. For me, all these receipts are good for is wasting resources while being annoying.
posted by Enturbulated at 10:55 AM on May 2, 2022
posted by Enturbulated at 10:55 AM on May 2, 2022
Maybe they could staff the place such that they could take staggered lunch breaks.
At mine, there is only one person working the entire pharmacy after 4pm. All the way until 8. My store instituted the break as well and made sure every customer knew about it. I think some are on the verge of shutting down completely for lack of staff. That's odd too because I thought pharmacists in my state (IL) were union.
To not take everyone who was on line well before the cutoff is rude.
And if there are 30 minutes worth of people in line at 1:30, then what?
posted by JoeZydeco at 11:36 AM on May 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
At mine, there is only one person working the entire pharmacy after 4pm. All the way until 8. My store instituted the break as well and made sure every customer knew about it. I think some are on the verge of shutting down completely for lack of staff. That's odd too because I thought pharmacists in my state (IL) were union.
To not take everyone who was on line well before the cutoff is rude.
And if there are 30 minutes worth of people in line at 1:30, then what?
posted by JoeZydeco at 11:36 AM on May 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
I had no idea receipts sometimes contain coupons, because I just cram them into my pocket or purse without looking and then throw them away later.
posted by Faint of Butt at 11:37 AM on May 2, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Faint of Butt at 11:37 AM on May 2, 2022 [3 favorites]
It's definitely a loss leader, but now you're standing in front of the higher margin items and CVS wins again.
Fortunately, in NYC 73% of all items are now behind glass so I don't have to worry about impulse shopping at CVS when I go to fight my way in for 40% off one thing of moisturizer.
posted by praemunire at 11:41 AM on May 2, 2022 [7 favorites]
Fortunately, in NYC 73% of all items are now behind glass so I don't have to worry about impulse shopping at CVS when I go to fight my way in for 40% off one thing of moisturizer.
posted by praemunire at 11:41 AM on May 2, 2022 [7 favorites]
And if there are 30 minutes worth of people in line at 1:30, then what?
Point well taken. My solution would be to tell the last person in line say at 1:15 or some time based on the number of people on line, that they are they last person before the break. So, if I showed up at 1:20 thinking I beat the deadline, I might be told THEN, not after waiting 10 more minutes that based on the number of customers and the average time of transaction, I will not make it before the 1:30 cutoff. Like in a grocery store line where they put some sort of sign that after this customer, the line is closed.
From my house, in a 3 mile radius, there are 5 CVS' and 3 Walgreens. For whatever reason, the Walgreens closest to my house is sort of the town's defacto convenience store. Almost like a 7-11 but without the Slurpees and cigarettes'. They sell a lot of beer, candy and soda. Pretty ironic for a pharmacy that is pushing the health angle.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 11:48 AM on May 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
Point well taken. My solution would be to tell the last person in line say at 1:15 or some time based on the number of people on line, that they are they last person before the break. So, if I showed up at 1:20 thinking I beat the deadline, I might be told THEN, not after waiting 10 more minutes that based on the number of customers and the average time of transaction, I will not make it before the 1:30 cutoff. Like in a grocery store line where they put some sort of sign that after this customer, the line is closed.
From my house, in a 3 mile radius, there are 5 CVS' and 3 Walgreens. For whatever reason, the Walgreens closest to my house is sort of the town's defacto convenience store. Almost like a 7-11 but without the Slurpees and cigarettes'. They sell a lot of beer, candy and soda. Pretty ironic for a pharmacy that is pushing the health angle.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 11:48 AM on May 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'll end the derail by stating that the average salary for pharmacy technicians in Illinois is $16.47 per hour. There's your problem.
posted by JoeZydeco at 12:03 PM on May 2, 2022 [8 favorites]
posted by JoeZydeco at 12:03 PM on May 2, 2022 [8 favorites]
Another good point.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 12:19 PM on May 2, 2022
posted by JohnnyGunn at 12:19 PM on May 2, 2022
If you ever take a look at r/CVS and read through what the workers go through there both in & out of the pharmacy, I have never seen fit to complain about the service after that. It's a nightmare factory. We're lucky anyone sells prescriptions at all it seems like.
posted by bleep at 12:21 PM on May 2, 2022 [9 favorites]
posted by bleep at 12:21 PM on May 2, 2022 [9 favorites]
Ideally we could get rid of all paper marketing but I wouldn't be surprised if printing coupons on CVS receipts is more environmentally friendly than including them in your junk mail.
posted by ilikemefi at 12:26 PM on May 2, 2022
posted by ilikemefi at 12:26 PM on May 2, 2022
I may have laughed as hard at another meme, but never harder than the this girl is killing it with her CVS receipt meme.
posted by BrotherCaine at 12:41 PM on May 2, 2022 [13 favorites]
posted by BrotherCaine at 12:41 PM on May 2, 2022 [13 favorites]
The big box grocery store where my mother likes to shop advertises "Every cash register open all weekend long" which is in that vein.
I would go quite out of my way to use a grocery store that, y'know, actually wanted to accept my money in exchange for goods. The closest I can get to that is a local co-op grocery chain which is still something of a zoo no matter when you go, but at least there's an overwhelmed register or two open.
Safeway can't even manage that. I think it took me about half an hour to check out last time I was in there.
posted by majick at 12:56 PM on May 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
I would go quite out of my way to use a grocery store that, y'know, actually wanted to accept my money in exchange for goods. The closest I can get to that is a local co-op grocery chain which is still something of a zoo no matter when you go, but at least there's an overwhelmed register or two open.
Safeway can't even manage that. I think it took me about half an hour to check out last time I was in there.
posted by majick at 12:56 PM on May 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
Why CVS Receipts Are Intentionally, Ridiculously Long?
They put the targeted coupons on the receipt instead of printing them out separately like other stores. [Single Line Text: 5 seconds]
posted by straight at 1:43 PM on May 2, 2022 [7 favorites]
They put the targeted coupons on the receipt instead of printing them out separately like other stores. [Single Line Text: 5 seconds]
posted by straight at 1:43 PM on May 2, 2022 [7 favorites]
Safeway can't even manage that. I think it took me about half an hour to check out last time I was in there.
Funnily enough, in the 90s Safeway had a "Three's A Crowd" campaign where they would open up another register once four people were in line. Probably makes me sound old.
If you ever take a look at r/CVS and read through what the workers go through there both in & out of the pharmacy, I have never seen fit to complain about the service after that. It's a nightmare factory. We're lucky anyone sells prescriptions at all it seems like.
There is also an r/Walgreens in the same vein. Mostly it makes me want to switch pharmacies to some place more independent, but do those even exist anymore? I wouldn't be surprised if the last 20 years of Oxycontin breakins eliminated every pharmacy without corporate heft behind it (i.e. in the back of 50,000 square feet of camera coverage).
posted by rhizome at 1:53 PM on May 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
Funnily enough, in the 90s Safeway had a "Three's A Crowd" campaign where they would open up another register once four people were in line. Probably makes me sound old.
If you ever take a look at r/CVS and read through what the workers go through there both in & out of the pharmacy, I have never seen fit to complain about the service after that. It's a nightmare factory. We're lucky anyone sells prescriptions at all it seems like.
There is also an r/Walgreens in the same vein. Mostly it makes me want to switch pharmacies to some place more independent, but do those even exist anymore? I wouldn't be surprised if the last 20 years of Oxycontin breakins eliminated every pharmacy without corporate heft behind it (i.e. in the back of 50,000 square feet of camera coverage).
posted by rhizome at 1:53 PM on May 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
Is there any particular reason retail stores use thermal paper for receipts instead of regular paper?
It makes the printer very simple and robust.
Back in the not-too-distant past, most receipt printers were of the impact variety, and printed on regular uncoated paper. But you had to replace the ink ribbons in them periodically, and many stores/employees didn't, so you often ended up with very faded-looking, hard-to-read receipts.
However, the impact-printed receipts were basically archival (or at least very long-lived), while thermal paper receipts will fade—even if kept in a dark file drawer—in a matter of years. So if you have thermal receipts in your files somewhere, say for tax purposes, don't count on them being legible for the full 7-year retention span that you might want them. For recordkeeping purposes, scanning or photocopying them is necessary.
(Also, not that many people have them anymore, but if you try to photocopy them on an old-school "hot" photostatic Xerox machine, they will turn black. Oops.)
posted by Kadin2048 at 1:57 PM on May 2, 2022 [8 favorites]
It makes the printer very simple and robust.
Back in the not-too-distant past, most receipt printers were of the impact variety, and printed on regular uncoated paper. But you had to replace the ink ribbons in them periodically, and many stores/employees didn't, so you often ended up with very faded-looking, hard-to-read receipts.
However, the impact-printed receipts were basically archival (or at least very long-lived), while thermal paper receipts will fade—even if kept in a dark file drawer—in a matter of years. So if you have thermal receipts in your files somewhere, say for tax purposes, don't count on them being legible for the full 7-year retention span that you might want them. For recordkeeping purposes, scanning or photocopying them is necessary.
(Also, not that many people have them anymore, but if you try to photocopy them on an old-school "hot" photostatic Xerox machine, they will turn black. Oops.)
posted by Kadin2048 at 1:57 PM on May 2, 2022 [8 favorites]
I made a purchase at CVS a couple weeks ago, and they asked if I wanted a paper receipt, or if I wanted one emailed to me. I chose "neither" and they smiled and I left without a receipt.
Not sure if this is a new policy, or if they ran out of paper. I was mildly taken aback.
posted by SoberHighland at 2:40 PM on May 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
Not sure if this is a new policy, or if they ran out of paper. I was mildly taken aback.
posted by SoberHighland at 2:40 PM on May 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
everything in the store is 11% off. No, it isn’t.
It's real enough for the Home Depot price match, via this real but sketchy looking website: https://www.homedepotrebates11percent.com/
If you're in an area with a Menards, then you can just enter your Home Depot in-store receipt info on that website and receive an gift card ~6 weeks later for the 11%.
Anyway, I stick it to the man these days and don't fill out the little Menards cards to get my 62¢ back. I hope they learn their lesson.
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 2:47 PM on May 2, 2022 [4 favorites]
It's real enough for the Home Depot price match, via this real but sketchy looking website: https://www.homedepotrebates11percent.com/
If you're in an area with a Menards, then you can just enter your Home Depot in-store receipt info on that website and receive an gift card ~6 weeks later for the 11%.
Anyway, I stick it to the man these days and don't fill out the little Menards cards to get my 62¢ back. I hope they learn their lesson.
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 2:47 PM on May 2, 2022 [4 favorites]
I just say, "I don't need a receipt," and walk out with my goods. Let them deal with the waste.
posted by dobbs at 3:15 PM on May 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by dobbs at 3:15 PM on May 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
majick, re: Longs, when CVS bought Longs, they had to keep the Longs name in Hawai‘i because local people are so attached to Longs as a place. So even though once you go inside, all the generic store brands say CVS, the store name is still Longs.
I've assumed national chains have regional or city-specific buyers because the product mix at Longs/CVS in Honolulu is very clear on its customer base. Hoy hoy roach traps are a must. But I'm not sure if the CVS near me in LA County has any indication that the store is located in an Asian majority city. Hm. This seems like an Ask Me question.
posted by spamandkimchi at 3:20 PM on May 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
I've assumed national chains have regional or city-specific buyers because the product mix at Longs/CVS in Honolulu is very clear on its customer base. Hoy hoy roach traps are a must. But I'm not sure if the CVS near me in LA County has any indication that the store is located in an Asian majority city. Hm. This seems like an Ask Me question.
posted by spamandkimchi at 3:20 PM on May 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
Longs was such a great chain in comparison, but I'm not sure if that was better management or because my experience of CVS was after health insurers had gotten through yet another couple iterations of pointless busywork for pharmacists in order to deny and delay claims.
The weird thing about Longs was that it seemed like each store had an aisle or so where the local manager got to go nuts and sell something that corporate wasn't leaning on them to sell. There was one in the Sunnyvale area that had a ton of rubber stamping supplies / brayers.
posted by BrotherCaine at 3:29 PM on May 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
The weird thing about Longs was that it seemed like each store had an aisle or so where the local manager got to go nuts and sell something that corporate wasn't leaning on them to sell. There was one in the Sunnyvale area that had a ton of rubber stamping supplies / brayers.
posted by BrotherCaine at 3:29 PM on May 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
I don't really know what (non-guitar) things cost, so coupons don't do much for me.
posted by signal at 3:59 PM on May 2, 2022
posted by signal at 3:59 PM on May 2, 2022
It doesn't seem to be there any more, but that big-ass Longs on Lakeshore in Oakland seemed to live on quite a while after all the others closed, and had an amazing garden center. I think I bought my lemon tree there.
Reminds me a little of that Lyon's in Emeryville that kind of hung on for a while after the chain died -- it wasn't really a Lyon's any more in anything but name with a completely different menu and just selling barely-above-cafeteria tier Sysco stuff right off the truck. Come to think of it, another Lyon's popped up a decade later in an empty Tony Roma's on Moorpark by the Cupertino border and it seemed like they actually had a slightly better grasp of what a diner was. They didn't make it.
What's with the occasional escapees from dead brands? Are they just trading on stolen goodwill, in hopes that a dead company doesn't have lawyers? It seems like it's kind of a thing sometimes.
"Three's A Crowd"
You know, I actually assumed that was still the policy all along and they just did a shitty job of it. I remember doing a lot of grumbling at the time it was being promoted that they were not exactly holding up their end of the bargain. Maybe I just assumed that, along with the policy of "have more than two choices of any given product," Safeway had handed down a mandate that nobody in-store gave a shit about. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I heard a "Three's A Crowd" call over the PA.
posted by majick at 8:49 PM on May 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
Reminds me a little of that Lyon's in Emeryville that kind of hung on for a while after the chain died -- it wasn't really a Lyon's any more in anything but name with a completely different menu and just selling barely-above-cafeteria tier Sysco stuff right off the truck. Come to think of it, another Lyon's popped up a decade later in an empty Tony Roma's on Moorpark by the Cupertino border and it seemed like they actually had a slightly better grasp of what a diner was. They didn't make it.
What's with the occasional escapees from dead brands? Are they just trading on stolen goodwill, in hopes that a dead company doesn't have lawyers? It seems like it's kind of a thing sometimes.
"Three's A Crowd"
You know, I actually assumed that was still the policy all along and they just did a shitty job of it. I remember doing a lot of grumbling at the time it was being promoted that they were not exactly holding up their end of the bargain. Maybe I just assumed that, along with the policy of "have more than two choices of any given product," Safeway had handed down a mandate that nobody in-store gave a shit about. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I heard a "Three's A Crowd" call over the PA.
posted by majick at 8:49 PM on May 2, 2022 [1 favorite]
does this also explain why Cheddar videos usually feel 40–60% longer than they should be
posted by DoctorFedora at 10:59 PM on May 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by DoctorFedora at 10:59 PM on May 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
My local CVS in south Philadelphia used how have extremely long receipts with lots of coupons but it stopped.
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 5:14 AM on May 3, 2022
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 5:14 AM on May 3, 2022
Ironically, people have also stopped writing things and instead make videos that take 15 minutes to explain something I could read in 15 seconds.
posted by bookbook at 6:45 AM on May 3, 2022 [9 favorites]
posted by bookbook at 6:45 AM on May 3, 2022 [9 favorites]
Don't forget to like and subscribe.
posted by flabdablet at 5:48 PM on May 3, 2022
posted by flabdablet at 5:48 PM on May 3, 2022
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