New to Rite Aid Shopping!?!

We just moved to an area with Rite Aid drug stores... so I am definitely a newbie shopper! While searching for helpful information, questions, and more info about Rite Aids rebate program I came across this article. It was very helpful for me and hopefully it will be for you too!

Rite Aid FAQ and General Information

1. What is a SCR? SCR stands for Single Check Rebate, Rite Aid’s monthly rewards/rebate program. Just register online and you can immediately start participating. Each month Rite Aid publishes a booklet that highlights the monthly deals—this information is also available on their website: https://riteaid.rebateplus.com/
2. When do I submit my rebate? Throughout the month as you make purchases, enter your register information on the website, or keep an envelope for mail submissions. At the end of the month, request your rebate by clicking the “request rebate” button. DO NOT request the rebate if you are planning to make any more rebate purchases that month, as you are only allowed one submission per month.
3. I want to get two of the same item—will I get two rebates back? Check the limitations for that item. Most of the SCR rebates are limited to one item per household.
4. I submitted my receipt but I don’t see my rebates? It typically takes 48 hours for a rebate to show up in your “Detailed Status” after you have submitted it, although sometimes it may be a little faster. If you have waited 48 hours and your status for that receipt still says “The following receipts are waiting for data from the store,” then something could be wrong (e.g. you bought the wrong item, or you bought it during the wrong dates). Double-check your purchase and then call the hot line for assistance: 1-888-213-9920 (8 AM - 7PM EST).
5. The Brooks/Eckerd store in my town just turned into a Rite Aid. Can I shop at any Rite Aid, Brooks and/or Eckerd store and receive my Single Check Rebate? Yes. Just make sure to select the correct store when you enter your receipt.
6. An item is listed as FREE after SCR—can I use a coupon? If you have a coupon for an item that is free after rebate (FAR) then definitely use it. You will get the full purchase price back, even if you used a coupon, thereby making a profit. Some items are free only AFTER SCR and a coupon, but the ad will usually be clear about this.
7. Does Rite Aid take Internet printable coupons? YMMV (e.g. it depends). It has been reported that corporate policy is not to accept printed coupons because of problems with fraud. It has also been reported that many stores accept them.
8. Does RA have store coupons like CVS and Walgreen's? If so, can you combine them with manufacturer’s coupons (MFC’s)? RA does produce its own coupons and releases them either in the weekly flyer or in a separate pamphlet/booklet. However, they don’t necessarily work like other drugstore coupons. For example, YMMV on combining them with MFC’s because they all typically say “manufacturer’s coupon” on them. However, in weekly ads, you may find small call-out boxes next to the RA coupon that say, “Look for additional coupons in your Sunday paper,” implying that they can be combined. It can be helpful to keep one of these examples in your coupon binder as ammunition against cashiers that want to reject your combination coupon purchase. Additionally, RA coupons almost always state, “limit 1 per customer.” Thus it is very YMMV on using two or more in a single purchase. While the register will accept them, the cashier definitely may not. They do NOT work like a Walgreen's coupon where you only need one to get the reduced price for every item you are buying.
9. Can I use a coupon if it is worth more than the item purchased? The short answer is that, yes, you should be able to do this. The RA registers are reportedly set up to allow a manual input of the coupon amount (e.g. to enter a $1 off MFC as .99 if you're buying $1 toothpaste). However, not all cashiers are trained to do this and former Brooks/Eckerd stores may not yet have the capacity (although all stores are supposed to have updated RA registers soon). If you have trouble with a cashier, don't be afraid to ask for the manager because it is perfectly OK for you to use that coupon. For at least some RA's, if you have purchase balance over the coupon amount, the full amount of the coupon will scan through the register and the "overage" will come off your balance. YMMV on this, depending on the register and cashier's observational powers.
10. There is an offer that says "Get a gift card with a $20 purchase." Is this before or after coupons? Before coupon amounts are used to determine if you have met the required threshold to earn that gift card. In special circumstances, you can even use items that generate individual rebates toward that threshold AND the before rebate/before coupon price is used toward the total. For example, if there were a combined rebate for $25 back on $50 in Proctor & Gamble purchases and an individual offer for free Crest after $2.99 SCR, these MAY overlap so that you spend $1.99 on Crest after a MFC, get $2.99 back on the individual rebate, and a $2.99 credit toward the larger deal.
11. Rite Aid has an item on sale for Buy One, Get One Free. Can I use coupons on both items? Can I use a B1G1 coupon to get both for free? Another YMMV. Many Rite Aid registers have the quirk of ringing up B1G1 sales at half price for each item. You should be able to use two coupons with a B1G1 whether your store has this quirk or not. However, if you use a B1G1 coupon, you will probably only get the half-price value for that coupon.
12. If a rebate requires buying multiple items do you have to buy them all in one purchase (e.g. I need 3 mouthwashes and can only find 1 or 2 at each store)? No, you may purchase these in separate transactions and enter each receipt separately. The website will combine them and let you know when you've purchased enough to earn the rebate.
13. Can I combine the SCR with a manufacturer's rebate and get both? Sometimes you can double/triple dip on a manufacturer's rebate if RA has one as well. You can submit online for the RA rebate and keep your receipt to submit for a manufacturer's rebate. Triple dip comes into play when there is also a coupon out for the product.
14. Can I buy my items at anytime in the month? Pay attention to the rebate dates--they are critical. Many of the rebates are valid for just a week and not the entire month. Also, the month doesn't begin and end neatly on the 1st and 30th/31st. Often a new SCR cycle straddles a couple of months.
15. When it says certain stores in CA and NV, does it mean that deals are only good their? No, this is a confusing bit of wording on RA's part. It just means that in these states, and the specified stores, the monthly/weekly deal cycle is a bit different than the rest of the country. Instead of running Sunday-Saturday, those stores run their deals Friday through Thursday and you need to buy during that time frame. Confusing, but it only affects a minority of stores.

Thanks SlickDeals!

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