Rite Aid’s New Load2Card Feature – Changes to +Up Rewards (starts September 2nd)
Heads-up for all you Rite Aid shoppers! Beginning September 2nd, 2012, +Up Rewards will be automatically loaded to your wellness+ card (they will no longer print at the bottom of register receipts!). In addition, a +Up Reward can only be redeemed starting at 6AM on the day after it was earned and expires 14 days after issue.
Please note that you will have the option to receive your +Up Rewards on your register receipts rather than having them loaded on your wellness+ card. If you prefer this paper option, just visit your local Rite Aid store and ask the cashier to switch you to the paper +UP option (you will need to show your wellness+ card or give the phone number associated with your wellness+ account) or call 1‐800‐RITEAID to switch to paper +UPs. If you choose to use paper +UPs, +UP activation will still be at 6AM the day after the +UP is earned.
Rite Aid will also be launching +UP Text Notifications so you can track your +Up Rewards on the go. Wellness+ members can text “REWARD” to “RATEXT” on their mobile phones to receive a weekly text of the number and value of the +UPs available on their wellness+ card.
For more information about these upcoming changes, check out the Rite Aid Facebook page and/or click here.
So what do you think about these changes?!
Another reason to continue shopping at CVS I’ll give all my business to CVS !!!!!!!!!!!!
Exactly.. even though CVS sales lately are not so great, I do like their coupon policy better and can use the EBs the same day I get them. I don’t get the 20% discount as I do at Rite Aid, but they do send me 20-30% off coupons via email.
I am done with Rite Aid now. Next weekend I plan to use up all my UPs and then I am not shopping there anymore.
Paper option is better if you are planning to use coupons. I’m in the test market (actually I didn’t know it was a test…..thought it was rolled out nationalwide), and didn’t know paper option was available, otherwise I would have chosen it already.
It doesn’t give you the option to decide which +UPs you want to use base on the expiration date. Or if you are using any coupons, you have to wait to give the cashier your membership # until they scanned all of the coupons.
I too am in an area that has started this and I don’t like it! If we can switch to paper I will be doing it.
They should actually just show the option to switch back to paper on the website, http://www.load2cardnow.com. That would be easier and save them the man hours on all the people that will be calling in to ask to switch back to paper.
Also if you have family members who share the same account, it’s better to do paper option. Just had this happen today that I thought I had $6 +UPs on account and they didn’t come off the receipt. Checked load2cardnow.com and noticed it was used last Friday. So thought I’d check with family before I call to complain, and sure enough it was my sister who used my phone number for her purchase. Since I told them to use it to get 10% off as I’m silver member. For the paper option, we can keep track and use our own +UPs.
Ugh! More complications! I agree…cvs will see a heck of alot more of my business!
Stupid. If a customer has legitimately received an Up Reward based on their purchases, they should have the right to redeem that reward at any time they choose. Rite Aid is just being greedy with getting people back into their stores, and in the meantime causing us a waste of time and gas.
I have plenty of RA in my area i don’t mind waiting the next day as long as i am getting great customer service there is no reason togo to cvs
Is been like that for a while here in Virginia, I don’t use to shop at rite aid, I only do it if they have a really great deal in something that I need :/
I work at ra and I think what ra is trying to do and I’m pretty sure it should be common sense and no it is not greed like someone said above. It limits the amount people can buy. You can say your not gonna come back to ra but people do. I’ve seen it. Yeah I’m not happy about the idea either because I’m gonna have to explain it a million times why it didn’t print out cause some of my customers don’t know about such a lovely site such as this one. 🙂 and I’m sure I’m gonna get fussed at because people sometimes seem to think I make policies on everything at ra. lol. it may not last and people may not like it but those big long receipts won’t print out anyone and it just saved a whole tree. lol
Hi Amber! Are you saying that their limiting the amount people can buy is the reason you “think” they are making this change? Or, as an employee, is this what you’ve been told? If so, why would any retail business (especially in this day and age) care to put limits on the amount people buy in their stores? Seems like the idea would be to make money – not turn it away by placing limits. Anyway, I LOL’d at your saying that you would have to explain this a million times. HA!!! You are probably right. And I feel for you. 🙂
I do think you are on to something about those long receipts. I think they are probably trying to save on cost and trees, plus help people who lose them or never redeem them. For me as a couponer, I’ll stick to paper.
Actually, I’m in the test market, and the long receipts still print out… it just says $3 loaded to your card, or something like that where the up reward used to print. I gave load2card a fair try, but opted out… it was a nightmare.
Right, still long receipts, but no barcodes on the +UP coupons.
It doesn’t have anything to do with saving trees or product for others. If it is loaded to your card most people will not use it and couponers will get frustrated having to come back the next day. what they are hoping for is more “cash” sales and less paper!
I cringe at the thought of what Rite Aid is about to do. I think we are seeing the beginning of the end of Rite Aid. My Rite Aid keeps a very limited supply of merchandise, so if you only have 2 weeks to use your UPS Reward and they are out of stock, you are out of luck. Sometimes I will just by anything so my 3-week UPS Reward doesn’t expire, then I return it for a gift card. However, now you will have to make another trip. Rite Aid will be seeing very little of my business. CVS has them all beat – they will continue to be my number 1! CVS gives about a month to use Xtra Bucks Rewards and gives you lots of extras along the way. Three cheers for CVS – they know how to play the game!
I just wanted to let everyone know that I’m in test market now and when the coupons got loaded onto the card it was a nightmare. It never worked I was always calling customer service about getting my ups rewards long story short I lost about $35.00 in UP rewards, called about 5-6 times was told they were going to be sent to me. One time I was on hold for 30 minutes. I have never seen the UP rewards that were owed to me. I would definitely save your receipts so you have proof for your UP Rewards that don’t get loaded to your card when you talk to customer service. About two months later they did give us the option for the paper again which made it so much better. I can understand the limits thats fine. I don’t like the fact that you have to wait 6:00am the next day waste of time and gas. I still shop at Rite-Aid, but not as much as I used too. All I’m saying it was a headache Good Luck!!!
I bought two items that were supposed to be “free” with UPS yesterday, did this for the first time, and threw away my receipt after (because I didn’t need it for the UPs rewards anyway). Silly me…the UPs did not load to my card. I may try to do a return without a receipt and ask for paper.
I’m seeing that you can manage your +Ups very similar to the way you do your paper ones. Just “unclip” the ones you do not want to use. WIll take a bit more planning. I only go to RA once a week so I don’t mind the 24 hour thing because typically I only do one transaction these days.
True you can manage them and unclip them half the time it never worked for me and I don’t have data on my phone so I would have to go home and do it then come back. It was not fun!!!
Hello:)
I live in one of the first test markets. DO NOT UNCLIP YOUR UPS. You may never get them back. suggest those that use ups regularly choose the paper print option. It is the closest to the way it was before.
I have a question to anyone in the test market concerning to have the ups printed instead of being loaded to your card. I often do my mother’s shopping along with mine, and I have sometimes used my ups for her when she was short of cash. I was wondering, if the ups were now linked to your card only or can they still be used for a purchase on another card. I know at CVS your name will print on the ecb and you can only use them for that card, just wondering if this will be the case at Rite Aid. Thanks!
I have the same situation and the same Q so please let me know if you could find any answer to your Q ..THANKS
I just did a online chat with Rite aid and the guy said that the ups can be use with other wellness+ card.
I stopped going to Rite Aid for a while because they never have enough in stock and I just started back…oh well back to CVS they usually have everything I want anyway.
a manager told me they only stock up once a week i was like wow really thats not good when u have a good deal when its gone u get no more i got a rain check instead and went back a week later and got a gift card for the up rewards
Thanks for the heads up Hip2Save! I rarely do more than 1 transaction at R.A. per week anymore. Stinks for those rare times when I do want to roll +Ups. But, with any luck, my daughter will be out of diapers soon and then I will shop there even less!
My husband and I each have a Wellness+ card. The program clearly states that you are allowed only one card per person but that you can have up to 4 cards per household. What I love about +UPs is that I can use ups earned with my card on purchases I make with my hubby’s (unlike Extra Bucks which are card specific – although CVS is FABULOUS). The waiting period thing is a bit of a pain because going to the store with a 15-month old is a challenge, but the BIGGER pain would be to have UPs loaded to cards and having to keep track of how many UPs are on each card and the expiration dates and denominations of those UPs. I’ll be opting for PAPER!!!!
This is a very good idea Beth. Thanks for sharing that info. I didn’t know that, but well worth having 2 cards now with this silly new way Rite Aid is doing things.
I dont like it that they want to put on card what if you dont get them you would not know it .and I would for get how much I have . I think the paper is best
I’ll definitely be opting for paper and the employees at my local RA already know that. They knew before even asking me. I do not like the changes coming up at RA; it seems they are becoming less and less customer friendly. Yes, I’m a couponer, a very good one at that, but I’m always organized and I’m not greedy. they know that about me. They’ve just make it harder and harder to remain a loyal RA shopper. I went through a dry spell for about 2 months recently at RA and they actually thought I had moved. It will be mostly CVS shopping for me. I’m blessed I have a decent stockpile so I’m don’t feel desperate to try and get every deal out there.
Rite Aid this is one of the stupidest ideas ever, not only do you have horrible customer service and outrageous prices, this is another way you can get rid of your customers. I preferred the old method, it was working just fine you didnt have to change, I am just going to give my business elsewhere. Going to use all my up rewards before this takes effect.
Rite aid is losing alot of customers through there horrible management, we dont see cvs changing there good methods, and when they do change its for the better. Say good bye to your customers rite aid.
The worst part is the +Ups come off before you can use coupons, it terrible. I didn’t know that at first. I did download the RA app and it seems you can uncheck the +Ups you don’t want to use on your purchase. I am hoping that helps the situation! We have been using the new system for a few weeks now.
I made the mistake of entering in my card first before coupons. It’s best to first let them ring in the transaction, scan your coupons, and then scan in your card that way +Up Rewards comes off after. Hope this helps!
Question: So I have done two purchases at two separate stores and none of the 3-$3 ups that I have on my card get redeemed. Both transactions were for over $10 so I know for sure at least one of them should have been redeemed. Not sure what is happening. I did punch in my phone number in order to get my discounts. Could this be why? Do I need to have them scan the actual card for them to get redeemed? Please help!
Chrissy, you can type your phone number in and get your UPS redeemed. Except sometimes the UPS vanish before the deadline. I have 26 UPS that vanished that I just earned 4 days ago. I’m contacting Rite Aid online and the manager in store if I have to this is ridiculous. OPT for paper UPS printed with your reciept that is the best way to do it. You can tell the cashier to sign you up for paper printed UPS instead. Best of luck Chrissy.
I had $10.00 in ups loaded on my card from the week before. As soon as they scanned my card the $10.00 came off and the total for my purchases was only $1.25, which was great except I had $7.50 worth of coupons in my hand that I couldn’t use. The cashier and I had a few words but I stayed very calm and said this does not make sense. Look at my coupons. I can’t use them. I did have to go back later when the manager was in. He was very nice and said now he understood why people want the paper ups and not loaded on their card. He gave me a $7.50 gift card for my coupons and changed my card to so that the ups would once again print. Change is hard, but we will get used to is once again.
I just found out exactly what Marly found out. I had $6 in rewards on my card and a $2.50 coupon. The rewards automatically came off and then I couldn’t use my coupon. I honestly didn’t feel like arguing with the sales ladies because they are a pain in the butt to begin with. Like everyone else, there will be far less RA shopping in my future. They’re usually always out of stock on items I want anyways.
I went today after discontinuing my shopping there-the deals just weren’t that great. I wanted to be clear about man q’s and the +UPS. I told the cashier I didn’t like the new program and she said I could opt out. She scanned my card, pushed a couple buttons and my card will not auto load them but continue to print them when I shop! Mine printed today fine and are good as early as tomorrow. Ask to opt out!
You can opt out at the store, by phone, or by internet chat on the website.
i dont know about everyone else but i think it is a waste of paper because every time u get an up rewards it still prints at the bottom how many up’s u recieved y dont they just print my up reward instead of.letting me know how much i recieved??
The reason they switched things up is because people were going in and making 3 or 4 transactons(myself included) and getting everything for mere pennies on the dollar and it was probably causing them to lose money. They figure if u have to wait till 6 am the next day it will cut down on how much you can use ups to pay for everything because u have to wait and come back not so easy to bet that free shampoo or gum now is it? Thanks for nothing right aid! Go back to the way it was b4 everyone goes to cvs and walgreens.
Can’t believe I had to search online for the ‘rules’ for the + UP, that I couldn’t get any satisfactory information from my Wellness+ online! Their site says I can manage my UPs, but I don’t see a way to do it. I was surprised my last visit to RiteAid to see that in addition to my intended $10 +UP used another $5 was used. After reading all of your fine comments, I’m wondering if it’s working out in my favor. I will opt out of automatic Load2Card to get back to the paper UPs. Thanks, everybody, for saving me money — not to mention my sanity! 🙂
I had $5 up+ rewards from previous transaction. Today I went and purchased items for $7.50. I had riteaid in-store coupon for $5. The difference would have been $2.50 and should have been deducted from the Up+ rewards. But it didn’t. I had to pay the difference. I looked at the bottom of the reciept to see what happened to the Up+ reward..it vanished! There was no Up+ reward. This is not right.
John this has happened to me SEVERAL TIMES. I just received 26 UPS last week. I went in Rite Aid today to purchase paper towels for 1.44 and she made me pay it! I told her I have 26 UPS from the previous week and she said “well its not on there, You’ll have to look at your reciept”. Pisses me off SO bad!! I’m changing my option to PRINTED rewards instead of load to card. They took away 10 UPS from me once before the same week I received them! So you better believe I’m taking my reciepts in the store if I have to and have them give me my 26 UPS. I’m getting really sick and frustrated with Rite Aids UPS program. It’s a great program WHEN IT WORKS. Plus it makes everything all the worse when you get a hateful ***** as a cashier. If I had a Walgreens or a CVS you best believe I would shop there instead of Rite Aid.
What’s the deal with the 20%? Are wellness card members supposed to get 20% off everything in the store?
is there a way to check the your up rewards on-line? Any help is appreciated. Thank you!