Rite Aid Shoppers: Say Goodbye to +Up Rewards AND Hello to Plenti Points (New Program Starts in May)
ATTENTION RITE AID SHOPPERS! Rite Aid just announced that the current Wellness+ program will become Wellness+ with Plenti starting in early May. With this new program, you will still earn wellness+ points at Rite Aid on purchases and prescriptions (which can still take you to Gold Status giving you 20% off almost the whole Rite Aid store for one year).
Instead of +UP Rewards, members will now accrue Plenti points on select purchases at Rite Aid. These Plenti points are valid for at least two years instead of two weeks and can be used at Rite Aid and certain other Plenti partners (once you’ve earned at least 200 points, you’ll be able to start using your points for savings at certain Plenti partners). If you are a current wellness+ member, you will need to enroll in the wellness+ with Plenti program when it goes live so you can earn Plenti points in May!
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More about Plenti points and partners:
• Earn Plenti points when buying a tank of fuel at a participating Exxon- or Mobil-branded service station and use the points for savings toward a pair of shoes at Macy’s or macys.com.
• Earn Plenti points when signing up for qualifying wireless services at AT&T, or for eligible charges on AT&T wireless bills.
• Earn Plenti points for eligible Nationwide auto or property insurance.
• Earn Plenti points by taking advantage of special offers on a wide range of beauty, health and wellness and everyday items at Rite Aid.
* Every 1,000 points will translate to at least $10 in savings, and Plenti members can earn points faster by activating special promotional offers across participating brands or through Plenti’s online offer center and online marketplace.[/h2s_box]
(Thanks, Freebies for a Cause!)
Finally, a good change at Rite Aid. I stopped shopping there when they stopped you from rolling your rewards in the same day. I just can’t spend my entire free time couponing.
This is a definite improvement. I’m very happy that the points are valid for 2 years. I hated having to wait until the next day to use my +Ups.
CVS is still #1 for me (don’t change a thing).
There goes my relationship with Rite Aid. I’m not interested in this program.
I never was into rite aid. I didn’t like the waiting period to use the points. And the quick expiration dates. Looking at the new guidelines I don’t think I will be shopping there
I didn’t mind the next day to use my ups. If you shopped CVS back in the day, you had to wait 2 days for your ECBs to print! I only shopped RA once a wk anyway to roll my UPs on Sunday or Monday and only every had $5-$10 in UPs on my card b/c CVS is my main drug store (where I always have over $40 in ECBs). On weeks that there wasn’t anything good to roll, I’d treat my kids, let them pick out a toy or something and start back on the UPs from scratch. This new program will not benefit me, unless there are additional stores that will be joining in the future.
Well that sucks. I don’t shop at Macy’s (and when I do, it’s usually for a wedding registry gift), use Shell b/c of WD fuel perks and Sprint is our cell carrier. Don’t have Nationwide, Hulu or that energy co that is listed. Goodbuy Wrong Aid.
Goodbye Rite Aid. It was nice knowing ya!
So you can’t use the points on rite aid purchases? I’m so confused but I’ve never been a rite aid shopper myself.
It says you can use the points at Rite Aid
Once you have 200 points they can be redeemed
Unless more partners become available, not sure I’d earn many points — so far just shop at RiteAid and Macy’s. Thanks for letting us know, H2S.
Same here. Won’t be earning much as I too, only shop RA and Macys.
Oh thank goodness, cause I didn’t have enough stuff to keep track of and be confused by….
I agree! I hate change!
I’m not the least interested in this. I rarely shop rite aid anymore..prices are to high and I can get better deals elsewhere. I stopped getting prescriptions there also…way over priced.
This new program looks ridiculous! Their whole wellness plus program has been bad too…the only redeeming thing were the Ups rewards. Not that I shopped there much anyway, but this does not appeal to me at all. I doubt I will shop there at all now.
bye bye Rite Aid for me too. As soon as I heard about the current rewards being done away with that was it for me. they are Walgreen’s to me now. CVS is getting all my business!!!
I sooo agree:)
Well, I guess I will just have to wait and see, but at a glance it doesn’t interest me. I will be shopping CVS.
Also, I wonder if you already have the gold 20% off, do you lose it and have to start from scratch?
That’s what I was wondering. I earned Gold for last year too, and if they take it away after 5 months, that is ridiculous.
No, according to their website, they aren’t.
I do like the earning points by buying gas. I hope they add more retailers in which we can redeem points.
Bummed over this. Rite Aid was my favorite store for deals abd rolling ups was great (they even knocked the tax off of items!). I have zero interest in the new program, way too much to keep track of and way to many hiccups and hoops to deal with.
Bye Bye Rite Aid. I am not interested in this new program at all.
I stopped shopping at rite aid when they changed the +ups, and this change is not going to entice me to return. I havent set foot in a walgreens since they made it take a PhD to figure out their program. LOVE MY CVS!!
I agree. I did the same. Points just make my head hurt.
Yes with everything you said. I stopped shopping at Walgreens when they rolled out the points program. CVS will start seeing an increase in customers.
Comparing CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid, I must say it is easiest to shop at CVS.
Infact, trying to save at Walgreens, I have lost a lot of money because of complicated balance rewards and register rewards, even after planning my shopping trips.
I stopped shopping at Rite Aid as you can’t use the Up-Rewards on the same day and there you go Rite Aid, bringing in new rules now.
Stores should understand couponing is not just about saving money, time and convenience are also a factor for customers and they should try to keep their policies simple.
Complete agree!
Well, their goal isn’t really to save consumers money, time, or convenience–that’s our goal. Drugstores are looking to make a profit. Regular prices are higher at drugstores than elsewhere, so they have to offer a carrot to bring in deal seekers, but they can’t make it too easy so that everyone can get the deals. Drugstores don’t make enough money on the deal seekers and there aren’t enough of the others who will pay full price for the convenience factor, because they don’t know any better, or because they have the money. It’s a tricky balance finding a broad customer base. It’s as much of a game for them as it is for us, except they get to change the rules when they begin to lose. Consumers can decide to continue playing or find a new game. I honestly think the best days of the drugstore game are behind us, and I’m not sure that I mind. I’m still finding deals elsewhere, and I’m happier about what I’m bringing home.
Well put!
I always did better NOT shopping at drugstores and I don’t have the headaches of trying to keep track of all the little details.
I don’t know, I get great deals at CVS and will continue to. Almost all of my toiletries are free due to drug stores. Walgreens is harder to follow, only go there when it is a great deal, but CVS is my store. Hope CVS doesn’t change. Rite Aid lost me when they moved to a day roll over on their UP’s.
I just started couponing and I must say rite aid was my fav store except the fact that I basically had to go every single day for me to have a small out of pocket cost and to keep rolling my ups rewards. Thank god I have 2 in walking distance to where I don’t waste too much gas.
true!
I can’t say I’m happy about this…but maybe they’ll have better sales as far as out of pocket price…who knows. The only stores I’m my town are walmart, dollar tree, family dollar and rite aid….and I’ve been doing a lot of my shopping at dollar tree lately and I’ve found out some of their toiletries aren’t half bad. I’m not shaking in my boots like I thought I would lol like always we’ll just make it work 😉 but if there’s any deals to be had still at rite aid I’m sure Collin will find them!
Noooo. I don’t shop at Rite Aid anyway… But I don’t want my cvs getting crowded. Lol
haha, good point!!
Bring back the rebate program!
I second that request!
Single check rebates were ok, but rebates via gift cards would be better. I hated going to the bank to make tiny deposits. The best thing now is that banks allow deposits via smartphone. My favorite rebate programs were CVS & Walgreens.
Not a fan of the points system and I think Rite Aid will realize that in a year when the sales drop. Walgreens tried this & saw sales drop and started back offering some rewards without the points so hopefully Rite Aid will do the same SOON!!!
I bet they regret this decision. I think the sales will be down immediately.
It seems like it is going to be impossible to get the amount of points needed to redeem an offer. I’m an employee there and coupon and i just barely reached 1000 points last year. It seems impossible to spend 1,000 dollars (without coupons) on certain products at rite aid. I have a feeling I am going to have some angry customers.
You assume that 1 point = 1 dollar.
It seems impossible, and you are an employee? I have 1185 points already for this year, and no, it’s not from prescriptions. And no, I spent nowhere close to that amount.
Yes I am, but I am also a senior in high school juggling school and preparing for college so I don’t have as much time to coupon as much as I wish!
I think that is awesome that you are in high school and are couponing…..
Thanks! My friends think I’m crazy!
Crazy like a fox. Good for you!!!
This is going to be a pain to try to explain to customers. It’s hard enough explaining it now.
I was worried about that…I hope you guys don’t get too many angry customers! The cashiers can’t change anything! I’ve become friends with the people at my rite aid so I hope you guys don’t get too much trouble.
We had, and still do, have very many angry customers about us asking for ID every single time. I have had customers scream and curse at me before over it. I do not think many people will be necessarily angry at us, but upset. Most of our customers, at least at my store, are elderly and have a difficult time simply filling out the pharmacy information when picking up a prescription, so I am scared that this will drive customers away because they do not understand.
Unfortunate decision on their behalf.
Agree
Is this across all 50 states. Many of these places or options are not options. I feel bad for those that work so hard at H2S posting deals I hope it doesn’t become a nightmare for you gals.
Yes, it is going to be in all stores.
It’s funny. I saw this information on an article about retailers doing away with cards and separate programs so that customers can still get rewards without having to carry or remember them all-some wanted to target millennials’ business. I remember thinking, “cool!”. I guess it depends on perspective.
I don’t think that Millennials care about saving money.
Will anything there even be affordable now? I can’t imagine anyone paying the shelf price. So I would say they would have to have some incredible sales to lure in customers at this point. I’ve always wondered if non-couponers shop drug stores. I figured the only customers who could afford to go there must be fellow couponers taking advantage of the deals. I’m assuming this move by Rite Aid is to get rid of the couponers. I guess we will see if they have any other customers.
I only have a few customers that do their like full shopping there and its mostly people who just do not want to go to Walmart. Also it is a convenience to pick up shampoo or whatever else you need while picking up your prescription than to head to Walmart lol.
You wouldn’t believe the people that fork down shelf price! I’m in line thinking in my head “ohh that’s on sale at CVS or there’s a GC deal at Target pr they should have bought that last wk when it was on sale” LOL Even when I’m at Target, I can’t believe how much people spend OOP and use NO coupons, and look at the cashiers crazy when they try to explain Cartwheel!
I guess you are right. There’s always someone out there willing to pay top dollar (or not caring where their dollars go). I am shocked at how much my relatives (who do not coupon) will pay for an item, even a generic. I think they see me buying name brands all the time, thinking I’m paying tons more than them, and really I am getting a name brand product for just a fraction of what they are paying for the store brand.
I used to be one of them for a quick fix until I started couponing. Then, the whole perspective changes lol
These are not rewards, just marketing tools for other company’s. I want no part of it. This will not benefit me as a Rite Aid shopper, just like the January and February programs. Rite Aid cancelled two of my rewards already from Fabuary claiming the vendors backed out. The funny thing is they weren’t anything I even wanted but I signed up just to use the reward. Let’s see how long it takes for some of these company’s to do the same.
I stopped couponing at rite aid years ago i think they will be fine in my area the only thing i notice people buying now a day is tons of beer i guess they are cheaper there or something so it would take me like 30 minutes in line plus check out was horrible
Surprisingly our beer and cigarettes are cheaper than most places!
Since CVS stopped selling cigarettes, Rite Aids and Walgreens are getting a lot more cigarette business.
bye bye rite aid
Thanks for the heads up hip2save! I haven’t shopped at rite aid for a while but it’s still good to know their program is changing. Personally the points system is more appealing. The points can be used at rite aid and they don’t expire for two years! That’s a much longer expiration than the current up rewards for two weeks.
I think you get 1 point for every dollar spent. When you reach 1000 points you get $10 reward. So you must spend $1000 to get $10. No deal there!
You will get 1 point for every dollar spent and 25 points for prescriptions…same as now. The bronze, silver and gold levels are unchanged. So folks will still earn their 10-20% off yearly.
My best educated guess though is this with the plenti points:
Old way— tide 50oz– sale $5.99
$1 up with purchase of one.
New way— tide 50oz– sale $5.99
100 plenti points with purchase of one.
Also there is going to be ways to earn bonus plenti points with different promotions.
Finally, there is expected to be more companies joining soon. These include either home depot or Lowe’s, a major national grocery chain and others. so I believe this program could turn out to be rather successful in the long run.
So as in example above with tide, but two earn 200 plenti points and that =$2 to spend at rite aid. Getting to 1,000 plenti points from what I’ve heard won’t be as difficult as it may seem.
I like your example and if that’s the case it may not be that bad but I guess for me it will depend on how I can use the points I’ve earned. It states that you can’t use points until you earn 200 points so let’s say I have 500 points which translates to $5 can I use $3 of it to pay for a $3 item or do I have to use in large increments. If I can use it to pay for my smaller purchases it doesn’t sound too bad but if it’s an all or nothing deal then I don’t think it will work for me.
I rarely shop the drug stores any more. Give me a Kroger Mega sale, an Ingles BOGO sale and my Dollar General Market and I’m a happy camper.
Rite Aid has already been more and more frustrating to me… I’m sure this will probably be the end of it for me!
bye bye rite aid. it was nice knowing you, but its time for us to part! im glad they are building a CVS in my neighborhood!!
Sad. It seems at first glance this is a really bad move by Rite Aid. Probably will lose me as a customer also. 🙁
Seems so ridiculous actually… sometimes you wonder what people are thinking!
I stopped shopping at RA about 6 months ago I just stepped foot in a RA again for the first time 1 week ago. The prices are too high and they mess up my prescriptions. Not to mention a rude manager. There are 6 RA stores within 5 miles of my house. I guess with this new program like Walgreens I will have to say goodbye again!! Bye Rite Aid hello CVS and whoever else.
I do about 90% of my personal care shopping at Rite Aid but this new program doesn’t interest me in the least. Adios Rite Aid. Good thing my stockpile is big enough to get me through the apocalypse! 🙂
Hope the plentiful rewards are not the same crap they were offering in jam and feb!!!
its sad that store employees are just finding out about the changes, and are not having a meeting till next month for the details, but it is out there on sites with all the info. Dont get why its not shared with the people who ring up the customers everyday, who have to answer all the questions and don’t know anything!!!!
Agreed! I’ve had so many concerned customers and were unable to answer their questions because they had not given us any information.
Such negativity! Sometimes change is good. Go for it Rite Aid. Walgreens points give me a headache and CVS is too far. I look forward to trying the new program. I’m a Macy’s shopper too so this might just be a win win situation!
I’m just going to hang tight and see how the ads will be with the points. If it’s comparable to how UPs used to be, and matching (or better than) Walgreens points offers, I *might* reconsider. I hope we will be able to roll points at Rite Aid, that is a major reason I hardly shop Walgreens.
I already shop at Winn Dixie for Shell Fuel perks, I doubt my husband will want to switch gas stations (he has been a Shell dude since before we dated). Sprint is our cell carrier and we can’t switch b/c my husband renewed his 2 yr contract. I hardly shop Macy’s, nor do we have Hulu. Those are 3 strikes. But for those that do have Hulu or At&T will benefit, or those that shop Macy’s. Now, they did say they were going to add a home improvement store, so if it’s Home Depot or Lowe’s, that would be a benefit to me b/c we shop there. Not sure about the chain grocery store, so many already offer Fuel Perks.
I absolutely can’t stand points programs! One reason I don’t shop RA or Walgreens. Speaking of points, anyone hear about Target? They are beta testing REDperks! And it’s… wait for it … a points program! Yuck.
https://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2015/02/18/target-quietly-launches-redperks-rewards-app.html
So now I’m gonna pay for overpriced shampoo, toothpaste etc to earn points!?
No thanks, Goodbye rite aid!
That’s my problem! I don’t want to pay reg price or half price to be able to earn points.
I stopped shopping at Walgreens when they started their points system, as itw as too complicated.
Lately I’ve been getting my best deals at Rite Aid. Like most others, I am disappointed by this change, and will most likely stop shopping at RA and convert over to just CVS.
I am a teacher and I spend all day stressing about standardized testing and implementation of all kinds of new ridiculous rules and teacher rating methods. I certainly am not going to go home from work and stress all night about couponing. If they need to make it so difficult, I am out. I have enough other stuff to worry about.
For example – I love pantene and the deals I get on it at rite aid, but I am not picky and I can go to dollar general and buy suave for a dollar – or even 50 cents after a coupon. It’s really a no brainer if you are smart enough to not be brand loyal.
Also – I live 2 hours from the nearest Macy’s, I have no idea how many hours it might be to the nearest exxon, Nationwide can’t touch my rates with progressive, att cell costs more than my plan and direct energy is not available to me as a utility provider. I guess that’s just life on the appalachian mountain chain in the middle of the allegheny national forest. There is nothing for us in this program. My local rite aid is not happy about this.
Rite Aid should keep the UP Rewards and do the Plenti Points like Walgreens. Walgreens do both Balance Points and Register Rewards.