Sunday, June 1, 2014

RAINCHECK PLEASE!

It can be so frustrating to enter the grocery store, ready to shop the “loss leader” item, only to discover it is out of stock.

What is the “loss leader”? That is the discounted item on sale to draw customers in to the store so they will buy the discounted grocery item. The expectation and anticipation is that the shopper will also purchase other items, in addition to the loss leader.

If you are a busy individual like me, you don’t have time to return to the store several times before the sale ends, to see if the item has been restocked to the shelf. It is a waste of gas and time to do this.

I am a big fan of rainchecks.

Before leaving the store, stop by the Customer Service counter and ask for a raincheck! The manager or his designee will fill out a slip of paper from what looks like a receipt book and write down the desired quantity and the sale price of the item.

Some stores will grant you several weeks to return before the raincheck expires and there are some stores that have no expiration date on the raincheck.  

In these times when every penny counts, it’s worth a visit to Customer Service to inquire about their raincheck policy.

SOUND THE BUGLE! Today’s tip: If you have a coupon which may expire while you wait for the raincheck item to find its way to the store shelf, ask the manager if he/she will honor the expiring coupon when the item is purchased at a later date. Have the manager sign the coupon so that you can use it, even if it has expired when you purchase your raincheck item!
 

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