Walgreens review: false advertising ( 15 comments)

On, 11-12-7, I had noticed in the sale paper that is sent out weekly by the Walgreens Corp. Advertised the purchase of five adult T-shirts for $10.00, this sale paper was put out on 11-11-07. After looking around for nearly 1/2 an hour, through out the store located at 6061 Osgood ave. N. in Stillwater, Minnesota. I approached an employee and asked him where I could locate these items as I handed him the sale paper and pointed to the item in the paper , The employee than took the ad and started to look around the store and disapeard from my sight for over 5 minutes, he then returned and handed me back the sale paper and said that they didnt have any , and that sale had taken place " A couple of weeks ago" I the informed him that this ad came out only yesterday, He then put both of his hands up over his head and shrugged , and stated that "they did not have any " And repeated that the sale took place " a couple of weeks ago", I then asked him how that could be when the ad was dated , 11-11-7. He again shrugged and shook his head saying that they did not have any. I then asked about a rain check , He then shook his head again with his hands up saying they dont. there was no mention anywhere in the add that stated " As supplies last " . The employee again stated that the sale had taken place " a couple of weeks ago". I then left the store.

Every few months, Walgreens advertises collapsible laundry hampers at a 2fer price. It never says "Must buy two", but that is the fact. They are not sale prices; the 2fer price and the single price are printed on the bag, but it is usually too small to be legible in the ad. I need only one and refuse to pay the higher price. The deceptive ads continue to infuriate me.
I also was ripped off by their "Get 10% extra rebates on a gift card instead of a check." After a while, I realized I was getting 100% less instead --- nothing! I reported it but nothing was done, so I had to give up on the 10% extra.

I am a Walgreens employee in NW GA. Our store always has 5 for $10.00 t-shirts. They are "famous maker" seconds. They are stamped irregular inside.
As far as the coupons and rebates go, I agree! Every other store has a savings card so you don't have to clip coupons and haggle at the register. A lot of the time our coupons and sales are not programmed into the system, and the customers never know they aren't getting the sale price. We do get good discounts as employees, but if I weren't there every day, I would not understand most of our sales and rebates.
**Saturday Shoppers**
We hang ad-tags on Saturday, beginning at 4 p.m. We take the old ad tags down on Saturdays, but the new ads aren't officially in effect until Sundays. If you shop Saturday between 4 p.m. and Midnight, you can combine this week's and next week's savings. Just grab this week's ad on the way in and pay attention to the new "next week's" ad tags! If they tell you you can't have the old or new sale price, ask for a manager. If it's in the current ad, it's on sale. If the ad tag is up, they HAVE to honor the price.

It is possible that the store had sold out of the t-shirts when they were on sale the last time. And maybe they were on sale a few weeks before. Assuming the employee wasn't a manager, he should have called one to further verify that the store was out and then offered to call another store to see if they had the shirts or have a manager write a raincheck.
And for the comment by William B. Friedman: the collapsible hampers are ALWAYS $2.99 or 2/$5.00. It says so on the regular tag. Every so often, they're in the ad 2/$5.00, which means you can get one for $2.50. If it's not in the ad, one hamper is always $2.99. It is not that difficult to take the time to carefully read the tags.
Finally, if the coupons and other sales are not programmed into the computer, the corporate office needs to be notified by a manager, and it is up to the employees in the meantime to ensure the items' prices are changed so the customers get the sales.

While I hate to argue semantics, this isn't false advertising. If they had tried to charge you a different price for an item that would have been, but simply not having the item advertised in the weekly add isn't "false advertising" by any stretch of the term.

Some stores do not carry certain items which may be featured in the ad, and some stores do not recieve enough of certain items to keep them in stock. The shirts are a regular item in my store and they're always 2.99 or for 10.00. That's not really a sale price.

I am sorry that the employee didn't answer your question in an appropriate way, but I also resent the accusation of false advertising.

I bought packages of sunflower kernels and also trail mix. They were the Walgreens Cafe W brand. The expiration date is Jan. 22, 2009. I found worms in the packages. I' m very upset since I ate almost a whole bag. I would like to here from someone about this matter.

Gale unless they advertised wormfree until expiration I don't think that's false advertising.

I think that employee sounded as though her were repeating something told to him by someone else.. the others stated it too.. it would seem that they had sold out AS TO a previous sale.. though it is the regular price for the items.. it was merely advertised.

and as to the worm-filled snacks.. take them back.. even WITHOUT the receiept you could exchange them.. there is also a customer service number on the back of EVERY RECEIPT PRINTED..

I completely understand how frustrating this can be when you want to buy a product that is on sale but the store does not have it in stock. However, I want everyone to realize that you can not blaim this on the employee that you are dealing with. I work at a Walgreens and I know first hand how frustrating it is when customers complain about a product not being in stock. Unfortunately there is nothing that the employee or the store can do about not have this item in stock. If you really want to complain about this issue, which I encourage you to do, please complain to the head of the Walgreens company. Complaining to the store manager will not be helpful whatsoever. Please right letters to the supervisers at the top of the Walgreens company, and then hopefully problems with Walgreens will be solved.

beverly, i hate to say your incorrect. the store managers get order forms called group sheets and ad bulletins to order there ad merchandise. the store manager goes through and evaluates if he or she wants to buy the particular item based on certain critieria. 1) do they have some current in stock. 2) how well did it sell last time it was on sale. and multiple quantity. SOme managers tell employees and customers that they have no control, but that is completely inaccurate. They just can't be bothered to do there jobs properly.

While the last person is correct we do have ad bullentins and group sheets that we order what he failed to mention is those order forms are done 2-3 months in advance for most items. Also delays in shipping can cause no merchandise. I work for a 24 hour store and when certain sales go on ad we sometimes are out by Sunday afternoon when we ordered extra already. Also Walgreens in not like Wal-mart and get a truck every day, We only get a truck once a week, and depending on when we get it, we might run out. We will always issue rainchecks or try our best to substitute for a simlar item. We do carry the 5/10.00 shirts almost year-round. They are a huge seller, but I know in the winter time we had sold most of ours and didnt order anymore as it was winter time and were selling sweats and winter wear. As for the ad tags, take time to read the tag, or the ad, if it says "great value" it is not on sale, it is just being advertised to bring in customers as in all of our AS SEEN ON TV items we advertise them, put tags on but they are not on sale. As far as some items you do have to buy 2 to get the price. Its called Buy more and Save, you buy more than one you save, Just like buy one get one half off, or buy one get one, you can't get the free one without buying the one at full price. Read the ad, take your time and ask questions we are here to help, most of us like to help customers and will do our best to help.

Yea sorry they didn't have the item but it happens sometimes, even though my store has never run out of those 5 for $10 shirts. We have an island in the front of the store that's pretty much always full. I don't know why he didn't give a rain check though, that was just wrong.

To William, if an advertisement says 2 for $5, then that's what it is. It doesn't matter that you don't need two, it's how the system is; the first one for $2.99, the second for $2.01. It's a package deal, buy more, pay less. That's like you seeing the boxed trilogy of Lord Of The Rings for $30, but since you already have two of the DVD's, you want the single Two Towers DVD for $10. You gotta buy the higher amount for the savings to kick in.

Also, in regards to Heather's post... I know that our policy is 'if the ad tag is up then we absolutely have to honor the stated sale price, ' but personally i don't agree with that, since there are expiration dates on the tags. It's not our fault that the customer didn't read the whole thing, even if someone forgot to take down a tag a week ago.

My thing is everyone wants something for nothing. The public will totally capitalize on an ad tag being missed from the week before. Just another indication that people dont progress after high school. I work on 100 Million dollar aircraft and 3 sets of eyes have missed things. God forbid a Walgreens employee forgets to pull an ad tag. Its all stupid. If you dont like Walgreens policies, dont shop there. If you like CVS better... go for it. Stop whining like ninth graders and take your business some place else. Believe it or not Walgreens will go on without you. Also, if you dont like working at Walgreens... QUIT. If its the worse job in the world.. QUIT. Have a little professionalism and keep your lips shut if you dont like it. There's nothing worse than working somewhere and talking smack about it in a public forum. That type of crap needs to stop! Grow up people... you make society what it is today.

Good they probably don't want your business anyways

Haha. If funny how these people spend more time complaining about what everyone else is doing wrong and they never ask, "What am I doing wrong?"