Let me begin by saying – I am not a happy camper 🙁 …
Some of you may find these signs at your stores tomorrow letting you know that Ritz Crackerfuls 6oz will not be available and instead you can substitute them for Nabisco Wheat Thins 10oz, Triscuits 9.5oz or Ritz Crackers 16oz.
I’m sure that plenty of people ordered coupons for this, considering Walgreens e-mails it’s ads out on Friday. I am not sure if the $2 Register Reward will automatically print for these alternate products or how they will be handling this?!
Here are the coupons I know of for those 3 items.
-$1/1 Ritz crackers or Ritz Bitz Sandwiches 9.5 oz.-16oz, any – 05-15-11 SS x9/5
-$1/2 Ritz or Ritz Bitz Crakers PRINT
Some of you may also find yourselves staring at this sign letting you know there will be NO Smart Rinse available either. That was also was going to be FREE after coupons and Register Rewards. Since they are throwing Listerine (Johnson & Johnson Mc-Neil PPC) under the bus for this one I tried contacting Listerine for a response. Their customer service line is only available Monday – Friday and I doubt they will be available this Monday.
I understand issues coming up with a product since these ads are published so early. However, I don’t understand not making an alternative available to your shoppers. I hope that some of you will be fortunate enough to find Crackerfuls and Smart Rinse however, I suspect many or most of you will not. I’ll create my scenarios without them. If you find these signs at your stores let us know, and let us know how your store handled it.
(Thanks so much to R for your help with this!)
{ 87 comments… read them below or add one }
I just had the same problem with the tylenol precise patches…..went to 2 stores never did get them
No crackerfuls at my store but the manager gave me a rain check to get them free when they get them in stock
If you strike out, Safeway/Randalls has all their Nabisco snack crackers on sale for $1.67 thru Monday, so they would be 67 cents after the coupon. Not as great, but not too bad.
I have a feeling mine won’t have them either. If you don’t get there on day 1 as it is, everything is gone because we are a small town. And I refuse to do business with the one 10 miles away because of their HORRIBLE customer service.
Sounds like you shop at my Walgreens, and neighboring Walgreens! Are you in the Texas Hill Country?
I have been seeing those signs all over the place the last few weeks…not just at Walgreen’s. Do we have another case of The KCL’s greedy minions screwing up the system? Grrr. Christie, thank you for keeping us all up to date on Wags deals. 😉 Have a nice, crackerful-less weekend.
What the heck is a KCL greedy minion?
KCL and one of the first ones on the extreme couponing show.. lots of people follow her blog and lots of people are going crazy with the couponing.
I think it’s ridiculous and ignorant that you would blame the KCL blog for how people are shopping. She has said countless times that the show asked them to do a HUGE trip and she never shops like that. If you actually followed her blog, you would see that she says 4 of an item is plenty for one person and that she doesn’t promote shelf clearing, but building your stockpile over time. Extreme Couponing asked these people to shop in that manner and not KCL. Also, Joanie from the KCL declined to be on the show again because she wants to promote responsible couponing and not shelf clearing.
Maybe you should check your facts before you start pointing fingers and ASSUMING why the shelves are cleared. I have went to my Walgreens on a Friday to see how much of a product is in stock for the following Sunday’s sale to see that there is only a few of an item in stock for the sale.
May she should have denied them the first time, she knew what she was getting into
Totally wrong! Awarenss to couponing has been made, but dont blame the show. AND if a store already doesnt have the supply for their ad….the STORE IS AT FAULT. SHAME ON WALGREENS…the ad hasnt begun yet.
You can’t always be so quick to blame the store either. I do the ordering for my store and I always make sure I order up on the register reward items. I’m sometimes lucky if I get half of my order quantity in. Slower stores just don’t get as much in as the busier stores and now that our truck comes on Saturdays if we run out of items earlier in the week we’ll be lucky if warehouse still has plenty to send us. It’s not fair to blame it all on shelf clearers either and if the store has couponers like that they need to stick to some sort of limit. WE as of today are onll allowing one register reward deal per household per day. You can still get one of every deal but only one so we ensure we keep full shelves for the rest of our wonderful couponers.
Please don’t blame the store for the greediness of others. No store anywhere is going to be able to order enough to supply all the people who want to come in and clear the shelves! The more they order the more they will take…the manufacturer wouldn’t even be able to keep up with the unrealistic expectations of some couponers. Can you imagine how much a store would have to order just to keep enough for everyone just to do one deal? Try ordering enough for those who want to do 25 each? Until they start putting limits on how many items customers can buy there will never be enough no matter how many they order.
Hmmmmm….don’t blame a show who gives the impression that everyone who coupons is going to be able to walk into a store and buy 60 deodorants, 50 boxes of cereal etc., that gives newbies the impression that being greedy is acceptable and that if they aren’t able to coupon like the people on the show that something is wrong with them. Showing how to commit coupon fraud the J’amie way and saying nothing about it. Creating unrealistic expectations about couponing and causing the stores to change their coupon policies because of their “get what you can get no matter what you have to do to get it” programming attitude. Nah…they bear no responsibility at all.
I follow KCL and I DO NOT clear shelves and it’s rude and ridiculous to blame her followers! There are tons of blogs out there not just hers. She doesn’t promote shelf clearing at all!
I’m not worried about these crackers because we were lucky to have our Marsh stores to do a 4 day triple coupons up to $1.00 and I got mine for free +.
I am sorry some folks won’t get these but to blame a blogger is ridiculous! Especially when she doesn’t shop with folks and can’t control them.
No bloggers don’t shop with their readers but they do set an example. Bloggers have to be responsible about what they post AND what they allow to be posted on their blog. People look to them as someone who knows what is right and what is wrong when couponing. If a blogger allows tons of people to post how they got 40 or 50 of one item or how they got one over on the cashier by using a coupon on a product other than what the coupon called for and you let it stand without a comment it’s the same as telling them and anyone who reads those posts that it’s an acceptable thing to do.
Tammy…The Krazy Coupon Ladies (KCL) have a mad following since their new show started. Many couponers have noticed big changes in store coupon policies since the show started, because people are wiping shelves clean…extreme hoarding, not stockpiling!
How can you blame the KCL for what people are doing when they don’t promote that on their blog? There has been a lot more people than just Joanie on that show. I follow her site several times a day and I am not a hoarder… I do as she suggests… stock up slowly by getting a few of an item every time the sale cycle comes around and my stockpile is growing since I started in January. She doesn’t teach people to buy single item on the shelf, but to coupon responsibly and if you read their blog, you’d know that…
I like your Blog! I also buy slowly and support 4 families with my purchases (all children going to college even med school with PURE FEDERAL STUDENR LOANS even for med school as I am a waitress), I dont have the money. Hoarding or the TLC show is extreme and I think the extreme buyers need to lay off…..The rest of us, keep ur cool, things will settle down sooner or later. We have our COUPONS unlike anyone in Joplin who has nothing.
I missed out on the Infusium deal at Walgreens this week and I only needed 1. I noticed that they didn’t have the Ritz crackers either.
well there goes all my scenarios I put together 🙁 I have to rearrange stuff ugh…will take both scenarios with me just in case though
Oh I wish there was a CVS in my area. LOL
I know several people that buy all that is available every chance they get and I assure you the KCL blog has nothing to do with it.
Seriously everyone needs to relax. You are all freaking out over a box of crackers!
This.
I was thinking the same thing, Jamie. Publix had them on sale for $1.40 last month, so I made a dime on all the boxes I purchased using the $1.50/1 coupons. I’ve already decided to pass on this deal.
I went to four different Walgreens in Tampa area and not one of the stores had any in stock. One store said they were going buy some from Walmart so they will have some in stock. Good luck trying to purchase more than one, though.
I work for a large chain grocery store and just yesterday we had a women try to use 5 identical internet coupons. After a closer look they were all photo copies. ( they all had the exact time and date stamp down to the second) We never give a hard time to responsible shoppers but now we have to look at everything with a critical eye. BIG changes are heading our way with coupon policies and it is the irresponsible shoppers that are causing it.
I heard that they will be out of icy hot too!!!
FYI…internet printables all have a unique serial number on them. Every coupon has a different number tied to your IP address on your computer. Since you’re only able to print 2 coupons per computer, if you have someone come in and they have 5 coupons with the same serial number then they’ve been naughty LOL!! If the coupons aren’t caught at the store level they will be at the clearing house and the manufacturer will not pay the store for more than 1 coupon per serial number. If several coupons show up there is the possibility of charges being brought because they can trace the serial numbers back to the computer it was printed from 🙂
If I price match the Crackerfuls at Walmart would I only be able to match the $2 sale or would they give some sort of additional discount? I know they can’t print RR. Just checking. Thanks for all you do Christie!
You will get the $2 Cracker sale at Walmart, no $2 additional savings after the transactions (no RRs or anything like it).
I always check my nearby stores when I anticpate an awesome week…I saw my store had 3 boxes of Ritz crackerfuls today and Ill be hauling butt in the morning to get them lol. Plus, I looked for the Icy Hot (found some, but wrong size, yikes) and found some toothpaste as well…
Oh well. Come what may, right?
Relax ladies…not blaming the KCL’s, but rather wondering if the new followers to them and the show, who are going over board, are to blame.
There is a woman here who orders hundreds of copies of coupons and wipes the shelves at several Wags locations. The manager at my favorite one has said that people like her are the reason policies are changing and why shipments do not come in (warehouse is out of stock).
Before anyone else misunderstands me here, let me say, I am thankful for ALL of the coupon bloggers and appreciate their hard work!
At Tammy, I agree whole heartedly. I tired setting limits so as many shoppers as possible could enjoy the savings, and now I must have my cosmetian gather up most of the ‘rr’ items, and keep them behind her counter and limit their purchase. I really hate to have to dole things out this way, but it’s the option I have to keep enough stock on hand to get me through until next truck day. This week, I won’t get a truck at all due to the warehouse holiday delivery changes. So I must go about 10 days until my next shipment.
Ours just changed to saturday so im going 9 days at my store. and we just changed out policy to 1 RR deal per household per day. I’m really hoping that will help but we’ll see
Hi Dana!
I’m wondering if you are my “neighbor” as the store up the street from us is the ONLY one in our area (Ladson, SC), so far with the policy that you are mentioning.
I work at one of the stores in goose creek so not really neighbors. but im wondering if more stores will start using that policy it helps get the deals for all of our customers not just the ones lucky enough to make it sunday morning. And it went pretty well today with the new limit one policy. Doesn’t mean they won’t come back tomorrow but hopefully people will be honest enough to know they have more then gotten their fair share of the deals
Not sure if you meant that “ONLY” in a bad way but I assure you my store isn’t the only one in my district that has implemented this policy.
Hate to say it, but I saw this one coming since last Sunday :(. I checked 5 area stores…and ALL of them were out of the Crackerfuls. I have a feeling that Wags is going to have a LOT of disappointed and angry customers tomorrow.
I work at Walgreens and the memo said that the Register Rewards should print with the substitutions.
GREAT, thanks Chris! That will be very helpful!
I talked to the store manager on Wednesday and she told me she could not order any more Ritz Crackerfuls cause the warehouse was out due to another Walgreens store ordering over 500 of the product. She was very upset and disappointed about it.
How can the store be at fault, if a manufacturer can’t supply the product? These items are a manufacturers instant rebate! All register rewards are supplied by outside companies…not walgreens. Take it easy on clerks and managers. I work at walgreens as well, and I do a lot of the ordering…you would not believe the items that are ‘insuffcient stock at the warehouses. If the warehouse dosen’t have it, I can’t get it…
Sorry, one more thing…I don’t know if this will be an issue at your store, but I ordered 36 boxes of the Applied Nutition calcium, and I received 4. So, that may be a shortage as well. When I get to work in the morning, I’ll pull up the inventory from other stores to see if anyone has any I can borrow, but it’s not likely they will want to give up such a hot item…
I ordered 30 for last Thursday and didn’t get any Betty lol. So I only had the original 10 that came in on the display last week :(. Its just funny how we get so many customers who just assume we aren’t doing our job because of the warehouse outages. There are more then 7000 Walgreens and very few warehouses to supply the demand. But yes the Insufficient Stick list has been pretty ridiculous latetly since all the stores are getting remodeled.
Where I live in Central Florida there is a Walgreens on almost every corner. I happen to love Ritz Crackerfuls so I was excited when I heard about the upcoming sale. This past week, I’ve checked about 5 stores and not one store had more than 4 boxes on the shelf! If they are understocked now, I know they will be out of stock during the sale.
The Walgreens I go to each week often doesn’t have many of the items that are in the ad flyer, and they never did (eg: hot dogs last week, Nestle chocolate chips a few weeks ago). So, to see that an item isn’t going to be in stock is no big surprise to me. I doubt my Walgreens ever had Crackerfuls to begin with! I just pick up the items they do have and go on.
Does the sale start at midnight?
It begis when the Walgreens store opens.
here in dallas at the 24 hr wags sale starts at midnight, but they will not print out the RR until 7 AM. So might as well get some sleep.
Betty, I am with you! Believe us, we would love to have the products to make the sale. The warehouse supplies us, and if the manufcaturer isn’t getting the product to them, then we don’t get it. So please do not go in being angry at the people in the store, its not us I promise you! Why wouldn’t we want to make a sale? And quit being so upset ladies, for all we know there is a processed cheese shortage and the crackerfuls can’t be made =)
Lets not get worked up about a box of crackers, guys. There are much more important things in life than arguing about why Walgreens is unable to order more boxes or why the boxes are not on the shelf. Besides, if you really wanted the item you could simply price match it at Walmart and pay around a dollar for it with the manufacturer coupon.
I DISAGREE with your comment 100%. Why pay for something that’s supposed to be free?? Walgreens needs to make this right. The purpose here is not to go somewhere else and pay for a product. Anyone can do that. Why should we?? We follow this forum to get great deals, not ho-hum deals.
YES! UTHORNS! I AGREE
I hit my Wags at 5:30am and NO Crackerfuls. They only had 6 bottles of Right Guard Body Wash. On another positive note I found Goody’s 6ct on Clearance for .99 making it a .51MM. They had a lot! FYI it still rang up at $1.50 but the cashier adjusted and I still received my RR! The Listerine deal is good. I received a $1RR & $4RR for purchasing 2. I also had a peelie for $1off Got2B when you buy Right Guard plus a $2MQ I think from All You (sorry, not sure what issue) so another good deal.
One of the Wags I shop at in Wisconsin had about a dozen Crackerfuls, I went on Saturday at 8:00PM the RR signs where already up so I bought 4 boxes, but the RR didn’t print the manager said I could come back sometime next week and get the RRs I thought that was great, so I bought Celius and Applied Nutition, I’ll go back next week for the RRs. This is how I’m going to shop from now on so I can get the RR items before there sold out. I’m so happy!
just wondering-did the applied nutrition coupon in the monthly book ($5/1) beep?
thank you
For Sunday/Monday only a RR will print for the substituted items.
I just visited my store and there were not any Crackerfuls. I also didn’t see any signs. When I checked out, I asked the cashier how in the world (30 minutes after store opening) had they already ran out of the product. She said the product didn’t come in, and she issued me a raincheck. The price listed is FREE. Will I be able to use my $1.50 off coupon when I go back to redeem the product?
Is taking 7 of the Icy Hots and leaving 1 considered shelf clearing??? I was in the pain reliever aisle looking for the goody’s and there was a lady with handfuls of the Icy Hots putting them in her cart which was already full of the ecotrin. I quickly counted and she had 7 of the icy hots. I went to look if there were any left on the shelf and she left 1. Since I am new to all of this, is this considered shelf clearing?? Or is it perfectly good to do??
Yes and no. Depends on who you ask; the better question is do you feel alright with that?
The way I see it, if it isnt a habit of yours, then 1st come, 1st serve. But if you really dont feel comfy with taking a handful (which there is nothing wrong with doing btw) then maybe go to another store and get some more to “spread” the…taking. If that made sense lol.
i saw the exact situation this morning. And I told the lady we had a limit of one per customer per day. And she put all 10 icy hot, 16 body washes, 16 deod. back. And then she chewed me out because I rang up her body wash for what the coupon states… up to 4.49
If there were 150 Icy Hots I’d say ok but if there was only 1 left – yes that would fall into shelf clearing in my opinion!
AMEN! Thank you Christie!
Ok so I went to walgreens this morning and found out this was to true, but I nicely asked the manager to still do the same transactions for me with coupons for another brand of ritz. They said they would, and they used my $1/1 crackerfuls coupons for the other ritz crackers. 4 boxes of ritz crackers, I used 2 – $1/1 and 2 – $.75/1 all crackerful coupons, and got my 8-$2 register rewards back. A money maker of $3.50!!
I went to two different Wags this morning – no crackerfuls at all. And no listerine. I was there at opening so I know no one beat me to it. Also, no substitution signs for the crackers and of course none of the employees knew what was going on. =/
Me too. Same situation. ANNOYING!
Went today to the store that had 3 last night; none. Went to another one and they didnt even have a place for them. Ill admit I was very upset but I brushed it off quickly. At least I didnt PAY a dollar and lose it (in regards to getting a $1 moneymaker in RR) XD Still, I had a good haul and VERY friendly people, thank goodness!!!!!!!!!!!!
just thought I’d say that we did have this sign up, but thankfully I was able to be one of the first in the store and was able to get 1 of the 2 boxes they had in stock. She also said that they are starting to limit to 1 RR transaction per deal???? Which I thought was weird, but maybe she meant it just on the items that they are low in stock.
Just an FYI. Crackerfuls were all sold out in Vegas. They did honor the Ritz crackers instead and it gave me a $2.00 RR for my purchase. I also had the $.75 off crackerful coupon and was able to use it on the Ritz crackers with no problem. The coupon in the 5/15 SS is $1 off of 2, not $1 off of 1 🙁
Amy – different regions will have different values so others may have the $1/1.
Amy, are you in Vegas or Henderson?
Just wondering, because the stores closer to the strip do not advertise sale prices or RR’s, so they tend to have more in stock. Also, I would love to meet up with another local couponer. 😀
Sure Fran! You can email me at [email protected].
Vegas
I am in Brevard County Florida and all mine were out of the crackerful’s also – They offered the alternatives and the RR’s did print for them
What I don’t understand is how people are clearing the shelves unless they are making 7 different transactions and honestly I don’t see any store allowing you to have 7 different transactions – The most I have ever done was 3 – usually only 2 and now I have decided to only do 1 transaction to make it easier on me – Now if people are clearing the shelves and paying for all of them and only getting 1 RR then I see no problem with that as they are paying regular price for the items and that is there perogative that would be like getting mad at someone for buying all the bananas at walmart
Anyways wags is my fave store to get freebies from so i visit usually once a day to various different stores to spread out my visits ensuring others have a chance at items – It’s not always a store’s fault I have come to know a few of the employee’s well enough and I know I am still waiting on 14 bottles of body wash that I pre-ordered from walgreens 3 weeks ago – They can’t help what the truck sends them they have ordered my body wash 4 times now and still has not come in
I have to say my fave non freebie item I was excited over was the 25 cents popcorn – It’s my fave brand and so was excited to get it cheap – The one store I went to had a 2 1/2 foot shelf dedicated to it and not a single popcorn on the shelf and that was 30 minutes after they opened so my store anticipated it coming in but it did not come in on the truck
I’m in Tucson, AZ and this is my story. This morning, I went to 4 Wags, 9 transactions, spent $33.09 OOP, made $36RR. They were out of Crackerfuls at all 4 stores. But each store substituted my $1/1 Crackerfuls with a Ritz crackers 16 oz. since it was by the same company and Walgreens was making substitutions for the crackers anyways. Some stores advertised this substitution and some didn’t but all registers/cashiers honored it and I got $2RR for every box I bought (I bought 8 boxes.) I bought a Triscuit box that rang up $2 also and was excited to find basil seeds in it to plant! YAY for free seeds!! The $5 off Applied Nutritional IVC coupon does not work for the Applied Nutritional Calcium Supplements ($10RR). Also, none of the stores would honor my $1/1 Icy Hot for the Icy Hot Naturals ($.99RR). Good luck out there!!
No Ritz Crackerfuls in Orlando Florida!
I found that at opening at my local Wags ( Western WA) they had 1 box of crackers,and 1 each of the Degree deodorant. I asked about it and they said the truck comes in on Friday, so that’s when they would have more. I felt bad, buying the required 4 would clear the shelf, but that’s all there was.
I was really bummed on the Listerine Smart Rinse. DS will only use their kids kind and it is worth it for me with or without a Q to get it on sale.
I thought we had shelf clearer’s before but arriving at opening today showed me it seems to be a stocking issue. I guess I will check back on Friday.
While the $5 Applied Nutrition coupon from the June coupon book does not work… the $1 Applied Nutrition coupon found in the vitamin aisle titled “Answers at Walgreens – Vitamins & Supplements” DOES work. 🙂 This coupon is only good thru May 31st- so use it quickly!
The icy hot coupon will not work because all though it says its for any – the coupon is referring to any of the products listed on the coupon and its the icy hot patch that is listed
My Walgreens not only substituted Ritz, Wheat Thins, or Trisquit instead, they allowed me to use my Ritz coupons I had so I ended up making out on the deal. They did only allow one item so that everyone could get a deal. The ritz rang up at 2.00, I used dollar off coupon, and I got the RR for 2.00. Hopefully others will have the same luck!!!
Also, I was able to use the ICY Hot coupon 1.00 off they just adjusted it down to 99 cents making it a money maker too!!!
If you guys get the Calcium there’s a ton of coupons in the box alot of which will take extra money off the ones the $5 june book coupon do work on. They will probably be featured in the ad at a sale price so -$5 wag coupon and your manufacturer coupon from the box it should equal a good deal!
Good Tip Dana – Save that booklet for future deals! 🙂
Just a warning… I found one lonely box of Ritz carckerfuls at a Walgreens out in the middle of no where. I used my $1 coupon and paid $1 total. But what printed out was not a RR. It was a coupon for $2 off my next purchase of Ritz crackerfuls for 5/29 and 5/30 only! Which would have been okay IF they had more! This has been a really frustrating ordeal!
The Ritz deal ended yesterday – Monday. Did you buy this today?