Understanding Rain Checks, Price Matching and Scanning Code of Practice
Understanding Rain Checks and Price Matching
What is Price Matching?
Price matching is great for those of us who don’t want to travel to a bunch of different stores for different sales. We can get everything we need at one store.
How? Well, you need to gather up the flyers of stores that have sales you are interested in. For example – Canadian Tire has Puffs tissue on for $0.99 and you have $0.50 coupons, making this item only $0.49 each. You think this is a great deal and want to pick some up. Bring that flyer with you to a store that price matches.
When you bring the item(s) to the cashier, make sure to first show them the flyer and let them know you want to price match. As long as you have the correct item and it’s during the sale dates listed on the flyer, the cashier will override their price for the one you are price matching.
Stores that price match: Wal-Mart, Zellers, Canadian Tire, Future Shop, London Drugs, Toys R Us, Sears, Real Canadian Superstore (baby items only), Save on Foods.
What are Rain Checks?
Stores put out great sale prices all the time. Sometimes a sale is so fantastic that the items may fly off the shelves in the first few days (sometimes hours) of a sale. If you happen to go to a store that is out of a sale item, make sure you ask for a rain check.
Many stores will only allow you 4-6 items. Most rain checks expire within 30 days, but some last even longer (and some, like Zellers, NEVER expire).
Every time you go to the store where you got the rain check, make sure to scan the shelves and see if they have refilled their stock of the item you were wanting to purchase. If they still do not have the item by the time the rain check expires, you can ask to get a new one.
Stores that give rain checks: Zellers, Shoppers Drug Mart, Superstore, Safeway, London Drugs, Canadian Tire.
What is the Scanning Code of Practice (SCOP)?
The Scanning Code of Practice is a code that many stores follow. It promises the customer accurate price scanning at the register on all non-ticketed items. If an item scans at a price higher than the shelf price, the customer gets it for free (or $10 off if the item is more than $10).
Don’t expect cashiers to let you know about this (even though there is usually a sign right by the register that mentions it). Make sure you point it out or you will most likely miss out on your SCOP deal. If you buy more than one identical item, you are entitled to the first item free and the following items will be adjusted to the lower, correct price.
Stores that follow the SCOP: Shoppers Drug Mart, Jean Coutu (NB and ON only), Lawton Drug Stores, London Drugs, Lovell Drugs, Pharma-save (BC and Sask), Pharma Plus, Safeway, Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills, Fortinos, Sobeys, Metro, Thrifty Foods, Costco, Co-op Atlantic, Home Depot, Canadian Tire, Toys r Us, Rona, WalMart, Giant Tiger, Best Buy/Future Shop, Home Hardware, Thrifty Foods and many other independant stores.
Comments
Thanks for explaining how to price match,I was curious about it but kind of afraid to try it, maybe next weeks shopping trip will include price matching for me.
its very easy 🙂 just be prepared though – of you go to zellers to price match another store, they will rip up your flyer to put the picture/price of the item you are price matching in their till!
for price matching just wanted to let you know that NoFrills now does price matching.
walmart does do rainchecks as well, but seems to be hit and miss as to what locations will still do it. I say this while looking at my walmart raincheck for my sons pull ups.
thanks for sharing, I’m still a newbie and bit slow, as for SCOP? How do I ask for one? I remember the other day at SDM, a razor I bought was scan at 19.99 but the shelve price was mark at 15.00 on clearance. I point out the price different for a price check, but would this qualify for a SCOP and how do one ask for a SCOP? does all cashier understand it?
vivian: You just have to point out that the price scanned wrong and ask for SCOP. 🙂
Maxi (in Quebec only) now price matches too!
Also? In Quebec, SCOP is the law. All stores that do not attach the price tag directly on the product must adhere to its rules. 🙂
Petsmart will do price matching (you do have to provide proof of the price at the other store), and rain checks (expiry date is left to the discretion of the store manager). They do NOT follow the Canadian scanning code of practice. This is a VOLUNTARY program, not mandatory in most provinces of Canada, and Petsmart does not participate. Please note, this is not the fault of the cashiers or managers, it is company policy that these people are obliged to adhere to! However, they will gladly match the shelf price for an item- just bring the incorrect price to their attention. Also, Petsmart has one of the best return/exchange policies around!
I have many problems with SMD. One particular store that I have problems with. I am so fed up with it so I asked for SCOP and the cashier told me that I had to pay for it first then give the receipt then I can have SCOP. I asked to see the manager she said they weren’t there. I told her she was wrong on what SCOP is. Nothing I could do so I went in and talked to the manager the next day he said that I had to bring it to the cashiers attention at the time as it was in a clearance bin and they are all gone from there so there’s no way for him to say it was there and that is what the price is. When I purchased the item the receipt says that it was price adjusted for accuracy.
Does the pharmacy at Walmart follow SCOP as well? I went in last week for the Equate Advil. I grabbed the 200 capsule bottle for $11.97, but noticed they had a 500 capsule bottle for $14.97. So I took that instead and went to pay for it at the pharmacy checkout. I was 1/2 way thru my debit transaction and it hit me that the total came to $26.98 so I questioned her. She sent her coworker over to verify the price, I followed her to show her where I got it. The tag where the capsules were was still there, but she tried to tell me the SKU was different and a customer must have moved it. But there was another one there, and it was obvious the section was custom made for the bigger bottle. She wasn’t going to do anything to correct it. So I grabbed the smaller 200 ct. size. When I returned to the checkout, she asked me what happened and I told her, then we both went back to the shelf and I pointed out that it couldn’t have been moved from a customer. The other woman took the remaining bottle and the tag that had been there. So she gave it to me for the lower price and said it was their fault. But should I have gotten $10. off for it?
Lori: No, I don’t believe the pharmacy follows SCOP.
In B.C. the Superstores I have been to do not give rain checks. I have asked at many stores & they all tell me that they never have & that the policy is still the same…no rain checks. Does anyone shop at Superstore in B.C.? Have you ever checked on this?
Also, I have found that most of the time you only get SCOP if you pay 1st & then take the receipt to customer service. Whenever I have told the cashier that I noticed an error in price & asked for a SCOP they tell me that if they correct it before I have paid then it will not be free….I even asked a manager once & they told me since I was not inconvenienced & the pirce was corrected then I could not get the SCOP …so now I always pay 1st & then go to customer service , it takes more time but I get the item free or the $10 whichever is less so its worth it.
Is this what others have noticed or is there a way to get it right from the cashier? Maybe the cashiers are incorrect or the sotre I went to is trying to get away with not giving me the item for free. What are your thoughts on this….I am new to this & would really like to know how to approach this while shopping. Thanks everyone!
I was in Zellers this evening and the lady at Customer Service told me they stopped giving Rain Checks on November 1st. They had Monopoly and Scrabble on for $5 with none on the shelves. Halifax, NS.
Does Sears follow the Scanner Price Accuracy code?
Just to let you know Real Canadian Super Store price matches on everything not just baby items as you have listed. I haven’t tried the SCOP yet there. I use the Price Matching and coupons Only had one cashier try to tell me they could only Price Match as to what the picture showed in the flyer IE: picture showed Corn Flakes but then had her immediate supervisor tell her it was on the product Kellogs cereal no matter which on as long as same weight .
I live in Hamilton, ON and Freshco price matches. I don’t know if they are known by another name elsewhere. I have never had a problem there price matching or using coupons.
Scanners Code of Practice.
Today I went to Rexall/Pharma Plus (downtown Toronto) & purchased two box of cookies, different variety of same brand. 1 rang up @ $1.97 & the other @ $4.97. I only noticed after I paid. I went back & told them & they said they no participate in SCOP 🙁 Is there anyway to verify this with Upper Management? I understand the participation is voluntary but this is the first time they’ve told me this.
I got a rain check for mellita coffee at one of shoppers drug marts, Can I use this rain check at different SDM store. or should be the same one I’ve got it originally from
I wish Sport Chek followed SCOP. Everytime I am there I have to argue with them about prices. Also, we have a Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance membership which gives us 10% off at Sport Chek but no one there knows about it. The manager “never heard about it” and neither did their customer service when I called them. They had to call Canadian Tire Roadside and get the information even though I have a card with the instructions on how to process and the barcode to scan.
Sometimes saving money is such a pain!
Our No Frills does price matching but recently posted a notice that they are no longer price matching Giant Tiger or Shoppers Drug Mart as they are not considered “major grocery retailers”. Wondering if anyone else has had the same in their area?
Yes julie, we too
They price match just for walmart, food basic,loblaws,metro and another store i dont temember
Does stores in Alberta honor SCOP
I just bought a product at Rexall Pharma Plus but when I checked my receipt in the car, the sale price did not show. When I returned to the cashier and showed her the error (and the tag from the shelf which showed the sale price) she offered me the difference of $1.50 but refused to refund the $4.99 full cost. Said that the store does not participate in the Scanning Code of Conduct, when I asked about this. Was she right?