I always wondered why CVS could offer such great coupons and figured it probably was because their prices were really high. I was bored today and decided to check. One $10 item on Amazon was $25.99 on CVS website. The second item I searched was $13.99 on Amazon and $30.99 at CVS. Finally, checked a third item and it was $7 at Costco and $11 CVS, so smaller, but the delta is still around 50%.. moral of the story is do your research! I basically have decided I will do no more shopping at CVS unless it’s a quick necessity.
Did you know CVS is 250% more expensive than Amazon
byu/Ok_Pair5551 inFrugal
Posted by Ok_Pair5551
33 Comments
I stopped shopping there last year. I noticed their high prices too. It isn’t worth it to drive there for a coupon price anymore.
The only thing I’ll ever get at CVS is prescription meds. That’s the one thing they’re usually a bit cheaper on.
CVS is great for extreme couponing. I can get a lot of items for really, really cheap or free there. But it takes a lot of effort.
Otherwise I’d never shop there unless I was desperate, like needing OTC medication at 4am and everything else is closed. Then I pay the convenience tax lol
Ha. And those online prices are “with the CVS care card”, add 8 dollars on top of that for in store pricing.
It’s an outdated business model, pharmacies are now add-ons to grocery stores and Walmarts and these specialty stores have been reduced to mini overpriced “health” stores that don’t carry much more than a couple aisles at Walmart.
I used to go to Rite Aid all the time. When the location in my town closed I went to the CVS and I left without getting what I went for. Was way too expensive.
Friend of mine had a leadership position at Walgreens )I know this is about cvs). they have a lot of overhead and they know they when you are sick you’ll pay.
I get my prescriptions there now that Rite-Aid is pulling a Blockbuster.
With my insurance they’re actually surprisingly cheap in comparison(like… half as much). It’s not super expensive meds though, just mental health stuff because I’m nuts, so it’s less impressive than it sounds.
Yes and the same for Walgreens too. There are some deals to be had, but they are few and far between. Even when things are on sale, they are way more expensive than almost any store.
As part of my Aetna health plan, I have a $25/quarter OTC benefit. It’s a subset of CVS products that you can choose from, and of course I’m using it because I’m not leaving free stuff on the table. But I make sure I spend exactly $25, and I’m astounded by how little I actually get for that $25.
convenience stores are always more expensive. do they not teach y’all this?
I use it for the deals. I can often get items for free and I stick up. Can do with toothpaste a lot
they charged me 3x what was recommended but I was in pain and filled it anyway
I used to shop there all the time. But it seems they are out of things I need or I don’t want to hassle with getting what I need out of a locked case. For cosmetics/skin care I do better at Ulta. I only use Amazon if I can’t get something local.
But does CVS require you to pay $140+ in annual fees? If you’re not an Amazon prime member, you still have to pay for shipping, AFAIK.
Additionally, I’ve noticed that CVS online prices are sometimes more expensive than in-person. They also don’t have the vast shipping infrastructure.
Besides, I’ve gotten fakes and almost-expired vitamins and sunscreen when going through Amazon. If I go in person, I have some guarantee about getting authentic products, like La Roche-Posay, and can check expiration dates. Plus, if I’m getting makeup, photos are terrible about capturing true colors so it’s easier to go in person.
Furthermore, Amazon’s model is to come in cheap and undercut other manufacturers, then, when they have a good hold on the market, they increase the prices. Rite Aid is already going out of business. If CVS, Walgreens, etc are also taken down, who will compete with Amazon for fair prices?
I stock up on basics at CVS when there’s a sale, and it’ll often beat Amazon’s prices. Like earlier this summer I bought 4 Coppertone sunscreens (I’m outdoors year-round). I want to say it was BOGO free + $5 off the next purchase. Bought the first two for $13, then bought the second two for $8. Amazon’s cheapest price for the same product was at least $10 each. $21 v $40.
Costco membership is $60/year, but the savings from buying OTC meds, vitamins, and prescription there more than makes up for it, plus it’s not money in Bezos’ diamond-lined pocket.
I’ve never been a CVS shopper. I’ve used them a few times for prescriptions and have always been annoyed at how high priced everything seemed to be (although, if you get their store card and buy 2 of something they’ll give you the 2nd one for half off – what a deal!).
Dont ever buy tools off amazon without checking Home Depot.
I’m not here to defend cvs, but I’m not gonna risk getting dupes or fakes for certain items at Amazon. It’s rampant for skincare at least.
They sell name brand cereal for 1.99 basically on the regular.
There’s no clause or policy where you have to buy a non sale item for every sale item you buy.
Don’t buy the high priced things, buy the sale or inexpensive things. That’s it.
There are items in Walmart that at times are absurdly higher priced too.
Believe it or not, while shopping on Amazon, there was a 24 pack of cherry Pepsi cream soda that was $11.something and then the same pack of Pepsi as another option next to it but was 64.50.
I was trying to make heads or tails of it, then contacted support to see if I was missing something or what. Support agent was equally confused and saw nothing different between the two boxes of soda.
Could it have been a sneaky attempt to make someone pay for misclicking or not paying enough attention, maybe. Could it have been a mistake by the seller, maybe.
It’s not hard to find a price gouged item on Amazon along with the least expensive version of that item as well.
My point is; you might as well be complaining about having to wear socks but it’s not fair you have to change your socks still.
I’m convinced you are paid by Amazon to make posts like this. Because it is grasping at straws while splitting hairs.
Never, ever buy Normal stuff at a drug store. That’s how they get you.
cvs has amazing coupons on their app. i go there at least once a week and never pay full price for anything. also i’m pretty sure cvs doesn’t horrendously exploit their employees, just saying
I buy pop and cereal from Amazon. Most of the time they have popular brand pop 12 pack of cans for $5-7 and the brand name cereal is usually $4. I also buy it on subscribe and save which is free shipping over $35, no membership required.
I stopped in to get some photos I ordered online. I was looking around for a snack while I was there and everything was ridiculously high priced. A jar of Planter’s peanuts was over $6. Literally a grocery store next door that has them for half that.
CVS and other drugstore charge convenience store prices. Film at 11.
Well, it’s not like “CVS” is an acronym for Consumer Value Store or anything.
*checks notes*
Wait, this can’t be right…
Obviously, so is vons and Albertsons
You have to use the app and be mindful of the coupons.
I got 5 men’s deodorants for $11 mailed to my house due to multiple coupons.
I also get baby formula for slightly cheaper than Costco after a 40% coupon.
I just bought soap at CVS. 1.15/bar amazon was 5.50/bar
CVS is amazing for couponing. You can stack a million coupons and it brings your total down to basically nothing if you time it right.
CVS is basically an overpriced convenience store. Sometimes I pop in if I need to buy a drink while walking somewhere, but that’s about it.
Consumer Value Stores. Too bad they forgot who they were.
yeah but my money isn’t going to Jeff.
I buy my Roc products with the coupons and they are half the price of anywhere else. It is not a grocery store. It is a convenience store with drugs.
Are you surprised? IIRC, world’s shittiest insurance company Aetna bought them a few years ago.