Rewards programs are prevalent within most stores these days. They range from exceptionally generous to downright pointless.
However, if you pick the right store with a good program, you can save a lot of money with the discounts and rewards you get. Almost always, these programs are free to join.
CVS is a huge retail chain that you would expect to have a rewards program. However, as many people know, a rewards program may not offer any real benefit to make you pick a store over other similar stores in the area.
So keep reading to find out everything you need to know about the CVS rewards program.
Does CVS Have A Rewards Program?
CVS has a rewards program called ExtraCare which was revamped in July 2021 to provide even more benefits. The program is free to join; however, you can join additional rewards programs that may cost money. You can apply online or in-store for the rewards program and start using it immediately.
CVS also offers three additional rewards or benefits programs. First, BeautyClub allows you to earn more on beauty products. Pharmacy & Health when you purchase prescriptions.
CarePass gives you same-day delivery and discounts on CVS branded medication; however, it costs to join this program.
The CVS rewards programs can leave customers confused. Rather than having a single program, they have split things up, and you need ExtraCare as the base and then additional programs on top of that.
So customers need to understand what they’re getting with ExtraCare.
How Does CVS’s ExtraCare Work?
CVS ExtraCare rewards program’s primary benefit is that it offers a 2% reward on most of your purchases. So when purchasing, as long as you use your card or the mobile app to attach your purchase to your account, you will start accumulating 2% of the transaction towards your points.
You can then use your points towards most products in-store, except for things like alcohol, gift cards, service fees, and similar items.
You can also accumulate points when you purchase through Instacart or Shipt as long as you attach your rewards card to your account.
One unfortunate part of the rewards program is that points expire, and you can’t stop them from expiring. Ninety days after the end of the quarter you get your points, they will disappear.
So you must use your points in that timeframe, or you’ll lose them.
Customers shopping around different rewards programs will want to know what other benefits you can get with ExtraCare. This information will help you determine if CVS is the best store to spend your money in.
What Are the Benefits of CVS’s ExtraCare?
CVS ExtraCare program has several additional benefits on top of the points you can earn. Thus, making it a comparable rewards program to many others out there. It doesn’t offer too much more or less than others, though their 2% points are higher than many other stores.
- 2% of your purchase price back in points.
- $3 on your birthday
- Weekly deals are available to you. You need the mobile app to benefit from this.
- Personalized deals and discounts emailed or texted to you.
Sign up for additional options with ExtraCare.
- Spend $30 and get $3 back when signed up to the BeautyClub
- Earn up to $50 just from filling your prescriptions every year with Pharmacy and Health rewards
- Same-day delivery and 20% discounts on CVS brand prescriptions. However, this costs $5 per month to join.
With the benefits clear, customers need to understand what they can actually get with their rewards and benefits in the ExtraCare program.
What Can I Get with CVS’s ExtraCare?
CVS ExtraCare can be used to redeem products with the points you’ve been earning. This includes almost any product in-store, except for some standard items and services. So understanding what you can’t earn points on or use points on will help you determine everything you can buy.
- Alcohol
- Bag fees
- Bottle deposits
- Transit passes
- CVS membership fees
- Some vision products
- CVS Photo purchases
- CVS promotional items
- Faxes
- Gift cards
- Hunting and fishing licenses
- Lottery
- Dairy products
- Money orders
- Newspapers and magazines
- Packaging services
- Photocopies
- Postage stamps
- Prepaid cards
- Prepaid phones
- Prescriptions and copays
- Pseudoephedrine or ephedrine products
- Third-party marketplaces like DoorDash
- Rug doctor rentals
- Any government fees
Knowing what you can purchase, customers will be eager to determine how much the CVS ExtraCare bucks are worth. You can then compare and decide if the rewards program is worth using heavily.
How Much Are the CVS ExtraCare Points Worth?
CVS ExtraCare gives you 2% back on most of your purchases. These ExtraBucks are worth $1, so if you’ve got 50 ExtraBucks, then you have $50 to spend at CVS on most things.
ExtraBucks expire within 90 days of the end of the quarter you earned them in. You can not extend the life of your rewards points.
Customers are likely frustrated that they can’t accumulate ExtraBucks for longer, meaning larger purchases will be challenging to make. So fully understanding how you use your points will be crucial not to waste them.
How Can I Use CVS’s ExtraCare Points?
ExtraCare points can be used online or in-store simply by scanning your card or mobile app. Once scanned, you will be provided the option to use any ExtraBucks available towards your purchase. If you decline, you can keep accumulating them.
Unlike some stores, you can use your ExtraBucks for as many purchases as you like while they’re valid. So if you want to use $5 on a purchase and keep $45 for another day, that is possible.
So keep that in mind with expiring points; use them for anything before they expire.
With points expiring and customers being frustrated with this, CVS customers hope there will be some kind of annual reward or benefit you can use or even put your points towards.
Does CVS Give Annual Rewards?
CVS does not provide any kind of annual rewards program. The only benefit you get every year is your birthday gift, which is a minimal $3 in rewards points with CVS.
This birthday gift is less fairly minimal and shouldn’t be a deciding factor in using the program.
Does CVS Still Have The ExtraCare Rewards Program in 2024?
CVS provides multiple reward programs, but the ExtraCare base program is required before opting into or paying to join them. The program is free and offers reasonable rewards when compared with other stores. Their points expire, but they give you more points than other stores to make up for that.
There is no reason not to join the CVS ExtraCare program. However, because their points expire pretty quickly, you will need to determine how often you will be using the points to see if you should spend much money at CVS.
Although many other stores give you one year, and points can accumulate as long as your account is active, this is not the case for CVS.
Benjamin is a certified financial advisor, with over 10 years of experience in the industry. He is knowledgeable about various business and financial topics, such as retirement planning and investment management. Ben has been recognized for his work in the financial planning industry. He has also been featured in various publications.