The New Publix Raincheck Policy You Need To Know

Alright already! If you have been following me for any length of time, then you’ll know I don’t give in to any coupon drama.

There have been some rumors floating around about Publix issuing a new Raincheck Policy. So I got some official clarification on the new policy in order to make it easy to interpret and use.

SPOILER ALERT: I am diffusing the drama and telling you exactly what the policy is and my interpretation of the policy so that you can use it with confidence, knowing that Publix is still a wonderful place to use coupons and in my opinion the easiest place to shop for groceries.

What Is A Rain Check?

When an item is on sale yet they are out of stock at the store, the customer service team will issue rain checks for the item so that you can come back once the sale has ended and still get the sale price.

Essentially, the rain check extends the sale in order for you to come back and get the sale when they have the product back in stock.

Rain Checks Are Issued On All “Advertised” Sale Items

Rain Check are only issued for items that are advertised outside the store at a reduced retail price. That means they must be listed in their Weekly Ad, in their Purple or Green Sales Flyers, listed on TV or on the Radio or in a Mailer or advertised on their Website.

This means they will NOT ISSUE a Rain Check on an unadvertised sale, or a Regular Price Item.

The Official Publix Raincheck Policy:

We will issue only one rain check per day per household for any one item or deal on promotion.
{This means it is now in the Policy not to go to multiple stores to get more than one raincheck because they are limited to ONE PER HOUSEHOLD}

A rain check may be redeemed at any Publix location offering that product.
{I LOVE that they are including this right ON the policy itself because I get asked this all the time, so I’m sure they do too and it sure is nice to now have a solid answer!}

A rain check must be redeemed within 30 days of the issue date.
{The rain checks have always had a 30 day expiration date, so this is no big change. HOWEVER, they have now clarified that they WILL REISSUE the customer a new rain check if theirs is about to expire and they can’t get the product back in stock. Who wouldn’t LOVE to shop there?!!}

Rain checks will be redeemed only for the retail price of the item in effect when the rain check was issued.
{THIS IS THE BIG CHANGE. There is a whole strategy that scammers use to take advantage of using Rain Checks on items once the price goes lower in order to benefit from the timing of two different deals. This means customers will not be able to do that any longer because the price on the Rain Check will replace whatever the current price is that rings up in the register.}

Here’s an example to further clarify: Let’s say you go to buy an item on sale BOGO $3.99 and they are out of the product so they issue you a Rain Check. Two weeks later you go to the store and the item is on sale for $3. When you hand the cashier your Rain Check, sometimes they would just ring it up at the $3 price and then adjust the second item to a $0 price. Some people would take advantage of this in order to only pay $3 for two items instead of paying $3.99. They were cheating the system and this new policy clarify’s that the cashier needs to use the retail price of the item written on the rain check.

We will issue rain checks for up to 8 single items, or for up to 4 deals, not to exceed 20 items.
{This means you cannot get Rain Checks for more than 20 different items total. You can still get multiple Rain Checks for different products, but if you have a large family like me and you get the maximum of 8 items on each Rain Check, then they will only write rain checks for 20 items total. For my family, that means I can only get two Rain Checks with 8 items and a third Rain Check with 4 items in order to reach 20 items total.

The most confusing part is when they have a sale that is 10 items for $10. If the product is out of stock, you will only be allowed to get 8 items on a Rain Check, you will not be allowed to buy 10. It’s a bummer, I know. However, always remember that sales cycle back around again, so you will be able to get it next time!}

A rain check must be redeemed for the exact product it was issued for, as described on the rain check.
{When you go to redeem the Rain Check, it needs to match the exact product that it was issued for. This is no surprise and should’ve been the same thing you were doing before.}

Rain checks are intended only for single use. If the full rain check is not redeemed, the remaining items are forfeited.
{This is better clarity on an issue that was never truly clear before. Essentially, you do NOT want to use the Rain Check before ALL the items are there. And if the Rain Check is about to expire then you’ll just need to have them reissue it for you to extend the expiration date.}

We will not issue rain checks for Publix, competitor, or manufacturer coupons.
{This means if a regular price item happens to be a good deal with a Publix Coupon that is about to expire, they will not issue a Rain Check to extend the life of the Publix Coupon. You are out of luck after that coupon expires.}

Rain checks are nontransferable.
{You cannot get a Rain Check to give to a friend. They need to get their own.}

A rain check may not be redeemed if it is illegible, or is lost, stolen, or destroyed.
{Keep your Rain Check in a safe place.}

What If My Coupon Expires Before I Use My Rain Check?

This was my first worry when I heard that Publix was changing their Rain Check Policy.

But there is NO REASON to worry.

So long as the coupon was good (not expired) when the Rain Check was issued, then Publix WILL STILL ACCEPT the expired coupon. Yayyyhoooo!

The Bottom Line

I really feel like this updated Rain Check Policy is simply clarifying repetitive questions that customers were bringing up as well as stating in writing some things that unethical couponers were taking advantage of.

For any True Couponer’s I don’t think that this new policy will be an issue at all!

No need to panic, Publix still loves us couponers and we have nothing to worry about!! Keep using those Rain Checks to extend your deals and make life easy when products are out of stock.

YOUR TURN: What do you think? Are you worried about anything they changed? Please comment below!