CVS Gives Loyalty Members Something Extra

CVS/pharmacy is bucking up its ExtraCare loyalty program with a little instant gratification.

The drugstore chain has added Extra Bucks Now, letting its 50 million members earn rewards immediately instead of waiting two days for their purchase points to accrue.

ExtraCare members are also getting more tailored offers through in-store kiosks that have been unveiled in Western stores and are now rolling out to more of CVS/pharmacy’s 6,200 stores.

With Extra Bucks Now, members get their “bucks”—certificates they can redeem for anything but prescriptions—immediately at checkout, when they buy a product that qualifies. In the past, members had to wait two days to get their “bucks” with their next visit.

Shoppers also get two cents back for every dollar spent (and $1 back for every two prescriptions filled) through ExtraCare. Those extra “bucks” are issued quarterly, in addition to the instant credit that members earn on qualifying purchases.

The new service coincides with another enhancement that CVS/pharmacy is making to the six-year-old program. In-store kiosks, called ExtraCare Coupon Centers, let members swipe their card to receive tailored offers based on their past purchase history. Members can also use the kiosks to collect Extra Bucks certificates. The kiosks are up now in stores in Arizona, California and Nevada, and will roll out to additional markets later this year.