Rite Aid changes logo

[Super S]

Noticing some other changes at Rite Aid lately in larger former Payless Stores:

1. Self checkout is being added; they have little tiny units that I have also seen at Wal Mart which are one screen and a scanner/printer right below the screen, very compact, no scale to weigh items as scanned... They basically take this unit (screen/scanner/printer only) and put on top of the existing counter and swivel in the direction of the customer to use (they also move the bag rack so it is on the customer side). Probably the cheapest implementation of self checkout I've ever seen. But I suppose it works. Same NCR software as Wal Mart, etc. use.

2. Sporting Goods/Camping category: discontinued and 75% off- I'm sure this didn't sell well...

3. Electronics category (was mostly chargers and alarm clocks and such): discontinued and 75% off

Oddly they still have a limited home and toys category (towels and such) and the shoe category.

In stock condition in Rite Aid is alarmingly bad. I am concerned.

I find it interesting that Rite Aid finds it necessary to add self-checkout, given that most of the time no more than 2 or 3 cashiers are necessary. Many times one cashier is sufficient. I hope they aren't shifting to using this instead of staffing cashiers...

As for the former PayLess stores, PayLess, and predecessors in my area Thrifty and Pay 'N Save, had a full sporting goods section including things like camping and fishing gear, and electronics included CDs and cassettes among other things. To this day, you can still see some products in the stores that aren't typical of Rite Aid, although Rite Aid has scaled these back considerably as some stores have been downsized.

Rite Aid has done some nice remodels in recent years and if they aren't careful they can quickly butcher things up.

[veteran+]

From what I have seen with them in areas that I have lived from San Diego to Los Angeles.....

1. They are the most expensive drug store of all

2. They have the worst customer service of all drug stores

3. Their stores seem to be larger than most

4. Their stores seem to be well stocked and cleaner than most

[TW-Upstate NY]

2. Sporting Goods/Camping category: discontinued and 75% off- I'm sure this didn't sell well...

3. Electronics category (was mostly chargers and alarm clocks and such): discontinued and 75% off

And even with those discounts, probably still higher than regular price at your average Target or Wal-Mart. I remember when drug stores were actually competitive on all kinds of items. Of course that was when you had many more strong regional chains. Now you pretty much have the "Big 3" of CVS, Walgreen's and weak sister Rite-Aid bringing up the rear.

[klkla]

Self checkout is being added; they have little tiny units that I have also seen at Wal Mart which are one screen and a scanner/printer right below the screen, very compact, no scale to weigh items as scanned... They basically take this unit (screen/scanner/printer only) and put on top of the existing counter and swivel in the direction of the customer to use (they also move the bag rack so it is on the customer side). Probably the cheapest implementation of self checkout I've ever seen.

I've seen that at RiteAid here in LA but I've never actually seen anyone use it.

[storewanderer]

I've seen that at RiteAid here in LA but I've never actually seen anyone use it.

As I was walking through the store near the front I heard the robot "thank you for shopping at Rite Aid" voice multiple times and kept thinking someone was messing with one of those shaver displays that you lift up to remove the product, but then I walked down that aisle and nobody was there and heard it then. I had no clue what it was the whole time as I did not see these self checkouts until I went up to pay for my purchase. While I paid, someone else was using the machine next to the one I was using. So at least when I was in the place, the machines were getting pretty constant use.

Rite Aid's shelf pricing is well below CVS across the board and they have far better ad price specials. Walgreens has lower everyday pricing on some items and higher on others; I have noticed some improvements in Walgreens shelf pricing lately on a handfull of items. They all have zone pricing (Walgreens has MANY zones; Rite Aid only has a couple; CVS seems to have quite a few too) but in the case of CVS the cheapest CVS is more expensive than the most expensive Rite Aid. Walgreens is all over the place with its zones.

[storewanderer]

As of today Rite Aid released additional clearance.

1. Photo Album category: all 75% off
2. Kitchen gadget category: almost all 75% off
3. Small kitchen appliance category: all 75% off (including water filters)
4. Sewing category: all clearance ranged 25-75% off
5. Shoe polish category: all clearance again this one ranged 25-75% off
6. Bath category (towels, shower caddy, soap dish, pillow, etc.) all 75% off

Wow...

This is like 1997 all over again in the large format former Payless Stores. I know times have changed and I'm sure these items did not sell well, but what will they do with the space?

[Super S]

For what it's worth, they have been consolidating some of the larger stores into smaller spaces in their remodels of the last few years, and that walled-off remaining space is going up for lease. In the past they had many areas of the large stores blocked off by shelving with nothing behind them and the smaller space at least makes the stores look like they are stocked better.

[mbz321]

As of today Rite Aid released additional clearance.

1. Photo Album category: all 75% off
2. Kitchen gadget category: almost all 75% off
3. Small kitchen appliance category: all 75% off (including water filters)
4. Sewing category: all clearance ranged 25-75% off
5. Shoe polish category: all clearance again this one ranged 25-75% off
6. Bath category (towels, shower caddy, soap dish, pillow, etc.) all 75% off

Definitely a chainwide clearance. I stopped in a PA store today looking for something else, and I saw a lot of kitchen gadgets/appliances and electronic items all marked down 75% off. It was already heavily picked over. Some things were super cheap, like electric coffee grinders and such for less than $5. (Also, I noticed a lot of 'Admiral' branded small appliances, lol). One store had a 19" Craig LED TV marked down to less than $40. No 'bath' category or things like sporting goods here, so I'm guessing it might be a change in suppliers.

[ClownLoach]

The new logo was going up on their Costa Mesa 17th St. Location a few days ago.

[storewanderer]

The new logo was going up on their Costa Mesa 17th St. Location a few days ago.

That probably means the store was remodeled...