Although folks typically shop in person at CVS pharmacies, it’s possible to save far more by shopping online. Combining CVS coupon codes with the multitude of CVS promos will maximize your savings and reduce your cash outlay.
CVS is actually hoping you’ll head online to shop rather than walking in. This is because online consumers spend 2.4 times more than the traditional shopper, the company reported in early 2023. For that reason, CVS will “continue to innovate and expand digital offerings.”
In other words, expect to see more online savings opportunities, especially through CVS coupon codes.
So, how do CVS coupon codes work? Coupon codes at CVS can fetch various discounts, including free shipping, percentage off, or dollar amount reductions.
Some coupon codes may offer free shipping, for example. Other codes may take a percentage or a dollar amount off your total bill, such as $20 off $80 at checkout. And others may be used on specific purchases, such as $3 off a bottle of Tide liquid detergent or $30% off a hair accessory.
To locate the promo code box at CVS.com, simply go to your cart, and it’ll be underneath “Order Summary.” Copy and paste your code there for an instant markdown.
Before shopping at CVS.com, it’s best to plan your purchases strategically. The key is to search for CVS coupon codes before you start shopping at CVS.com. Head to a CVS coupon page to review all of the codes that have been issued so that you can plan out your shopping needs.
But coupon codes are only the beginning of big online savings.
The trick with CVS coupon codes is to use them in conjunction with or alongside other promotional programs.
CVS frequently alerts you to deals you may be interested in, based on your past purchases there. “CVS was a relatively early adopter of using machine learning to offer promotions,” says Mary Conran, professor of marketing at Temple University’s Fox School of Business. For example, “if you bought a brand of shampoo, based on incentives from the manufacturer (or those from a competitor) a coupon would be offered for replacement or complementary products,” she says.
At CVS, these stackable discounts include:
The free CVS ExtraCare Card is the company’s loyalty program. With an ExtraCare card, you can take advantage of weekly specials and earn a 2% rebate on most purchases. On your birthday, CVS will send you $3 in ExtraBucks to buy yourself a little present.
CVS offers a monthly $10 credit, which you can use like cash in-store or online, in exchange for paying $48/year or $5/month for its CarePass.
If you’ve ever wondered where to find the 20% off CVS Health brands discount, that’s also the CarePass program.
On top of the $10 that arrives in your CVS account like clockwork each month, the CarePass offers 20% off all CVS brand products, free shipping, and same-day prescription refills. For customers who can’t easily travel to a CVS store or who prefer to have orders delivered, CarePass can save time and money.
No matter how much you spend, you can save money off the top by buying CVS gift cards to use from websites that sell them at a discount. Sites like Raise allow you to earn credits on each gift card purchase while on eBay or other gift card discounting sites you simply pay less than face value for the card.
Customers who frequently buy beauty products or who have prescriptions refilled at CVS may want to sign up for the ExtraCare Beauty Club and Pharmacy & Health Rewards programs respectively.
The Beauty Club gives 10% in ExtraBucks for every month you spend at least $30 on beauty products, and the Pharmacy & Health Rewards program gives $5 in ExtraBucks after every 10 prescriptions you fill or refill. You can earn up to $50/year back through that program.
Some departments also have nearly constant discounts, such as CVS Photo coupons.
One program exclusively for service members or the family of members of the U.S. armed forces is CVS Veterans Advantage. Veterans Advantage members save 20% online and receive free shipping.
You can earn CVS ExtraBucks by joining the CVS Advisor Panel and providing feedback on CVS products and operations. Participation as an advisor involves completing emailed surveys. The payback is free ExtraBucks.
The good news? That endless list of deals that CVS prints on its receipts also can work at online checkout (the fine print will manage eligibility). When you’re ordering online at CVS.com, log into your CVS account, and easily apply those electronic coupons to your order.
Since CVS closely tracks what you purchase there, it’s likely the coupons in your account are for products and brands you’ve previously bought.
Ready to learn more advanced ways to save at CVS? Read our interview with expert Leah Ingram on her CVS superhacks, or our tell-all guide to stacking coupons.
Dr. Marcia Layton Turner is a bestselling author and ghostwriter and award-winning business writer whose credits include Businessweek, US News & World Report, Entrepreneur, Inc., Woman’s Day, Every Day With Rachael Ray, and Forbes.com, where she has been on the retail team for several years. She has authored, co-authored, or ghostwritten nearly 80 nonfiction books, including several about leading retailers. She contributes frequently to articles regarding finding the best deals on products as well as writing consumer product reviews. You can connect with her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcialaytonturner.
