Why Walgreens And CVS Are Shutting Down Thousands Of Stores

[@Distortion0]

"We jacked up prices and made customer service worse, why is our business failing!?"

[@Bhulk79]

They also can't sell opiods anymore so yeah it's a problem

[@beckyshell4649]

I worked in Walmart pharmacy for several years until April 2021. The DEA monitors the percentage of opioids a store sells . When our Walgreens got blocked from selling opioids all of their customers would come flooding our store. The pharmacist would make them transfer all of their prescriptions before they would fill the opioids . Walmart didn’t try to be the cheapest on their controlled substances and they were never well stocked. So they were not the go to for controlled drugs.The opioid crisis was’ blamed’ on pharmacies not the Doctors who were writing the prescriptions.

[@sketchitoutstudios]

You figured it out. Sadly once you have over $500,0000 in your bank account your brain doesn't work the same as those who barely have $500

[@Haibing22]

Must be China!

[@Crismodin]

You should see what their internal user service is like, CVS was horrific internally.

[@bluecube7247]

1 employee to stock shelves, run photo center, be cashier, do online shopping, help customers, pull old product... ONE PERSON

[@marielyloera7830]

Finally someone said it! Literally one person does everything! It’s hard for one person to do everything

[@ThatsOPV]

I quit working at office depot because within 1 week they had me doing literally all of that and IT help. and i wasnt even salary. they shut down within a few weeks after i left.

[@FindTheTRUTH337]

RIDICULOUS!

[@Kehwanna]

I guess companies are taking notes from dollar stores being operated by one or two people.

[@MrVariant]

Lol hold my beer dollar tree 😂

[@kaylaEA_]

Not only did they lock up the soap, they reduced staff so the person the responds to your request to unlock is the same person restocking and checking out customers.

[@dianapennepacker6854]

I worked at Rite Aid as it closed. We locked up stuff based on what was stolen. It definitely sucked having to unlock during a rush, and trust me when I say we hated it just as much. Yet they are put there due to all the wild crap people steal! One reason why places like CVS don't want to open up in urban neighborhoods is due to way those neighborhoods treat retail. It isn't worth it when there is so much theft or crime, and overall less profit.

[@Jay-jb2vr]

Urban neighborhoods tend to be poor and economically neglected.

[@mauricemaurice123]

😂

[@catacocamping874]

Dang sorry to hear you live in another country us in the 48 states don’t lock things up

[@Guzmania]

Just wondering where you are. Its all locked up too here in NY

[@Inferno5150]

I don't get why whenever a chain starts closing stores, or chains that already failed, these "analysts" always say "the stores look the same as they did thirty years ago" . . as if THAT'S the problem. Whenever a store goes down, the people I talk to always say, "I quit going there because it was dirty, and poor customer service, and high prices". Nobody ever says "Well. they haven't remodeled the place so I quit going"

[@tiffsmith1698]

0

[@kusonoqui]

I actually like that they don’t change.

[@Inferno5150]

@@kusonoqui me too

[@kusonoqui]

@@Inferno5150 🤝

[@patrickmeyer9419]

Exactly

[@TorgoHiggins]

As a nearly 15-year employee with one of the two big chains, all of this fallout is entirely self-inflicted by pure, unmitigated greed and overreach.

[@danaustin5869]

So they are so greedy that they'd rather shut down and make ZERO profit? How do the evil greedy chains make money when all their stores are closed?

[@Hubjeep]

A 10 pack of Trojan condoms is $16.99 at CVS, that same product is $7.99 at Target.

[@danaustin5869]

@@Hubjeep So CVS WANTS to go out of business? They are so greedy that they want ZERO profit?

[@Lesrevesdhiver]

@@Hubjeep

[@Lesrevesdhiver]

How did either of them stay afloat since the late 90's? They have always been seriously overpriced. They have never really offered anything special. Some over priced businesses have other perks for going there but not those two.

[@hometowngirl93]

Walgreens treats their store staff awfully. They cut hours every month but expect staff to do the same amount of labor. The pharmacies are staffed even worse.

[@davecorrea2686]

As Ex Employee who worked there for a couple of months. I can tell you that the way they treated their employers did not help

[@rudy_dstroys1821]

I was a pharmacy tech at a walgreens. Highly stressful. Only lasted about 6 months before calling it quits.

[@arthurswanson3285]

The lines at Walgreens are as long as a Taylor swift concert ticket line.

[@WZD10016]

Walgreens knows that their Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians have very few Employment options . Subsequently, treat them like dirt.

[@globalfamily8172]

CVS is worse.

[@mylesfranklin6987]

If you ever consistently shopped at these stores, you're either rich or bad with money. The markups are ridiculous!!

[@officiallydenise]

Or a couponer but not many ppl coupon and I do t blame them because it’s time consuming and sometimes you don’t save money, you lose it if you don’t know what you’re doing. There’s also walgreen rewards which I used and it helped bring things to a “normal price” but otherwise it is a very overpriced store. It’s very clean and nice to shop at but not ideal for the average American.

[@swampsprite9]

They left out that Amazon and Walmart are taking over plus inflation has made CVS and Walgreen mark ups worse than they already were (or maybe they said that; i didn't watch the whole thing).

[@ruthreddick8369]

These are the stores around us!!

[@rcstl8815]

Sometimes convenience is worth a bit. Anybody else need batteries or diapers on a big holiday?

[@mostaanroya]

WE NEED A BUKELE, not these corrupt criminal politicians

[@Protopat_Prints]

Those stores really have become a pain in the butt. You can never find an employee because they cut staff so bad and you always need an employee because the case is locked

[@andrewquinn6634]

Yes, annoying

[@micheleslaughter1324]

No insurance should be able to dictate where you can fill your prescription. It let's conglomerates suffocate competion.

[@justicedemocrat9357]

If you don't like it then don't buy insurance.

[@elchamber]

There is definitely something shady. I heard CVS once filled prescription that no one asked for just to get the money for the prescription. That’s why I turned off their auto-refill. They kept pushing the feature, and I made it clear I don’t want it if I’ll use another pharmacy.

[@JustSheaShea]

I have no insurance and my kid got pink eye one weekend . Sent prescription to Walgreens but their pharmacy was closed for the weekend. Called the pediatrician back and had it sent to Kroger. Got it filled the same day and a discount on the prescription. Only had to pay $11.

[@saranegrete-xj5lv]

@@JustSheaSheathat literally almost never happens in the US. I have a script that costs 25k a month, you get your ass I have insurance.

[@AdroneZ1480]

My insurance requires me to go to CVS for free refills. I end up paying for my refills at Safeway because CVS is ghetto and no one wants to go there.

[@i.m.7777]

I quit shopping at CVS and Walgreens over a decade ago, if not longer. Why in the world would I pay such high prices when I can get the same item at Walmart or Costco for a fraction of their prices? I went into CVS to get a flu shot last season and couldn't get over the prices. The markups are astronomical!

[@mrcpaddler]

CVS & Walgreens have to offset the cost of shoplifting. They put stores in locations that would be convenient; next to bus-stops, at transit hubs, along major streets. The thinking was that they would attract more customers. What they didn't anticipate was the disintegration of law and order. The US is much different today than it was 30 years ago.

[@ewauksonian]

​@@mrcpaddler CVS and Walgreens don't primarily make their money in merchandise sales. Their primary source of revenue, especially Walgreens, is retail pharmacy. So long as they made money there, the non-pharmacy is secondary. The problem for them is, mail order pharmacies are taking over their sales. CVS has already pivoted well, but Walgreens has not.

[@cmorris9494]

I went there for tens pads. It's $20 for 3. I can get 40 at Amazon for that price. Tens are an electric message device.

[@SteveWiIIDolt]

​@@ewauksonian less than 10% of prescriptions are sent by mail. Mail order pharmacy has been around for decades and most people don't want it.

[@mikemaybe5999]

Walgreens isn’t as bad cvs is high

[@fuzzyschwartz]

Walgreens bought the drugstore in my hometown only to just shut it down and transferring all the prescription data to a store that was 20 miles away. Their plan backfired when a citizen of our small town was going to school to be a pharmacist they graduated the same year Walgreens did this. They then opened up a drugstore across the street from the drugstore that Walgreens bought and now sits empty.

[@black4vcobra]

Amazing way for the community to stick it to Walgreens and also make that pharmacist filthy rich.

[@6floormadness]

@@black4vcobrai wouldn’t say filthy rich maybe breaking even it’s alot of work and getting insurance contracts that you don’t lose money on average pharmacy loses on a mounjaro prescription

[@breal7277]

Must have been some wealthy citizen-turned-pharmacist. How do you open a pharmacy fresh out of school? Just the insurance itself is astronomical, let alone rent/buy a storefront.

[@kkit8629]

​@@black4vcobranot even back even possible given premiums one needs to pay for the medicines., as they are contractual. Corporate company waits until pharmacist shop gets burden in bills & Swoop it up in cheap prices after all the construction/Land value. Been seeing this for years, as a guy from financially affluent family from red state that used to own pharmacy license.,One thing I can say is counties are getting deserted as there's no jobs & Even pharmacy runs in loss as customers don't have 💰, So no company wants to place their business.

[@MrLuffy9131]

@@6floormadness I thought PBMs screw independents

[@BrooksBray]

They're blaming it on inflation. Why people have no money? It couldn't simply be because every single corporation that's in the retail business is price gouging. And shrinkflation is out of control. Nope, couldn't be that. Yeah it's definitely theft. That's why. When you can, go behind a Walgreens and look through the dumpster and see thousands of dollars of merchandise in the dumpster instead of selling it or giving it to needy people. Absolute greed.

[@plasticwax]

I worked at Walgreens for 12 years. Corporate used shrinkage as part of unrealistic profit goals to not give raises while store managers and upper management were given ridiculously high bonuses. When they went to a rewards program, employees were highly stressed to push that over keeping customers happy. We were pushed to get as much customer information as possible while getting yelled at on a daily basis. Chain/corporate pharmacies are terrible. The pharmaceutical control over this government should sincerely be investigated. But that'll never happen.

[@justicedemocrat9357]

It's kinda your fault for not quitting.

[@elchamber]

I remember a store manager’s Audi was hit by a customer. I was like, she has an Audi, while her employees get paid terrible with less hours. No wonder it’s always a new employee at these places. Chains don’t really care about customer service any more. They’re using that tactic of not having enough employees in their store as “profit.” It’s not profit but just paying the “blinds only” in a poker game. You can with but watch you lose the game slowly.

[@brudoery9621]

@@elchamber Harvesting data and customer information is disgusting and should be stopped.

[@peppersaltman1805]

I appreciate reading your story. It is good to tell people what's going on behind the scenes. News will never tell you what's happening.

[@alexs1640]

​@justicedemocrat9357 such a dumb take. How would them quitting change this pervasive work environment that is everywhere?

[@wobblemind]

The pharmacies in the US are weird. In most other countries, you find them everywhere and they're private and small practices. The corporate bs has got to stop.

[@larryc1616]

We do have alot of small, private pharmacies but they're inconvenient because they don't stock controlled meds so you have to wait weeks if they can get it at all. The large corporate chains are always fully stocked

[@arcatacompany]

the smaller personal pharmacies are here too all over America pretty much every street corner, but as you pointed out they're extremely private and small usually one person and they don't have signs and the way it works instead of a storefront you basically just kind of stand around and that person will walk up to you and they'll provide whatever type of pharmaceutical or drug that you're looking for, and they usually don't have fixed rates they have pretty reasonable prices if you shop around you'll see there's a lot of competitive single small businesses on the same street that might also approached you and😅😅😅😅

[@Barrett_Jesus]

Everything here in the USA is design to have a short life span, that means you too.

[@xeux-i3]

Walgreens is the WORST pharmacy ever. In my own town, a senior pharmacy staffer has shown to be so incompetent and dishonest. Treating people like she was their doctor. I will move to Walmart Pharmacy or Amazon Pharmacy.

[@erikthorne]

In North Dakota the pharmacist has to own the store. It came up for a vote to let Walgreens and CVS open stores and the people said no.

[@SNi-hn1wd]

My family-owned, locally-owned pharmacy closed last year. I'm still not over the loss. I never had to tell them who I was, or give them a number. I could just go once a month and they'd have my prescriptions ready for me. And they watched over what my doctor prescribed like a hawk. At one point, my doc and I Dec to TRY a penicillin drug, knowing I was, at one time, allergic to it. Just wanted to try. The employees at the pharmacy were alarmed, and called me at home several times while I took the med. You don't see that with big, corporate pharmacies.

[@hadrianaugustus5712]

Why are there 3 cvs’s in North Dakota then?

[@focussport]

@@hadrianaugustus5712maybe the pharmacist owns them

[@rdelrosso1973]

@@SNi-hn1wd When I lived in Brooklyn, NYC for over 37 years, all the time there I went to "Silver Rod Pharmacy", owned by the same family since 1928. They always gave very "personal" service and were always very knowledgable about Drug Interactions, etc.

[@erikthorne]

@@hadrianaugustus5712 Franchises.

[@Thefallofcapitalismishere]

Their prices are so ridiculous, it's a miracle it took this long.

[@jessicab331]

Seriously… I only go there for emergencies and that generally only on Holidays because most aren’t even 24hrs anymore!

[@tommcfadden5232]

And once they’re gone the market will be further concentrated. Only a matter of time before Walmart and Amazon raise their prices.

[@marielyloera7830]

As a cashier that works at a Walgreens I agree because it is expensive demais de expensive,,,, and they always push the credit cards onto us workers

[@jmialtacct]

This - the story of pharmacy chains, insurance and PBMs - does not explain the overall exorbitant level of prices in the US. In my country, full retail price for big-brand drugs is much less than an insured American will co-pay in the US. So how come Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Merck et al. charge the Americans 10 to 100 times more than they do elsewhere (and still making profits) - ?

[@jsonjsoff]

The prices for everything are high. We have economic terrorists occupying the govt. Unleash American energy and all of a sudden things get easier. Just that simple.

[@joshuam6975]

Worked at Walgreens for 7 years and watched the seeds of this downfall. It all starts with someone up top needing to make more money than the guy they replaced so they cut hours, cut benefits, etc. and now no one wants to work for them or buy from them.

[@Healthy_Toki]

The worship of growth instead of stability is a mental virus that's destroying our society.

[@noneyun9943]

My niece worked up to manager, and then when she got hurt they refused to pay because they claimed what she was doing wasn’t in her work description! Never mind that they don’t hire or staff enough people to do everything in the store! She worked for them for 7 yrs, and was doing a great job. It’s sad they treated her like trash

[@chriscampbell9191]

I knew at least two people who worked at Walgreens and they didn't have a lot of good things to say about how the company treated its workers.

[@morbward8281]

And too many DEI hires. Go WOKE go broke.

[@zebra00024]

"Someone at top" just follows what economy dictates. Biden economy is bad, wait for Kamala "economy".

[@blakeevans9053]

I’m not gonna say how I know this but , they have cut back the amount of employees so much that it has become near impossible to provide excellent quality customer service. Employees are overworked, over tasked and underpaid.

[@patriciaturnham453]

My daughter works for CVS, and they have 2 massive problems - high front of house prices, and massive mismanagement by corporate of the pharmacies. The company just instituted a new phone system that makes it impossible for a customer to speak with a human. They regulate worker hours, so there are not enough people to keep up with prescriptions. This is clearly a failure of management.

[@KevinYau-v7i]

You're missing something in that a permissive judical/prosecutorial/enforcenent environment that actually enables & encourages shoplifting. Ever growing levels of shoplifting that defacto & dejure unchecked driving out pharmacies.😊

[@SherryHill-k5y]

Trying to call the pharmacy takes forever-- and you still don't get a person. You have to leave a message and they do call back.

[@JTA1961]

@@KevinYau-v7i that should be on the side of their cars... Enables & encourage CRIME

[@Healthy_Toki]

​@@KevinYau-v7i you got numbers to back that up or are we talkin vibes here? From what I can tell most retail theft losses come higher up the supply chain (warehouse, shipment diversions, stock room employee inside jobs) and shoplifting has been declining overall for decades rather than being 'ever growing' despite what the talking head FUD spreaders have to say.

[@KevinYau-v7i]

@Healthy_Toki Not a Yank, Singaporean. No hard numbers. What you assert might well be so, my response is that do you, yourself, have hard numbers yourself to justify your assertion. That is primarily upstream thievery that the main culprit & not downstream unimpeded unchallenge shoplifting in a permissive enforcement environment that actually shields & foster it. Assuming you're right. However, the system has baked it in & learned to live with it. It would impact on the stores with corresponding higher sales volume. Now getting back to my hypothesis. It's simplicity itself by deductive logic to make that determination. Map of stores that operate in jurisdictions where the rules are actually enforced & for minor petty crime of low value shoplifting, the proportion of arrested that served time is high. Contrast it against map of stores that operate in woke liberal jurisdiction that do no such thing. Acessement of it should quite probably indicate (am pretty sure it be at least a 3 sigma confidence that am right in my hypothesis) that the bulk/vast overwhelming majority of pharma stores closures will be in jurisdiction that treat petty low level shoplifting as non arrestable, no time served, minor civil misdemeanours even if repeatedly targeting a store. That is my assertion, hypothesis & narrative. Unless you are living off grid in some cave in an atoll island in the West Pacific, you would not have challenged my narrative. Do not deny the evidence of thine own eyes & ears, Yankee Doddle. Gaslighting does not help your cause of addressing societal class inequities. Capiche 1984 Newspeak & gaslighting Yankee Doddle

[@cabojacks5106]

They advertise sales on the shelves but when you check out at the register, you learn that you need an e-coupon to get the sale price, then you need a Walgreens member card to get their mid price otherwise you pay the max price which is higher than any other retail store. Why would I want to shop at Walgreens?

[@shanaynay333]

Payless/Kroger does this too. It's so annoying.

[@LaurenRussellElizabeth]

Thank you! 👏👏

[@lisabrightly]

Why didn't you just sign up for their member rebate with your phone number? Its quick and easy to sign up. Signing up gives you great rewards and discounts. I've been using it for twenty years and it's always been worth it.

[@isimonsez]

@@lisabrightlyfocus! The issue is how they make people jump thru hoops and give them bits of personal information BEFORE they allow you to save a few cents

[@JFDavis-lq1bp]

​@@lisabrightlyOr just go to a store that doesn't play games with you

[@P23ABQ]

Corporate chain pharmacies are exploitative, miserable s***holes that deserve to close. My time working at Walgreens was a nightmare for both staff and customers alike. These places epitomize everything wrong with corporate greed: they pay their employees poverty wages while price-gouging customers on life-saving medications. Their policies are a joke - they'll shrug off hundreds of dollars in shoplifting losses, but god forbid they add a few extra labor hours to help the overwhelmed pharmacy staff. It's a system designed to squeeze every last penny of profit at the expense of workers and patients!

[@greatlife2763]

Good luck with your high unemployment rate.

[@jonathankessler7436]

the last thing a business will typically do is raise wages or increase hours. This is viewed badly as it is a permanent cost increase. Similarly, whenever costs need to be cut, the first cost cutting measures are cutting hours and freezing wages.

[@senmcquire]

Labor is your most expensive cost as an employer. A $20 per hr worker, cost the company $30 hr when you add taxes and benefits, etc. $30 hr x 5 employees= $150 hr. You gotta sell a lot of products to make $150 hr. The profit margins on products has diminished to much.

[@FermentedOuroboros]

@@greatlife2763you ain't invited to the union cookout

[@danielalveorodriguez7177]

@@greatlife2763lol. This is called competition. Maybe if we didn’t have behemoth corporations that monopolize a whole industries we would have many other people getting into the industry. Then we would not have to worry about unemployment.

[@paulcantrell01451]

Ex-CVS customer here. While I think the CVS pharmacy staff were well meaning and hard working, I had too many problems there. I switched to a locally owned pharmacy and they're much much nicer to deal with. I don't get the feeling that the employees are being ground down by a monstrous corporate mechanism the way the CVS employees seem to be. I feel sorry for anyone who has to work at one of the big chains. Seems to be a soul crushing experience...

[@grahamjones5400]

1. Make the stores smaller. 2. Sell alot less crap. 3. Stop trying to be the dollar store of pharmacies.

[@Dakid015]

4. Toughen up with the PBMs and regain some power

[@davidkuhlman8004]

Walgreens is one of the most expensive drug store shop to at.

[@alphaomega1351]

Congratulations 👏! We have decided to make you CEO for a year that includes generous performance bonuses and a 5 year contract extension if you can increase profit by only 20%!!! 😳

[@wayward03]

5. Prosecute shoplifting. Should be number one.

[@Drunken_Master]

Why don't you put the money where your mouth is? If it's that easy...

[@Der8cho]

High prices, low wages & corporate greed.

[@kurtj.9656]

But the CEO's continue earning up to 14million (CVS)...... 💰💰💰 Now, that's greed! 🤢🤢

[@davidbarr8394]

That's hitting the nail squarely on the head: what better recipe for failure?

[@Reaper-cm4jr]

I guess you missed the part about them closing stores due to loss from theft.

[@dimakhidarkovskiy2175]

“Corporate greed?” Marxistos Liberastos fashistos comunistos!

[@dimakhidarkovskiy2175]

@@Reaper-cm4jryou realize you are responding to the welfare recipients lazies who for everything got an answer: either greedy capitalism system racism “

[@gj8683]

CVS sends me emails about discounts that turn out to be more expensive than the local supermarket across the street. The "I'm getting a discount" psychology doesn't always work.

[@ericschneider8524]

CVS used to have good discounts on alcohol.

[@Sheya404]

The reason why they are failing is because their prices are absorbingly high!!! It’s ridiculous

[@QueenetBowie]

The fact CVS ever got it’s own PBM/pharmaceutical insurance division is absurd and shows how broken our healthcare system is

[@The-Armed-Pacifist]

They bought it from RiteAid during one of RiteAid's previous financial debacles.

[@drdrew3]

Blaming a “failed healthcare system” for the price gouging of an independent retail store is a false narrative. Walgreens and CVS created a duopoly that needs government regulation. The fact that insurance companies can use PBMs to destroy chain pharmacies profits is further evidence this problem needs a political solution. The price fixing and collusion by these middle men leads to the loss of thousands of jobs and leaves customers without their medications. In the meantime politicians and government as a whole has looked the other way. The threat of a government lawsuit doesn’t deter billion dollar PBMs as long as they are making record profits month after month

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

Which is why it's absurd. As long as yer wealthy, ANYTHING is for sale to you. Anything, anytime, anywhere. And laws?! PSSSH. 💪😎✌️ Fugheddabouddid.

[@clemhfandango.]

Not only that, CVS also owns health insurance Aetna, primary care centers Oak Street Health, long term care insurance Longevity Health and many other smaller and less known health-related companies. Allowing all these acquitions by ONE corporation is straight up monopolistic, anti-consumer, anti-choice and anti-freedom.

[@kelleygossom4332]

I worked for the CBS network for a few years and we HAD to use CVS or it was more expensive. I had been using Walgreens for years!

[@rocktorrocks]

As a doctor I’m not surprised…they are awful compared to the family owned pharmacy near us which seems to have better stock and most importantly better customer service. So many CVS and Walgreens interactions are with machines or constantly being on hold. I call my family owned one and a human being always picks up. I’ve slowly moved away from these corporate pharmacies that run like an amazon warehouse.

[@TheElusiveReality]

yes!!! i hate having to call walgreens because i have to deal with their stupid robot director and repeatedly ask for the pharmacist before they actually connect me. meanwhile the neighborhood pharmacy just...picks up the phone

[@rocktorrocks]

@@TheElusiveReality Yup! Better service and we can support local businesses.

[@ohthankg-dforthebourgeoisi9800]

I agree. However the local family pharmacy that we love won’t get stock of certain products from the company that is the supplier. The supplier is locked into only supplying the local Walgreens. By contract? I don’t know.

[@rocktorrocks]

@@ohthankg-dforthebourgeoisi9800 Fortunately I haven’t had issues so far with supply. If anything I think the family one had certain medications when the CVS would be out of stock. Maybe certain medication brands are only given to Walgreens/CVS but I think the family ones carry all the major stuff.

[@pamalamcbrayer1399]

Yes! My husband uses an independent compounding pharmacy. Better knowledge, better service. Very small lobby footprint.

[@JamesWilliams-r1d]

As a retired Walgreens store manager of 35 years the blame for this is rooted in reimbursement rates that have been shrinking for years. Pharmacy Benefits Management companies control and set these rates. Walgreens problem was not knowing how to offset these declines. They have been in a futile race to reduce expenses enough to compensate for this. That’s why stores are understaffed and overwhelmed. CVS decided to actually buy a PBM to deal with this reality. PBM’s are a horrible idea that has destroyed community pharmacy in the US.

[@streetfighter2oldskool786]

PBMS might work when everyone wasn't sick and didn't claim. Insurance is just that - just in case. Now everyone is sick and on medication that is expensive and never cures. It's bad food. The model might have worked in the 1970s when everyone was not overweight or eating ultra processed food. The model is broken now.

[@UmmYeahOk]

Except CVS is still just as bad as Walgreens. Owning a PBM clearly hasn’t helped them any. It’s the same over saturation that Walgreens is just as guilty of. Rather than go to one CVS, they put them at every major intersection that doesn’t already have a Walgreens. I would gladly drive an extra mile or two if it meant additional staff. But when you have so many locations, each one has to sell so much to be profitable due to operational costs. Need a profit? Lower those costs. So you schedule less staff, and invest in self checkout so only a single person needs to do absolutely everything required for the front retail part of the store. Not sure if having less staff has paid for the self checkout systems yet. Pharmacy you just need one licensed pharmacist, so typically one or two regular staff. But places like Target, sometimes they’ll get a Target employee to jump on if it gets too busy, which is insane because they don’t work for CVS!

[@swtexan6502]

My wife was a Walgreens pharmacist for many years. The ongoing staff shortages, having to drive 2-3 hours one way to get to a store (before she was staffed at one location) and having to hurry led her to move out of the retail sector. In my opinion, and from speaking with a former Walgreens executive, both Walgreens and CVS were in competition to open as many locations as fast as possible, which resulted in both companies becoming overextended. Now, they're both having to deal with the ramifications of those business decisions.

[@SFoureman]

​@@swtexan6502THIS!!!

[@ssuwandi3240]

Basically the outdated cost cutting business model is to blame. Dr Eric Berg recently says these retailers are basically real estate companies. But just like groceries, I think they have been able to survive thru aggressive expanded store brands or excellent execution thru automated restocking and bundled members pricing which are quite limited in these pharmacies

[@maxr2371]

CVS is priced too scammy. Price gouging. So I buy everything target or Costco

[@ssn7836]

Walgreens and CVS have high prices on everything. CVS is 2 times more expensive than Walgreens. I stopped buying at both of those places years ago. I would rather get my things cheaper at Wal-Mart than get ripped off at these 2 pharmacies, honestly.

[@TahitianTreatt]

The make most of their money off drugs, not food. Did u even watch the video????

[@Skilful_basics8]

Even their drugs are more. Cough medicine band aides. Etc

[@ssn7836]

@TahitianTreatt of course I watched the video , Have you ever gone shopping at these 2 pharmacies before? I bet you have never been there shopping, honestly, i have these 2 pharmacies and walmarts nearby , I did all types of shopping at these 2 pharmacies before, also for my " medicines" . I got my medicines before many times at these 2 places, but because medicines there are too expensive also, i didn't buy my medicines and food, soap, etc there anymore. Before you start writing something that I never said and wrote on my comments about "These pharmacies only selling food" and charging expensive for food only and not medicine, complain to me, but in my comments, i never said anything only about food? You need to get some glasses and learn how to read before lying and making up things that i never said honestly. I said, " Walgreens and CVS have high prices on everything. CVS is 2 times more expensive than Walgreens. I stopped buying at both of those places years ago. I would rather get my things cheaper at Wal-Mart than get ripped off at these 2 pharmacies, honestly." I said Walgreens and CVS have high prices on "Everything" that includes food, medicines, soap, etc. "Not only food." I also said that I stopped buying at these 2 places years ago , I also said that I would rather buy my things at Walmart than get ripped off at these 2 pharmacies. So before you start trying to lie and write things in the comments that I never said, go back and read it a couple of times , my original comment that I posted. Before commenting nonsense, read it a couple of times to really understand what I wrote .

[@ssn7836]

@Skilful_basics8 Yes, I agree, everything is double expensive than at Walmart. I bet you these 2 pharmacies buy a lot of things from Walmart for cheaper and resell them at their pharmacies for double the expensive

[@sherryhillman9197]

Seniors and people who have difficulty walking need the drive thru pick up windows. Walmart doesn’t offer that.

[@nightrunr]

They oversaturated the market there’s like five on every corner not to mention everything in there is extremely expensive

[@matt_plapp]

I pass 5 of each from my gym to my house over 8 miles and 3 small cities. I’ve always scratched my head on the volume of stores.

[@jasona2007]

why is a CVS and Walgreens within a 5 minute walk from eachother? I agree with you. Specifically with front end, everything that isnt OTC medicine is just cheaper at local corner stores (bodegas, delis) or at dollar stores.

[@ewauksonian]

​@@jasona2007 Game Theory and Anti-Collusion. If they tried to work together and space out properly, then people will rightfully claim they are working anticompetitively. Also, they're in the same spots because they can't let the other company take all the revenue from the most desirable spots.

[@mhs7123]

I have 4 Walgreens next to my house and all of them are less than a 10 minute drive away.

[@Default78334]

@@jasona2007 OTC medicine is almost always cheaper at a supermarket or Walmart.

[@spartan662501]

If you lock up everything and i have to wait 10 minutes for someone to unlock the items, I'm not coming back. It isn't worth my time

[@fiduwg.3485]

Longer!!

[@phylliscreason3391]

Walmart isn't anybetter, tons of people at self checkouts but try to find someone to help you. In the rest of the store.

[@chriscampbell9191]

Yeah, it's a deterrent not just to shoplifters but to actual shoppers. Lately one of the grocery stores has confined the most stolen items to their own section of the store, staffed by its own clerk and security always nearby. Seems to work better than the 'try to find the clerk with the key and wait' method.

[@gotchagee3315]

@@fiduwg.3485 That's what she said.

[@zebra00024]

Maybe politicians in your area should do something about property crimes. In my area not so many locks, probably because theft is still a punishable crime here.

[@witHonor1]

What do you expect when you don't pay the staff enough to care and don't employ enough people to do the biggest shrink deterrent possible...customer service. Bye bye, zombie corporations.

[@mikeh2520]

I often see a CVS and a Walgreens directly across the street from each other.

[@kajani6181]

Years ago when living in NE Ohio I distinctly remember 3 competing chain drugstores AT A SINGLE INTERSECTION, the 4th corner being a bank. Overkill. Surprised it has taken so long.

[@mikieedwards28]

They both like buying plots on corners of streets so they typically end up near each other

[@Flowerz__]

Same with McDonald’s and Burger King

[@enoughofthis]

It's called " Market Analysis"

[@enjoystraveling]

There’s a new one near my town exactly with a Walgreens and CVS across from each other completely new and they did that very strange

[@BeckyG-ip2ns]

Walgreens prices for most OTC products are OUTRAGEOUS. As a senior on SS, I just can't afford to shop there.

[@sweetlotusrain]

I never shop at Walgreens, they’re so expensive. I get my medication at cvs

[@johntalbert8227]

I can afford to shop there, but I won't. The prices are for suckers. I can't imagine why anyone would buy anything from them.

[@Valmontst]

I actually find the prices at CVS just as high, if not higher, then Walgreens. At least Walgreens often offers a 2 for 1 deal on products, and their rewards program is decent.

[@joefranks4235]

Yup, most of the things I get I go to Wal-Mart, but even then I have to watch the prices.

[@larryc1616]

Walmart or Amazon

[@jackiechristian-di6sy]

I had to stop going to Walgreens because I am dying of liver cancer. I take strong painkillers. Walgreens on a Friday, after the closing of my Dr. office, decided that "I think something less strong ...such as ibuprofen, will help relieve your pain better so I am gonna call your DR. back on Monday to suggest this and I am holding off filing this until I get another confirmation about filling this prescription." I WAS BEYOND ANGRY.....I have been getting my prescriptions at a small pharmacy with better customer service and less judgment from young, healthy, ignorant pharmacists.

[@annai157]

I'm so sorry that you're suffering. This treatment by a pharmacist is unethical. I had a much less severe, but vaguely similar experience with a pharmacist years ago - I reported her to the state pharmacy board, and she was reprimanded for refusing to fill my prescription. They considered it to be practicing medicine without a license.

[@AroundTheWorldWithEase]

That is inhumane, treating you that way. We should all be frequenting local indie places.

[@Dolly-Days]

I was recently denied my prescription by a CVS pharmacist. I had been going there for almost a year. When I went there it was a new pharmacist. I asked the girl at the counter for my RX and she said there is nothing. That was odd because I left my Dr appointment 4 hours prior and they had already sent it electronically. So she goes and talks to the pharmacist. He comes to the window and says to me there are too many red flags. I asked him like what do you mean and he refused to even answer that. By the way, I have only one RX and that is for Suboxone. I had my Dr office call them and he was even rude to them and still refused so I had them send it to a mom and pop pharmacy. I called corporate and they gave me the run around and still would not tell me what the red flags were. It made me feel like I was doing something wrong and I felt embarrassed.

[@Reed-2big]

Nipot defending the pharmacy as I’ve had similar experience with doctors. It’s being caused by the new laws supposed to stop pill factories. My doc told me he would give me 3 days of opiates for a shoulder surgery on Thursday. And if that wasn’t working then I would need to make an appointment to see them to determine why their protocol wasn’t working. One of the alternate drugs was a drug that was contraindicated because of age so I’d need to start at 1/3 the dosage! Turns out the law says max 7 days supply, unbelievable. Found another doc whose first reaction was what this is major surgery after i told him what had happened. I also explained to him my drug of preference as some of the slow release made me sick. I used less than half of the pills but that was more than I might have used if I could have slept better. Hope you get things sorted.

[@dannydaw59]

​@Dolly-Days If they tell you what the red flags are then you can game the system. The opiate epidemic has caused drug stores to be paranoid of being sued and getting shut down by the government.

[@HassansTravel]

Walgreens stop taking most insurances in my neighborhood and wonder why they are failing? They got greedy and now they can go!!

[@paddyoak1]

I remember applying for jobs at CVS a few times. The managers who interviewed me were arrogant and rude. I couldn’t even imagine working there.

[@T-rick]

They drove out the local pharmacies years ago with better prices. Now moving out and leaving people in a pharmacy desert. Seems that every industry has been ruined by corporations dictating how society will function.

[@darkwing3713]

This country has the idea of separating church and state (so they say). Maybe we should try separating money and power.

[@drunkcrunkfranken]

It's funny how they talk about independents starting up local pharmacies when the chains leave, because chains choose where to open up shop by seeing where local businesses are successful in the first place so they can set up shop across the street from them and snatch their customer base away.

[@TheElusiveReality]

yep, unbridled capitalism inevitably eats itself but americans are too blind to see it

[@g.t.g1111]

Corporations are ruining themselves by GREED!

[@venicec3310]

One hundred percent

[@jaketron.seattle]

Over the years, the stores have started to feel more dirty, and have less items.

[@bvanderford]

Yes very dirty. Expensive and bad.

[@kevinmach730]

Honestly, I am there for such a short time, I don't even care. Justh have it stocked and don't rip me off and I'll be back. The one near me does neither of those things. Shelves barren and rip off prices.

[@stephaniejackson8555]

Stores are not re-stocked in a regular cycle. I buy out bandages, returning to find racks still empty 2 weeks later.

[@craigbaxter4595]

The comment section told me all I needed to know,ty

[@savannahm.laurentian1286]

Boots bought Walgreens, fired senior pharmacists & most pharm techs, reduced hours, brought atrocious service, increased rx errors, allowed pharmacies to close for an hour at lunch while not opening before 9am and in many places closed at five pm. Boots killed Walgreens & has been liquidating assets for 2 years. Gee, what a mystery.🙄

[@shanaynay333]

What's Boots?

[@AI_MIT_71]

And outsourced the entire IT and DTR department.

[@rdelrosso1973]

I also don't understand the "Lunch Hour Closing". So ALL your Pharmacy employees HAVE to go to Lunch at the same time? I have worked in Banks, a Leasing Company, a Furniture Dealer and as an Election Poll Worker. In each job, we arranged for some employees to take Lunch at Noon, and others at 1:00 PM, so if a Customer called, someone would answer the Phone. When I was an Election Poll Worker in NYC, we worked from 5:00 AM to as late as 9:30 PM or 10:00 PM. People could vote from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM, but we worked before opening, to set up tables and machines and after opening, we counted votes and put away the equipment. As a Poll Worker, you took Lunch at 11AM, Noon or 1:00 PM. And you had an hour for "Dinner" at 4:00PM or 5:00 PM. So anyone could vote during the 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM period, since there was ALWAYS someone to help look up their name and give out ballots. But everyone had to be back from Dinner at 6:00 PM, since most Voters would vote after work, from 6 to 9 PM. (BTW, Election Day should be a Holiday!) The Pay, you ask? In Brooklyn, NY, we were paid $200 for one day, Election Day (no "Early Voting" back then) So from 5:00 AM to 10PM is 17 hours less 1 hour (Lunch) and 1 hour (Dinner) = 15 hours. $200 over 15 hours is $13.31 an hour, which is about right. By 2019, our pay had gone up to $250 for that day, with the same hours. So it was $16.66 an hour. I was 62 to 64 years old in those years and not working. But the day after my brain and body were FRIED. I don't know how some Poll Workers went to work the next day at their other job!

[@susan7632]

Do you have supporting documentation?

[@jenniferamyx78]

I think the problem with the lunch hour is that they only hire 1 pharmacist to be in the pharmacy at a time. And, I believe that a pharmacy cannot legally operate without a pharmacist on the clock and present, due to the need for medical oversight, need for pharmacist to be available to answer questions, etc.

[@markinnes4264]

The only thing the US healthcare business is worried about is profit. Does anyone else see a problem with that?

[@roymoxley2587]

Yes because everyone has been victim to the lies of doctors that you need drugs and they tell people if you don’t take them your at risk of this or that in reality you don’t need a damn thing ,all pharmaceutical drugs are toxic on the human body When is the last time you saw nature taking drugs Never ,It’s a big snake oil con brought to you by the Rockefeller cartel .It’s up to you to eat healthy ,exercise, no drinking ,or smoking ,or drugs of anything.

[@dougrosenberg6738]

Bigger problem, government involvement (ACA).

[@djeanpierre]

What’s the objective of any business?

[@justliberty4072]

@@djeanpierre To make a profit by meeting the wants and needs of society.

[@scott4259]

People respond to incentives.

[@rickeriksen1131]

After years I left Walgreens after posting several complaints to the company with zero response, so I went to the Pharmacy in the grocery right next door, and it was like day and night...the grocery pharmacy has great service and very little if any waiting and the staff are all very helpful something that never existed at Walgreens...glad to see them go...

[@FirstThief]

Keep in mind that just a few years ago they finally allowed pharmacists to close the pharmacy for a 30 minute lunch break.

[@tonberrymasta]

They will blame this for the drop in profits.

[@SuperJay23]

Remember working as pharmacy technician at Rite Aid 10 years ago and the pharmacist would hide from customers in the bay to eat her lunch on a step stool. Crazy that now pharmacists have a 30-minute lunch break. Customers still to this day complain why pharmacy staff are allowed a lunch break.

[@kerenkroll]

We have to remember that it wasn't Covid but the RESPONSE to covid that made all this cascade.

[@Primus-ue4th]

We shouldn’t even need all these pharmacies. We should be promoting healthy lifestyles. We’ve been on a pill binge long enough. Humans have survived thousands of years without them.

[@mr.m42]

@@Primus-ue4thyes survived into the ripe old age of 20 where terminal diseases such as the flu, cold, infections from simple wounds, etc. killed them off in droves. But eff the pharmacies ammirite?

[@TMendocino]

When I was 16, I worked at Sav-On Drugs. It was a big store. We had food, cosmetics, gifts, clothes, liquor, soaps, seasonal, sales. I go to Walgreens and they are messy, confusing, expensive and ill staffed. Their business model is over.

[@limburgercheese1234]

GM of a Thrifty store in the 80's, before Rite Aid merger. They were large variety stores were you could one stop shop. Departments included linens, automotive, fishing, clothing, toys, gifts, hardware, seasonal in depth. We dominated the competition at Christmas time. Was kinda like an analog, in person Amazon experience. And we were allowed to discuss current events with our shoplifters. Profit mix was about 50/50 Front and Pharmacy. Was in South Bay, Los Angeles County. Most locations were profitable.

[@TMendocino]

@@limburgercheese1234 I remember going to Thrifty's when I was little. They had toys and a real ice cream counter. It was a big store. I was 16, many of my friends in high school worked at Sav-On Drugs also. We had a staff of 15 working every shift. Customer service was important. We had a row of 6 registers. Walgreen and CVS model now sucks, and I don't buy anything there.

[@lads.7715]

I remember the So-Called State “Blue Laws,” when only “essential” stores, like pharmacies, could stay open on Sundays. Needless to say, back then a company like Drug Fair was like a small Dept. store and families would do a lot of Sunday shopping there.

[@LurkerPatrol]

I remember and miss savon. They were amazing. “At savon you can count on people who care” was their jingle

[@darkwhispernyx1282]

I used to work at CVS, and on truck day, it would only be 2 of us working the front. We would be unpacking the totes, having to unlock the perfume case, help in the photo section, answer calls, reset the self checkout every 5 mins and check out those that didn't want to use self checkout. If we're lucky, maybe the pharmacy would help up front, but only if they weren't busy. But most of the time, we would have to help with pharmacy because they are swamped with patients. We were the only CVS in the 3 or 4 counties around, so that didn't help.

[@james-kh7oi]

Some even call it "work"...yicks

[@littlestbroccoli]

Gee, wonder why they are seeing loss of customers and sales.... On another note, I'm sorry you had to work like that. American jobs are getting ridiculous and it's at the hands of people who haven't ever worked one of them themselves.

[@elvintorres343]

Pharmacies, dollar stores, chain restaurants, car dealerships, real estates. This is the worst economy of my lifetime, yet I wouldn't know it if I just tune in to the news.

[@Pork_Rolllin]

The insurance industry is dismantling this country piece by piece. They have a complete stranglehold on everything we purchase... on every decision we have to make. It's insane how much power they wield.

[@terinorton9462]

Health insurance should not be a for-profit industry

[@shawnrentfro1668]

Most insurance is crap, except maybe home owners, and car insurance. The rest of them just jack you around and take all your money for very little in return if anything at all. IInsurance on the medical side is the worst, they end up making your medical decisions instead of you and your doctor. One reason why I've argued for free healthcare in America, so the greedy ones can't ruin it for the rest of us. I never served in the miltitary, but I would love to help America by paying a little more to have free healthcare for all.

[@ggeorge4144]

@@shawnrentfro1668 You need a Medicare Advantage Program, it is the best thing I ever did when I turned 65. I have been in the hospital twice. The bills I was sent were staggering. For a simple prostate operation called a TURP, I was billed over $87,000. The insurance paid the doctors and hospital a total of $8,750, which was all it was worth considering I was only in out patient for four hours. My co-pay was $850.00. If I had the government medicare they would have paid the entire amount and left me with a bill of $16,000 for the co-pay. Medicare advantage is the greatest thing ever done for seniors.

[@enoughofthis]

Along with Google

[@preeyakumari-i2q]

How about CAR warranties ! Total ripoff’s

[@domanisarapeggio]

I’ll never, ever, understand how a multimillion dollar company rather have a short staffed store rather than provide good and fast service?

[@wilsonbobcatservice4151]

Profits

[@raymondkidwell7135]

Not only that they promote diversity and immigration but those diverse neighborhoods they create are robbing them blind. There’s no common sense.

[@drdrew3]

Under staffing stores is the quickest and most effective ways to reduce costs and increases profits. Employee salaries and benefits are the biggest expenses of a retail business. Certainly you have noticed the trend of using self check out to eliminate cashier jobs. Big box retail stores such as Home Depot, Walmart and Best Buy used to be flush with floor staff and now there’s not a worker in sight offer that a stock clerk. Amazon has proven that customers choose low prices and convenience over customer service. There’s not a single item sold in a chain pharmacy you can’t buy at a bigger store for less money. That’s why nearly every Target is getting a CVS store within a store. It’s over for Walgreens and CVS. They will be relegated to bigger cities, boutique stores in wealthy neighborhoods and online sales. In areas where this has happened the void has been filled by the reemergence of the small independent pharmacy. Not a bad solution at all

[@John-zh1ud]

Short sightedness... no customer wants to be stuck in that atmosphere.

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

"Profits over people. Coin over communities. Wealth is health, might is right, profit is POWER. If you ain't rich, then you ain't SHEET. 💪😎✌️" --Big Shot CEOs of every corporation ever #StayClassyHumanity

[@av6344]

Looted and took all the money out of the system for the last 3 decades and now they’re realizing that having a store at every corner just isn’t feasible.

[@sallypea3202]

Walgreens has the highest drug prices in the industry. Delta Airlines hasn’t covered Walgreens in several years and once I starting looking at prices, Walgreens is always the highest!

[@fecklesstech929]

The Pharmacist at the Mom & Pop pharmacy near my house apologized when I had to wait 10 minutes at the counter for my prescription to be filled (the script had been transmitted to them electronically during my visit to a nearby urgent care clinic). When I told him I was paying cash he asked if I had a discount plan. When I said I didn't he consulted his own phone and found me a coupon. Antibiotics and decongestant cough medicine came to $26. Fast, polite, and cheap! I almost went into shock. This was my first visit to this pharmacy but it won't be my last! Walgreens, CVS, and Walmart can go to Hell!

[@crazedvole]

A mom & pop pharmacy? It may be your last. It's only a matter of time before they are driven out of business by Walgreens, CVS and Walmart. I had one that was on the other side of the town I live in. I would drive by at least two other "big box" pharmacies to get there. Until I couldn't. Talking to a family member, "Oh they are not there anymore." Of course.

[@raymondmartin6737]

Yes, I agree, I enjoy local pharmacies much more than the problems with big chains, which over the years drove out the local pharmacies, and now they close like when Walmart comes in a town and then now are closing. 😮

[@1IIiII1]

@@raymondmartin6737 the problem with mom and pop is that they can't afford to hire a lot of people. Walmart gives a lot of jobs to the public. Its not all bad. mom and pop usually only hire family and friends.

[@hrcutz]

Maybe corporate should cut the executive pay? Maybe stop the million dollar bonuses.

[@324cmac]

And give raises and benefits to the actual workers.

[@EMan-cu5zo]

This I can definitely agree with.

[@senmcquire]

@@324cmacwe need reboots. Solves the Labor cost problems.

[@CoolChannelName]

The plan is the opposite, they want to import millions of immigrants to place downward pressure on wages. Hakim from Kenya will simply work for less.

[@same5952]

@@senmcquire Or eliminate cashiers and use your own customers a unpaid help. Oh wait! It's already happening!

[@KTPurdy]

Years ago, I decided to make Walgreens my pharmacy. When I had an issue, I called Walgreen's local phone number and got someone in Kansas (3 states away). There was no way to call my local Walgreens pharmacist. Sorry, but that's unacceptable. I quickly moved back all my prescription needs back to my local pharmacist who knows my name and who I am. My local pharmacist who I can call on the phone when I have a question.

[@GardeningBae-pe6lc]

Yep. I experienced the same thing when I lived in Maryland.

[@MM-fe9mz]

Yea my mom's insurance keeps trying to get her to switch to their online pharmacy. But been using publix and they answer the phone and have always been able to easily get issues resolved.

[@kimberiysmarketstrategy]

Oh no! 😢

[@Vavalove18]

Luckily you could. Many people can’t because most insurance refuses to contract with the mom and pop pharmacies. Therefore, patients have no choice but to stay with chain pharmacies where their insurance are accepted. The big chain created the mess, many small pharmacies unfortunately had to close. And now, chains are closing stores

[@KTPurdy]

@@Vavalove18 My local independent pharmacy participates with CVS's services. My guess is that many do.

[@the4thday876]

Walmart does pharmacy & Publix... It does not matter how Walgreens designs it's not going to work

[@Damonoxide]

I'd like to point out that Walgreens in 2023 made $27 billion in profit.

[@HotDog88GT]

Yes, that’s why they exist.

[@CoolChannelName]

@@HotDog88GT so they aren't going broke. This is about greed.

[@JrueThrondsen]

​@@CoolChannelName always true.

[@wyattdepner864]

That’s revenue not profit.

[@Damonoxide]

@@wyattdepner864 No, I'm talking about profit... Its revenue in 2023 was $139 billion

[@bena-lang]

I love how their just stuck on prices when’s that’s just half the battle. 1. Customer service sucks: This goes for front end and pharmacy. I remember having an insane headache while I was out running errands, I waited 20 minutes for someone to come open a glass case to get a bottle of Tylenol, then had to stand in a long line than ran through the store. By the time I got the Tylenol, I felt like I was going to pass out. Everytime we go to run errands, you are waiting on each aisle for someone to open up a glass case, so what used to take maybe 30 minutes in your pharmacy, takes over an hours to get all the items you need, now we just order all of our household items on Amazon. I get petty theft is a big problem but there had to be some other options that locking everything up. 2. Medications: I worked as a pharmacy tech for almost 15 years before I changed careers and our rule was we never let a patient leave the pharmacy without exhausting every single option to get their medicine including, calling the insurance, the doctor, initiating the prior authorization. The last time I was sick, I couldn’t get anyone on the phone to find out what was going on with my prescription, went and stood on a line for an hour only to be told that they can’t fill it because of my insurance. The tech knew nothing, in his words, “it just won’t go through” took that prescription down the block to my local mom and pop, they filled it in 10 minutes and now they get all my families business. This is so much bigger than just prices but they are using prices as the scapegoat. No one should be able to treat customers/patients this way. It’s cruel.

[@amarettocherry80]

I've experienced the same thing. Thank God for mom and pop drug stores. CVS is the worse. They could careless whether you're able to get your medication or not

[@bena-lang]

@@amarettocherry80 yes now I give all my business to small businesses, the service is ten times better than the big chains.

[@ripppking]

thats not the issue the issue is walgreens has been getting sued for not selling abortion pills by democrats while on the other end republicans are getting ready to counter sue if they do begin selling them, that and plus the fact they had to pay i believe a 100million dollar payout at the start of the year, nobody ever truly talks about the REAL causes and blames the least employees who havent been able to fully do their jobs due to again, laws that protect thiefs. which leads me to my next point how democrats have completely blackballed walgreens due to security in a san fransico situation

[@jamesmurphy449]

I'd have been tempted to just push my way into the back room and take a couple out of the first aid kit next to the labor law poster.

[@Geonorth1]

For nearly 20 years, we went to the same local pharmacy. Then one day, I showed up and they were permanently closed w/o notice to staff nor customers. Without our input, our prescriptions were sent to the nearby Walgreens. For 10 years, I have seen a turnover of pharmacists, aids, and counter. Hours can be sketchy. And staffing is poor. A former employee who now works at another, said he left because he was getting $16.00/hr. It is no wonder why customer service is less than consistent. Frankly, I don't care about their profits. For-profit healthcare is ghoulish, gruesome and immoral.

[@justicedemocrat9357]

Imagine going to college to get a pharmacy degree and then end up working for $16/hour LMFAO.

[@dirtfarmer7472]

Corp. isn’t a charity they’re in business to make a profit.

[@Geonorth1]

@@dirtfarmer7472 At the cost of human life. Capitalism kills. If one's death brings a profit, one is obligated to die. And, for-profit healthcare is ghoulish, gruesome and immoral.

[@dcs4219]

@@dirtfarmer7472 Indeed dirtfarmer. that is why some things in our society should NOT be held by corporations private or public. Some things should be more important than paying stockholders and corporate CEOs. Let them make profits on other businesses.

[@dirtfarmer7472]

@@dcs4219 That’s not a good idea, that’s the way they do things in Cuba or N Korea, I’ll bet that’s not what you want. Everything is provided as long as you are happy with what they have, don’t complain

[@tomw6271]

Don't forget the big city units aren't allowed to stop shoplifters because they has their rights.

[@otjr2005]

Managed Walgreens for many years. Walgreens has more problems than just the pharmacy! The management from store level to the top needs to change. They have a hiring (talent) problem. Theft problem, pharmacy problem, and these problems roll down to the people who actually run these stores !

[@shrtcakez]

You nailed it right on the head! Worked at Walgreens since 2012 moved my way up to ESM until May 2024. Decided to leave the company for all those reasons you stated.

[@digestivewarrior4188]

I mean, as a business owner- what company doesn’t have this issue these days?

[@vincentbarrett5641]

they implemented STIBO and made it worse for vendors. human contacts for DSD are non-existent. they would rather have their shelves empty.

[@chriscampbell9191]

@@fenixrising1972 Today it's probably all done by AI bot, online. There are a lot of large corporate employers doing this now. 'Go online', they tell you. So you have to open an account on their website, give them all your data (perfect data mining operation, really) and deal with the modern HR version of AI bots that often don't agree with the other AI bots on the site, and on top of it all, 30% of job openings in the US are non-existent positions ('ghost jobs'). Ain't corporate business grand?

[@lidiane6994]

I was fed up with CVS. It was in a crowded mall so I wouldn’t go on weekends. The adjacent grocery store chain had better prices. The tech was annoying. So now I go to a family owned pharmacy that’s been in town for years. When I have no one to pick up a script, they drop it off. If my doctor’s refill line is screwed up, the pharmacy emails the doctor’s office and gets it filled. It is open fewer hours but the personal service is tops.

[@larryhurley4993]

Glad you got family owned left.we just got the big 4 or 6 by me

[@mayaturnnow9110]

Totally agree. I ditched CVS and now use my local family owned pharmacy. Service is amazing. Not only do they deliver for free but they have an after ours service ❤❤❤

[@dulcerodriguez3681]

The impact If only a few more of us customers would take our business to local pharmacies

[@Faretheewell608]

After being locked into CVS for one miserable year, I jumped to a different insurance company.

[@weisman5807]

One thing, I think people are not figuring in on this. The photo department used to bring in a ton of traffic into the stores. As everyone went digital. The need for have photos in about an hours was gone, and the price of film has skyrocketed.

[@Primalxbeast]

And they don't offer telegraph services or have posts to tie up your horses at.

[@tylerbradley4175]

And in the case of CVS, no tobacco. This was a huge hit to sales.

[@preeyakumari-i2q]

@@tylerbradley4175 But tobacco sales were going to decrease year after year

[@jade8910]

@@tylerbradley4175 But why would a pharmacy sell cigarettes, which gives you cancer? The business model is community wellness, and smoking is not healthy at all. Just waiting for Walgreens to stop selling cancer sticks. Not to mention smoking is becoming less popular overall.

[@prodigalpriest]

I would disagree with you considering how many people smoke marijuana.

[@lightbox617]

They are shutting down because they have alienated every available Dr and patient in the market. buying from Canada gives you medication prices about 1/3 of the US major prices. If you get to go to Europe, things like Simbrinza (Glaucoma med) are 3% of the US big store price. The stores, at least CVS near me are disheveled and sloppily marked. It is a chore to wait in line for prescription meds that they have to order. I can't get vitamins and OTC drugs conveniently. The PDMs make all of us suspicious. They made their bed....My co pays vary from month to month by 100's of % from $35 to $135 with no explanation or predictable behaviour

[@Kordon87]

Pharmacists need to get treated better.

[@ninacarranza5189]

Agreed they get yelled at each shift

[@EMan-cu5zo]

They definitely work their butts off.

[@goldtree4219]

I can buy anything I want online. Why would I want to go to some place with low inventory, homeless man at the entrance, one open cash register, huge price gouging, and let alone having to drive over to some sketchy parking lot? No thanks.

[@bobbyward2440]

My boot laces broke the other day and I needed to pick up a pair for work in the morning. With your model am i supposed to keep a storage unit for extra everything I would ever need?

[@schris3]

Even with or without homeless man, going to either cvs or walgreens is never an inviting experience, so I only go to any of the stores if I need to or they were on my way occasionally, I rarely do any repeat visits if I can help it. And it seems it is the same for many.

[@terrancekayton007]

@@bobbyward2440no, but I doubt your boot laces are gonna be the thing that keeps Walgreens afloat

[@ricnyc2759]

There are "mail-order bride catalogs" online. Why bother going outside the house to get anything?

[@gabrielgarcia7554]

@terrancekayton007 Bootlaces hold up the entire economy of America 😂

[@rooksandcastles]

I just need CVS and Walgreens to heavily focus on the PHARMACY. That is it. Most items in both stores heavily overpriced.

[@bryanbill3692]

Overhauling the store to offer more lanes for prescription pickup, vaccines, and basic treatment would be revolutionary. Their retail items tend to pick the least healthy snacks to go on sale. This is a health facility...

[@email6743]

Their prescription costs are WAY higher than a local option

[@WaitingtoHit]

At CVS, they mark up everything so that you'll download the app, which offers frequent coupons. Sometimes you do get an actual good deal, but a lot of times, the coupons just make it possible to buy an item for about the same price it'd be elsewhere.

[@justicedemocrat9357]

If they did that they will instantly go bankrupt pharmacy only makes up 60% of their revenue.

[@nightwalkerscrypt]

my local walgreens has cut staff to literally 1 cashier, 1 person in photo department IF YOUR LUCKY, 1 store lead, and then maybe 2 if your lucky 3 people in pharmacy and they are paying the pharmacy techs so little no one wants to work their so the pharmacy is closed most of the day. They deny they are closing but the store shelves are always empty due to theft and no staff to stock merchandise. I am just glad I don't have my meds through them.

[@elektricsammy]

I intentionally boycotted my local Walgreens because their pharmacy dept became an absolute circus.

[@EastWindCommunity1973]

GOOD ON YOU SAM

[@britnndevoll6405]

Is there a way to do it Unintentionally

[@elektricsammy]

U funny

[@andymiraculous]

Last year CVS closed 3 nearby locations and sent every prescription from those three to the cvs closest to me. pick up lines constantly had an hour+ wait, the pharmacy was severely understaffed, and they were out of stock on a LOT of medication. i because of this i learned that each pharmacy as a limit on how much of each medication they're allowed to order per year, which wasn't taken into account or changed when the amount prescriptions they got quadrupled. i'm so tired of big companies screwing people over for profits

[@hfrt29]

I'm so sick of everything having to be online there's no stores anymore this world is going to crap

[@summerrain7466]

Bottom line - corporate greed is driving the stores into the ground. They claim to be bankrupt, but what has been their profit margin for the past 5 yrs? How much does the CEO make? A quick Google search just showed me that Tim Wentworth has a net worth of $51million. Doesn't sound like his stores can be doing that bad.

[@Milaperadotti]

Walgreens and cvs have the worst prices on their items so high

[@ZelenoJabko]

Yes, because you are covering the bill of you-know-who that keep shoplifting all the time.

[@amoneylabamba]

@@ZelenoJabkothe stuff been high before the thefts it’s more of a convenience store

[@troyarrington5492]

@@ZelenoJabkoVoldemort?

[@selkirk57]

The problem with this industry is over-saturation. There are pharmacies on practically every corner and in every major grocery store.

[@Singlesix6]

We had a small chain drug store near us out here in the country. It was okay, but a little slow. Another chain bought them. Not long after the store was closed. They tranferred our info to their large store 20 minutes away. Trouble is, there's a very nice 24/7 CVS directly across the street that is very well run.

[@charlie4006]

Yup shoplifting is also bad

[@S0ngsyngr]

And during Covid they were making $ hand over fist!

[@jtstacey83]

Why not just be a pharmacy and carry medical supplies? It would allow them to have a much smaller store footprint versus these huge buildings stuffed with crap people don't buy. In my area, Walgreens moved in, and the next thing we knew, all the small local mom-and-pop pharmacies started closing. These mom-and-pop places had been there for generations. Now, you are forced to go to Walgreens, where it can sometimes take days to fill a prescription. Just dropping a paper prescription off can take an hour as you have to wait in line with everyone picking up as the drop off window is always closed. We drive to the next town over to use one of the last mom-and-pop places still open, and we can be in and out in less than 15 minutes. Oh, and all they are is a pharmacy and the extra they sell is all otc medical stuff. No chips, animal food, snacks, drinks, detergents.

[@pegs1659]

Yes, I started using a mom n pop pharmacy when I moved to Indiana and refused to go to CVS or Wal-Mart. My pharmacy only had medical stuff and I love that.

[@lugi25]

It's interesting. I lived in a small town,15 years ago, of 15k ppl and they have only small business there. Grocery stores and like 6 mom and pop pharmacies. Way better than the large corporate monopolies

[@justicedemocrat9357]

So Walgreens has so many customers that you are in line for an hour and the other pharmacy has so few customers that it only takes 15 minutes to fill out your prescription and somehow you think that is more profitable?

[@Kattywagon29]

I have been living in Latin America for the last year and they have tons of chain pharmacies around. However, that is all they are. They don't sell makeup and paper towels. They are small little shops, some freestanding, but most of them are in little plazas or just sandwiched on a street between a restaurant and something else. You can just pop in there, get what you want quickly at a reasonable price, and be on your way with no hassle.

[@Valmontst]

@@justicedemocrat9357 you obviously know nothing about the meaning of the word “overhead”.

[@beth3535]

Their pharmacy is what keeps me going the Walmart. However, their OTC items and skin care product pricing are giving me pause …

[@user-sw7my6kp7g]

I think it all comes down to 1 thing. Their pharmacy customer service has become so bad, people hate going to these places but go because they have to.

[@joshuaphillips755]

Healthcare being for profit is the problem. It was never a mystery.

[@mojobiel]

Let me guess, you want free healthcare.

[@deadpanfish]

​@@mojobiellet me guess, you want to pay a premium for something that can be free?

[@alandesgrange9703]

@@deadpanfish No such thing as free. Somebody has to pay for it, and as long as it's not you,.............

[@rubym357]

@@alandesgrange9703I just got on Medicaid after 33 years of no insurance (I was 11 years old when my dad got fired from his union job). My family qualified FOR NO WELFARE OF ANY KIND because of savings, debt, and garbage job pay. Tell me again how 18% of Americans are lazy, making bad choices, and are stealing from your hard work Trumper.

[@annathemaanderson4448]

Do you work for free?

[@12HappyDonuts]

I pickup my prescriptions at Walgreens. Everything else at Lidle, Aldi or Amazon. I refuse to be legally robbed.

[@JTA1961]

Same

[@brendanodowd4849]

amazon has an online pharmacy

[@jackmoore260]

Have you seen their receipts? They bankrupted themselves buying paper. 😂

[@sct4040]

I often feel sorry for the pharmacists working at Walgreens and CVS, especially during vaccination season. They are over worked.

[@joefranks4235]

I am in a tourist location in northern Wisconsin. They have people quitting at Walgreens all the time. The lines at the pharmacy in Walgreens in Woodruff Wisconsin is ridiculous! I've switched to have my drugs mailed to me.

[@inmortal131]

What is the payment for pharmacists ?

[@adamsapple7193]

Awww. Isn’t that what they do and picked to do for a living? Those poor pharmacists

[@lmb4876]

Not enough!​@@inmortal131

[@thamenevans6417]

when one understands the Academic Rigor that it takes to become a pharmacist ( same tract as an MD) and the amount if responsibilities to understand chemical reactions for EACH and every individual patient, it would only be reasonable to want a provider/ pharmacist to be rested, respected, and Able to dispense correct medications.

[@rachel112263]

CVS is charging $41 for a 3-pack of Oral B electric toothbrush heads. FORTY-ONE DOLLARS!! It's shocking.

[@navyvet05]

That’s about as shocking as dominos charging $49 for a pizza and chicken wings, or Whole Foods commanding $29 for a plate of hot food. These people have lost their minds.

[@perrycapitani544]

I think your report misses one key aspect of Walgreens’ and CVS’s problem - their pharmacy workers have little to no training regarding customer service. I often have to wait ten minutes or more when I’m the only customer there and at least 4 to 5 pharmacy people are behind the glass and ignoring me and talking among themselves, on the phone, or doing other things. I hate dealing with these people like this.

[@Thomas23-tu8gj]

Not just poor customer service skills. Many are woefully undertrained to the point of incompetence.

[@LouGreentea]

They should have to work at 6 flags for a year than they can deal with the job

[@destructodisk9074]

For real, it is happening in many industries. Used to be you would walk into a place and everyone would smile and greet you. These days they look at you like you are interrupting them. Its takes 3 people to do the job 1 person used to do. And then they are talking about striking because they are overworked 😂. Just today I called my CVS, only to find out that they no longer accepting calls. You have to leave a message and they will call you back in “as soon as 1 hour”. Two of my medications require me to call in ahead before they are filled. Does CVS think I am just going to sit around all day by my phone? When the pharmacy called me back today, I asked the lady if there is any other way around it so I can get my prescription filled without sitting by the phone for hours. She said nope, that is the new policy now. Who is the business and who is the customer here? They are out of their minds.

[@momotaroreincarnatednthtim6303]

Greedy Companies: Closing stores, laying off employees Also Them: CEOs get BIG BONUSES and INCENTIVES! Logic: Broken

[@jaehparrk]

overpriced items in these stores

[@DaisyPusher]

5 dollar jugs of water 😂 😢 😭

[@inmortal131]

@@DaisyPusherdamn 😬

[@324cmac]

Overpriced items and services everywhere.

[@celan4288]

I went to a CVS today - there was one clerk waiting on everyone, and most of the items are locked behind plastic tabs or in cabinets. So I just didn't buy things that I might otherwise have bought. The prices of what you can actually buy are shocking. I predict more declines.

[@Barrett_Jesus]

Yep, they are going to make a SUPER BIG MESS For trump before they leave! If the stock market crashes when he gets in, all the dumb people are going to be pointing fingers at trump. When really, it's the democrats who set up trumps for years to fail. Look at what they are doing before they leave!

[@zacharylee7683]

Insurance model has broken our entire health care system

[@jaym9846]

That and bad food choices.

[@bc5441]

I regret having to deal with United Health Group’s Optum Rx PBM.

[@neilkurzman4907]

Apparently, American voters are extremely happy with the American health system and refused to allow any changes. Dictated by the government. Therefore whatever is dictated by industry to maximize profit is acceptable.

[@panaderofilms]

Broken? Lol.. the system is DESIGNED THAT WAY..

[@neilkurzman4907]

@@panaderofilms Our medical system wasn’t designed. It kind of just happened.

[@charlesallison6932]

Because you can buy the same OTC products at Wally World for about a 1/3 less. The only thing that helps chain pharmacies is that they have been particularly skillful at obtaining the best property for their stores. That corner lot at a major intersection is gold. If I just need my allergy meds and don't feel like dealing with the Star Wars bar scene at Walmart, I'll pay the jacked up price just to be able to get in and out.

[@Vjl5280]

Customer service is so bad in today’s landscape that when I practice good customer service here at my job people look at me like I’m a weirdo…

[@DouglasDrake-o8e]

We are impressed and surprised when we get good service. I thank them profusely.

[@howardng8534]

A reason for pharmacy deserts in cities is the high amount of thefts. I have seen thieves walking nonchalantly out of the store with a load of products.

[@stevenirby5576]

I visited San Fransico earlier this year and went to Walgreens across the street from the hotel. I'm not even kidding, half the store was in there robbing the place blind! It was wild. The poor security guard got into a huge fight with one person and her boyfriend, who were very brazenly robbing the place. It felt dangerous as hell.

[@war-painter]

These stores got TOO BIG with not enough employees (humans) overseeing the products. Even then, most employees were clueless on the products that the drugstore was selling! This is the reason why small, family owned, pharmacies are coming back into style in my town. My local pharmacy is across from an old Rite Aid which is slowly going bankrupt, half its shelves are empty and 2/3 of the products are gone from the shelves. Some items are still in stock if you know where to look, so I occasionally pick things up there, but my prescriptions I fill at the family owned pharmacy. Several miles away is a CVS where the products are overpriced, and most stuff is displayed locked behind plastic barriers which requires finding a salesperson or cashier to unlock it and take the item up to the front to remember when you’re checking out, which I invariably forget. Then I get home and remember later. The CVS pharmacy is only open at inconvenient hours, never when I happen to be there.

[@gmb858]

I noticed that as the old independent filling stations disappeared, either a Walgreens or a CVS appeared. I wondered what their business model was to put in so many stores in the city. Locations were good but I thought it was overkill. Now that buying habits are changing and everyone is broke, it's inevitable that both chains will be circling the stool soon.

[@rothn2]

I would actually advocate for banning PBMs and requiring insurance companies to do this in-house.

[@SteveWiIIDolt]

Absolutely. There is too much PBM nonsense.

[@supac1]

Agreed, I love Kaiser having their own pharmacies. Its efficient and cost effective

[@lugi25]

​@@supac1this. But it's hella expensive

[@poncho6784]

The insurance companies own all of the PBMs so you’ve missed the point. PBMs are a major source of profit for insurance companies.

[@justicedemocrat9357]

But you won't actually do anything to make that happen.

[@everythingmatters6308]

I was a good Walgreens customer. They lost all my business permanently when they came out with a shoppers card and penalized me with higher prices when I refused it.

[@TheElectrocar]

Price gouging. Every time I want to buy from Walgreens or CVS, the prices are always double than what Amazon is. Batteries at Walgreens or CVS are just blatant price gouging!!!

[@DrunkWaffle]

And the fact they try so hard to not price match says it all too

[@RoziRoz25]

lol they usually steal from these places and then sell them on Amazon so that makes sense

[@user-of7fd3xh9k]

I'm not surprised Walgreens is closing down.They have horrible customer service.They try to not give you medications or they overcharge for medication so you're denied.. Amazon pharmacy is the most awesome pharmacy I have ever used, They don't try to force me to fill a prescription that I don't need At that time. They overcharged for For prescriptions that your insurance company doesn't deny you. I got denied for some Prescriptions with Walgreens.Because there were to high. I bought these patches that I I needed from walgreens And I got 7 thirty five dollars. Then I got another prescription refilled with amazon for fourteen patches and they charged me Seven dollars and fifty cents. I got double the amount of patches For a quarter of the price.

[@itsfridayadams]

“And yes you heard that right, CVS OWNS IT’S OWN PBM.” HOW IS THIS LEGAL.

[@CoolChannelName]

Because government is for sale. Congressmen and senators need to be arrested for their crimes.

[@gtocool99]

Walgreens downward spiral began when the founding family sold their majority stake and allowed investors to race to the bottom. Profits over sustainability, when a company is privately controlled it typically looks at its business as a legacy vs when it is publicly controlled it run by CEOs as a quarterly profit driven mule. Walgreens used to only open new stores with their own capital, when sold it started opening stores on credit, coping CVS debt ridden strategy. Then a much of misteps has lead to its state today.

[@CO2Emitter9999]

Can’t agree with you more.

[@justicedemocrat9357]

Uhh...Walgreens is worth 20 times more now than when it was first sold so your argument doesn't make any sense.

[@preeyakumari-i2q]

@@justicedemocrat9357. Duh, there going bankrupt !

[@chriscampbell9191]

@@justicedemocrat9357 OK, so it's worth '20 times more', so why is it that people don't want to shop there anymore? My local Walgreens used to have lots of shoppers. Now it's only during afternoon rush hour. And if they're in such good shape, why are they closing thousands of stores?