Archived CVS Pharmacy @ Target

[RedDog]

I guess if Target is unable to run a pharmacy this is the only thing they can do. However, this is almost as embarrassing as the Canada failure. While Walmart, grocery stores, and even Kmart are capable of running pharmacy's why is it Target can not? As I understand it things were ok before Target again rolled out a new system that wrecked things. How is this something that can not be fixed?

 

[sigma7]

To be fair, I think PDX-EPS is an improvement over PDX Classic. It just wasn't able to handle the volume that my pharmacy was. That or my team was super resistant to change, but I doubt that since they rebounded quickly after the RedRx debacle. We had RxBPs in the store weekly during our rollout and no one could figure out why the EPS rollout was imploding at my location. Pharmacist and tech turnover didn't help. Now that we've lost a substantial portion of our business, EPS isn't all that bad. Our script count is significantly less than it used to be.

 

[mrknownothing]

Now that we've lost a substantial portion of our business, EPS isn't all that bad. Our script count is significantly less than it used to be.

Obviously, that was the plan from the beginning.

 

[Barcode]

Sounds like damage control from Target Canada.... But REALLY???? The limited number of times I've had to use Target RX, I really enjoyed my experience, and the pill bottles are awesome!

I can't believe Target is giving up Pharmacy, it feels so wrong....

 

[Phoenix26]

I thought they were planning on closing Food Ave to make space for in store liquor store.

At least that's what I heard......

In NH Liquor Stores state owned are state run so that is not a possibility here. state has a full monopoly on on Liquor sales in the state by law.

 

[spoilers]

I have been told that the tgt pharmacies in my area do not make a significant profit on their own, they exist solely to bring foot traffic to the stores. Apparently we lose money on most prescriptions. Regular pharmacy guests=red cards, impulse purchases while waiting, more "loyalty to the brand" blah blah blah, making up for the loss created in the pharmacy. So I guess they're hoping that they won't have to deal with the profit loss in the pharmacy, while reaping the benefits of having at LEAST 5 times the normal volume of pharmacy visitors in the store.
All of our regulars will leave as soon as their regular 10 minute wait times turn into 1 to 2 hour waits and we stop being able to spoil them and pay attention to them. As cheesy as it sounds, that's what I'll miss, being able to be accommodating and do a little extra for them.

 

[signingminion]

In NH Liquor Stores state owned are state run so that is not a possibility here. state has a full monopoly on on Liquor sales in the state by law.

Yup, ME is a town by town thing as well. It's why some Hannaford locations have hard liquor and some don't.

 

[The Dude Abides]

My store's pharmacy made a ton of money. They had the highest script count in our entire group and my store is ULV. There are days where the pharmacy alone was making nearly 1/3 of the stores total sales.

 

[TeamRed]

I am not happy at all with this. Why couldn't it have been Rite-Aid or Walgreens? We literally have Rite aids and Walgreens within miles of each other but CVS ( not so much) kinda annoying actually...... I guess I'll be transferring all my medicines to either Rite-Aid or walgreens now since I am hearing you won't get Target RX points anymore anyways and that's why I joined to begin with. Oy why Target why? I know guests will not be happy at all..... So many guests liked Target rewards and those sweet little perks in the mail and now that they won't be getting them in the mail anymore they won't be too thrilled. I just wonder if the CVS will have longer hrs compared to the target RX?

 

[Amaazingdude]

I am not happy at all with this. Why couldn't it have been Rite-Aid or Walgreens? We literally have Rite aids and Walgreens within miles of each other but CVS ( not so much) kinda annoying actually...... I guess I'll be transferring all my medicines to either Rite-Aid or walgreens now since I am hearing you won't get Target RX points anymore anyways and that's why I joined to begin with. Oy why Target why? I know guests will not be happy at all..... So many guests liked Target rewards and those sweet little perks in the mail and now that they won't be getting them in the mail anymore they won't be too thrilled. I just wonder if the CVS will have longer hrs compared to the target RX?

You can pretty much expect CVS to have longer hours compared to target RX.

 

[sher]

Target annual revenue 78 billion, CVS annual revenue 139 billion. I had no idea CVS was bringing that kind of revenue.

Really? I'm not surprised at all. CVS has been here the whole 15 years I've lived in this town and in that time 3 other pharmacies have been to town. Walgreen's just closed a few months back but CVS is still standing. I picked up a $1700 rx back in March (thanks, Obama). Rx drugs can be expensive as f. And drugs are being over prescribed like crazy. Plus everything else is overpriced in drug stores. Then think about people who are just too lazy to switch pharmacies. I only left CVS because they close the pharmacy too damn early... And at random it seemed. I'm still with target because work, nice bottles, and they have all my in.

But according to twitter cvs treats their pharmacy staff like robots. I saw a tweet from a pharmacist who felt bad for people who went to Target when they escaped CVS.

 

[sher]

You can pretty much expect CVS to have longer hours compared to target RX.

Snap. I initially switched to Target (I went to CVS when I was super sick in March and April though. Proximity.) because my CVS was always closing early. But I just looked at their hours and apparently in the last few years they expanded their hours.

 

[RhettB]

The guest survey will be the true sign.

 

[RhettB]

One failure of our pharmacy was that the stores were not linked. If you were on vacation and ran low on one of your meds, you were out of luck unless you could convince your doctor to call in the script to a pharmacy out of state.

 

[RetailWorld]

I still can't decide if this is one of the many signs to jump ship or if this is a good move for the company.

 

[RXninja]

I'd start looking at Costco, and upscale supermarket chains in your area... On the bright side, you'll have 6-8 months to find a job. It could be much worse.

Edit - Hospital Pharmacy's, might also be worth looking into. Some are even unionized..

Thanks for the advice, I am just a little upset that if I continue to develop as a Pharmacy Tech, I will have to give up my job at Target. I'll be sad to leave behind all of my benefits, including pension and employee discount. But Costco pharmacy sounds like a good place to apply to after I get my PTCB.

 

[pellinore]

This is super awesome! let's face it. Target's pharmacys run at bare minimum and they are subjected to being fast fun and friendly... But pharmacists need to be detailed and not rushed. Target subjects them to metrics and red cards. I was reading something about this a few years ago, about how they were trying to pass laws against this.. Obvs they didn't. Some states you legally can't use your discount or get savings by using your red card.

RE: Red Card discounts...the Red Card can't be used for the 5% off....that's why you get the "pharmacy rewards" after purchasing 5 prescriptions.

 

[oath2order]

Closing Food Ave for alcohol, while I would love that, would never work. We got some stupid-ass law in the county where it's one of each store can sell beer. One Walmart in the county gets to, one Target, one Wegmans, etc etc.

 

[PullMonkey]

Ton of Pharmacy TMs at my store were very pissed off today. Not that I blame them

ETL-HR tried to fight fires during huddle, but only managed to spit out pleading "I don't knows"...

 

[JustJoe]

I've seen it before. A subway inside of Wal-Mart and then a stand alone subway on the next block. Then there's the holiday with another one a block away lol

Back home there is a similar situation, however the same franchise owner operates all of them.

 

[pellinore]

Just a few random thoughts about the possible changes.....
Well, CVS stopped selling liquor.....now they'll be in stores that sell liquor......hmmm....is this a conflict of interest??

Have you noticed how up & up OTC boxes have been changing over the last few months?

It will be quite interesting to see how the CVS Vs Up & Up products will be marketed.
The "new" CVS pharmacies may be limited in what items they can sell.....it could be that they can only sell prescriptions......

I really dislike CVS and I'm sorry to see that, if the deal is approved, I'm not sure what I will do for my medicines.

It will be interesting to see just how CVS will "vibe" with Target guests. CVS pharmacists (in my experience) are impatient, mean and seem to be unhappy at their jobs. Good god, what will happen to the personal touch that Target has? Also I'll be interested to see how guests will react to the new situation. Let's see those guest survey scores go WAYYYYYY down. Of course Target might not really care how the guests feel about things.

I wondered about the red pill bottles....they are (were?) exclusive to Target.....will the bottles just disappear or will the red bottles still be made? Will CVS get the rights to the bottles....or will there be some sort of deal that the CVS stores will have to buy the bottles from Target?

Sure do hope that CVS can't make drive through pharmacy part of their "new" stores.

 

[CashierTM]

It's kinda sad how Target is letting other companies take it over...selling Target Canada to Walmart..(biggest competitor???) and now selling its pharmacy to CVS?? Target is practically handing over its expansion and success to other companies and I don't understand...

 

[SFSFun]

It's kinda sad how Target is letting other companies take it over...selling Target Canada to Walmart..(biggest competitor???) and now selling its pharmacy to CVS?? Target is practically handing over its expansion and success to other companies and I don't understand...

That is not remotely close to what happened. Target completely liquidated and closed (not sold) all of its Canadian stores. Walmart did buy 13 of the now empty buildings. But so did Lowes. And another 12 were bought by Canadian Tire. So it is grossly inaccurate to imply that they sold the entire Canadian business unit to Walmart.

Now with the pharmacies, they are selling an active and unprofitable business unit to another company. So instead of taking a loss every year in a business they just don't know how to run, they are taking an instant $1.9 billion in profit and guaranteeing $25 million per year in profits from leasing the space.

 

[SFSFun]

I'm curious if CVS can handle the expansion. They will be paying $20 million to $25 million in annual rent to Target for the pharmacy and clinic space. Is this Target's strategy - lease out parts of the store? Softlines will become American Eagle, sporting goods will become Dick's, Electronics will become Circuit City, toys will become TRU, etc. I can almost see Market becoming Kroger, Wegmans, Giant, Food Lion, etc.

I guess this cuts some costs.

Oh god please no...

 

[FlowChick]

In NH Liquor Stores state owned are state run so that is not a possibility here. state has a full monopoly on on Liquor sales in the state by law.

Well if target is leasing out space it would work, right?