Duane Reade — Local services in New York

TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE Apparently Duane Reade is determined to lose their long term customers to friendlier places like Target and CVS. My husband and I have been loyal Duane Reade customers at the Roosevelt Avenue store in Flushing for over 10 years. However a year ago we decided to shop at Target because they carried the same products, had much much more product for way cheaper prices. In fact I very quickly learned that every time we shopped at Target we saved $50 or more, as long as we didn’t shop at Duane Rease. On top of that Target has a very friendly return policy, and very friendly employees who work the Returns and exchanges department. They even go one step further by sending you, the customer, an email to make sure that your return was smooth. Target wants the customer to return. This is not the case with Duane Reade. Duane Reade makes it as difficult as possible to return an item EVEN IF YOU HAVE A RECEIPT. Two days ago ny husband purchased a Just For Him men’s beard and mustache black dye, and saved the receipt. The next day he brought the item back along with the receipt because Duane Reade also sold another product by the same manufacturer for the exact same price, and it was a better product. When he went to EXCHANGE the first UNOPENED product WITH THE RECEIPT, the store would NOT allow him to exchange it EVEN WITH THE RECEIPT because he didn’t bring his ID. So he showed the cashier a photo of his VALID ID but the manager insisted on him brining it in to the store physically, no exceptions. Mind you, the manager was VERY POLITE. She even explained that it was the store’s policy. She was just following the rules. He even tried explaining that this was a $15 product and not something that cost $2000, like an expensive camera, for example, but she wouldn’t let him exchange one product for the other EVEN THOUGH he had the receipt in his hand and even though he had made the purchase less than 24hrs ago. He tried explaining that he was a customer there for over 10 years and that ALL the night employees knew him. But the manager would not let him do the exchange, because store policy prevented her from doing so. She said the new rules required that he present his passport or State ID to do an even exchange. Both items cost exactly the same. My husband was not asking for a refund. He just wanted an exchange. It makes me wonder, why do stores try their best to drive customers away to another place. It’s like they want you to shop elsewhere. Duane Reade wants to make it as difficult as possible for the customer to have a great shopping experience. Duane Reade also makes it very difficult for good managers to ETHICALLY do the right thing. So you know what? Goodbye Duane Reade, goodbye Walgreens, hello CVS, and our loyalty and money go...

As a Walgreens rewards member for over a decade, Its unfortunate that I have to give management at this store a big thumbs down. This is the second Time that I'v been racially profiled and targeted by store employees, and at companies that I spnd a lot of money with, at that! I know that these type of stores have problems with shoplifting, that's why so many of them are closing down, but it's my opinion that these people are trained to profile and target people who dont really fit the majority demographic of an area, because this has only happened to me at stores that weren't in a largely black or hispanic area. What a coincidence. I spend a lot of money at Walgreens stores in general, but on this particular day Nov. 29th the current store manager, an old Caucasian gentleman whom I was later told his name was Tom, It's my opinion that he racially profiled me as soon as I walked in the store. I was literally not in the store for 1 minute before I noticed someone out of the corner of my eye, standing in a very accosting manner about two feet away from me. When I turned and looked at him, he greeted me except it wasn't a real greeting. He asked me how I was doing in a very stern tone of voice and I said I was fine. Then I asked him how he was doing and he said he was fine. Then he left, but not even 1 minute later, he sicked the store mascot, i mean, security guard on me. If he wasn't profiling me and singling me out for whatever reason, because I know I don't look broke or look like a thief, then what was his reason for getting security? Then after I asked the security guard what this was all about, the manager tried to bully me and say that this is HIS store, when it's not, and that if I didn't agree with the garbage that he was saying, that I could leave. I said I'll gladly leave and I won't be spending my money here. Will be talking to my legal team and they can do the same. so now wer'e gonna see if MR. Tom is gonna think it was...

The techs often make mistakes here.

On one occasion the tech put in a expired prescription that is not covered by the insurance when I specifically told them the name of the medication I want. Tech just carelessly put in what he think I need for refill. I was going to fly out in three days and the delay was causing a lot of stress.

On another occasion, they entered the wrong billing code and the diabetes supplies showed up as not covered by my insurance. After calling the pharmacy, one of the tech said she fixed the insurance and vola my out of pocket expense is zero.

Don't come here as they will cause delay to your medications and money as well due to the incompetency of the staff. They need to be fired.

It is also very hard to call the pharmacy, either it does not go through, a very long wait, or a non pharmacy staff pick up giving you an attitude because it is your faulty you have to called. She is trying to help out but her English is so bad you have to repeat more than 3 times the DOB and name. Their services really gone down hill. This place is probably very overwhelmed with prescription and understaffed with low quality technicians. I got got cut off twice waiting on hold and the automated machine would just hung up every time I press for the pharmacy option. Between these two days I learned my lessons. If you need to reach the pharmacy, ASK FOR THE STORE MANAGER!!! One time, she took my number and ask the pharmacy to call back. 2nd time i got an actual transfer but got cutoff after a long wait. The third time, the manager walked over...