CVS

Don’t go! they have been practicing bait-​and-​switch for decades. They advertise something, you go 10 minutes after opening, they are out, and no «rain checks» on sale items. The items on shelves are routinely mis-​marked, so you pick up something for $ 1.99 and it’s $ 3.99 when you check out – uh ho, it’s the item a few feet down the shelf that is on sale. So every checkout takes time and aggravation – not worth it, and i don’t even go in the store anymore. Walgreen’s (any Walgreen’s) is better.

Excellent store. The workers at this location are very kind and helpful. I recommend this location! A+

Worst customer service ever !! Oh ya and never buy their vanilla gift cards. They are the worst gift cards giving you a hard time. I couldn’t get a copy of my receipts from the store so had to call the customer service but even they were not polite at all. Never gonna buy anything from cvs !!! What a waste of time

We are waiting to be taken care and still waiting. You can refill quickly but cannot get your medicine that fast !!! Please this is pharmacy should work more better than what they provide now to the costumers !!!

I called this CVS this morning looking for a specific item. The woman who answered the phone didn’t think CVS carried it, but she checked anyway. When she came back to give me the bad news, she said a colleague of hers had suggested I try a different type of store altogether, and named one such store store. I had not thought of going that route. Sure enough, the store she named carried what I was looking for. Thanks CVS woman whose name I unfortunately did not get. You went out of your way and were a great help!

I’m giving this place only 2 stars and both of them are for the Pharm tech Ray. He was nice, sweet and overall very apologetic for my meds not being ready after almost 2 hours when I placed them this morning before 8am online.
But the other staff deserve 0 stars if it is possible! I actually think Unilocal needs to start a 0 star policy for exceptionally bad service. The staff lets crazy old people just come talk to them at the counter because they are bored and lonely. The pharmacist didn’t or refused to processing refund and the black girl Chetay yes that’s her name stated «I’m going on a break I can’t deal with it» while we were talking! Not blaming her because she can only do so much but that’s it professional to do in front of someone.
At least the pharmacist could have apologized for her own mistake but nope she didn’t.

They are so slow to prepare your prescription that you have time to go do your groceries to busy trader joe’s and come back to wait some more.
CVS just like Wallgreens is a scam, they are purposely slow to make you wait and buy crap from their stores. And they only sell products no one needs.
So enjoy going to trader joe’s twice if you have to while waiting for this scam to end.

I have quit this particular location. Our new District Manager, Cindy Ma is a complete *****!! Although we, or they, are hiring, I recommend no one apply here, lest you run into that slag.
The managers of this store do care about you, but only when it’s convenient. I was told that I would be punched out early and forced to leave if I didn’t return to the store in 2 minutes from assisting a customer with her items to her car. Some customer service.

As far as CVS stores goes, I don’t particularly like coming to this one anymore. I used to come here as a kid and liked how the store was set up. As an adult, the store seems extremely small; as if it was a CVS Express instead of a full store. I feel like the times and the Plaza have changed but this CVS never changed with the times. When I went in today, there were two registers open and each had about 6 – 7 people waiting.
There’s ample free parking. The top shelves in most of the aisles are short enough that I can look over the top to see what’s in the aisle next to me. I don’t understand how different items are grouped in this store but I suppose they try to do the best with the set-​up they have.
If I need to go to a CVS, I try to go to the one in Alameda in Marina Village. When you walk in there, they greet every customer.

The pharmacy department for this CVS deserves negative stars.
Cutting to the chase:
— I would like to actually speak with someone on the phone before:
1. I die at 105
2. My telephone company cuts my service for how many ridiculous minutes I have spent on hold with this department
3. I die a premature stress-​induced death (caused by the looming uncertainty of whether or not my call will be answered before the next eon)
4. The zombie apocalypse actually happens and I am unwillingly either turned into a mindless flesh-​eater or dinner or both
(Although I feel the probability of number 4 strongly outweighs the probability of my call being answered)
— I would really appreciate it if the pharmacy department would:
1. Stop forgetting to fill my refills
2. Stop lying to me about faxing my doctor authorization requests when they actually did not
3. Stop blaming my doctor’s office for every mistake
4. Stop placing me on hold for a second time
5. Resurrect a larger than life-​sized gold statue of the one and only kind soul behind these gates of hell (if, by some unfortunate circumstance (s), you’ve been here, you will know who I am talking about.)
TLDR; AVOID THIS PHARMACY AT ALL POSSIBLE COSTS IF YOU VALUE YOUR HAPPINESS AND OVERALL EMOTIONAL WELL-​BEING (oh the irony).

We are able to call in an Rx at night on the recorder and the patient can pick it up
the next morning, no hassles. Great pharmacy!

CVS is the nearest pharmacy to our home, and that’s why we’ve been shopping there longer than really makes sense. I’m finally fed up to the point that I’m done. On Friday, I went in to buy 2 items — an OTC digestive remedy for my husband, and a foot-​callus remover for myself. I had a 25% off coupon (sent to my email) and a $ 4 ExtraCare thing. The med was $ 20 and the callus thing was $ 6.29. I saw on the register that I got $ 5 off, TOTAL. I asked why I got the 25% off on only one of 2 items. This snippy clerk, Aaron, called over some tall blonde with an accent, who «explained» to me (acting like I was stupid) that the $ 6.29 item was «on sale» because it currently has a «yellow tag» on the display, that says «Buy one and get the SECOND ONE ½ off». I said, «I’m only buying ONE, and you’re charging me the FULL posted regular price. It’s a SECOND one that is «half off» (IF someone buys a 2^nd one) — I’m paying FULL PRICE for this one, so how can THIS one be «on sale»? Aaron then literally screamed at me that «This is our Corporate Policy!» I got the feeling he was hoping to provoke me to scream back, so he could call store security and try to humiliate me further. But I just stayed calm and said «Oh, why don’t you just get over yourself?» He snottily said, «Well, do you want it or not?» I said yes. So he rang it up with as much attitude as he could put into it. When I first asked about the discrepancy in the way he was applying the coupon, he put both items out of my reach, next to the cash register. After I’d finished paying, my (self-​provided) bag was still lying there next to the card-​swipe thing. My paid-​for items were still over by the register. I said «Where is my merchandise? Not in my bag, still over there.» Aaron was clearly PO’d to be put in the wrong AGAIN, so he picked the two items up and threw them, hard, into my bag, saying «There, happy now?» I said «Yes, I’m happy that I will never be coming here ever again.» I think Aaron maybe forgot that his name is right on my receipt. This week I will be writing a detailed complaint about his attitude, AND about the «corporate policy» that amounts to «bait and switch», to the management of the store, and CC’ing corporate headquarters. Hey, CVS, don’t pretend that you are offering a «discount» and then deny it on a phony technicality. If the customer is being charged FULL PRICE, then the thing is NOT ON SALE! Period! I don’t care how big a discount you plan to give on a SECOND one. If I’m NOT BUYING the SECOND one, then I am NOT being sold a «discounted» item. Therefore, I am entitled to the damn 25% off. Having your ignorant employees get rude and nasty with me, doesn’t change that basic logical fact. And let’s not forget that these two jerks put a lot of effort into trying to embarrass me in public, over $ 1.57. So, is that amount is going to BREAK CVS, if they choose to be courteous and GIVE me the damn discount? Sure, it’s not an amount that will break me, either. However, if that piddling amount is so valuable to THEM to hold onto, why don’t they understand that it’s at least as valuable to ME to keep it in MY bank account, and I don’t make the millions that CVS does? AND … I’m the customer, right? I’m the one paying THEIR salary, not the other way around. Bottom line is, it’s a matter of principle — to not be cheated through language manipulation. I went into the damn store in the first place, because they USED MY EMAIL to send me a coupon and ENTICE ME in there, to then be treated REALLY RUDELY by their employees. There are lots of other pharmacies around, and lots of places to buy sundries. I have no further use for this cheesy, cheating, bait-​and-​switching outfit.

Zero customer service. Rude. The cashier lady I had to deal with did not ask me for a CVS point card, and she just swiped her own card to get the points that were supposed to be mine. I will never come back again.

Long lines. Service aight. BRING YOUR ID if you are purchasing medicine. I did not know this and waited in line forever to find out I needed an ID then had to go to my car and come back but the cashier was nice and let me go back to where I was essentially in the transaction process. They have a large variety of goods but I prefer the Albany target more. I believe prices at Target is cheaper but that is my personal preference. In addition, they do have plenty of parking and it is easy to visit other stores in the area by feet. It is located in El Cerrito Plaza which has pretty much everything.

As soon as I walked in I already got the stank eye as I like to call it and I was returning items that were untouched and still in their package. She started questioning the reason for the return and I told her it’s too light. She then asked oh so you opened it, and I said no I can tell by he packaging and gave me the stank eye again. As a makeup artist I know the color just by the packaging. I wasn’t able to return these right away because I traveled out of state. She called what it looked to be a manager but she just questioned if they were open. I’ve never had a return issue. Especially if anything is still in packages. She returned it but she seemed uncomfortable returning. I’ve been a sales associate before so I know the process but honestly it made me feel really bad, will I shop here ever again? No. Worst customer service. Even handing me the money she seemed hesitant. I felt like a criminal. Ridiculous. Last time I go here or any cvs as for now target will remain number one. Oh and the lady’s name was «Karen «if that helps.

Friendly fast service never had to wait more than 10min for my perscriptions even with people in front of me. Very accessable as well!

I don’t like to come to this store. Customer service doesn’t exist and the customer is left to fume. How can two stores be so different as the store a little farther down on San Pablo hardly has lines & are always helpful
I tried to avoid this store.

My soul dies a little each time I come in here. No one who works here is helpful and the average customer age here is probably 90… and they pay with pennies/​checks.

Four stars for the pharmacy, two for the store. Half of the cashiers are pleasant and friendly, while the other half seem deliberately difficult and unpleasant. I don’t like the managers I’ve had to deal with; they seem either unpleasant, incompetent, or both.
The pharmacy, on the other hand, has always been very helpful. Perhaps because I have lots of prescriptions that get refilled regularly, they seem to treat me as a valued customer. They even call when they notice that I haven’t had something refilled recently.

This CVS is ok… they have you know the usually CVS products but the building is kinda of old… The cleanliness of this place is not so great… I see dirty floors and stained carpet spots on every aisle which is disgusting. Idk this atmosphere is kinda of slow… Or maybe it can just be the employees who make it slower… Other than that, this CVS has everything neatly and stocked on every aisle which all that matters am I right? Lost 2 stars because of cleanliness isn’t kept so well.

What a difference 3 years make. Last year, CVS added a Pharm Tech named Margaret. She is amazing. She makes sure all my myriad perscriptions are up to date, keeps all my meds in stock, and all around rocks. They also added a great young pharmacist and the pharmacist manager is also really wonderful. These 3 are stars of this store. There are a few other workers, and they are solidly one star worthy, but these 3 women have greatly improved the experience of CVS Moeser Ln.

I have gotten misinformation from this pharmacy 5 times in a row. Every single time I’ve dropped off my prescription, I’ve been told it’s in stock, only to get told after waiting ³⁰⁄₄₅ minutes that it is in fact not in stock. For such a simple process, they sure make it difficult for me. I will never come here to fill my prescriptions again. Worst cvs I’ve ever stepped foot in.

Awesome pharmacy! Great staff and service. I have been to bad pharmacies and hated it. These guys are the best. They are professional, courteous, and happy. I feel like the are on MY side advocating and troubleshooting things for me so I don’t have to. Thanks CVS for getting it so right. Keep up the good work!

This pharmacy is absolutely not in the business of helping the consumer. I had a doctor call in a prescription from the office. Unfortunately she used the words «as needed» to indicate i could take multiple doses of a cough medicine during the night. The pharmacy did not understand the meaning of this, so they assumed once a day instead of questioning.
Then when my doctor called in a refill 6 days later, the pharmacy decided to just hold the refill, not ask questions of myself or the doctor.
When I finally called — unfortunately for me when i needed the refill — the office was condescending and righteous.
Really, they just hand out prescriptions… no customer service… no level of quality… we can all do better.

If you are in this neighborhood needing to get passport photos for a newborn, you only have two choices: CVS in the Plaza or Costco down the street. UPS does not do them.
I called prior to walking in and was told yes, they can do photos for infants. When I got to the Photo department, Marco told me to hold on he wanted to consult with his manager for help. Well Dickhead, uh, I meant manager loudly says, «I won’t do pictures for newborns, you need to get the pictures head on and it’s much too difficult,» then he walked off.
My inner bitch was ready to pounce but I never got the chance,. Marco turned around and said, «It might be difficult but let’s do this!» Marco was super patient and took several pictures.
While he was printing out his first set, Dickhead told him that that picture wouldn’t work. As I glared at Dickhead, Marco began to set up for his second photoshoot with the newborn.
Long story short, the gal at the passport office chose the first set of pictures… you remember, the ones that Dickhead nixed.
Five stars to Marco, no stars for Dickhead, and two stars for CVS.
Bön voyage!

Wow, CVS in El Cerrito Plaza needs to hire better help and that’s putting it nicely. My family and I have been shopping at the store for over 30 years without a single incident, but today proved to be a new low in rude employees. I could have sworn that customer service workers were supposed to provide just that– service to customers.
I went in to redeem a coupon and an employee named «Mami» (probably Indian in mid to late 20s) rolled her eyes as I pulled it up from my phone– sorry for being green. She was annoyed that I didn’t print it out– why I do not know.
Then she took the phone from me and as she was scrolling on my touch screen she wiped her nose and then proceeded to continue scrolling on my phone after wiping her nose– are you kidding me?
Needless to say I was appalled. It took me a moment to recover from shock. And then I said to her «Do you realize that you just wiped your nose and then used my phone?»
She ignored me, smirked and then rolled her eyes.
So I asked her if she realized that that action was rude, disgusting, and unsanitary. To which she responded «So, it’s not like it was inside my nose?»
«Well, at a minimum it’s gross» I expanded.
To which she rolled her eyes again and as I used the hand sanitizer that was right by her that she refused to use she said «Ok, I’ll give you the refund but so you know that now this money is gross too.» And she wiped her nose again and held onto the money.
I was amazed at how rude she was. I asked her if she was the manager and she said she was the manager of the whole store. WTF. I doubt that. At least I hope CVS isn’t fool enough to promote her.
CVS needs to hire better help. You would think that a pharmacy would give a hoot about sanitation especially during flu season.

Good place to come by and get some supplies. The pharmacy has been a great place being our usual place to pick up medications for the family. Having been at Kaiser and other pharmacies this place is not exceptionally great but it is not bad either and it’s close proximity and consistent service has made it a good place to go.

This is, bar none, the worst CVS pharmacy I have EVER experienced. I have been filling prescriptions at CVS locations for years, and without fail, I have had problems every time – three in total – that I have attempted to have a prescription filled at this location. (In fact, this is the only location I’ve ever had a significant problem with in regards to getting my prescriptions filled.) The last time, upon arrival to pick up, I was told my prescription would be ready within 15 minutes. (This was after I’d phoned in the refill, and been told it would be ready within an hour, and available to pick up when I got there.) Guess what? Almost an hour and a half after I’d arrived, it was still not ready. Why? Someone forgot to actually check the fax tray for the authorization, all while I was standing right there being told every few minutes that it was almost ready. Made me VERY late for an important function down in the South Bay. Today’s horsecrap is what finally prompted this review. This is now the second time that I have been told by a staff member at this location that a medication I take on a daily basis (have taken for years, in this particular strength, as a generic, from the same manufacturer) is not available in said strength, and is instead backordered. At least this time they admitted that it does come in this strength (vs. telling me I needed to contact my doctor to have her write the Rx differently), though they tried to convince me this is a new thing. (As I said, I’ve been on this med, in this strength, for years – this is a complete falsehood. Lying out of laziness? Or just sheer ignorance?) This is the only CVS I’ve dealt with that doesn’t seem to know of the existence of this med.
I will never fill another prescription at this location. The Albany location on Solano Ave. has been wonderful on not one, but now 2 occasions, in getting this prescription, a pretty common medication, filled promptly for me after the El Cerrito Plaza location basically blew me off. (Oh yes, I was told today that they were too busy to call to find it at another location for me, so I took it upon myself to do so.) I highly recommend driving a couple extra miles down the road to visit the Solano location instead of the Plaza. Eminently less stressful, and you’ll actually get the medications you need without being lied to and going through a song and dance. This will now be my regular CVS while I’m in the area.
One more note: The bathrooms at the EC Plaza location are ATROCIOUS. Are they ever cleaned?! They smell absolutely foul.
I’d leave a zero-​star review if Unilocal allowed it.

When CVS is good, it is very good. When it is bad, it is very bad. Let me start with the good: CVS has some pretty cheap products, standard. Their Just the Basics brand makes various cookies and candies (yum) and some crackers and chips (go for it if you want the extra salt compared to the pricier brands). There are also some really good deals on shampoos, soaps and pet supplies at any given time.
However, I have definitely noticed that I get WAY fewer «Extra Bucks» than I used to. My roommate told me that CVS gives out fewer Extra Bucks these days because they are losing money on them. In honor of my horse ranch review, I say, horse shit. CVS is losing money on Extra Bucks? Really? What about all of the Extra Bucks coupons I see crammed into the trash outside of every CVS store? I admit, one time while extremely broke and very hungry, I found a $ 2 Extra Bucks coupon and CVS wouldn’t honor my eager purchase of an orange soda and cookies because the coupon «didn’t belong to me». Well, the woman who tossed it sure as hell wasn’t searching for it, so why couldn’t I have my soda and cookies? I left CVS feeling very embarrassed and angry. I have overpaid CVS so many times for «deals» that weren’t honored at the register, that I figure a found coupon should get me something as it would for any other store.
My next beef with CVS is only a half-​beef, as the pharmacy staff at CVS are generally very courteous and have advanced me some much-​needed medication more than a few times, though they really weren’t obligated to do so. But seriously, you don’t carry Dilaudid?! Yes, I know the stuff is strong enough to tranquilize an elephant, but I didn’t write the prescription myself with a post-​it note and a crayon. I need this medication, on occasion, in order to stay out of the ER. But I get funny looks whenever I present the script as a relatively healthy 33 year old non-​cancer patient. And every time, I am told I can get my medication in three or four days. Thank goodness I don’t need it that often!
The lines at CVS can be impossibly long, at all hours of the day. More than once I have returned my merchandise and left the store empty-​handed due to, you know, having a job to get to or something better to do than wait in line for another 45 minutes. To be fair, Lucky has the same problem with long lines but I don’t depend on them for my medication.

Karen S is the nicest retail checkout employee I’ve ever met! She was really genuinely friendly and so happy! Really brightened my day, and I wasn’t even having a bad day.
I have no idea how someone who deals with the public on a regular basis can be so wonderful.

I miss Longs Pharmacy. I do like CVS, it took some time getting used to the new arrangement and placement of the products here at this location. With the exception of a few of the associates at the pharmacy, this CVS is all right.
The sales associates are very nice and professional. I do like one of the sales associates, Derek, he is so sweet and will go out of his way to help customers find exactly what they are looking for. My five stars go to Derek.
This CVS location is convenient.

So here’s the story as I see it.
This store sits smack dab in the middle of an affluent area. Within a stone’s throw, lies Albany with its sweet little houses and awesome school district. El Cerrito properties in this area are well maintained and usually single family homes. Kensington folks roll down the hill, park their cars and shop-​they-​drop at Trader Joe’s which is just around the corner. Berkeley people find good parking, and an easy (flat) bicycle trip from their bungalows near Gilman.
So…there is absolutely no excuse for this store to be poorly stocked.
There is no reason why management should even consider dumping problem employees at this location.
There is no reason why «specials» shouldn’t be clearly labeled and honored at the checkstand.
There is no reason why lines should be long, Nor should checkers be unable to locate pricetags. Nor should there be an aura of…
Let’s call it what it is.
Incompetence.
This is, after all, a money-​making operation, a few blocks from the rolling fiesta that is Solano Avenue.
I went to the CVS today for Hallowe’en candy. Couldn’t think of anywhere else that would have the stuff. Spent considerable time in line, watching, waiting, and thinking about this store. One checker was available for the whole store and she had to leave the line to help find a request from a fellow.
He (the customer) finally left as he was late to his dialysis appointment. Leaving the checker free to process the very long line of customers who were buying… yep, Hallowe’en candy.
Got the candy half an hour later. Took it home. Noticed that none of the «specials» had been accounted for and that I had been overcharged.
Am I going back? Well… maybe next year. Hallowe’en candy remains important in my neighborhood. Where… yep…real people, really truly live and raise their kids.
CVS…take a look around. Get real.

My previous review was for Long’s. This update is for CVS. I liked Long’s a lot. I don’t like CVS particularly, but I spend very little time in drugstores, so I’m not here much. I don’t get my prescriptions filled here because I have Kaiser, so for me it’s a place to buy the occasional thing not available at the Kensington Pharmacy or Costco. In this case, my dentist recommended a night guard. She’s been recommending it for years and I’ve been resisting it for as long, but looking at the condition of some of my back teeth yesterday at my dental appointment made me more willing to consider it. Dr. Seet recommended buying one at a drugstore to try it out before committing to a professionally made one, so that’s what I did. They had several types and I chose one. I’m returning to see her Thursday for another appointment and I’ll show it to her.
The checker was very friendly and patient when I had trouble reading the unfamiliar credit card machine. He commented on how nice it would be if they were standardized so you knew what was expected whenever you encountered one and I agreed. It was a pleasant and sympathetic exchange. The store was clean and practically deserted on a Tuesday morning. There’s something off-​putting about the physical setup, starting w/​the carpeted floors, that keeps me from warming up to CVS generally, but this store is close and I may come back when I need something they stock.

Do not even enter this hellhole! Seriously, make the drive out to the CVS in North Oakland. That place is the heaven of drug stores! It’s HUGE. It’s got everything and more of it.
Plus, the manager in the El Cerrito Plaza store is a total jackass: he’ll either treat you like a mentally handicapped geriatric or he’ll be down-​right rude to you.
I went in there to buy some foundation the other day and what I thought was going to be a simple transaction turned out to be an (almost) embarrassing nuisance: I went in line to pay and I noticed that the bottle I picked out had a «Save $ 4 Now» coupon attached to it. I took it off the bottle and got ready to set it down on the conveyor belt when the dick manager opened another register and called me over. I went over, set the bottle down and gave him the coupon. All the while he was walking me through every step as if I was mentally retarded «You got your CVS card, ok, thaaank yooou, theeeere you go.» (And not in a funny way, a sarcastic way). Then he looked at the coupon for half a second and in his annoyingly loud voice said «What is this??» Its a coupon, I told him. He fiddled around with it, scanning it, typing in whatever and told me the total. Finally, I’m done with this place.

I started a review for this place a few weeks ago … with nothing really good to say. I wanted to complain about the prices and about how while most places are doing AWAY with the club card … CVS is filling landholes with all the plastic they are trying to hand out.
But to be fair … today I went in to pick up some burn cream for my hand. I went to the pharmacy to be directed down the right aisle. And with sympathy rarely found in strangers, the gentleman (though he didn’t look over 25) immediately called over the pharmacist for a consult. She gave me some advice and explained that with the number of nerve endings in my hand, it hurts a LOT … even though now, it just looks swollen like I slapped 12 too many juicy asses.
The prices at CVS are hard to swallow when there’s a Target and a Costco so close by … but today, I appreciated the help and the sympathy. Without full use of my right hand, I’ve already managed to stab myself in the mouth with my toothbrush, get stuck taking off a shirt, had to have someone hold my eye open so I could remove a contact and putting on a bra is impossible.

I received my regular flu shot several weeks ago and immediately moved on to thinking about the upcoming H1N1 vaccine availability and options. My son is in town this weekend, and his Mom asked me to look into getting him his regular flu shot. For this seasonal round, it’s probably getting late, but you would never know it with all the flu shot signs up front and at the pharmacy at this CVS. The store manager informed me that CVS stopped offering the flu vaccine a few weeks ago and their toll free number seemed to confirm that. On top of that, he and 1 of the pharmacy clerks gave me a «what’s your problem?» look when I mentioned the concept of «truth in advertising» and the slow dithering wait in line that was required beforehand.
So besides service with a snarl, we have a shiny new CVS store in a space formally known as Longs. There are times like these that I wish I had a neighbourhood pharmacy, where service was important and beauty wasn’t skin deep.