Are you confused? I was too. On Wednesday I went to BJs, and as I was shopping listening to the annoucements being made on the speaker about keeping your distance, I heard about clipping coupons in the BJs app.
But wait? I thought all BJs coupons were going to be instant savings? Which they were when BJs announced it here.
Starting April 28th, 2020, you will now need to CLIP BJs coupons to get the savings. This can be done in the BJs app or online here.
NOW BJs has first thing on their website, BJs coupons are going back to digital. Honestly this is a bummer. I really wanted BJs to follow Costco in the no need to clip coupons.
Let us clip or bring in our manufacturer coupons but you give us the instant savings. The good thing is, while BJs has still paused accepting paper coupons in store, some ( not all) manufacturer coupons are in the app.
Usually it is coupons from coupons.com– but I have noticed lately not all the same coupons are in the app/online.
The thing is though, not everyone is going to clip the coupons. Which must mean bottom line- more money for BJs?
When BJs first launched their app with clipping coupons, they said the booklets would still remain for those who didn’t have access to internet.
Now times are different so I understand why they aren’t sending booklets. Costco and Sam’s are not sending theirs out either.
Top Reasons This Annoys Me
- We have to clip coupons ONE BY ONE. Why is there no clip all button?
- We can only use the BJs digital coupon ONE time. That means if bread has a coupon I can only use it once during the whole month long promotion of that coupon.
But does this mean BJs will continue this after everything goes back to normal? Or will this be the new normal?
How to Shop BJ’s During Quarantine
Sure is petty. Store manager tried for half an hour to install app and get it working on my phone. No luck. Will go to Costco for my next shopping spree. Can not get anything on sale at BJ,s. Poor move on there part.
I’ve heard this with several others too. Hoping they go back to the old way, or they should have stayed with the instant savings.
Been shopping @BJs since 1998 (Rutherford, NJ) – disdain the establishment now! In midst of a pandemic when many are strapped for cash:
Long waits to get in and NOT find what you need (Take one of those hugh TV’s to the door with a display that says No Clorox, Lysol. Bottled water, Diapers, Toilet paper, Paper towels etc.) so we won’t waste precious time!
Long lines to purchase when they are required to limit customers due to Social distancing
Long lines to get out – backed up to 20+ deep on any day
I saved the ultimate insult for last: Pay for a membership and still need coupons to get a price within $1.00 per unit at Target or Walmart. Wait for it….now you need a mobile phone; then reception in this cave to get reception; then their app; then set it up; password no one remembers.Step one
Search through over 100 coupons for yours; then “clip” them to your membership card (only ONE coupon per member! Step Two
You think you have worked hard enough after paying $40+ for membership, your data plan on phone and precious time wasted locating coupons? Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah – you need both the card and the app – YOU NEED BOTH THE CARD & THE APP at check out or no savings for you! How “paperless” can the be if they still print the booklets and take cash!? It is a gimmick and scam!
I shop at Walmart, Target, Shop Rite and never needed to work this hard for basically nothing. All I need is a card (FREE) or phone number if I forget or misplace it – savings is AUTOMATIC!!!! My BJ’s renewal came and went, because I took my business to Costco. They are due for a serious reality check. Hope more people say enough and move on.
I’m sorry you had a terrible experience. I do not use the bjs app for coupons. I go on my computer and load them on the website. Easy. Then when I shop they automatically come off. Right now there are KILLEr deals stacking coupons where you can get 3 FREE Suave hand sanitizers, Under $1 Love Beauty PLanet, and $3.48 for 48 bars of Lever soap, the list goes on. There are plenty of amazing deals. Long lines, sure there is a pandemic going on. But you don’t need the phone at checkout and you don’t have to use the app. If you want to check out the deals I mentioned go to http://www.mybjswholesale.com/coupons.
We totally agree with you 101% – – – BJ’s coupons / app are terrible 🙁 🙁 🙁
The worst thing is they don’t come out of your account after you use them and you can only use them once. So you have to remember what you bought last time so you don’t try to use them again or wait until they expire. BJ’s move to clipless coupons has been a disaster. They need to do 100% clipless, fix the app so coupons get removed after use or allow use of paper coupons.
I guess they are now allowing you to use a digital coupon up to five times.
I agree with most of you. I wish they would follow Costco’s lead. People might actually shop more often, I know I would if I didn’t have to check the booklet or app 1st. You know if you were to run in for something you always buy more, at least I do. if Costco was closer to me, I wouldn’t renew membership at BJ’s. BJ’s 7 miles Costco 45 Miles.
Ever heard of KISS? Keep it simple stupid! BJs really blew it this time! It took most of the day to install the app and I was in the store & more than 1 employee tried to help me & the store mgr, still didn’t work! We missed coupon discounts today and would have shopped and would have bought more if it would have worked! Terrible! BJs should apply all discounts at the register or forget a big portion of business!
Did you try going to their website? I have better luck with that.
Love BJ;s but wish they would make the coupons simpler to use ,not have so many different dates and send several when you can’t use but one.
As usual, it all comes down to greed, the almighty $$ & lining their pockets..No interest at all in the people who have supported them all these years. I always like the “not all items in all stores” line..then pay attention to your LOCAL buyers! Even though there is a BJs less than a mile from me, if they don’t straighten up their act, I’ll be traveling further to shop at Sam’s! I’m in Palm Bay, Fl.
Extremely confusing. I agree. I’ve been taking my paper coupons they’ve sent me to customer service when I make a purchase. I made sure I knew the manager’s name and let them know he approved it, which he did. A lot of times, I want to use coupons, but the merchandise is sold out. They’ll still take them after the expiration date.
Not a big fan of the clipless coupons. Either go back to paper coupons or even better, follow the lead of Costco and stop requiring coupons and pass on the savings. I may rethink my BJ’s membership when it comes time to renew.
Wow , I really thought it was going to be just like Costco with instant saving without all the grief. I’ve tried before this clipping the coupons on the app but a lot were not available .
This is frustrating, especially in these times. I feel sorry for the elderly who shop bjs and are not able to manage a online account to clip coupons. Its petty!
I get that they want to make more money off people that would buy these items without a coupon, but this is making it harder for people that are not as good at or do not have access to technology! For example, my mom will look through the coupon book, but doesn’t know how to use the app or website. It should stay clipless till they allow paper coupons again!!
Hoping that it will all go back to the original way eventually when all the craziness is over. I prefer presenting paper coupons, so I can watch as they are being deducted and know without a doubt that I am getting the savings.
WHY ARE THEY REARRANGING ALL THE STORES?
Makes shopping confusing especially for us elderly folks during this pandemic. When there is only 1 hour to shop in the morning the anxiety is high and the pressure is on.
Fewer coupons means I have fewer reasons to shop at BJ’s.
I think this is a bad move. If I have fewer reasons to shop there I might as well end my membership and shop elsewhere. They are not the only game in town. Their coupon choices on quality products have been getting dismal these past 6 months. As far as all clipless coupons, how do I know if something is discounted if I can’t see the price beforehand? That means I have no incentive to shop at BJ’s.
I’m more confused now. Do we have to physically cut the coupons with scissors now or no? I never read the March 2020 announcement as “instant savings; no need to go online and virtually clip coupons”. I assumed they were saying all coupons had to be virtual, aka go on the app or on the website and “clip” them virtually and save them to your account. So….I am very confused now.
No they did it as a sale price. So all the BJs coupons that got mailed to you, those savings automatically came off when you shopped. Which was a good move. Made sense. Now they are saying you have to clip the digital coupons.
This is just plain NASTY! Besides that they should put an item quantity on their digital coupons the way COSTCO does
So sad as my 70 year old mother can’t navigate apps well. She likes and goes to BJ’s but now she is struggling and feels she isn’t able to get her money’s worth of her membership. Even if I could assist her, I can’t get near her right now!!!! I also find this annoying. I am considering another bulk store that is overall cheaper if coupons can’t be utilized. 🙁
Honestly, I can’t stand having to jump through hoops to get any store to give me the price that they are offering. Grocery shopping is best when you can just walk in the store, see the price on the shelf, and buy the item at that price. Making any customer go through the inconvenience of going through the app, clipping digital coupons and such is a waste of my time. I’m busy. I own my own business. Time is money for me. I don’t have the time to hunt down every fifty cents. I considered cancelling my membership this year but decided to give it another year, mostly because I like this blog that points out the best values.
I am not happy with the change. In fact all these changes just make it harder and harder to save money. A few of my friends have just gone to Costco, they say “if you can’t be a player in the game…why play?” I stopped shopping at our local Shop Rite for that reason. Just my opinion, I will wait until this situation is over so I can see what happens as I am the one who buys all of my extended families their memberships. Before all of the changes I LOVED BJ’s, time will tell
Seriously?!? I think we need to take a deep breath over this latest change …a gnat bite on the arse of the world crisis we’re currently living through!
I don’t think this would have been as big of a deal, if they didn’t announce instant savings first. That was a smart move. All the BJs coupons you normally see in the booklet were sale prices in store. Meaning the price automatically came off at the register. Thats a smart move during this crisis. Now they decided to end that and have only digital coupons. That’s the part that people are getting upset over.
Definitely not happy with coupon policy changes!!
I don’t want to download the app to my phone. I’ve got a pay as you go phone, I have zero cell service in big box / warehouse stores, I can’t even use the app without wifi. Plus my phone is older and doesn’t have room on it for a hundred apps. And yes, I know, you can maybe clip them online, but even when you do they don’t show up to the card a lot of the time. I want either my paper coupons back, or all coupons to be automatic like Costco.
I totally agree with you
Yep, well for the past few weeks they have been automatic, that is what I don’t understand. Why didn’t they stick with that?
I seriously do not like that BJs has changed their coupon procedure.
;this is crazy. we will be back to some kind of normal. (I hope). It is very confusing. we only have access to bj’s. No Costco no Sam’s. (Sam’s is over 60 miles away.
OMG~I was thinking the same thing! Why ????? Sometimes I just give up!
The only thing I can think of with the this quick reversal is that didn’t want us to get used to unlimited sale purchases when the virus is over because they knew they weren’t going to keep clipless coupons.
Perhaps, but why not make this change when it’s all over?
I preferred the instant savings. I have the app and can clip the coupons but it’s an inconvenience. If they want to continue to have us clip digital, I wish they would implement a way for the app to scan and see if the item has a coupon like Target’s app does. That way I xan scan the item when I pick it up and add the coupon to the app right then and there.
Yes I agree with that too.
HAVE BEEN A LOTAL BJ CUSTOMER AND WENT TODAY WITH THE COUPONS WHICH WERE SENT TO ME IN THE MAIL. PUT OVER $300.00 IN THE CART ONLY TO FIND OUT THEYT WOULD TAKE ANY OF THE COUPONS FOR SOME OF THE ITEMS I WANTED TO PURCHASE. THE COUPONS WERE VALID UNTIL MAY 7, 2020 AND TODAY IS APRIL 24, 2020. I PUT EVERYTHING BACK AND WILL NEVER GO TO BJS AGAIN. ALMART DOES NOT CHEAT THEIR CUSTOMERS SO WILL SHOP THERE AND WILL JOIN COSTCO.
VERY UNHAPPY AND HAVE TOLD MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
My frustration with their coupons is that the digital coupons don’t always come off – learned that the hard way during a self-checkout session where NONE of my digital/pre-clipped coupons were not deducted from my total. I went to over to the customer service desk and the rep said “yeah, that happens a lot”. For real???
I like shopping at BJ’S, however, the clipless coupons or coupons that are automatically loaded and good on multiple items was one of the reasons I bought a membership. Very disappointed in their changing the program.
Oh No! I am 77 yrs young/old? I do not have the app phone, only the old fashion Flip Phone due to budget. So I just joined BJ’s 2 weeks ago. I/daughter are members of Sam’s club for yrs now. I was happy when I found out that you do not need to clip BJ’s coupons. That is why I joined it. Not a happy camper am I to read this. There are lots of Seniors who do not have the newer monthly costly online cell phone. Why should we have to pay MORE >then $100.00 monthly for the app phone online? I pay only $31.00 a month and I am happy with that. So now us Seniors are being discriminated. Here I thought this was a good deal when I joined about 2 weeks ago for $25.00 1st yr.. Not such a good deal if we cannot use the coupon app.. Can I cancel my BJ’s subscription and get my money back? And just stick with Sams.
You can cancel your membership. Yes I hope they go back to the paper booklets when this pandemic is over. If you have access to a computer you can add the coupons at bjs.com.
Keep in mind that BJs is the only one that accepts manufacturer’s coupons – Costco and Sam’s do not. Also, BJs DOES have SOME clipless coupons. BJs offers an enormous range of coupons on the app (formerly in the paper book), whereas Costco and Sam’s only have a small amount of coupons on offer at any given time. Yes, I believe that BJs requires you to clip the coupons on the app, because if everybody received all available discounts, their (already narrow) profit margin would drop. Similarly, manufacturers offer coupons, but they don’t let everybody receive that discount whether or not they have the coupon.
I am not bothered by BJs policy. Happy to clip coupons in the app.
BTW — I do have a Costco membership and just got the free membership from Sam’s (free after receiving the gift cards – it was a Groupon offer. I’ve found that BJs offers many things and benefits not available at the other clubs, but that each of them has something BJs does not. Costco’s pricing on eyeglasses is much better, their hearing aid department (which I may need soon) is top of the line. Their gas is better (Top Tier — pricing is the same).
But you will have to pry my BJs membership from my cold, dead hands.
HAHA I Love that last line. Yes I love BJ’s too, and wouldn’t stop shopping there, but just wanted it to stay instant savings during this time.
That is disappointing! I love it when I find a good coupon for a product I use…I want to buy it more than one time, so requiring me to clip in the app and only giving one coupon is disappointing. Also, I feel like they used to have more P&G coupons in the app…recently there haven’t been many/any.
I was confused by your comment above: “NOW BJs has first thing on their website, BJs coupons are going back to clipless. Honestly this is a bummer. I really wanted BJs to follow Costco in the no need to clip coupons.”. Do you mean they are going back to CLIPPINGS?
I haven’t been getting the books sent to me, hope they’ll be handing out the books again. Their website doesn’t say how long the clipless coupon is good for.
Opps should have said digital. I fixed it. They aren’t sending coupon books until further notice.
Same here , I will probably just go to Sam’s club then , it comes off automatically.
Why change it now?! This makes me mad that they are changing it back. But also now because aren’t out of the woods yet.
Exactly I think it’s just not a good time to change it.
I agree! Why change it to clipless, only to change it back so fast? It would have been one thing if the pandemic was over, but it isn’t!
I’ve been debating on canceling my BJs membership since last year when they increased prices on products. Now they are limiting to on clipped coupon. I used to get a clip coupon, one paper coupon in the savings book and depending on the product an additional paper coupon in the mail. That meant I could buy 3 of the same item with a coupon. Now it will be limited to ONE. COSTCO and SAMS allow multiple items TO BE PURCHASED with the same clipless coupon. BJs need to do the same or it won’t be worth the membership.
Yes that is what I do not like either, it’s only one coupon per item per member. Not cool
I clip my coupons on the app ALL THE TIME. I don’t mind that they are changing this. It won’t affect my shopping. I like the fact that if I need 2 of the same items, I have the paper coupon from the book AND the clipped one in the app. I’ll keep shopping there! Not a big deal. 🙂
The problem is there isn’t a paper coupon in the book until further notice. So for now with this new update we can only get one item with one clipped coupon. At least with the instant savings while they were not sending out the booklets you could get more than one item.
They are still sending me postcard-type coupons for things I regularly buy, which supplements the app. Ending the paper coupons is a safety issue right now because of the pandemic.
I am sure they will bring the paper coupons back when this is over. But the point is a few weeks ago they announced instant savings- so we didn’t have to clip or bring in paper coupons. Now they are saying all digital- why? Why now? Why not just stick with instant savings? That is the point.
I hate that they went from all being clipless to now having to clip them on the app. Definitely think it’s because they were losing money that way. Such a bummer as it’s so much more convenient.
Yep I think that is the thing that bums me out, was this move about money?! When we pay to shop there?!
A business still has to make a profit, or it dies. BJs has worked hard to offer good value. All of the clubs depend upon their membership fees, but those fees don’t allow them to sell products at a loss.
Yep and I get that, but if they are going to stay competitive with Costco and Sam’s why make the coupons something we have to do?
They offer far more coupons than either Sam’s or Costco. And they are the only ones who accept manufacturer’s coupons (normally – not during the pandemic). From everything I’ve read, they are already highly competitive with both Costco and Sam’s.
This sounds like a pain. I like to look through the book before and during shopping. If I have to search out coupons on the app I feel like that will get annoying …. sometimes I don’t know I need something until I see the coupon in the coupon book haha.
If we spend money on a membership then everyone should have equal access to all coupons. Not everyone is able to get on the internet or is savvy enough to add the coupons to their account.
Just be consistent- all coupons should be clip less and apply to every single one of this items that you buy. Not just 1. Some people are feeding big families, hence the reason to join a club.
If this continues I may just move over to Costco.
Yep completely agree. I started a Costco blog late last year if interested http://www.mywholesalelife.com
I think you will find that Costco is quite a bit more expensive — not just the joining fee but the products themselves. More very high-end, expensive products at Costco. Not as many reasonably-sized products. I have both memberships; use BJs way more. Costco for gas, one of my husband’s prescriptions, and a couple of other food things I like. I bought and liked their sheets/pillowcases. Don’t buy much at Costco at all, and they are much harder to navigate/find things you are looking for. Much more chaotic layout. Far fewer coupons. No manufacturer coupons accepted – ever.
I really think it depends on location. Our Costco has SOO Many markdowns that are cheaper than BJs for several items. I do think BJs is cheaper for name brand items. I really loved shopping Sam’s as I felt it was a mix of both BJs and Costco, but it’s far from us. I did start a costco website too if interested– http://www.mywholesalelife.com
I’m in South Florida, so it may be different. I’m going to pay my first visit to Sam’s very soon. Got the “free” membership through the Groupon. Already ordered some towels online, and my most expensive prescription is only $14 for 3 months at Sam’s. BJ is about a mile from me, the Costco I use is about 5 miles, Sam’s is 23 miles (more than 30 minutes), so I won’t go there often.
I am Not sure if I will be renewing my membership this year . Between the clipping the BJ’s coupons and not taking manufacture . And also limits on items . I am happier shopping at Publix.
I hear ya! Costco is looking better and better. I do have a Costco website too here–> http://www.mywholesalelife.com
I love Publix, but they are super-expensive. When they have a BOGO, it brings the cost down to the everyday price at Target or Walmart.