Everything You Want to Know About Rain Checks

If you are a bargain hunter like I am, then you know nothing is more disappointing than seeing a product advertised in a sales flyer, driving all the way to the store to purchase the product only to discover an empty, lonely shelf where the product used to be. You ask an employee, and they inform you that they never got the shipment or they got the shipment but sold out of the product. Don't worry, they say, we will be getting another shipment in on Wednesday. Wednesday?! The sale ends Sunday! What's a bargain hunter suppose to do?

Now, now, don't fret, get a rain check!

A rain check is a certificate issued by the store, promising you that when the item is back in stock they will sale it to you at that sale price, even after the sale is over. In 1971 The Federal Trade Commission issued the Unavailability Rule, which helps protect consumers against the ol' bait and switch. Stores are required to issue you a rain check or a substitute item of at least equal value. Cool, huh? The catch? If the sales ad states something like, 'qualities limited' or 'while supplies last' then they do not have to comply. However, it still doesn't hurt to ask for a rain check or some other form of compensation. Just because they don't have to comply doesn't mean they won't. Most stores like to make their make their costumers happy.

You can request a rain check even if the store is out of a particular flavor, type or scent, so long as it's covered in the sales ad as being on sale.

In addition, some stores will allow you to use expired coupons with your rain checks even if the store normally doesn't accept expired coupons, as long as your coupons were valid when the rain check was issued. Check with your store to see what their policy is.

When the time comes to use your rain check and the store still doesn't have the quantity stated on your rain check in stock, ask if they will adjust the quantity for the remaining products. For example, if you have a rain check for 10 Jif Peanut Butters and you go to the store but they only have five on the shelf, ask if they will adjust your rain check for the remaining five.

If you know of a store that is constantly running out of advertised specials and refuses to issue you a rain check or some other form of compensation, you can write to: Correspondence Branch, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, D.C. 20580 or you can file a complaint online by going to http://www.ftc.gov .