Last week I was invited to the Vons headquarters in Arcadia. They were awesome people and really paid attention to what was being asked.
The main purpose of this meeting was to celebrate the launch of Just 4 U all over Southern California! Including Pavilions stores that were not participating as of last month. We were given the opportunity to ask questions regarding the program and even able to test out the program at a local Vons store.
If you are unfamiliar with the Just 4 U program–here it is in a nutshell: Just4U coupons are coupons available to load onto your Vons or Pavilions store card. Coupons include: in-ad coupons (store coupons) , select manufacturer coupons and the best part: Personalized coupons! Personalized coupons are based on your shopping habits and ecoupons are created Just4U! For example: One month you may have a $0.49 per lb personalized price for bananas–this is made Just4U! Use this ecoupon as much as you want until it expires.
Some great features about just4U:
You can stack Just4U coupon with paper coupons! This only works with personalized ecoupons and you will find that there are in-ad coupons available online–you can stack those as well. The in-ad coupons are available to load online or through the ad.
I’ m really excited about being able to snag deals that are targeted towards my personal shopping habits. This definitely gives me a reason to want to shop there!
During the Vons event, I was also able to find out some awesome things that have rolled out in other Safeway markets (Dominicks stores) A new program called “Deal Match” this is a great service that allows shoppers to “price match” deals from local supermarkets to score only the BEST deals within their area. Hopefully soon–this new program will be rolling out nationwide!
I was able to speak to about the coupon policy and I won’t lie, they seemed a bit surprised when I brought up some of the coupon issues that we all have. I’m happy to let you know that I was given a chance to speak one-on one with the Director of Lifestyle Stores. I will be taking full advantage of this as I voiced that my biggest concern with the Vons coupon policy is that, We need CONSISTENCY. Which they agreed– and are happy to fix!
Overall, I’m happy to see Vons make some changes to their current ecoupon program. Just4U DOES have my attention–as I have visited 2 times this week to redeem my Just4U Personalized prices. I’m excited to have $2.99 Gallon Milk for the rest of the month 
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My Name is Josie and I live in sunny Southern California and I am a stay at home mom to three beautiful boys. We all know that living in California is a task of it's own and saving in California IS possible! I started this blog mainly to share all the awesome deals out there and show others how to save in any area of life. Even though you may make the commitment to be frugal and pinch your pennies doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice!
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Yesterday I noticed that two of my coupons did not ring up. They were not IP they were from a Sunday paper. I had the correct items and they were manually put through but what I did notice is that these two specific things I also used Just4U ecoupons. I later thought that this was probably the reason why my coupons didn’t go through. I know that your post says we can use mfr. coupons w/ Just4u e cpns but are you sure??? Since this was my experience yesterday. I’m also not referring to Vons’ e cpns that are on the circular that you can add to your card. I’m referring to Just4U e cpns. It was just very odd because I never have trouble using coupons at Vons. Once my coupon didn’t go through and sure enough I had the wrong item. I had picked up diced pineapple in a can and the coupon was for pineapple juice in a can.
Thank you so much for posting this you answered alot of the questions that I had about the new program.
Yeah!! It is really confusing! I know you can stack store coupons and the personalized deals with manufacture coupons, but what about the manufacture e-coupons? And another thing is that in the past two trips I made to Vons some of my paper coupons showed up as J4U ecoupons??? This is confusing!
My sister also had trouble getting her free dozen eggs, the first time they told her the system was down, and the second time she tried it at another store the free eggs did’nt come off either, the manager was really nice and gave them to her. But imagine preparing for your shopping trip with your ecoupons and discover at the checkout that the system is down!! Anyways I am really excited about price matching I just hope it its not a pain in the rear end like at Target.
.@Liz – I’ve noticed the same thing when I stack paper with their ecoupons but they always happily put them through manually so I think it might be a computer glitch for them…the only concern I have is if they are going to double them (up to $1) when they’re done manually which I haven’t run into yet.
I sure hope that management thoroughly trains their staff and encourages a change of attitude to some of the Anti-Coupon checkers I have at my local store. The Safeway coupon policy does not have a ‘like coupon’ limit, but I constantly had to pull out my copy of it to proof it. One time, I started to pull out the policy and the checker said to me, “oh yeah, it’s you, the one that has the separate rules”…..
That was my biggest concern as far as the policy: “like” coupons is the biggest issue, i Think. I explained to them how my stores are different all the time. They agree that we need something universal.
I’m hoping we can work on that soon!
Keep your eyes peeled, I just found this in my Just4U coupons.
FREE -Eating Right -Pasta Plus Rotini, Penne, Spaghetti or Thin Spaghetti 12oz Limit1
Now I just have to remember that I have it. =)
@Mike – Wow, that’s too bad. I think that checker is the one that has the separate rules.
Hawaii is a HUGE test market for the Safeway family of stores. Just4U rolled out in Hawaii a year or two ago before it hit NorCal, and Deal Match started last year.
While Just4U was fun, Deal Match is really awesome!! Things may change with the full implementation, but in Hawaii they sale list prices from competitors grocery stores in the area online. Before you go shopping, you just log into your account and click to add that deal to your card. When you go to check out at the market you’ll receive the competitor’s price… their deal is matched!
Safeway in Hawaii is AWESOME. I never have problems in Hawaii, even though I often encounter issues with the Vons in LA. Unfortunately, we’ll probably just have to see how the Southern California stores implement Just4U and Deal Match.
I went yesterday and got a free 2L Pepsi 10 from the Just4u program. No problems taking it off the receipt either. I would like to know what happens if my Just4u price is higher than the shelf price. For example, right now my Just4u price
Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce
18oz
Personalized Price
$1.19
Walmart
$1.76
and the shelf price is $0.99 as of last night at Vons.
I have not personally experienced this–but what I was told is that the register will always give you the best deal.
Thank you for posting this. I was going to sit down and research this tonight. You just saved me from having to that!!
We’ve had the Just4U program in Northern CA for some time now….it’s “so, so”. To answer some your readers questions, you cannot “double-dip” with manufacturer coupons. For instance they offer all the P&G coupons that come in the Sunday paper P&G inserts as eCoupons. You cannot clip the same paper coupons and use both…it’s one or the other.
Note there are 3 types of coupons Manufacturer eCoupons, Safeway/Vons Coupons and Personalized Price Coupons that you can load….it can get confusing!
Vons seems to have really improved their customer service.
I was happy to get the milk deal for 2.99 and bananas for .49 and the free eggs, but I also have really enjoyed walking through the store and having the employees be so helpful always asking if they can help me with something.
With the prices being better and the customer service I was really happy with my experience there.
We have had nothing but problems with JustforU program down in San Diego. The personalized deals are not displaying. I have spoken with customer service 3 times in the last 2 weeks and they finally admitted this morning that they are backlogged (1-2 weeks) with complaints regarding the personalized deals not working. There is a problem with the system. 1 day it will work and the next day the deals are gone. Very fustrating. Very happy that Ralphs and Alberstsons are just as close as Vons:)
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