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Walgreens rolls out curbside pickup service in 106 stores across Puerto Rico

As part of the reinvention of its customer loyalty program, Walgreens recently rolled out a fully-redesigned mobile app through which Puerto Rico customers can now buy and pick up their purchases at the store, curbside, or at the drive-thru window in as little as 30 minutes.

Curbside pick-up at Walgreens is new to Puerto Rico, where it was quietly launched on Nov. 10, Eileen Ortega, director of operations for Walgreens Puerto Rico, confirmed to this media outlet.

“Since before the pandemic, customers and patients were seeking value and convenience and one of the tools they were using was technology. So, this digital transformation is one of our company-wide priorities to offer a personalized experience in the pharmacy as well as retail at all of our stores,” she said. “This is the start of the new Walgreens.”

The new pick-up service is free and is available at all 106 Walgreens stores throughout Puerto Rico. To provide the service, Walgreens has designated three employees per store to handle the online orders and have them ready in 30 minutes or less, she said.

They can hand-deliver the purchases to the customer, who may wait at one of two designated parking spaces available for the new service.

Customers may shop from an assortment of more than 27,000 items at Walgreens, including everyday health and wellness and over-the-counter essentials, as well as photos. Customers can also buy milk and other products available at the store.

“We did this quietly, but even with the limited promotion we gave it, it has gone well because we know this is what customers are looking for at this time, due to the situation we’re experiencing,” she said. “We’re getting used to looking for places where we can pick-up our purchases, rather than get out of the car. This is here to stay.”

The new pick-up service is free and is available at all 106 Walgreens stores throughout Puerto Rico.

Last month, the Illinois-based retailer announced the overhaul of its customer loyalty program, rebranding it from Balance Rewards to myWalgreens, which also includes additional benefits such as at-home delivery of prescription medication.

In Puerto Rico, Walgreens has teamed up with Med-Line to provide the at-home delivery service for prescriptions filled at 22 stores islandwide, she said. The service will be free through Dec. 31, and more local stores are expected to join the footprint in coming months, she said.

The prescription is delivered the same day, if the service is requested before 2 p.m. After that cut-off time, deliveries will be fulfilled the next day, she said.

Another aspect of the overhauled app is that it enables customers to transfer what they had racked up in their Balance Rewards account to the new myWalgreens account. Members will now receive 1% Walgreens Cash rewards storewide, 5% Walgreens Cash rewards on Walgreens-branded products, and “Only for you” exclusive deals, based on the customer’s buying patterns. Customers have until Jan. 1 to migrate to the new app to avoid losing points.

The new app also makes it easier for customers to find savings, with an easier integration of digital manufacturer’s and store coupons.

“This definitely one of the areas that has been redesigned in the app because we knew and were aware of the frustration that clients had when trying to apply coupons at the register through the prior app,” she said. “Now, the coupons are there, and can be easily applied to the purchase.”

Author Details
Author Details
Business reporter with 30 years of experience writing for weekly and daily newspapers, as well as trade publications in Puerto Rico. My list of former employers includes Caribbean Business, The San Juan Star, and the Puerto Rico Daily Sun, among others. My areas of expertise include telecommunications, technology, retail, agriculture, tourism, banking and most other segments of Puerto Rico’s economy.
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