Couponing Tip: How to Request a Rain Check

A rain check is a slip of paper that entitles the buyer to a sale-priced item at a later date if the sale product was out of stock. Requesting rain checks is easy once you know how!

1. Be aware of restrictions. You cannot get a rain check on clearance prices or limited time offers (doorbusters, Black Friday sales, liquidations, etc.) The majority of stores only issue rain checks for current ad sale prices, not everyday prices. Don’t bother getting a rain check for a product that is also included in a promotion such as“Spend $10, Save $5 Instantly” or “Buy 2 products, receive a $5 gift card” unless you know the promotion extends beyond the sale date.
2. Ask an employee if they have extra stock in another spot such as an end cap or in the back of the store. When they have more, it saves you the hassle of requesting and redeeming, plus you get the product right away.
3. If the sale product is out of stock, let your cashier know at the beginning of your transaction that you would like a rain check. This notifies the cashier ahead of time and helps you to remember your request. The cashier will agree if they are able to write the rain check right there or let you know if you’ll need to head over to customer service or have a manager come over to issue one. This largely varies by store location or how busy it is. Cashiers will often refer you to customer service if there are long checkout lines.
4. The appropriate employee will fill out the slip of paper, including the product, its description, and the quantity limit. The expiration date (if applicable) will be in the fine print. Time windows usually are 30, 60, or 90 days from the issue date. For easier requesting, have the store ad with you and opened to the corresponding page.
5. If the store is still out of the product at the rain check’s end date, have them write you an additional rain check to extend the time to get the product.

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