Weekly ad terms explained: BOGO, B2G1, must buy, limits and more

“Buy 1, get 1 50% off” sounds like a half price deal, but it only saves you a quarter. “Buy 2, get 1 free” saves you a third. Weekly ad terms are written to sound generous, and the real discount is often hidden in the wording. Learn a dozen terms and you can read any flyer in the country in a minute.

Here are the weekly ad terms explained in plain English, grouped by what they do to your price, with the math for each one.

1. Decode the multi-buy deals

Multi-buy deals are the most common terms in a weekly ad, and the easiest to misread. The trick is to turn every deal into a percent off per item.

On the flyer	What it means	Real discount per item
BOGO, B1G1 free	Buy one, get one free	50%
B2G1 free	Buy two, get a third free	About 33%
B3G2 free	Buy three, get two free	40%
B1G1 50% off	Buy one, get the second at half price	25%
10 for $10	$1 each	Depends on the regular price

Percentages assume all items have the same regular price.

Here is an example of what BOGO looks like on a receipt.

Regular shelf price

$7.98

Second jar free

−$3.99

You pay

$3.99

You save 50%

2. Spot the quantity requirements

Some prices only apply when you buy a set number of items. These terms are easy to skim past, and they change the price completely.

On the flyer	What it means
Must buy 4	The sale price only counts if you buy 4
When you buy 2	Same idea: the price needs 2 in one purchase
Buy 5, save $5	Buy 5 eligible items together and get $5 off
Mix and match	Different items in the deal count toward the total
In a single transaction	All the items must be on one receipt

Common wording on US grocery weekly ads. Exact terms vary by store.

If you buy fewer than required, you often pay the regular price on every item, not just the missing one. Count your items before you get to the register. In Spanish-language flyers, “cuando compre 2” means the same as “when you buy 2.”

3. Know the limits and exclusions

Front-page deals often come with a cap. The store wants you in the door, not clearing its shelf.

• Limit 2 (or 4, or 1 per household). The sale price applies up to that number. Extra items ring up at the regular price.
• Selected varieties. Only some flavors, sizes, or types are on sale. The photo may show one that isn’t.
• Participating stores. Not every location runs the deal. Some flyers say “price good at these locations only.”
• Excludes. The fine print lists what doesn’t count, like gift cards, alcohol, or a specific brand.
• Valid dates. The deal runs only between the printed dates. For most grocery stores, that’s Wednesday to Tuesday.

4. Learn the coupon and member terms

Many weekly ad prices need something from you: an account, a clipped coupon, or a card. These terms tell you which.

On the flyer	What it means
Digital coupon	Clip it in the store’s app or website before you check out
Member price, with card	Needs the store’s free loyalty account or card
Store coupon	Issued by the store; may stack with a manufacturer coupon
Manufacturer coupon	Issued by the brand; many stores accept them
Final price after coupon	The ad price already includes a coupon you still have to clip
Mail-in rebate	You pay full price, then claim money back later

General definitions. Each store’s coupon policy sets the exact rules.

Two of these catch people the most. “Final price after coupon” means the big number in the ad is only real once you clip the coupon. And a mail-in rebate is paid later: at Menards, for example, the 11% rebate comes back as store credit, not cash.

5. Understand rain checks and “while supplies last”

When a sale item sells out, two terms decide what happens next.

• Rain check. A slip from customer service that lets you buy the sold-out item at the sale price after the sale ends. Many stores offer them, with time limits that vary by store and sometimes by state.
• While supplies last. The deal ends when stock runs out, and the store may not offer a rain check.
• No rain checks. Some flyers say this outright, often on limited or one-day deals.

Rain check rules vary a lot, even between stores in the same chain. Ask at customer service the first time an item is sold out, and keep the slip in your wallet.

Bonus: the fine print, decoded

On the flyer	What it means
lb, /lb	Price per pound
ea	Price each
+CRV	California bottle deposit is added at the register
Prices may vary online	The website or app price can differ from the store
While quantities last	Same as “while supplies last”
Not responsible for typographical errors	The store can correct a misprinted price

Where to start

Open your store’s current ad and find one multi-buy deal. Turn it into a percent off per item, check for a “must buy” or a limit, and decide whether it’s worth it.