Can you use ebt at commissary

This provides a link between your check and you in the event that commissary personnel have to contact you. Back to FAQ listing. What methods of payment do commissaries accept for commissary purchases?

November 9, November 8, Subscribe to our Newsletter. The cashier runs the check through a scanner and printer on the checkout that prints additional processing information on the check and captures front and back images of the check.

The processed check is handed back to the customer for their records. In the interest of checkout efficiency and cost-effectiveness, the checkout system does not print the amount of the transaction for the customer.

That service was deemed too costly and would require an additional pass through the scanner, which would slow down the checkout process. As quick as the process is, the check-processing procedures comply with rigorous U. Treasury requirements that ensure customer transactions are completed securely and efficiently. The system uses the check images to serve as an extra measure of ensuring the transactions are properly done.

If I pay for my commissary purchases with a personal check, do I have to have my Social Security number imprinted or written on my check? However, the cashier will ask that you provide your SSN at the time of purchase, so that the cashier can enter your SSN into a secure database. This provides a link between your check and you in the event that commissary personnel have to contact you.

Please ask them to visit their local exchange or call the Exchange Credit Program Customer Contact Center at to request a replacement card. Rewards cards can be redeemed anywhere exchange gift cards are accepted, including any exchange location and online at shopmyexchange.

Commissaries do not accept exchange gift cards or reward cards at this time. Go to the rollout schedule page for specific dates and stores. Please contact your store director to ask about placing a special order for these products. Organic certification agencies inspect and verify that organic farmers, ranchers, distributors, processors and traders are complying with USDA organic regulations. USDA conducts audits and ensures the more than 90 organic certification agencies operating around the world are properly certifying organic products.

To sell, label or represent their products as organic, operations must follow all of the specifications set out by USDA organic regulations. Look at the label. If you see the USDA organic seal, the product is certified organic and has 95 percent or more organic content.

For multi-ingredient products such as bread or soup, if the label claims it is made with specified organic ingredients, you can be confident that those specific ingredients have been certified organic. The term "natural" is not regulated by the USDA except for meat and poultry. As required by the USDA, meat, poultry and egg products labeled as "natural" must be minimally processed and contain no artificial ingredients.

However, the natural label does not include any standards regarding farm practices and only applies to processing of meat and egg products.

There are no standards or regulations for the labeling of natural food products if they do not contain meat or eggs. According to the United States Department of Agriculture USDA , organic is a labeling term that indicates the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods.

These methods integrate cultural, biological and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance and conserve biodiversity.

Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation and genetic engineering may not be used. Why have natural and organic products been segregated and located together in specially designated sections of the commissary when they aren't the same? These products have been placed together in sections designated by green shelf blades as a convenience to make it easier for customers to find them.

Those who purchase them have strong preferences for them and appreciate their segregation from other products. While there are key distinctions between natural and organic products, customers who buy these products are generally aware of those distinctions and make their purchases according to their preferences. By law, commissaries are required to sell goods at prices that are set at a level to recover the cost of goods, with no profit built into these prices. There are also very stringent legal controls on the ways that DeCA can use taxpayer monies that Congress provides to operate commissaries.

Because commissaries are prohibited by law from making profit on goods sold, and because of the stringent controls on use of funds provided for commissary operation, commissaries cannot use a lot of merchandising practices that commercial stores use routinely. For instance, commissaries cannot "double" or otherwise increase the face value of coupons, commissaries cannot sell goods below cost to create a low price "image," commissaries cannot pay a "rebate" to patrons who return bags for reuse, or who use non-disposable cloth bags, and commissaries cannot donate money or products to an individual or organization, however worthy.

The commissary monitors and calculates savings on a regional basis, in different geographic areas, at different levels of specificity. The savings figures specific to each geographic area indicate how much, on average, a patron could expect to save on grocery purchases in comparison with local grocers in that area. We measure savings for a region so we can better monitor how much patrons actually save in the geographic area where they shop.

We also periodically check local prices near the installation at major retailers to ensure our pricing compares favorably and our patrons are saving money when they shop their commissary. Although market forces will always cause prices to fluctuate, Congress has mandated that the commissary maintain savings at levels that are reasonably consistent with the FY baseline savings level.

These savings vary since cost-of-living factors, inclusive of groceries, are influenced by geographic economic factors. If a retail shelf price is changed the timing of that change is associated with the end of a promotion, a change in cost of goods or in reaction to a market change in price, which can also be the lowering of our shelf price. Typically, price changes are processed twice a month, on the 1st and 16th of each month.

If the change comes before a scheduled payday it is coincidental to our pricing process. The percentage of savings for sale items may be obtained without logging in. A log in is only required to view actual prices. This is a capability we hope to add in the future. What's DeCA policy if - during checkout - I notice that an item scans at a higher price than the price for the item posted on a shelf or display?

If a customer believes there is an incorrect price when going through the checkout process, this should be reported to checkout personnel. They will assure a price adjustment is made to the order and a correction is made to the shelf price or scanning system wherever it may be deemed necessary. Why am I required to enter the last four digits of my Social Security Number, date of birth and name to log into the Savings Aisle?

We are required by DoD Instruction Therefore, we must use the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System, or DEERS, database to verify your status as an authorized customer and grant you access to our promotional prices.

This process requires customers to provide the last four digits of their Social Security Number, date of birth, first and last name. However, we do not store the information we collect, and we only use it to verify your privilege. When you submit your login information, it is encrypted via Secure Sockets Layer, commonly known as SSL, for security purposes.

Rest assured that the Defense Commissary Agency is dedicated to protecting you and your privacy and that your communications on www. Why can I find prices on items in commercial stores that are lower than the commissary price? How can this be? While our customers can be assured that they are provided with the best overall prices in their shopping trips to our commissaries, when it comes to individual items each retailer may have a different cost from their suppliers.

If we find that our cost does not allow us to be priced as competitively as we should be, or provide the savings we are committed to provide, our category teams will work diligently with our suppliers to negotiate the best cost possible. This might include running great promotions with deeply discounted prices.

However, from time to time we may need to be priced slightly higher than a commercial store. I am not happy with the types of reserved parking spaces that are provided in my commissary parking lot. Who can I address my complaints to? Commissaries are tenant organizations on each base or installation and the commander authorizes the parking facilities and designates reserved parking spaces.

Products purchased at one of DeCA's commissaries may be returned to another commissary if the item is in that store's computer system. A receipt is only required to return tobacco products or baby formula; if the customer does not have a receipt for these items, they may be exchanged, but only for another tobacco product or baby formula, respectively. If I return products with a receipt showing I purchased them with another method of payment, how will I receive my refund? Merchandise purchased with cash, debit card, check, traveler's check or money order will be refunded in cash.

Merchandise purchased with a credit card will be refunded to that credit card. If, for any reason, a patron is not satisfied with merchandise paid for and removed from the commissary, the merchandise may be returned for a refund or exchanged for another of the same item. DeCA made this decision in order to move its policies in line with standard industry practices and help protect your commissary benefit. DeCA uses the term "negative check file.

Transfer of funds from your checking account will occur within 24 hours. Therefore, you should ensure you have sufficient funds in your account to process the transaction.

It is your responsibility to obtain and provide the bank notification, which must contain your name, full account number, bank routing number and check number. First Offense: Privilege is suspended for 45 days from the day the check is first returned as dishonored. Checks not paid during this day period will be forwarded to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service DFAS for collection and will remain in the negative check database indefinitely. Suspension begins from time of first presentment.

Third Offense: Privileges will be suspended indefinitely. After privileges have been suspended for one year, the accounting director may approve restoration of privileges. However, all returned checks and associated fees must be paid before privileges are restored. If your check or ACH transaction does not clear because of insufficient funds, the transaction will be presented to your bank again, up to two more times, on consecutive military paydays.

Because of this process, it may take up to 45 days for a check to clear. However, penalties are involved as well. Checks returned due to a closed account or stop payment notice will be forwarded to DFAS-Columbus for collection. Questions may be addressed to the customer service liaison at Check writing privileges are suspended until collection is resolved.

What if my account does not have sufficient funds to cover the check on the first collection attempt? If the first electronic collection attempt on military payday fails, a second attempt will occur on the next military payday. Presentation dates cannot be altered. Questions about the program and the collection process for returned checks should be addressed to DeCA's Customer Service Liaison Team. You can reach the team by telephone, toll-free, at ; or by email at RCMProgram deca.

ET , Monday — Friday. If you received a letter from DFAS or need information concerning a check deduction on your leave and earnings statement, contact DFAS directly at Every department or section in a commissary will accept special orders. If you need a special cut of meat, a custom-decorated cake, a party tray, or want to get a case of 24 cans of dog food instead of pulling 24 cans off the shelf, you can place a special order to get what you want.

Commissaries can fill some special orders almost instantly-other special orders require some advance notice. Thus, it's best to check a bit in advance of your need to find out how quickly a commissary can get what you want to order. It's also often possible for a commissary to special order items-usually in case lots only--that the commissary does not carry as part of everyday stockage.

Such items might be available at another commissary located close by, or generally authorized for commissary stockage and available from a commissary's commercial supplier.

In overseas commissaries, special orders can come only from within the overseas stocking list. A personal, special order cannot be made from stateside i. If you shop at a small commissary in Europe and desire a product which is carried at a larger commissary in Europe, that item may be delivered direct to your store.

To find out about special order availability and procedures at your commissary, contact commissary management during a commissary visit, or by e-mail or phone. I've compared the amount of surcharge applied to my last commissary purchase to the bottom line total shown on my commissary sales receipt, and the surcharge appears to be higher than 5 percent. Surcharge is applied to the total value of a commissary purchase BEFORE coupon deductions to comply with the legal requirement to apply surcharge to the total cost of all goods sold in commissaries.

DeCA has explored UPromise and other similar services and each time we have found there is a cost we cannot incur. DeCA is a non-profit Department of Defense agency that sells at cost and does not have the ability to generate funds that can be used to support the cost of installation of the program used for this worthwhile service. Even the contributions to the Scholarships for Military Children program, which is sponsored by commissary manufacturers, must have clear humanitarian intentions, and not increase prices to commissary patrons.

Other retailers that offer this program are using profits made off the sale of the products to fund this service and the manufacturers are making a great deal more money off the purchase price of their products in the retail sector. Variable pricing is a method used to set item prices independently of their cost. Previously, the commissary sold items at cost and added a flat 5-percent surcharge. By doing so, it led to inconsistent savings across the store and across geographic regions.

Providing our patrons great prices regardless of our cost is a major benefit of variable pricing. It allows us to set favorable prices to those items that our patrons purchase most often. In addition, variable pricing allows us to better compete with off-installation commercial grocery stores. The most important aspect of variable pricing is that it does not change the overall patron savings.

Prices on individual items may move up or down, but the net effect is no change to the overall market basket savings you gain when shopping your commissary. No; items which are a part of the YES! This campaign currently does not have a defined end date. It depends on the item, but for all items, we are committed to beating our competitors and providing you with meaningful savings.

While you may find off-base grocers with lower prices at times for example, on promotion , we are setting prices so that over the course of a year we will offer savings over what can be found in the market. We are lowering prices on many of our most frequently purchased items. Our goal is to improve everyday savings and value on the products most important to you, our patrons.

The YES! The slogan was chosen to convey the fact that we are committed to providing competitive prices on items important to you, our patrons, and will maintain lower prices on these items year-round. Back to FAQ listing. Advertising Prices Why can't commissaries advertise and list prices? Am I allowed to bring visitors into the commissary with me?

Note: Only authorized patrons are allowed to make purchases. Can I add additional items after I have submitted my order? I am an Authorized Agent. Can I place and pick up an order for the authorized patron?

There is no minimum order size or minimum dollar amount. What happens if an item I ordered is temporarily out of stock?

We will NOT substitute certain items such as baby products, soft drinks and hygiene products unless you specify which brands you will accept as a substitution. If the product we substituted does not meet with your approval, it can be deleted from the order at curbside pickup.

What if I am late for my pickup time, or I miss it altogether? Contact us by email or phone so we can arrange an alternate time for you. Can I use a digital coupon and a paper coupon for the same item? How do digital coupons work? How many copies of a coupon can I load onto my card? How often will there be new coupons available? New coupons are posted as soon as they become available, sometimes every day.

If I see a coupon for a product, does that mean it is sold at my store? If the system is down or offline, how do I get my coupon reductions? Is there a limit on how many of a particular coupon are available? What are the rules associated with using a particular digital coupon? What do I do if I forgot my password? What is the Commissary Rewards Card? Where can I learn more? Will I be able to receive "overage" from these coupons? Can gift vouchers given as a gift be redeemed for cash?

Cash refunds on gift vouchers are not allowed. How does the 5 percent surcharge affect my purchase when using a gift voucher?

Is the gift voucher exempt from the monthly Korean Rations control? Who may redeem gift vouchers, and where may they be redeemed? Who should I contact if I have a question, comment or concern about gift vouchers? Will DeCA replace my gift voucher, if I lose it or it is damaged or defaced? DeCA is not responsible for replacing lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated gift vouchers. Am I eligible to shop in the commissary?

What should I do to find out whether or not I'm entitled to commissary privileges? I'm a member of the National Guard. Do I and my family members have entitlement to commissary privileges?

Am I entitled to commissary privileges? What happens to my commissary privileges when I retire from the reserves? I'm entering the service under a "delayed entry" program. What are the rules regarding access to commissaries located outside the US? How can I get a job as a bagger in a commissary? Who should I contact if I have problems with a commissary bagger?

Mythbusters: Are these changes going to slow down the EBS rollout? Does this effort change DeCA's overall mission? Mythbuster: Are we piloting privatization? Mythbuster: Is DeCA merging with the exchanges? What exactly is changing under the NDAA? The National Defense Authorization Act NDAA provides DeCA the opportunity to make some specific changes to its operations that will sustain patron savings, improve their shopping experience, and reduce the agency's operating costs to ensure the commissary benefit is sustained for generations to come.

Congress defined success as maintaining savings for military families, ensuring customer satisfaction and ensuring continued high quality. The elements of the transformation effort are: First, success for DeCA is making sure its patrons save money on their groceries.

For active and retired military personnel, the commissary is an important part of their benefits package. The first thing DeCA has done is: update how it measures patron savings. The new savings calculation is rigorous and sets an accurate baseline. Second, Congress gave the commissary system authority to use business best practices when setting prices and negotiating costs with suppliers. These are known as "variable pricing authority" and "category performance improvement. DeCA is launching a commissary brand to expand choices for its patrons and increase their opportunities to save on same quality products as name brand.

Mythbuster: Does this mean DeCA's status is changing as an appropriated fund entity? Mythbusters: Does this effort change DeCA's overall mission? Why are cigarettes priced differently than other commissary products? If you do not already have one, you can create one on the page. Choose your commissary location. Search your products by name or select the department and category links to browse our virtual aisles.

When you're ready, complete checkout and choose your pickup time. Do I pay for my order online or at the time of curbside pickup? Once I've placed my order, how soon can I pick it up? Should I tip the person handling my order when I pick up my groceries? What forms of payment do you accept? At curbside we can accept: Debit cards that process as credit cards do not require you to enter a PIN.

What are commissary brand products? How safe is the food supply? What precautions is DeCA taking to help safeguard customers and employees? Can I use coupons generated from the Internet in a commissary? Do commissaries accept coupons? May I use coupons in combination on the purchase of an item in a commissary? Where can I find a copy of DeCA's coupon policy?

Why did DeCA change its policy on giving cash back on coupon "overages"? How do I use an EMV card to make a purchase? How soon are the funds released? Why would the debit card purchase show on my checking account if I was told it was denied?

Will DeCA still accept my magnetic-stripe credit or debit card? Will I still have to sign or enter a PIN for my card transaction? Where can I find information on how DeCA construction decisions are made? What is the source of the criteria for identifying items with a thumb? Why did the commissary implement a DAT? How does the DAT work? How does one follow a healthy meal pattern? What does the thumbs up symbol mean?

How can I send a care package to a service member? How can we get a commissary established in our area? If so, how much? How did DeCA provide fresh produce to commissaries in the Pacific before ? How does DeCA currently obtain fresh produce for its overseas commissaries in the Pacific? How is DeCA ensuring the food safety of produce under this new model?

Where does the contractor obtain the produce? Why did DeCA make the change? Why do prices go up on certain produce items? Why does produce in local markets seem to cost less than that sold in commissaries? Can I receive cash back when I make a purchase with a gift card or redeem my gift card for cash? Can the commissary refuse to accept my gift card? Do gift cards have an expiration date?

Yes, they expire five years after purchase or as prescribed by law. How does the 5 percent surcharge affect my grocery purchase when I use a gift card? How much do gift cards cost? Is the gift card exempt from the monthly Korean Rations control? Is there a limit on the number of gift cards I can purchase?

There are no restrictions on the number of gift cards you can buy. Where can DeCA gift cards be used? Where can I purchase commissary gift cards? Who can use DeCA gift cards? Who should I contact if I have a question, comment or concern about a gift card? Will DeCA replace my gift card if it is lost, stolen, damaged or defaced? DeCA is not responsible for lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated gift cards. Am I allowed to use coupons for products purchased online?

We are not able to accept coupons online at this time. How do I pay for products ordered online? According to the DeCA website, this model saves patrons an average of 30 percent when contrasted with commercial prices. John Smith, a spokesman for Operation Homefront, a non-profit organization that provides emergency assistance to military families, said his organization has seen the amount of food assistance it provides to military families double since The nature of military service, in which servicemembers are constantly moving to new assignments, often has unintended consequences on the income of military families, he said.

Items that can be purchased using food stamps: -- breads and cereals;. News Food stamp use at military commissaries up sharply in four years by Seth Robbins. Buy Photo.