Abstract: A computer controlled system for issuing “rain checks” to customers in a retail store in order to allow future purchase of retail items at a currently advertised sales price in the event the “on sale” items are currently out of stock. The system includes a central processing unit (CPU), a digital scanner for entering specific sale item information for storage on the CPU unit, a monitor for displaying information stored on the CPU, including a list of items that are currently “on sale” and the current inventory of the “on sale” items in the store, and a printer for printing the “rain check” which identifies the out of stock “on sale” item and the sale price of that item.