Argh. The 20% off coupon can't be used for Disney Giftcards afterall. :(

[TheLanes]

Wow. I'm not sure if this is entitlement or not, but I think this is a pretty good example of what some are complaining about. I'm not sure what you were allowed to do last year, but most coupons and promotions were valid transactions at the register and didn't involve hitting up five stores looking for a manager to dupe into overriding the system. Just realize whoever approved this override is the one who made the mistake here, not Target.

...Or you're wrong. Don't forget that. Maybe some of these managers see the truth. Overrides are there for a reason.

I'm still of the hope that Corporate sees their mistake and corrects it tomorrow. They may have to allow one week of this coupon allowing Disney cards. Their BF ad was so bad, this is their payment for their mistake

 

[DarthMole]

...Or you're wrong. Don't forget that. Maybe some of these managers see the truth. Overrides are there for a reason.

I'm still of the hope that Corporate sees their mistake and corrects it tomorrow. They may have to allow one week of this coupon allowing Disney cards. Their BF ad was so bad, this is their payment for their mistake

So how many stores did you go to looking for a manager who sees the truth? Based on many reports, the truth is corporate never intended for these to be used on Disney Gift Cards. Unless you want to discredit the comment a few pages back, the recorded message for managers who called in is pretty solid proof of the truth. For some time, corporate has not been allowing $ off or % off coupons on these Disney cards. There are many reports of the system not allowing them to go through leading up to BF. I too was hopeful the 20% would not be treated the same, but I knew it was a long shot. What exactly is the mistake corporate made here that needs correcting? Honestly, the only mistake they made was not informing managers a long time ago that they were no longer allowing coupon use on these types of gift cards. Yes, they could have been more clear about the exclusions in the BF ad, but that is simply a gripe and not something that will alter their policy. Your dream of corporate penance allowing this coupon to work for one week has about a 0% chance of happening. The most likely scenario is if they haven't already, corporate will most likely send out a memo to all store managers instructing them to not accept (override) the 20% off coupon for any pre-paid card, including the Disney Cards. If by chance I'm wrong and they change their policy, I'll be right with you buying a stack of them, but I think we both know that is not going to happen.

 

[DisWitt]

What if... Someone from Target corporate gets up Monday morning and sees all of these transactions (both successes and denials) and realizes, "oh, poop, we've got a problem." Indeed, I suspect that a call to their legal team may be in order and will probably resolve all ambiguity once and for all. And if people who hold their coupons keep testing over the week, we MAY (no promises) see Target reverse course again just to stay above reproach - and even avoid a liability issue.

... It may be wishful thinking, but so are wait lists and many of those come through.

 

[debloco]

How Target chooses to categorize their GIFT CARDS has no legal significance whatsoever.

I'd love to see someone actually try to argue the point in court that this is not a gift card.

They could, because of all of these laws:

From the California Department of Consumer Affairs website:

ADVERTISING (see also Misrepresentation)
Bait and Switch - B&P 17500, CC 1770(a)(9)(a)(10), 16 CFR Part 238
False/Misleading - B&P 17500, 15 USC 45
Limit on Quantity (Unadvertised) - B&P 17500.5, CC 1770(a)(10)

FTC TRADE REGULATION GUIDES AND RULES
Bait Advertising - 16 CFR Part 238

GIFT CARDS or CERTIFICATES  CC 1749.45 et seq. and 15 USC 1693L-1

Particularly-
(D) Exclusions
The terms general-use prepaid card, gift certificate, and store gift card do not include an electronic promise, plastic card, or payment code or device that is

(vi) redeemable solely for admission to events or venues at a particular location or group of affiliated locations, which may also include services or goods obtainable

(I) at the event or venue after admission; or
(II) in conjunction with admission to such events or venues, at specific locations affiliated with and in geographic proximity to the event or venue.

All links from:
http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/legal_guides/m-1.shtml

 

[maxiesmom]

...Or you're wrong. Don't forget that. Maybe some of these managers see the truth. Overrides are there for a reason.

Coming from someone who has worked retail for almost 30 years, that comment is laughable. Overrides are there for the most part to take care of guests who won't go away and are causing a scene. And you want to get them out of the store and away from the other customers.

People are driving around until they find a manager who is sick of arguing about it, and will push a few buttons for them. And who may now be in big trouble for doing so. Shady behavior, at the very least, on the part of so many people.

 

[dpswift]

To be honest I felt it was wrong last year when people made copies of the coupon. If you are able to print 2 that is all you should be able to use. For years we did not have a store around here that would accept internet coupons for this reason.

 

[teller80]

I totally agree with the above, if it worked for everyone I don't think there would be that many complaints. I went to 5 target stores and the 5th one finally gave me the discount....and yes I purchased all 200 cards they had hanging on the checkout racks. When I was denied at a store I did not rant or ask to call corporate, I did try to state they were listed as entertainment but when I was told no i said that you and moved onto the next store hoping for the best. Did I take advantage of a mistake that target made....I'm not sure cause they allowed me to do it last year. All I do know is that I feel lucky that due to their mistake my family will enjoy a little more Disney magic then we might have without the $2000 savings.

You bought $10,000 worth of gift cards?

 

[russomd]

The manager at our store approved it manually. She was very nice about it.

 

[Plutofan]

Did anyone have any luck in DFW area?

Thanks

 

[dpswift]

Another thing that we are all forgetting is that all stores have a right to limit the amount of like items purchased. It would be different in my mind if they let someone buy five than 200. By clearing the shelves no one else can get the deal. That is one of the reasons that the show Extreme Couponing is unrealistic. The stores break their own rules.


Target may not have said Disney gift cards were not included, however they have the right to limit the amount purchased so that people do not clear the shelves.

 

[ktmo]

To be honest I felt it was wrong last year when people made copies of the coupon. If you are able to print 2 that is all you should be able to use. For years we did not have a store around here that would accept internet coupons for this reason.

I totally agree with you. 2 was the limit, but people took advantage of it and printed/copied more.

 

[moobar25]

I totally agree with you. 2 was the limit, but people took advantage of it and printed/copied more.

You are/were able to print 2 per computer. If people have/had more than one computer then they get to print more. I myself have multiple computers and got 10 coupons last year. I didn't do anything wrong - I simply used all the resources available to me.
And as for clearing the shelves- my target has Disney GC at each register. So it would take a lot to clear their inventory.

 

[djmeredith]

How Target chooses to categorize their GIFT CARDS has no legal significance whatsoever. I'd love to see someone actually try to argue the point in court that this is not a gift card.

I suspect from your comments that you didn't go to law school. What the sign in the store says, and the company's previous use of terms has great "legal significance" and it would be easy to make that point in court. In this case, all you'd have to do to prove the confusion is call a few different managers, some that thought it did include entertainment cards and some that didn't, to legally prove that a customer would be easy confused.

 

[Eastern]

The fact that so many managers willingly overrode the system on their own, or did so after calling the service line, goes to show you that even Target managers were confused by the language on this coupon. If the store managers themselves are confused about what is defined as "gift cards" in their stores how is the average customer supposed to know the difference? That makes my original point for me: truth in advertising issues abound with this promotion. Target has lots of high paid lawyers who could have and should have protected them from this type of confusion.

I applaud those customers who waited 1.5 hrs to get what was promised to them: 20% off everything except what was listed. Entertainment Cards were not listed. The fact that Target calls them Entertainment Cards has a legal significance. Consumer protection laws exist in every state for a reason: to protect the customer . Know your rights as a consumer and assert them; it's your money. You don't have to throw a fit, be nasty, or cause a scene to do that.

This is the best post in this entire thread.

It's not about what Target "meant to say" or what we should expect by reading between the lines. They put out a bad ad. It was not specific enough. It did not detail a maximum purchase amount or specific product quantities. It is not the consumer's fault that Target was sloppy.

Some people have been more persistent in seeking out the discount. I don't fault them for that. The parameters of the coupon should have been clear, and they were not.

It would be a disgrace for any manager to get fired for overriding. Target needs to provide accurate information to the consumer and to management, and they didn't. They have failed on both counts.

 

[undertheradar]

I suspect from your comments that you didn't go to law school. What the sign in the store says, and the company's previous use of terms has great "legal significance" and it would be easy to make that point in court. In this case, all you'd have to do to prove the confusion is call a few different managers, some that thought it did include entertainment cards and some that didn't, to legally prove that a customer would be easy confused.

I find it scary that anyone would follow "legal advice" posted on the Disboards. Anyone can claim to be anything from the privacy of one's own keyboard.

The easiest resolution for Target would be to end ALL discounts on Gift cards, prepaid cards, entertainment cards, giftcards, etc.

 

[undertheradar]

When is a gift card not a gift card? When justifying a discount on the Disboards.

 

[jhpatrick1]

Does anyone have a coupon they do not plan on using? I could really use one, but didn't realize the deal until after Black Friday. TIA

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

Hypothetical question....

If the Target 20% coupon said "Gift cards included. Entertainment cards excluded," would you all be arguing that it's a gift card????? After all, it says gift card right on it. I want my discount now!!!!

Seems like an easy way to twist something for your own gain.

Have you ever gone to Disney Store and asked to buy an "entertainment card"? They'd look at you like you had two heads. But ask for a "gift card" and you'll get the exact same one Target is selling.

I can't believe people are arguing about this to this extent. Wow, nothing better to do at Christmas time?

Also can't believe I got sucked in to posting again....

 

[ArmchairDetective]

The easiest resolution for Target would be to end ALL discounts on Gift cards, prepaid cards, entertainment cards, giftcards, etc.

It's highly likely that this will happen as Target has probably lost thousands overriding these transactions. So, the 5% Red Card and Rx Rewards will likely be gone after this fiasco.

If the cards were supposed to have been discounted then they would have been. Period. There would not have required management intervention of any kind.

But, congrats to anyone that got it to work. Savings are savings!

 

[sweetdana]

Does anyone have a coupon they do not plan on using? I could really use one, but didn't realize the deal until after Black Friday. TIA

Thbey are selling on EBAY.

I hope someone has an extra for ya.. but if not Ebay