How do you deal with Target's Return Policy?

[kaytieeldr]

Nah, you just tell him you're returning the OTHER one, but that person didn't keep the receipt!

 

[buzz5985]

A lot of stores now will not return anything without a receipt. It's not just Target.

There was just a special report in Boston how some stores are setting up data bases to find out how many items you return, not just at the store in question, but all stores. Your name will be flagged for a frequent "returner" of goods and your return will be denied.

 

[bumbershoot]

I know that Target's return policy was changed while I was planning my wedding, as there was MUCH discussion of it, in regards to registries, on the message boards I was on. I was planning from January '01 to August of '03 (good gawd), so it was somewhere in there.

BUT a lot of it depends on the particular Target and their own little policies.

The Target closest to me let me take in several newborn outfits that I got in March of '04 at my shower, and exchange them easily for bigger sizes (I loved the outfit styles but wanted to see them for longer, hence the exchange) and "my" Target made the process so incredibly easy. I did have gift receipts, though, so maybe that made the difference.

 

[powellrj]

I use to post on a Target shopping website several years ago. I was amazed at what these people would do.

Until I read about all the tricks they had, I had no way of knowing the lengths people would go to.

They would go in and buy lots of items at 50% off after the holidays and then return them and get the difference when the items went to 90% off. We aren't talking a couple of things, they would have cart loads. Another trick was to hide items in the store when they were at a low clearance price and then go back and find the item when they were at 75%.

Those were just a couple of things people use to do. After reading all the tricks people had, I understood why Target changed their policy.

 

[MickeyP]

Could you return it for the same exact movie? Then they would give you some kind of funky receipt, then return it the next day with your "receipt"? (I know gas, etc...)

Yeah, go to Walmart. They don't care. They'll sell it for what they gave you anyway.

 

[labdogs42]

I have had this happen lots, my mil will constantly buy full screen, and we only buy wide screen, but they have always let me do even exhanges even without a receipt.

Try Walmart, they shouldn't give you a hard time.

WalMart now is tougher on returns than Target! At least mine is! They used to take things back, no questions asked. Well, I had to return a carseat I bought, couldn't find the receipt. I had not even opened the box. I brought my credit card bill with the purchase listed on it because I didn't have the receipt. They couldn't look it up based on the card I paid with (which Target can do in seconds). They wanted to know what day and time I made the purchase AND which checkout lane I went through!! It was crazy. They ended up giving me a gift card because they couldn't credit my card since I didn't have my receipt. Lesson learned. Wal Mart's return policy stinks now! (and I found the @^!%@$ receipt a few days later at home! I knew I had it somewhere!)


As for Target, I make sure I apy for everything with one specific card, so I know which one to give if they have to look up my receipt for me. Works like a charm!

 

[kbkids]

Did the sale show up on your statement?? Wouldn't that be nice!! But not likely.....

Yes, it did.

 

[kbkids]

WalMart now is tougher on returns than Target! At least mine is! They used to take things back, no questions asked. Well, I had to return a carseat I bought, couldn't find the receipt. I had not even opened the box. I brought my credit card bill with the purchase listed on it because I didn't have the receipt. They couldn't look it up based on the card I paid with (which Target can do in seconds). They wanted to know what day and time I made the purchase AND which checkout lane I went through!! It was crazy. They ended up giving me a gift card because they couldn't credit my card since I didn't have my receipt. Lesson learned. Wal Mart's return policy stinks now! (and I found the @^!%@$ receipt a few days later at home! I knew I had it somewhere!)


As for Target, I make sure I apy for everything with one specific card, so I know which one to give if they have to look up my receipt for me. Works like a charm!

Gift cards don't bother me - especially with Walmart or Target because I know I'll use them soon anyway.

My Walmart did something for me around Christmas that totally amazed me. We had won an Xbox 360 from a raffle. I had already bought the kids a Wii for Christmas, so we certainly did need it. My husband took it to Walmart and told them exactly how we got it. He said he had no idea where it came from and that we weren't looking for cash, but would they give us a gift card. Sure did, no problem at all. I was psyched! Turned around and bought that month's groceries with it. That was a nice little bonus right around Christmas!!

 

[rflorek]

Most of the stuff they sell is impulse-buy type stuff, and though it's flashy, it doesn't last long. Their prices on many things are considerably higher than other stores (for example, recently I tried to buy an air filter there -- the only choice was a fancy one for about $6, whereas Walmart and our local hardware store sell a three-pack of basic ones for half that price!).

Actually, I find that most of the items I buy at Target last longer than those that I but at Wal-Mart or KMart - and many of the prices are the same IF NOT CHEAPER than the other stores. Maybe the prices vary by region, but with the Wal-Mart & Target across the street from each other, I'm more likely to go to Target because I feel that their quality is better - and it doesn't cost me any more.

 

[kbkids]

Actually, I find that most of the items I buy at Target last longer than those that I but at Wal-Mart or KMart - and many of the prices are the same IF NOT CHEAPER than the other stores. Maybe the prices vary by region, but with the Wal-Mart & Target across the street from each other, I'm more likely to go to Target because I feel that their quality is better - and it doesn't cost me any more.

I'd much rather shop at Target too. I detest Kmart and won't go. Walmart - kinda a necessary evil around here, as the only other grocery store is Winn Dixie, and their prices are sky high. I buy my meats from Winn Dixie, other groceries from Walmart (once a month) and use Target for all my weekly purchases. Our Target really doesn't have a huge grocery selection. Their prices are a little bit higher than Walmart - maybe 5-10 cents, not enough to make me make an extra trip to Walmart. Once a month is more than enough for me to be in Walmart.

 

[taitai]

We have a SuperTarget here so I do all of my grocery shopping there as well as everything else. They tie their prices to Wal-Mart so the two are within pennies of each other. Target is just a much better experience...wider aisles, nicer salespeople, prettier stores and better quality and design of the goods. It is simply a much more pleasant experience all around.

Taitai

 

[crisi]

I think I've returned two things to Target in the past six years. Generally we either live with what we bought even if it isn't perfect, or donate it. I picked up the wrong set of skates for my daughter, but they'll be a perfectly good Toys for Tots donation in October. With a full screen movie and no receipt given as a gift, we'd live with the fullscreen movie.

 

[draw]

My experience with Target is when I bought a pair of champion sneakers for my 8 year old and within 1 week the sole of shoe started to come apart. He wasn't hard on them. I had receipt but they wouldn't take them back. They stated they were used. I asked if they stood behind what they sold and they said no. I haven't been back since.

 

[maxiesmom]

I understand that it is frustrating, but do as a consumer you need to understand each store's return policy. If you don't like a store's return policy, don't shop there. But honestly, if you expect any kind of service, you need to save your receipt! I can't think of a single store who will give you full price back without a receipt, and Target has not even done exchanges without a receipt for at least 2 years. It is not the store's fault that you didn't get a gift receipt, or save the original one. The consumer needs to be responsible enough to hang on to their receipts. It isn't hard, and it is not much to ask.

As far as the shoes go, shoe returns are totally subjective. Our store policy is to only accept returns on unworn shoes, or shoes that are defective. And if the shoes are worn by a child, even a week, they can be hard on them. Dragging the toes, or running thru the mud. Stitching pulling apart is a defect. The rubber around the sole coming off because little Tommy was dragging his feet on the ground when skateboarding is not. I have to make a judgement call when returning shoes. And I can say that I have seen shoes that parent said were worn for only a week that looked like they have been thru a war. So it is totally up to the associate at customer service if they feel they can accept a shoe return or not.

 

[kathi29]

I'm one that loves to shop at Target BECAUSE I don't have to keep my receipts since they can look up my credit card. That being said, I've recently started keeping them anyway. I spent $89 on a rug that I didn't like once I got it home. When I took it back, it didn't show up. I knew without a doubt which credit card I had used, but I gave her both just in case. Still didn't show up. Luckily, I was able to dig through the trash and find the receipt. When I took it back, they couldn't even do the return with the receipt. The girl ended up having to call a manager over, who actually had to call somewhere else to get an approval to credit my card back. She even had to argue with whoever she was talking to, as I overheard her say, "Look, I'm staring at the receipt right now!!" Nobody had an explanation for why it happened, but had I not found the receipt, I'd have been ticked!

Hmm... maybe I will start keeping better track of my receipts. I always use my Target visa (and pay it off at month end - they have insane interest rates!). It has made my life easier to always know I charged it so I just hand them my card. I never thought about something not showing up.

 

[kathi29]

Reading through this thread, it seems like being able to simply exchange something is now a lost art! I'm thinking it must have been the good old days, when you could go to the customer service counter, hand them the wrong size or format thing, head into the store to get the right one, come back to the counter to complete the exchange and be on your way. Why don't retailers do that anymore?

 

[feedindy]

I have had some experience with this very recently. They were only willing to give me the sale price, which I understood, but I also wanted an exchange. They did the return and printed a raincheck for the sale price at the same time. It then went and bought the style I needed of the exact same item, used the raincheck and paid with the gift card. Ta-da! Even exchange!

 

[madge]

Reading through this thread, it seems like being able to simply exchange something is now a lost art! I'm thinking it must have been the good old days, when you could go to the customer service counter, hand them the wrong size or format thing, head into the store to get the right one, come back to the counter to complete the exchange and be on your way. Why don't retailers do that anymore?

I can still do that at Target, depending on the situation. If I buy something on sale on Friday, and need to get a different size the next week and the item is no longer on sale, depending on who is working the CS desk, I can get an exchange. Not always, but sometimes

 

[madge]

We have a SuperTarget here so I do all of my grocery shopping there as well as everything else. They tie their prices to Wal-Mart so the two are within pennies of each other. Target is just a much better experience...wider aisles, nicer salespeople, prettier stores and better quality and design of the goods. It is simply a much more pleasant experience all around.

Taitai

Ours isn't a Supertarget, but other than that, I find the same to be true here. Our Target & Walmart are very comparable, price wise. But, for the overall shopping experience, Target is much nicer

I do my shopping at Target & Kroger's, and occasionally Walgreen's .. depending on their sale. I haven't shopped at Walmart in years.

 

[tlbwriter]

Good idea, but MIL only uses cash or check, she doesn't "believe in" credit or debit cards.

Target can look up a purchase that was made with a check as well. Trust me, I do this all the time.