Target Frustrations

[thinkerbell]

We just saw yesterday that Target matches prices. We were excited to see that. We do this at Wal-mart all the time--very easy to do. Just take your ads in, show it to the cashier, they change the price to match the ad and you are on your way. Our Target is only about a mile farther than Wal-mart and much less crowded so we wanted to try out the price match there. Bought several price match items and several other items that we needed. Went to the register. The cashier said that we would have to take the price match items to the service desk. We asked if we could pay for all of it there. No--you have to separate out your order, pay for the non-match items at the register and then take the rest of the price match items to the service desk. A hassle, but okay we are already there. Take the items to the service desk, stand in line. Finally get up to the clerk, put my items on the counter and show the clerk the CVS ad. She checked the date and then said, "Um, you have to have a card to get this at CVS, don't you?" They wouldn't match the items. I ended up leaving the price match stuff with them--very frustrated. I know, I know, in the great scheme of life it is not a big deal. But Wal-mart makes it so easy and they don't care who has the price, even if it requires a loyalty card. For goodness sakes... the loyalty card is FREE!!! It isn't like it is Sam's and you have to pay for a membership. I wrote the company and got a response of ---"Performing price matches at Guest Service allows us to get all our guests through the checkout lanes faster. We don't match prices with a competitor that requires you to have a loyalty card to get the lower prices. I apologize for any frustration. " I was just frustrated. I will be getting anything I want from Target at Wal-mart now--even if I have to use a Target ad to get the price matched. It doesn't take them any longer to get me through the line than normal.

 

[Mau Loa Disney]

Good to know... Most of our grocery stores around here have free loyalty programs so I would only be able to price match Walmarts & Albertsons advertised price on groceries. I just dont like to think Im getting something for one price and find out at checkout it's not in the "rules"

 

[GoofyforDisney3]

Our Walmart does similar things. I have had Walmart turn down price matches because it was a "gimic" and they "don't price match those type of things". This was from a manager when I wanted them to price match a $50 iTunes card Best Buy had on sale for $40.

 

[AKL_Megs]

Yeah, Target has MANY stipulations... they WILL honor another sale ad, but that sale ad can only be the WEEKLY sale ad (not a one-day ad, weekend ad, "Early Bird" ad, or any other "special" ad), and you can't require any "special" things to get that price (like a Kroger card, a Borders card, a Kohls charge, etc.)

 

[kwelch10377]

Just as an FYI if you look at the Target Price Match Policy online and it does state that they do not price match prices that require a loyalty program card.

The loyalty program may be free, but not everyone chooses to sign up for it, therefore those prices are not for every customer that walks in the door.

 

[robinb]

I'm sorry that your Wal*Mart price matches things that your Target does not. It does make sense to me that they would not price match a CVS ad where you needed the loyalty card. Sorry you were frustrated.

 

[dawson5]

Our Walmart does similar things. I have had Walmart turn down price matches because it was a "gimic" and they "don't price match those type of things". This was from a manager when I wanted them to price match a $50 iTunes card Best Buy had on sale for $40.

Christmas-time last year, Sears ran the xbox live year membership for $35 or $40. I went to buy and they were sold out. Took my ad to Wally's World and they matched it for that price. They do say on the card the value of it.

On the budget board, they've given a run-down of what to watch for at Target. I thought one of the things they said that they are doing is if you take in an ad for a store and they have Tide (example) on sale for $10 and you have a coupon for $1 off. Some how they worked it that even if you used your $1 off coupon, it would still be $10.

 

[Pooh67_68]

The loyalty program may be free, but not everyone chooses to sign up for it, therefore those prices are not for every customer that walks in the door.

But it is not my problem that someone won't sign up for a free program. Then those prices would be for every customer.
And if Walmart will price match and Target won't, then i am shopping at Walmart.

 

[tvguy]

We noticed at work doing stories on Black Friday that a lot of stores used items that they don't normally carry as their bargains. Or the big chains like Best Buy and Target made a deal to have a model made to their specifications just for the Black Friday sale. I think it was Target that put a flat screen TV on sale, and the model number was different that any other made by that company. Nobody but Target had it, and it was only sold on Black Friday. We figure it was their way of making sure people didn't buy the sale items early, bring them back, and try to get the sale price on Black Friday.

 

[kwelch10377]

But it is not my problem that someone won't sign up for a free program. Then those prices would be for every customer.
And if Walmart will price match and Target won't, then i am shopping at Walmart.

Well then take that up with the retailers whose promotions require a loyalty card. It also isn't Target's problem that the advertised price is only for certain customers.

That would be your right as a consumer to shop elsewhere, just as Target has the right to match their price match policy what they choose.

 

[kwelch10377]

We noticed at work doing stories on Black Friday that a lot of stores used items that they don't normally carry as their bargains. Or the big chains like Best Buy and Target made a deal to have a model made to their specifications just for the Black Friday sale. I think it was Target that put a flat screen TV on sale, and the model number was different that any other made by that company. Nobody but Target had it, and it was only sold on Black Friday. We figure it was their way of making sure people didn't buy the sale items early, bring them back, and try to get the sale price on Black Friday.

In some cases this is done because there there are one or two specs that are different to make the item cheaper. For example one retailer had a laptop on sale for I think $299, but part of the reason why it was that price was because it didn't include a built in webcam. That is something that can be easily overlooked by the customer.

 

[luvmy3]

Its always wise to check a store's price match policy before attempting to do a price match. Saves alot of frustration

 

[C.Ann]

Well - look on the bright side.. Now you know to just go to Walmart instead.. In and out with no hassles - or having to stand in separate lines for separate offers..

Chalk the whole thing up to an "experiment" - and a lesson learned..

 

[tvguy]

In some cases this is done because there there are one or two specs that are different to make the item cheaper. For example one retailer had a laptop on sale for I think $299, but part of the reason why it was that price was because it didn't include a built in webcam. That is something that can be easily overlooked by the customer.

Yeah, back when Packard Bell was still in business, they custom build their computers for each retailer. They were similar, looked identical, but Sears had their version. Office Depot had theirs, K-Mart had theirs, Wal-Mart theirs.
Hard drive size varied. Software differed. But you couldn't compare prices because of the differences.

 

[Ember]

I would just like to say that I'm pretty impressed with your price matching skills. I honestly can't be bothered. If it's a really big difference, I'll just buy it from the store advertising the sale. But I really admire people who take advantage of such things!

 

[southern_redhead]

I would just like to say that I'm pretty impressed with your price matching skills. I honestly can't be bothered. If it's a really big difference, I'll just buy it from the store advertising the sale. But I really admire people who take advantage of such things!

I'll second this. I do my best to pair a coupon with a sale. I try to pair shopping trips (because I have only one choice in po-dunk - Walmart. So I have to make a "trip" to shop elsewhere) with sales and coupons To throw in price matching.....not happening

 

[disneyfans95]

I don't see how Target is the bad guy here IF you don't have the CVS card that is asked for in the ad.

Now if the OP had the card and was valid, then yeah they should match.

But from how I read it (could be wrong) the OP picked an ad from cvs that she did not qualify for, then complains when Target won't match it.

Sorry but in that case they should not.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

I don't see how Target is the bad guy here IF you don't have the CVS card that is asked for in the ad.

Now if the OP had the card and was valid, then yeah they should match.

But from how I read it (could be wrong) the OP picked an ad from cvs that she did not qualify for, then complains when Target won't match it.

Sorry but in that case they should not.

BBM.

The problem here, though, is that Target cannot verify that the CVS loyalty card is valid. Just because I have a card in my possession doesn't necessarily mean that the card belongs to me. Now, in the grand scheme of things, CVS couldn't care less about the name attached to the card, but, Target is not CVS, thus they cannot verify that information.

I'm also amazed at how people are able to roll all sorts of discounts and stuff together. The CVS people are truly uncanny! To me, though, the amount of time needed to analyze, purchase, and sort things out to save a few bucks, makes any savings negligible. I'd much rather spend that time with my family, or doing something else.

 

[mhsjax]

For me personally, Walmart would have to match and then give extra off for me to even set foot in that store. Others may have nice Walmarts, but our here are disgusting. Dirty people, nasty employees and never enough cashiers open for anything. I don't care when you go, there is at least 10-12 people ahead of you. I actually was there while DH was picking up something from another store in the strip mall, I was in a line with about 15 people a head of me, and this was the shortest line. I stood there for a very long time and never moved. I just left my cart there, full of food. I figure too bad, they can deal with it. I went down to my local Publix and got the same things, half of which where actually cheaper than Walmart was was out in no time. I honestly don't know how that place stays in business.

 

[luvmy3]

BBM.

The problem here, though, is that Target cannot verify that the CVS loyalty card is valid. Just because I have a card in my possession doesn't necessarily mean that the card belongs to me. Now, in the grand scheme of things, CVS couldn't care less about the name attached to the card, but, Target is not CVS, thus they cannot verify that information.

I'm also amazed at how people are able to roll all sorts of discounts and stuff together. The CVS people are truly uncanny! To me, though, the amount of time needed to analyze, purchase, and sort things out to save a few bucks, makes any savings negligible. I'd much rather spend that time with my family, or doing something else.

Since most people post their secrets online, all it takes is a quick search of some shopping/couponing/ forums to find out what the best deals are. Then you just clip your coupons