Target Online Order Frustration

[timmac]

I know it may sound like a hefty statement, but I think they've lost my business going forward.

I'll try to make a really long story short. I ordered two black polo shirts for DGF (which she needs for work). Package arrives yesterday with only one shirt. A bit of grumbling, but I figure it'll be a quick e-mail or at worst a call, and they'll send the missing item.

Well, after a 20 minute phone call and three different agents, they apologize and say they will refund me for the missing shirt. Well, ok, I guess... but I ask if they could simply just send me the missing shirt, as that's what I really need. (For what it's worth, my next statement would have been that I should be getting expedited shipping on it, at their expense, since it was their mistake, but alas, I didn't get that far). "No, I'm sorry, we can't do that, but the good news is I've processed your refund, and you'll get it within 7 to 10 business days back on your card." I ask about the additional shipping I paid, since it was for two shirts, and agent concurs that the shipping for the extra shirt would also be refunded.

Okay, this is frustrating, but I still have a small issue with that... it's cheaper to ship two shirts at once (6.99), than to get two shipments of one shirt (4.99 shipping each time). So is the expectation that I'm going to order another shirt online, and pay for shipping again? I've already paid 6.99 for shipping, of which, in theory, 2.00 is being refunded. But it'll cost me 4.99 in shipping to order another shirt, so I'm basically out 2.99.

Okay, now, the only problem with all of this is... now that I've gotten the various confirmations etc, it's basically just been processed as though I returned an item... so it appears I'm getting back the cost of a shirt, but nothing for shipping. So, I'm already out 2.00, and would be out the full 4.99 were I to order the shirt I should have had in the first place. I'm beyond
livid at the moment.

Yes, for the record, I realize at the end of all this I'm complaining over a total of about five dollars or so... but it's still got me agitated, and I feel like I've totally been taken. It's crossed my mind to issue a chargeback against the credit card, but it's almost more effort to do that than the few dollars is worth... just the principle of it all has me up in arms. And more than anything, I just needed to vent a bit.

 

[Graciesmom77]

I would be aggravated too! I am sorry you have to deal with this. I wonder why they culdn't just send another shirt? What a pain!

 

[MomToOne]

I'd call back and make a stink - you know, demand (politely) to ask to a supervisor, etc. But that's just the way I am. I tend to refuse to go away until they fix the problem.

If you google, you might also be able to find the contact information for some individuals rather high up the Target chain of command

 

[timmac]

I'd call back and make a stink - you know, demand (politely) to ask to a supervisor, etc. But that's just the way I am. I tend to refuse to go away until they fix the problem.

If you google, you might also be able to find the contact information for some individuals rather high up the Target chain of command

Oh don't worry, I've already done that. The phone call I'm trying to avoid for now, because literally, it wouldn't be worth my time and stress. But I'm happy to go up the chain of command, lodge BBB complaints, etc. I don't like doing stuff like that, but when I have to, I have to.

I'm waiting to see if the e-mail based customer service replies to me, or has someone call me as I requested. I'd be happy to resolve it amicably.

I'm fairly certain the reason they don't just send out the missing merchandise is exactly the opposite of my issue... it'd be on their dime to correct the issue.

 

[daughtersrus]

I know it may sound like a hefty statement, but I think they've lost my business going forward.

I'll try to make a really long story short. I ordered two black polo shirts for DGF (which she needs for work). Package arrives yesterday with only one shirt. A bit of grumbling, but I figure it'll be a quick e-mail or at worst a call, and they'll send the missing item.

Well, after a 20 minute phone call and three different agents, they apologize and say they will refund me for the missing shirt. Well, ok, I guess... but I ask if they could simply just send me the missing shirt, as that's what I really need. (For what it's worth, my next statement would have been that I should be getting expedited shipping on it, at their expense, since it was their mistake, but alas, I didn't get that far). "No, I'm sorry, we can't do that, but the good news is I've processed your refund, and you'll get it within 7 to 10 business days back on your card." I ask about the additional shipping I paid, since it was for two shirts, and agent concurs that the shipping for the extra shirt would also be refunded.

Okay, this is frustrating, but I still have a small issue with that... it's cheaper to ship two shirts at once (6.99), than to get two shipments of one shirt (4.99 shipping each time). So is the expectation that I'm going to order another shirt online, and pay for shipping again? I've already paid 6.99 for shipping, of which, in theory, 2.00 is being refunded. But it'll cost me 4.99 in shipping to order another shirt, so I'm basically out 2.99.

Okay, now, the only problem with all of this is... now that I've gotten the various confirmations etc, it's basically just been processed as though I returned an item... so it appears I'm getting back the cost of a shirt, but nothing for shipping. So, I'm already out 2.00, and would be out the full 4.99 were I to order the shirt I should have had in the first place. I'm beyond
livid at the moment.

Yes, for the record, I realize at the end of all this I'm complaining over a total of about five dollars or so... but it's still got me agitated, and I feel like I've totally been taken. It's crossed my mind to issue a chargeback against the credit card, but it's almost more effort to do that than the few dollars is worth... just the principle of it all has me up in arms. And more than anything, I just needed to vent a bit.

I understand your frustration! I was on the phone with them for hours last night trying to place 2 orders. They kept charging me shipping when the item clearly listed "free shipping". I finally had to place the orders and then call back to get the shipping adjusted. Because they charged shipping, they increased the tax on each order by about $1.00. I was trying to get the rep (obviously Target outsources their customer service to another county. All 3 reps I spoke with had difficulty with the English language). I argued with the rep to get the shipping back. She kept reading a prompt about having to charge tax by law. I told her that I understood that but since they charged me tax on the shipping when it should have been free, they needed to adjust that off as well. It wasn't until the 3rd time that I asked her what tax rate they were charging me that she agreed to take it off. I don't think she had any idea what a 'tax rate' is. At that point, it became a matter of principle.

Having worked for 10 years in the catalog business (when the internet was Prodigy ) I knew that I was right. In the end, I was issued 4 separate credits (2 for shipping and 2 for tax since there were 2 orders) totaling about $40.

Now, hopefully DD's dinnerware will arrive unbroken.

 

[katlas&kids]

I'm hoping I get the item I ordered from Target. It is my son's main gift!! I have the order # and all in the email, but when I go to check the order, it says my email address is invalid. Umm... they sent me the email with the order number?!
I also called 10 minutes after I placed it to see if I could use the free shipping code & $5.00 off I found. After 40 minutes on the phone, (repeating the order # at least 5 times and being put on hold 4 times) he said he couldn't do it. Now, I can't check the order. I printed out my email & hope to head to the store today to see if they can do anything. I really don't want to call again & need to see if it is coming or if I need to find another one somewhere else! Ugh!!

 

[timmac]

Update... the replied to my angry e-mail, and credited me back for my shipping charges. Though it would have been nice to just have my two items, I'm at least satisfied now, things are square and even.

Shouldn't have had to take that much effort on my part, but I'm at least satisfied with the result now.

 

[okeydokey]

I'm glad it worked out for you. Target is terrible with customer service stuff.

They double charged my Mom once for a store purchase, and it was like 50 or 75 dollars. When she called they said they had credited it, but had not. The next month she got a late fee penalty for not paying the erroneous charge. So she called again. Same story for several months with the late fees adding up. It took hours of her time to get it fixed.

 

[DISdreamin']

OP, I feel your pain, and it wasn't so much the money as the principal.

And FWIW, I had a run-in with Target this week with a Black Friday item. I purchased a 16GB iPad and decided that same day that I should have gotten the 32GB. The store I bought the original iPad in was out of all iPads by that time, so I went to another store that showed the 32GB in stock. When I went to do the exchange, I was told they could only process same day returns and exchanges as the same store (this was NOT on the receipt).

When I asked how I could exchange the item at the original store if the other store didn't have them in stock, I was told to DRIVE THERE, return the item, and then DRIVE BACK to the Target I was standing it to re-purchase the item. Umm...you reeeeeally don't want my money, do you?! I was trying to buy an item that cost more and they simply would not let me do it.

Customer (I just typed Suctomer...which, now that I think of it, actually seems more accurate) service was of no help whatsoever. They actually expected me to drive approximately one hour round-trip to try and accomplish what should have taken all of 5 minutes. Oh, and the iPad I wanted to buy was THE LAST ONE the store had, no guarantee it would still be there by the time I got back because they couldn't hold the item...it was a BF special, after all.

 

[luvmy3]

OP, I feel your pain, and it wasn't so much the money as the principal.

And FWIW, I had a run-in with Target this week with a Black Friday item. I purchased a 16GB iPad and decided that same day that I should have gotten the 32GB. The store I bought the original iPad in was out of all iPads by that time, so I went to another store that showed the 32GB in stock. When I went to do the exchange, I was told they could only process same day returns and exchanges as the same store (this was NOT on the receipt).

When I asked how I could exchange the item at the original store if the other store didn't have them in stock, I was told to DRIVE THERE, return the item, and then DRIVE BACK to the Target I was standing it to re-purchase the item. Umm...you reeeeeally don't want my money, do you?! I was trying to buy an item that cost more and they simply would not let me do it.

Customer (I just typed Suctomer...which, now that I think of it, actually seems more accurate) service was of no help whatsoever. They actually expected me to drive approximately one hour round-trip to try and accomplish what should have taken all of 5 minutes. Oh, and the iPad I wanted to buy was THE LAST ONE the store had, no guarantee it would still be there by the time I got back because they couldn't hold the item...it was a BF special, after all.

It wasn't that they wouldn't let you, it was that they couldn't let you. I'm pretty sure it takes 24 hours for a transaction to show up in the Target system, so the store you purchased it would have the transaction info, but no other store would be able to access it until the next day. At least that is what I was told when I wanted to do something similiar.
They should have something like that printed on the receipt (if it is true) so people are aware. However, their hands are tied when it comes to things like that. I find it odd that they would have told you to go back to original store and return it and then drive back to theirs to buy the 32. You were already there, why not just buy the 32GB then and then go back and return the other at the other store

 

[kmcford]

I won't order online from Target again. A few years ago they put a Britax carseat on sale. It was probably an error and I get that but they are the ones who sold it at that price. They then came back 2 days later and cancelled my order after it had already been processed.

Most companies would have honored the price they sold it at even as a mistake. It ticked me off. Not to mention their website is the slowest website ever!

 

[DISdreamin']

It wasn't that they wouldn't let you, it was that they couldn't let you. I'm pretty sure it takes 24 hours for a transaction to show up in the Target system, so the store you purchased it would have the transaction info, but no other store would be able to access it until the next day. At least that is what I was told when I wanted to do something similiar.
They should have something like that printed on the receipt (if it is true) so people are aware. However, their hands are tied when it comes to things like that. I find it odd that they would have told you to go back to original store and return it and then drive back to theirs to buy the 32. You were already there, why not just buy the 32GB then and then go back and return the other at the other store

I had just signed up for the Red card and had purchase two iPods and two iPads that morning. I didn't have enough available temporary credit on the card to do another iPad with it (they had set a fairly low initial limit until they actually verify everything, I guess) and I didn't want to pay any other way as I'd lose the 5% off! When you're spending $700+, that 5% adds up! And the only reason I opened the card was to get the percentage off - I had the cash to pay for them, but I wanted the 5% off!

As far as the transaction info, the CSTL I spoke with said he's never run into anything like it before! And don't you find it odd that they can figure out how much available credit I have on their credit card, but they don't know where I've spent it or on what?

 

[DISdreamin']

Not to mention their website is the slowest website ever!

A-freakin'-men! Their website is awful, awful, awful. I've tried it at home, on my phone, at work with a HUGE pipe, it is always terrible. Slow, hangs, crashes. Big thumbs down.

 

[luvmy3]

I had just signed up for the Red card and had purchase two iPods and two iPads that morning. I didn't have enough available temporary credit on the card to do another iPad with it (they had set a fairly low initial limit until they actually verify everything, I guess) and I didn't want to pay any other way as I'd lose the 5% off! When you're spending $700+, that 5% adds up! And the only reason I opened the card was to get the percentage off - I had the cash to pay for them, but I wanted the 5% off!

As far as the transaction info, the CSTL I spoke with said he's never run into anything like it before! And don't you find it odd that they can figure out how much available credit I have on their credit card, but they don't know where I've spent it or on what?

yes, I do. I'm thinking that the CS person I dealt with was feeding me a line of bull then, so I wouldn't take my frustration out on her. It was awhile ago so I won't hold a grudge, and I have been lucky to not have had any negative issues with Target recently.
I'm going up tonight to get a few things so here's to hoping it stays that way

 

[lchadwick]

I'm super irritated with them, now, as I ordered 2 Paper Jamz at $10 each and then decided to add the drums for $19. Nothing came up that anything was out of stock and they sent the confirmation email. You all know that 30 minute order cancellation policy? Well, they cancelled the two guitars 33 minutes after the order and I tried to cancel the drums 2 minutes after that - why should I pay their shipping if I'll have to go to the store or somewhere else? Well, since it was 30+ minutes after the order was placed they won't do it. I pointed out that they cancelled on me, thereby making it logical not to just get the drums. Tough cookies, according to them. I can wait until the drums arrive and then return it UNOPENED for full credit. I don't care for this bull and told them they weren't worth my energy, so when it arrives, I'll drive to the store, get my refund and never cross their threshold again. The deals I get there aren't that great, anyway.

Sorry, had to vent.

 

[DISdreamin']

yes, I do. I'm thinking that the CS person I dealt with was feeding me a line of bull then, so I wouldn't take my frustration out on her. It was awhile ago so I won't hold a grudge, and I have been lucky to not have had any negative issues with Target recently.
I'm going up tonight to get a few things so here's to hoping it stays that way

I should have mentioned they told me the same thing, but it's a little hard to believe it is true if they know how much money I've spent on their card. The CS people in the store were really nice, there just didn't appear to be much they could do because their computer was telling them I couldn't return the item until 24 hours had elapsed (and why 24 hours and not the next day? It is likely they do their data uploads at the end of the day, right?). Anyways, they fed me the same line - I didn't give them a very hard time, I just insisted they should print the policy on the receipt rather than having you make a trip to the store for nothing.