It's official - I've been banned...

[hellokitty1]

...from making returns without receipts at Target. Went to Target today to return a baby photo album I bought awhile back. Before I got to fill it, I found a nicer one there and got it with plans to return this one. At one point I had the receipt but I didn't have it today and was thinking it might be over 90 days anyway. I guess I thought I would qualify for a store credit. Lo and behold I was rejected and given an 800 number. It felt like I had just been declined for a credit card or something (which has never happend to me). The guy was very nice and said he did not know why and asked if I had returned without a receipt in the last 60 days to which I replied that I did not think so. Anyway, lucky for him I did not blow up bc I had read here on the boards a little while ago about those. I told the guy I'd have my husband come in and return it - which by the way didin't happen bc DH was in the car with DD who was asleep.

So after I spent more money there, I left with my photo album in hand and called the 800 number on the receipt. The woman was rather curt and said I returned items in the past without receipts and I would no longer be able to return without a receipt. I asked for how long this period was and she said "never" under this license number. I replied that I could see where this was to prevent fraud, blah, blah, blah but that they also ought to take a look at how much one spends there too, to which she replied, "We treat everyone the same." I asked her to tell me what my previous returns without receipt were. It was one in July, August and October of 2003. Gee, I think I remember those...I had given birth to my first kid in late April and perhaps wasn't as organized as my usual self. I recall one return was diapers that I never opened and she had outgrown and I bought the next size so that shouldn't count. And oh, the other one, was a pack 'n play someone bought us but we didn't need and and she gave us no gift receipt. Who knows what the hell October was for.

But anyway...it was so hard to control my frustration but I guess the policy is no returns without receipts so when they did give them to me previously, it was a courtesy. I guess what bugs me is that when they were doing these "courtesy returns", no one ever pointed out it was a courtesy so as a result, I thought it was typical.

Ugh, I told the lady I wouldn't shop there anymore. I'm sure I'll be eating my words next weekend.

[jd11365]

Welcome to our very prestigious club of banned Target returners! I too got an 800 # and a curt woman too...maybe it was the same lady? Too bad I love the store too much to boycott!

Jamie
Mommy to Kayla
5-1-03

[gravymommy3]

I have not totally quit shopping at Target, but I certainly try to buy anywhere else before I go there. I am not the most organized person in the world (would love to blame it on the munchkins but who the heck am I kidding here??) so receipts sometimes elude me. It happens. Does not mean I am trying to rip a store off if I want to return something. Their policy simply drives me crazy. So I try to vote with my pocketbook by choosing to shop other stores. If nothing else, it makes me feel a tiny bit better that they won't be getting my money.

[Zansu]

The best way I've found to get around the lack of receipt problem is to *only* use a credit card at Target. If you charge something, they can look up the receipt for you using the credit card.

I only use one charge card, and I charge EVERYTHING. (And I end up with enough mileage for a free trip to Hawaii every year.) So if there's a receipt I can't find, I hand the CS person my card and ask them to do a search. They find the receipt, and issue me a credit to my card. No hassle, no nastiness, no 800#.

HTH

[muskiesusan]

That's what I have started doing. I am horrible with receipts, especially now that they give me a gift and regular receipt with every purchase, I do not need all that paper!!! Between the credit card look-up and 90 day policy, I haven't had anymore problems.

Susan
Mom to Nicholas 10/01/01
& Baby #2 due 4/23/04!!!!

[nathansmom]

Its sad that a few bad apples spoil things for everyone. However the lady you talked to is wrong. You are not banned forever, give it 6 months to a year and you'll be able to do returns there again.

I think targets return policy is harsh but I'd rather give my money to them then to walmart. With the stunt walmart is trying to pull here in my area I am on an official boycott of the store.

[hellokitty1]

I know about the credit card deal but they only keep records back 90 days and I think I was past 90 days.

As for boycotting or anyhting close to it, there are lots of places I've chosen to "boycott" but you really just cannot beat their prices on a lot of things. Before I was a mom, I was going to places like Eckerds for OTC medicines and then when I really started comparing, I realized those drug stores are a rip off!

And the day this happened, I went across the street to the Super Wal-Mart. The prices are good too, especially the groceries. But Wal-Marts are consistently junky and unorganized. But as a result of being banned, I will be more tolerant of Wal-Mart.

Come on mommies and daddies, who else has been banned? It's okay, we won't tell.

[hellokitty1]

I wondered about the expiration date issue. The sales associate asked if I had returned without receipt in the last "60 days" and the lady on the phone said I was banned "forever." I had to give a receipt number to the curt phone lady so I'm wondering if I continue to try to return to see when it expires, they will keep giving mt ticky marks. Anyway, she said my last return was October so I guess I'll try again in May.

Okay, someone out there has to have a friend that works for Target or their parent company, Dayton-Hudson. Can't someone help fix my record. :) Just kidding. Well, maybe.

[lmariana]

So, what's the deal with Walmart? I haven't heard of it before.

Mariana
Mother of Gabriel, 08/14/2003

[peanut4us]

I'm sorry that sucks. As for boycotting... well, i think you should. It's hard I know, but your only power as a consumer is to put your money where your mouth is.

DH and I have stopped shopping at Target and Walmart except for the rather rare occasions when it is literally the only place to get something. Yes, you have to plan ahead. Yes, you have to shop several other stores to get what you could in one place. But if I wait for coupons and deals at other stores, I can always get at least as good of a deal as at Walmart or Target, usually better. We stopped shopping in Walmart when we were in there buying our usual groceries one week and the next week they had a "roll back" sign on one of my items that now cost me over a $1 more. I just happened to know what I paid for it, so I knew I was being fleeced. And that was just the tip of the iceburg. The only reason we don't shop target is because of their return policy. That's it. Their policy tells me that my return business isn't important to them

Sorry I got off on my own tirade there. I do feel bad for you. Try to go one month without shopping there, and see how you do. I bet it'll be easier than you think.

[nathansmom]

There was a discussion about walmart in the lounge a few months back. I'll see if I can find a link for you. However it wasn't until they pulled the stunt here in Utah that I was offically boycotting them in everyway possible. If you want to know more pm or email me but I don't want to start a possible fight on the boards.

[jojo2324]

First of all, I think that their return policy is really bizarre. It seems pretty harsh. If you don't have a receipt, all stores I go to give you store credit for the lowest selling price. Why doesn't Target do the same thing? (I must admit, I'm no Target expert. We just got our first one before Christmas, and it's about 45 minutes away. We don't go there frequently.)

But, about the gift receipts. What if you have 8 gifts on one receipt? What happens then? Are they able to give you 8 gift receipts?

[lisams]

They can do that, but you have to remember to ask (something I have forgotten to do when I was buying gifts for more than 1 person). I really like Target, but this is one area that really bothers me about them.

Lisa

[Melanie]

That stinks. What is really upsetting is that they used to have the LOOSEST return policy EVER. I knew a person who would return stuff they found around their house and didn't know where they got it, to Target. I think they've traded in one extreme for the other.

[hellokitty1]

> I knew a person who
>would return stuff they found around their house and didn't
>know where they got it, to Target.

I guess this person you know and othes like them is what caused them to change their policy.

Sometimes I wish the stores would have ways to mark inventory to telt it was from them, whether it be a sticker or stamp. I know it's not feasible for all but at least on some inventory would seem helpful.

What pissed me off about my purchase is that it wasn't seasonal and still on the shelf and less then $10 and you couldn't give me a measly store credit since I have to go back and spend it in your store anyway????

[stillplayswithbarbies]

>
>Sometimes I wish the stores would have ways to mark inventory
>to telt it was from them, whether it be a sticker or stamp. I
>know it's not feasible for all but at least on some inventory
>would seem helpful.
>

Target and WalMart already do this. Most of their items have a unique UPC code to them that no other store has for the same item. They also have unique packaging in some cases. This is one reason that the number of diapers in a pack is different depending on where you buy it.

Many of the brands at Target are unique to them. They know what came from there whether you have a receipt or not.

edited to fix a typo

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

[Melanie]

>> I knew a person who
>>would return stuff they found around their house and
>didn't
>>know where they got it, to Target.
>
>I guess this person you know and othes like them is what
>caused them to change their policy.

Exactly! I thought it was pretty trashy at the time anyway (as they were...). Interestingly enough, whenever I have returned something without a receipt (uh-oh, I might be up to a whopping total of TWO items now), they never mentioned that you have a cap on how many.

[brubeck]

I returned a whole bunch of stuff after Christmas, all toys. The kids got WAY too much! LOL. I brought everything in and told them that I didn't know where the items had been purchased but I thought it was Target because they were delivered in a big Target bag. Well some of the items did not come up on their scanners (ie:Target didn't sell them) but they didn't mind, I was able to return about 5 others. Perhaps since it was within a copuple of weeks after Christmas they were more lenient? I came across the same thing when I returned those non-Target-scanning toys at TRU.

Oh when I did this they did give me a weird condition: I had to use the store credit in the SAME department (ie: toys) and use it THAT DAY. It didn't bother me so much but if I had been in a hurry to get out of the store it might have. And of course at that point I didn't really need more toys but I got some birthday presents for other kids. TRU just gave me a gift card.

[tlwpeanut]

I returned a baby gift I received without a receipt and was told not only that I had to use the credit in the SAME department, but that I also had to buy something that was the SAME price! I thought that was completely INSANE! And in the end they lost money because I usually wind up going over the original item value when I pick up things to exchange for.