New Target Return Policy–Rediculous

Has anyone tried to return a gift lately at Target? Apparently, they
have changed their return policy as of Oct 1, 2005. If you want to
return something and you do not have a receipt, the following applies:
1)Yes, you can exchange the item for something, but it must be within
the SAME department as the original item. For example, if you received
a baby gift, you must exchange it for another item in the baby
department. Most stores allow you to exchange for anything in the
store, but not Target. Not anymore. (Oh, and you can't exchange the
baby item for diapers or formula because that is considered to be the
"Market" department, not the baby department.
2)You must complete the exchange right then. You cannot return the
item and then leave the store and come back later...the exchange has to
be completed right then.
Now, I have been an avid Target shopper for years b/c of WalMart's
domination, but now, I will be back in WalMart. No more Target for me,
which I hate b/c Target has some really "cool stuff!"
Maybe I am being to oversensitive to this policy, but I really think it
is stupid. Does anyone else?

<ebeth...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1130890736.814132.125...@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
It sounds ridiculous. Is this a documented policy? (Maybe you got the info
from a deranged/disgruntled employee?) Do they at least offer "gift
receipts" that gifters can include with a gift?
I think of Walmart as the Evil Empire––and I only buy things there that are
really not available anywhere else in my area. But I'm not sure that Target
is inherently very different. It's a shame if these are your/our only
choices.
Thanks for pointing it out. Other a.f.ers pointed out the return policy of
Overstock.com and because of that, I've stopped purchasing from them.
Target is off my list now, too.
cofarb

ebeth...@yahoo.com wrote in news:1130890736.814132.12527...@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:
Disclaimer: I am anal–retentive about saving all my Target receipts,
mostly because they have the nasty habit of reducing the price of
something 2 days after I already bought it. I am the Queen of Target
Price Adjustments. That said...
Target is proactive to the point of being annoying about making sure that
gift receipts are included with *everything* you buy, even stuff that is
so obviously not a gift in the traditional sense (3 magazines and a Coke,
anyone?). IMHO it is the responsibility of the gifter to make sure the
giftee gets that receipt so that an exchange or return can be done
without any problems or inconvenience. If a person does not have a
receipt, then unfortunately they are at the mercy of whatever policy
Target deigns to offer. There's plenty of places, sad to say, that won't
take something back without a receipt, period end of sentence.
Odds are good that it's the result of people taking advantage of the
previous policy. More's the pity.
Michele, who hates trying to return stuff w/o a receipt and consequently
almost never does
––
"I'm not mad at you, I'm mad at the dirt."
–– Joan Crawford in "Mommie Dearest"
Take out the NOT to get the correct email address.

On 11/1/05 6:18 PM, in article
1130890736.814132.125...@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com, "ebeth...@yahoo.com"
<ebeth...@yahoo.com> wrote:
Hmmm, as long as I use a credit card to pay for the item, I've had no
problem returning items w/o a receipt since they can look up the purchase in
their systems.
FWIW,
ami

On Wed, 02 Nov 2005 14:09:02 GMT, Charlie Perrin
<c.l.per...@NOSPAMatt.net> wrote:
I've never even heard of a policy that allows for returns without a
receipt. It seems pretty ridiculous to me. I guess in Canada we don't
generally have such generous return policies.
I just recently returned some very painful shoes to Target and had no
problems. Of course I had my receipt and tags.

"ami kio" <...@cant–take–anymore–spam.com> wrote in message
news:BF8D7D52.6C502%...@cant–take–anymore–spam.com...
"ebeth...@yahoo.com"
in
Good point, ami. Many stores have that cc lookup capability. I keep receipts
obsessively. I am grateful that American stores generally let us return
things willy nilly. When it comes to shopping in Europe, there is often no
such thing as a return or exchange. But IMHO stores in the US have gone
overboard with their lenient return/exchange policies.
I would speculate that Target's return policy change is a response to
pseudo–professional shoplifting and maybe even organized retail crime:
Thieves steal boatloads of the easiest–to–steal stuff (like 10 or 20 or 30
or 40 of the same item) and then return it without a receipt, of course, for
a wide variety of items from different departments that they really want. Go
to a Target the weekend before back to school, for example, and you'll see
it in action: People are returning hundreds of $ of misc stolen stuff and
exchanging it for kids clothes for school. I recently had a conversation
with local police who are working on shoplifting clampdown and they
confirmed this. It's very costly to the store and thus ultimately to us
honest consumers.
It's simple for me to save my receipts and for gift–givers to ask for gift
receipts. I'm not sure I'd call the policiy ridiculous as my personal
opinion is that with big box and other retail we've taken "customer service"
to the wild extreme in terms of allowing mega returns/exchanges but
sacrified actual direct service to customers on the sales floor. OTOH you'd
think the store could have a manager oversee and approve a resonable
exception when the situation warrants.

ebeth...@yahoo.com wrote:
You're being deliberately disingenuous or you haven't fully read or
understood the new policy.
"Target's intent with our return policy is to ensure that our store is
stocked with fresh, season appropriate, trend–forward merchandise. We
have established our policy to treat all of our guests fairly and
consistently.
"Target has always asked for guests to provide an original receipt,
within 90 days, when making a return or exchange. Target also offers
gift receipts for every purchase. If you can't find your receipt, we
have the ability to lookup most of your purchases made by credit card,
debit card, Target GiftCard or check, in our system within 90 days of
purchase. If the receipt is not available in our system, we will offer
manufacturers' assistance at 1–800–303–0308.
"We will accept holiday and seasonal items within 90 days of purchase
if you have the original receipt or gift receipt. If the items are on
clearance at the time of return, they will be refunded at the current
clearance price. This pertains only to holiday items or items
associated with a particular season or time of the year. Target, like
nearly all retailers, reduces the price of holiday themed or seasonal
merchandise by at least 50 percent the day following the holiday or at
the end of a particular season. Because we are trying clear out the
remaining inventory and the items are on clearance, we are unable to
sell them at full price. This is why we are unable to offer a refund
for the full purchase price of the item.
"Some items are also subject to a 15 percent restocking fee, including
camcorders, digital cameras, portable DVD and portable electronics.
"We have recently amended our return policy to allow the exchange of
merchandise without a receipt if the item is defective or if the guest
needs to exchange a new and used item for a similar item. The stores
may ask for identification when processing the return and you will be
limited in the number of exchanges made without a receipt. The exchange
must be for an item of the same or greater value within the same
department and class of the item being returned."
http://www.breakthechain.org/exclusives/target.html
The only time you have to exchange the item in the same department if
if you have brought in an item without a receipt. Given how people
abuse store return policies, it was bound to come to this (this is
probably though an anti–shoplifting tactic).
As amusing as it is to see how everyone is ready to start a boycott
based on one post by someone who has never posted here before, it's
probably a good idea to do some actual fact–checking first.

On 2 Nov 2005 04:27:57 –0800, "jjjjjuliep" wrote:
No matter what return policy a store has, somebody will insist that
it's "rediculous." <grin/duck>
––
Visit Charlie's Sneaker Pages:
http://sneakers.pair.com/

ebeth...@yahoo.com wrote:
I have to come out of lurking to share my horrible Target story:
I've been boycotting Target for the past few years. It is really shame,
because they made a lot of money from me the last Christmas I shopped
there (1999.)
I was double charged by a cashier on a ten dollar calendar. The cashier
was new and confused throughout the whole order, and there were several
other items on my receipt that were double charged and caught at the
register. I took the receipt back after Christmas, but well within the
90 day limit, to get a credit for the one double charge that wasn't
caught before I paid. The girl at the "service" desk absolutely refused
to even give me a credit... or even one of the exact same thing. I asked
for a manager who also denied me a credit. She told me that they only
correct double charges if you catch it right away or call when you get
home. I had waited two weeks, and didn't bother calling because it
seemed obvious to me that anyone with any form of customer service would
take care of it. I even had good reasons for waiting two weeks: 1. my
fiancé's mother was dying of cancer 2. I lived an hour from the nearest
Target and 3. It was Christmas time and I was busy.
As absurd as my experience was, it got even worse when I reached the
corporate level. Absolutely no one would take care of the situation. I
got the run–around when I called, so I tried e–mailing. When I e–mailed,
they never responded to my issue, but did begin spamming me regularly
with ads. (As if I was ever going to shop there again!) Now, they've
lost thousands because they wouldn't be ethical about a ten dollar item.
I can't wait to see Target go the way of K–Mart!

"mjoann" <xtcmusic...@netscape.com> wrote in message
news:4369B259.8090...@netscape.com...
Pathetic story snipped, sorry you had to go through that.
I can share mine story, it ends a bit better. I was also
double charged (stuff happens, but whose fault was
THAT?) I went back a couple of weeks later (I had
been out of state) and was chastised by the "service"
person in "customer service" and asked why I hadn't
been back sooner. Somehow, a woman security
guard was summoned and then she looked at the
tapes. Yes, tapes, we are being taped at T's
check out. She confirmed that I had, indeed, only
bought one jacket. She was very nice and I won't
forget how helpful she was. I just wonder how many
people know they are on candid camera when they
shop. This was Hillsdale Target in San Jose, FWIW.
Karen
"I want a busy life, a just mind and a timely death."
Zora Neale Hurston

On Wed, 2 Nov 2005 11:49:23 –0600, Miss Jenney wrote
(in article <01vhm1pvlaq27t0p04n6csomcvmedp0...@4ax.com>):
So much to learn and so little time to learn it in. I didn't think anything
could be returned without a receipt nor that Target was even in Canada.
Guess I have to get out more :–)
––
Cheers!
Dennis
Remove 'Elle–Kabong' to reply

"Miss Jenney" <j3nn...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:01vhm1pvlaq27t0p04n6csomcvmedp0...@4ax.com...
JMHO, but American consumers are spoiled by the overly generous return
policies. Lots of stores allow returns without receipt and there is no limit
on the quanitity of items or $ amount. I was standing in line behind
somebody who was returning about 12 of the same silky shirt without a
receipt. Sheesh. I couldn't believe my eyes.

On Wed, 2 Nov 2005 19:46:08 –0800, "Queue" <qu...@fashionhouse.com>
wrote:
The worst thing I ever personally heard about a return was from a
friend of my dad's. Apparently at one point Sears would accept a
retun on anything they sold for any reason. This friend of my dad's
was laughing when he told a story about returning a pair of boots he
had worn for many years and exchanging them for a brand new pair.
All he had to do was lie about when he made the original purchase.
Obviously his integrity was worth less than a new pair of boots.
I'm sure karma used those boots to kick him in the rear at some point,
but it's the people like the OP who are trying to make a legitimate
return who suffer the consequences of scummy people like my dad's
friend or the person with the 12 shirts you mentioned. >:(
Leigh
––
Consequences, shmonsequences, as long as I'm rich. – D. Duck

KarenCannoli wrote:
I got a security guard too... a huge football–player kind of guy who had
to escort me out of the store because I refused to leave without getting
a credit for my double charge! At the time, I was 5'2" 95 lbs, and I
wasn't a threat to anyone. Here's hoping that the "manager" I had to
deal with was fired!

On Wed, 2 Nov 2005 14:18:16 –0800, "KarenCannoli" <XFra...@cannolicast.net>
wrote:
I would remind any one that is in a retail store especially the larger firms
that cameras are EVERY WHERE. Check out lanes to the aisles. They may not be as
obvious as those domes. (HINT: Some of those domes are FAKES or EMPTY! They are
deliberate decoys.) Cameras can be in anything now days from the racks to
mannequins themselves. Pan, tilt, zoom, computers to track you as go from camera
to camera.
Punch in time and date.. click click... play... All on a nice convenient DVD to
play back at any time. I could even be miles away from there and watch it all at
home or some remote office or if your cell phone company has the network on my
cell phone via laptop or the phone itself.
Same thing at ATM's. There's a camera in there you may not see it but its there.
Wear a hat, sunglasses and keep looking down when using an ATM! If the ATM has
one of th visible cameras use a deposit envelope to cover it up. I am sure BoA
hates me, but that's what I do.
Checked out your local intersection lately? ? ? How many of them have cameras ?
? ? Traffic monitoring.... MMM. Till some one decides they need it for court for
something now its surveillance. Did Jack really stay late at the office?? ? Or
did Jack & Jill hit the local club after work?? ?? ? ? Lets go to the
tape.....or more correctly the DVD.
––––
Support your LOCAL scanner frequency site and groups!
http://www.wpascanner.com http://www.tampascanner.info
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On Wed, 2 Nov 2005 18:15:21 –0600, Ruddell
<ruddell'Elle–Kabo...@canada.com> wrote:
Oh Target isn't in Canada. I did hear rumour of Target wanting to buy
the Hudson Bay Company, but that was a while ago. Anyway, I live in
Pittsburgh now. :–)

In article <cd2jm19u42l33qmrovm3lfboe89t95f...@4ax.com>,
Leigh Melton <le...@nbi.com> wrote:
Your dad's friend didn't even need to lie! I worked in a Sears shoe
department after school and on weekends while in high school (around
1978–1980). There was no limitation on how long a customer could wear
the shoes. As long as they were identifiable as something sold at Sears
(and some of those shoes were in such nasty, stinky condition that
figuring it out could be a challenge, assuming I'd even be willing to do
that), we had to take them back because the customer is always right.
There were some women who never paid for a pair of shoes for their kids
because they'd just return shoes as soon as the kid outgrew them and
they'd repeat the same thing over and over again. Those kids are
probably clothing their own kids even NOW off the same original pair of
shoes I sold in the 70s :)
Of course, Sears hasn't done very well over the years and maybe part of
the reason is that, in theory, one could clothe oneself for an entire
lifetime with a single purchase used to initiate decades of sequential
returns...
Stacy

"mjoann" <xtcmusic...@netscape.com> wrote in message
news:4369B259.8090...@netscape.com...
I have to come out of lurking for my horrible Walmart story,and I still
haven't been back in about 6 years. I was shopping with my 6month old and 2
year old,and had picked up some baby clothes. The one outfit didn't have
tags on it so the cashier called for assistance....and called...and called.
So I pick up both kids and go back to get another one so she could get the
price. When i returned she was scanning socks and underwear for some man. I
said * HEY,what are you doing?* "Oh,I'm only doing a price check". I
finished checking and went to the pharmacy and while I was waiting I looked
at my reciept–yep socks and undies for her boyfriend on there. I went back
and she told me I had to go to customer service, and the manager there
treated me like I was a criminal and went through ALL my bags to see if I
really didn't have those socks and underwear. I haven't been back since.

On Thu, 03 Nov 2005 21:40:12 –0500, Stacy Ferguson wrote:
I think they started going downhill about the time my Mom decided that
Penney's was better.
Speaking about JCP, they will be opening their new store at Baybrook
Maill (the local GGP property) Saturday morning.
The location was formerly Foley's and before that Wards... Foley's
grabbed the space as–is, while they completely remodeled it for
Penney's. One thing they did was demolish the Wards Auto Center.
Baybrook has had musical stores in the past 11 years:
Macy's moved out
Dillard's took the old Macy's space
Dillard's expanded the former Macy's
Wards went bankrupt
Foley's grabbed the old Wards space
Dillard's left their old location
Foley's grabbed the old Dillard's space
Foley's expanded it
Penney's remodeled the old Foley's space
They've also periodically refresh all the other stores and sometimes
they move them around.
Now, coming up:
Penney's will open
Foley's will become Macy's
Mervyn's will close
GGP undoubtedly wants something to replace Mervyn's*
* – I was thinking "we need a Borders Books" but the mystery
construction in the Best Buy parking lot is going to become Borders
Books when it opens. Anyway, they're going to want to renovate that
space before they redeploy it because all the other anchors have been
severely remodeled in the past 11 years... Mervyn's looks scuzzy in
comparison.
Sears (the remaining anchor) stayed in place, but they remodeled it
chunk by chunk.
* * * * * * * *
And, at Simon Property Group's one Houston location (the Galleria)
they're chomping at the bit to get their hands on the Macy's location.
(They're going to rebrand the Foley's and close the Macy's.) I haven't
been up to see exactly what they did with Lord & Taylor but they
bragged about their great redeployment in the conference call. It's
kind of rare when I get up to The Galleria... IMHO, if you can't find
it at Baybrook Mall or the nearby strip malls, you probably don't need
it.
––
Visit Charlie's Sneaker Pages:
http://sneakers.pair.com/

"Stacy Ferguson" <stac...@stacyef.net> wrote in message
news:stacyef–1C3C9E.21401203112...@news.newsguy.com...
People can get a way with a lot and don't even know it. I'ts not only Sears.
There are other large, national, retail chains whose return policy does not
include the phrase xd"except worn merchandise". They offically cannot refuse
to take back stuff that people have worn to death if the customer insists.
Probably only the bad–karma'd integrity–lacking returners know how much they
can get away with. I'd never think to return anything like that.

On Sat, 5 Nov 2005 18:19:11 –0600, ItsJustMe wrote
(in article <3_bbf.9948$7h7....@newssvr21.news.prodigy.com>):
That's a little harsh. I know we all realize that shoplifting is a common
happening but they should at least be able to tell a checkout problem from a
theft. I mean, if you were trying to rip them off of something you certainly
wouldn't be heading towards customer service.
I haven't been to Walmart since this thread began and I'm starting to
question whether I'll ever go back...
––
Cheers!
Dennis
Remove 'Elle–Kabong' to reply

xxnonexnon...@tampascanner.info wrote:
Okay I have to chime in here. A few months ago, I rec'd a very hefty
fine in the mail for an expired inspection *and* registration sticker.
I was quite puzzled, because while it was true I hadn't gotten around
to renewing the inspection, my registration *was* up to date. And I'd
never been stopped by the police for this. If I had, a check of the reg
papers in my glove compartment or a computer check would've verified
the reg was curent.
So I went out to my car and that's when I realized that the new
registration sticker on my plate had fallen off.
I couldn't figure out how or where they'd spotted the old sticker on my
plate... I mean, it is only one inch in size, and since I am full–time
telecommuting, I had been rarely driving my car as it was, hadn't gone
through the toll with my speedpass, and my car isn't parked on the
street.
Then I looked harder at the fine, the address that was listed for the
violation was right near my house, and the date coincided with the
morning my girls were late to school and I drove them 1 mile... past
this intersection and back. This intersection does not even have a
traffic light!
So now I know that this intersection has a camera and the camera is
deliberately there to spot expired inspections & registrations so the
state can issue a fine. A hefty fine at that. I imagine the state must
be making tons of money off this liesurely, high–tech, low–effort
method.
I guess on the plus side, I can take comfort that if something ever
happened to my girls on their walk to school, the police probably have
video tape on it.
jen

Charlie Perrin wrote:
Amazing memory of this saga – or are you keeping a log somewhere? : ))
And I thought I was a.r.