11/05/2007
I received 2 items as a gift just yesterday tried them on when I came home - the clothing didn't fit. The person I received the gift from thought what they gave me was the gift receipt but come to find out when trying to return the item at target it was just there survey portion of the receipt. I stated an in-store credit would be fine but was told that due to a new policy started in August they could not implement this for any items over $20. Of course this was very upsetting to me and asked what would they be doing once the holiday season came around and people didn't receive a gift receipt etc... etc... Of course she could not explain she only enforces the policies dictated by there corporate offices and gave me the number to guest services who in turn gave me the same information.


This corporation is treating all of their customers like thieves and needs to be banned - there is no other store that I know of that has a policy such as this - all stores at least give in store credit - the items I had totaled maybe $40 dollars.

This policy is only in existence in hopes to keep this corporation profitable!

I registered at Target in mid August for my baby registry. I love(d) Target as a store, and visited them weekly. I thought YOU HAVE to register at Target! But what a nightmare it turned out to be. After my baby shower, I received a few duplicates, and items that I just had WAY to many of. (Many of which are CIRCO brand) and after attempting to go into Target with one of these duplicates with out an original receipt or a gift receipt, I was told can I have a DL/State ID. I said it is on my registry. She said ok, let's pull up a product purchase log on the kiosk. So after signing in the kiosk, and with the Guest Relations worker, trying to help me, she discovered that this Log is no longer available. I was told that this would be counted towards one of my precious two non receipt items a year. I said NO! It is on my registry, I requested One, and two were received. (Which is clearly marked on my registry.) She called Corporate to see what she can do, and they told the Guest Relations worker, "too bad, that is her problem, not ours!... She needs to tell all of her guests to either bring an original or Gift receipt with their gifts!" And "It doesn't matter if it's on my registry or not, but as of August 1, 2007, the product purchase log is no longer available to people with registries, and I should read that online when I registered!" (I didn't even register online, I went to the store and registered, and no where online does it even state that either. WHAT?!! Are you kidding me? Well I still had stuff at home that I had not brought yet, which I'm glad I didn't. Please note also that your TWO returns a year with out a receipt includes items that are like 2.99. (Would you want to waste a return on that?!) So I have been in contact with Target Corporate and they say, Nope, nothing they can do. Below I put some of the emails that I have sent to Target online, and their response. But overall, after I redeem my store credit from some of my returns with the gift receipts, and Gift Cards from my shower, I will no longer be shopping at Target. (I'm only using them up to get Formula and Diapers!)

Lesson Learned: DO NOT SHOP AT TARGET NO MORE! And I have passed this on to alot of people and they are appalled at Target is acting this way, considering they are a HUGE corporation! Also not once did they offer me to go back to the department and pick out something of equal or greater value.

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First email sent to them online.

When I registered @ Target for my baby registry in August, I was not told at all by Target personnel that I would not be able to return my baby registry duplicates. Or unnecessary items. As I went into a Target store on Friday to return a duplicate item off of my registry that clearly states, (Requested 1-Received 2) I was not able to return it. (I am not asking for cash back, a Gift card would be sufficient.) Should I have known this return policy back in August when I was so excited to register at Target for my special event, I would not have done it. Also I have never heard of a policy that only allows a customer 2 non receipt items a year for a return. The customer service for Target being a big corporation is awful. I hope someone can get back to me regarding this return issue. And a solution of course very soon. Please contact me to resolve.

-----Target's response-----

Dear Dana,

Thank you for choosing to register at Target, and for taking the time to contact us regarding our return policy. Returns at Target are easy with a receipt dated within 90 days of purchase. As a registrant, we'll allow you to return your gift registry item up to 60 days after your event date if your receipt is expired. I'm sorry that the store was unable to assist with the return or exchange without having the receipt or gift receipt.

If you don't have a receipt, we still have a few options for you:

- Your local store will accommodate two no receipt returns a year for you on small gifts under $20.

- We have the ability to look up a receipt's information for the gift giver, so they can make a return on most purchases, provided they purchased your item with a check, Target GiftCard, credit or debit card within the past 90 days.

- If the gift giver retained the original receipt for the item, they have the ability to reprint a gift receipt at the Guest Service desk next time they visit Target.

We appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns with us. Your feedback will be useful in our continual review of our return policy.

We hope to see you again soon at Target.

Sincerely,

Troy

Target Guest Relations

www.target.com

------My response-----

I totally regret registering at Target. Should I have known about this ridiculous return policy I NEVER would have even thought to waste my time going through your aisles and having my guests shop at your stores. To find out that what I have extras of, I am "stuck" with. And even though it's from Target, there is nothing Target Corporate can do. I find that very hard to believe for such a big corporation this is your return policy and that is how you treat your "guests".

As for as if I do not have a receipt. "If you don't have a receipt, we still have a few options for you:

- Your local store will accommodate two no receipt returns a year for you on small gifts under $20."

Right now at my home, I have a small bag full of CIRCO items that is a Target brand and I have duplicates of. These are not items that I registered for, but are items that I have received too much of. You only need so many pacifiers and bibs. And for me to go in there and "waste" one of my precious returns on a 2.99 item that is just insane. Totally unheard of. It is sad to say that your own Target employees agree that the return policy is wrong and is not "Guest Friendly". You obviously can see that I registered there at the store and I should be able to return the Target items.

Also since I am discussing receipts. You should train the cashiers on if it is a gift to tell the guest that if a receipt is not accompanied with the item at the time of return, the guest will not be able to return it.

And you should also update your registry system to not allow or prompt the cashier to notify the guest that the item was already purchased, and would they like to purchase an additional product.

(This is when I received 2 rockers for my shower, and I only requested one, but just like the Target registry 2 were purchased, but only one was requested. So that is my problem that I am stuck with 2 rockers. But Target won't honor that even though it is on my registry as follows.)

I will have to say, since talking to many guests of my shower, and explaining to them what you are putting a 9 month pregnant woman through regarding this return policy, you have lost many guests and will not shop at a Target again. You may think "Oh well, what does that matter" Target will hopefully see what they did wrong to inconvenience their past guests.

Also on that note, I would like to say, no where when I registered did it say that as of August 1, 2007 a purchase product log would not be able to get printed for returns. And neither does it say it on your website. So you may want to look into that as well. I registered in the middle of August, and as of Friday the one Guest Service worker at the Target store by my home, did not know that you could not print that either.

It is sad that I received over $200.00 in gift cards for Target, and I will be stuck shopping there for a few times until they are used. But after that you will not receive my business. As I previously went there on a weekly basis for all of my household needs.

====Target's response=====

Dear Dana,

I'm sorry for any disappointment with our last e-mail, but we won't be able to assist with a return or exchange without a receipt or gift receipt. I apologize for any frustration this has caused.

Thanks again for sharing your comments with us. Your feedback will be useful as we continue to review our return policy.

I hope we'll see you again soon at Target.

Sincerely,

Troy

Target Gift Registries

www.target.com

My son received a birthday gift from Target which we which already had. The gift was valued at $50 and still on store shelves at Target. The toy was new, never used and was a Target exclusive toy - only sold at Target as noted on toybox. When I we went to return without gift receipt, the clerk stated that any item over $20 without gift receipt is not able to be returned even if it is a Target only product. This is the return policy of Target, no return without receipt over $20 which I estimate is approximately 50% of all products that Target sells. I wasted my valuable time and called customer service where they repeated the same canned line "that it is target policy."

Purchased new Tru tech flat lcd tv from target. Was purchased after Thansgiving for a Christmas present and remained there until then. Work a few weeks and the screen looked as if it was a digital storm. I took back to Target with a receipt. I was informed the warranty had expired !!! Regardless they would not accept, I went to BBB and no help. So i no longer shop at Target.Tell everyone not to buy from Target.

I bought a $55 rug at Target and misplaced the receipt. The rug did not match my decor as well as I thought so I tried to return it. They informed me that I would have to buy something over $55 in the housewares department. There are a very limited number of single items that cost over $55 in the housewares department; especially when you eliminate items that I already had like blender, coffee makers, etc.

I understand giving the lowest price an item was sold for as a return policy when a receipt is missing' but requiring a SINGLE purchase for equal or greater value does nothing but alienate the customer.

I actually returned home with the rug and put back the $150 in additional purchases I was going to make that day. So instead of them making $100 in additional sales, by allowing me to return the rug... they have lost a customer forever.