I applied for and was approved for the new Target Redcard that gives you 5% off of your entire purchase whenever you use it. I opened the account after I had already spent $150 that day and the nice customer service person said she would adjust my receipt and put the 5% from that transaction back on my card. Then about a week later, my husband tried to use the card on Black Friday for a $150 purchase and the card was denied and the cashier couldn't tell us why. The cashier assured us that we would be able to bring our Visa receipt to customer service when we got the card block issue resolved and they would void the Visa transaction, and then charge it to my new Redcard so we could get the 5% back. I called Redcard that Black Friday and they said "Oh we just needed to verify your date of birth". Really? I gave you that information when I applied for the card along with my address and ssn and was approved on the spot. The only reason I got this card is for the 5% off. I didn't need another credit card but the 5% was too good to pass up. Today, I tried to get the Black Friday receipt adjusted and was told that they only did that for the first week when the Redcard came out. I didn't have my card with me today (my fault, my husband had it and was out of town) but I had a large shopping trip planned and figured it would be ok, I would just get it adjusted after the fact like I did before. When I found out they would not adjust the Black Friday receipt or the large purchase I was planning on making today, I walked out of the store and went to Wal-Mart. Other stores can you look up your account if you show them your ID.
Another reason I don't like to shop at Target anymore is that their computers always deduct the wrong amount for manufacturer coupons. If you give them a $2.00 coupon, you might get. 75 cents. I have been using coupons for 25 years and I know the rules, I use a lot of coupons and I even keep a copy of Target's coupon policy in my purse for all the times the cashiers hassle me, like I am trying to rip Target off. I have a friend in MN who is a news producer at a local CBS affiliate and she did a whole story about how Target doesn't give the consumer the full amount of some coupons, yet Target is getting paid back the full amount plus the 8 cent handling fee from the manufacturer. If I don't check my receipt before I leave the store, I am out of luck because why would they believe me the next day? They have the coupon and I have no proof of how much it was worth so I can't get that money back. It happens all the time. Whenever the register beeps on a coupon, they just tell me, "Sorry, the computer won't let you use this" even though I have bought the right item in the right size and there is a picture of the item on the coupon! I will always ask for a supervisor when a cashier is hassling me over a coupon (holding the entire line up), and last time the supervisor agreed with the cashier and wouldn't let me use it even though there was a picture of the item right on the coupon! It was for 2 dollars only! Target is so worried about a few dollars worth of coupons, that they will be paid back for anyway, that they would rather lose a customer over it.
Last month, I tried to redeem 3 gifts cards, 2 for $5 and one for $10. The cashier kept asking me how much the cards were worth and I told her one was for $10 and 2 were for $5. She then proceeded to ADD $20 to the cards and put them in her drawer. I thought it looked fishy so I checked my receipt and they had charged me $20 more and kept the cards! Had I gone home and not checked my receipt before leaving the store, I would have been out $40. It took at least 20 minutes to get that issue resolved but they were nice about it and I guess the cashier was new so I didn't make a big stink about it. I was just thankful I know to always check my receipts while I am still IN the store.
Then there is the return policy. I think it is great that they print the date the receipt expires on it and there is ample time to return. However, if you make too many returns in a year, even with a receipt, they can revoke your return privileges whenever they want because you have made too many returns in your allotted time period. If I buy an item, it is unopened and I have the original receipt, I should be able to return it if I want to.
I was born in Minnesota and I still remember when they built the first Target near our house. It had a great bakery and a very (almost too) lenient return policy so it was a joy to shop there.
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