Most of you who know me personally are aware of my G.I. Joe Action figure addiction. Well, today the store at which I would normally purchase such items, as well as electronics, like my Sony PS3, my new Digital Cam, clothing, snacks, and blue rays, etc., thousands of dollars per year, told me I could not make a return. Say What?
Yes that’s right, the store that I have liked for years because of it’s “no hassle” return policy and employees who seem to care more about their jobs, basically told me they would only take back the items I had without a receipt up to a $70.00 value, not even for STORE CREDIT. That’s complete BULLSHIT.
The items I was trying to return, several G.I. Joe Exclusive Target Action Figures totaled just over $200.00 that I had asked back in store credit. The MOD at Store #1133 Marc told me this was a new store policy, and no matter what, he could not override the system for store credit.
So I asked for the “so called” customer service number for Target and was given this: 1-800-440-0680. So I decided to play the game and give them a call to see why exactly I could not return items for store credit that I clearly purchased at Target. Well this is priceless! Turns out the guy who answers the phone is sitting in New Delhi, India and basically he could only give me his first name, “Roger” (yeah right), anyway…. I told my story to both him and his supervisor, who basically have no power over what the stores do, and they tell me they cannot help me in any way, but they would make note of what the complaint is and pass it on.
So basically, this customer service number is a completely worthless waste of my time! I also tried calling the DM of the area, David Neiman, at 856 309-7080, but since he is special, he has an assistant who takes his phone calls and has no direct number, also BULLSHIT, but I got no answer from that number either. I left a message over 5 hours ago and still have not received a phone call back, great customer service! I guess nobody at Target Stores with any real ability to solve customer service issues works on the weekends.
I really don’t know what to tell everybody else about Target, but for me they lost thousands of dollars in sales and over $200.00 in store credit. As much as I hate to say it, Wal-Mart is cheaper and their return policy is better so from now on they get my Money.
Do you do blogroll exchanging? If you want to exchange links let me know.
Email me back if you’re interested.
How did you pay for the figures? If you paid with a card they should be able to see the purchase in their computers. Also, why don’t you have the receipts anymore? You should always keep the receipt, especially for at least 90 days so you can make returns without hassle.
Keep the receipt. Take that equipment back to the store, we don’t wanna hear that weak s**t no more!
The paper they print on nowadays is thermal paper and fades in a short period of time unless you place it in a cold place and I do not see everyone placing their reciepts in a refrigerator and of course you can try the hair dryer trick but if you get it too hot you just turn it black and of course you can laminate it only if you use cold lamination or photocoy it but everyone does not have the time to do all these procedure but guess no one is perfect as you
That’s the thing, Target never required a receipt for store credit, only a Driver License. This is one of the major reasons why I shop there. Now that they basically gave me the shaft, in my care free shopping habits, I will no longer be shopping there.
But why would you try to return $200 of action figures? That’s not fair to the store, to be honest… if they’re old they can’t put them back on the shelf, that line might have already gone on clearance, etc etc. The only reason I could think of ever returning a figure would be if I had bought it as a gift for someone who already had it…
These are left overs from an army build that I purchased over $2000.00 worth of G.I. Joe action figures for. Brand new line that just came out and I purchased more for my display then was needed. The funny thing is they were out of stock on 90% of the figures I was returning.
I would eat those GI*Joe figures for dinner before I went to Walmart.
This is kind of a stretch for a “thats how they get’cha” scenario. To stroll up with $200 worth of joes for return with no recept is already a little suspect to any given store. And just be happy you can return up $70 worth with no receipt. For years I’ve wondered how long this kind of policy would last, yet stores keep it up. Remember that, as far as I know, all stores’ no receipt return policy has a big ole asterisk; “*we can deny this return for any reason”. Besides if it means that much too you, just do $70 worth a day or if they do some kind of DL# based limit get a couple of friends to do some for you.
yeah i have to say that expecting a store to take 200$ in figures as a return without a receipt is expecting a LOT! keep in mind that there is a lot theft out there and people try to return things like this. it looks highly suspect to the store. it’s like all the people that come to see me and want to write a check to pay me and then get pissed because i ask for a DL. like this is something new that hasn’t been done by EVERY store since FOREVER! you want to write a check? then have your DL. just the same…if you want to return merchandise then have a receipt. Target isn’t out of line ONE BIT for expecting proof of purchase to return 200$ of action figures…or anything for that matter.
My question is, why would Target NOT want to take them back? It would actually be helping the store to do so. If these were brand new movie figures that they were out of stock on, they could put them back on the shelf and resell them (aka make money). Also, giving store credit for them would guarantee that the customer will come back and again spend their money there (aka make more money). Otherwise, the person will just either bring them back to another store, or sell them online, hence taking business away from Target…and losing a good customer by pissing them off (aka lose money). It’s a no brainer to me.
See, my Targets locally state that it has to be $35 or under to take it back without a receipt, and then store credit. However, if you used a card (debit or credit) or checking account to purchase, THEY CAN look up your receipt at the register and take care of you that way.
OK now I’m going to explain why things are like this.
I have worked as an undercover shopper and have busted kids and adults stealing stuff from stores. One of the areas that is a big grey zone is the returns area.
Scenario I experienced.
Guy walks into a store with 4 expensive sweaters all 99$ each. He goes up to the return area and demands a cash refund for the item. I walk up behind him and say I would be happy to help him I just had to check the tags against a database of items that had gone missing from the store recently. Guy walks out of the store without his sweaters. The staff ask me what I was doing I informed them I just recovered 400$ worth of stock. Turns out only 1 had been sold in the area I worked in. Funny thing was 24 were missing from the stocks of the area stores and 15 had been returned over the past week. So that’s 2400$ missing in stock and 1500$ in credit that went out the door for no real reason… That’s a loss of 1400$ and another 1000$ missing and I’m not even figuring on how much the store paid for the sweater.
Stores have to cauterize the bleeding, in hard times people turn to theft and other ways of getting by. To be honest if some guy walked into my store with 200$ worth of G I Joes and tried to return them without a receipt I would laugh at him and tell him to take his stolen goods somewhere else. Big red warning flag shot up when you walk into a store with a lot of goods to return and no way to prove you purchased them, I know the target stickers were probably on them that still doesn’t prove you paid for them. I think their rule should be harsher anything over 30$ I would consider suspect. I remember a time when it was no receipt no refund and that made sense.
Now I know it’s an inconvenience and it sucks some times but keep the receipt it’s not hard and especially if you dumped 2000$ I would have that in a file somewhere. The stores are not doing this to inconvenience you or anyone its protection from the less dubious people. I think you would be angrier if Targets just started to shut down in your area. People might not think theft and scams hurt stores but they do and it hurts consumers in the end with higher prices. If a store did not have to calculate theft into their prices everything would be about 10% cheaper. But they have to pay undercover guards and install camera systems and train their staff to prevent theft Then think about all the other costs that go along with organizing all that and it works into being a huge part of a companies budget.
I know more stores will probably take this on because it’s becoming clearer and clearer that the customer is not always right and it doesn’t benefit a company to pander to everyone.
Very well said Paschendale. I completely agree. And the scenario you gave as an example happens all to often. Keeping a receipt is inconvenient but, why do they even exist at all? It is you proof of purchase!!! Do we feel so entitled now a days that we feel it is the responsibility of companies (others) to keep our personal information and habits on file for our personal economic activities? Why would you not keep your own records?
It is going beyond nice for Target to keep records of the transactions and information for up to 90 days and allow receipt look ups( if you paid by credit card or check) for returns. We should not demand such conveniences for every transaction (how does one track cash?) just because it would be easier for US.
“My question is, why would Target NOT want to take them back?”–jmaxxw
Well, let’s see.
“Also, giving store credit for them would guarantee that the customer will come back and again spend their money there (aka make more money).”— umm, If I give you pay someone $7 to deal with my purchases, and I pay them $200 for purchases. Then I return the purchases to someone else that you pay $7 to and they give me my original $200(in store credit, lets add $1 for the card and computer tracking), how much money did you earn? -$15 that’s how much!!
Then we repeat the process but with my in store credit of $200—If you follow the logic You earn $178( ohh, I forgot to add the costs of an employee to stock the selves and an employee for data entry bringing it to $164 ) of my $200 and yes I am a happy customer but, You may go out of business or may have to raise the prices to rectify (making me sad that my favorite store is closing or getting to expensive for me)
“Otherwise, the person will just either bring them back to another store”—That will not take them either.
“sell them online, hence taking business away from Target” lol But that’s where they came from!!! Target already made their money. I think most companies would not mind if you purchased from them only to resell the items online. That would only benefit the companies.
It’s a no brainier to me.
As for customer service—”So basically, this customer service number is a completely worthless waste of my time!” I agree but, many companies are doing this. This is a problem with our business culture not just one company within it. Though it would be nice to see Target separate from the crowd here. But it is not fair to single them out and demand it, just because they are you favorite place.
Have you actually ever tried to return something back to WalMart? I have some horrible stories about that place as well. Tried to take back a broken Ipod once with the receipt… the old lady at entrance was asleep and did not give me a yellow sticker…
I called up Wal Mart customer service and nothing could be done.
the manager refused to return my money- called her a dumb bitch, drove half hour to another wal mart where they said they take returns even without the receipt..
Next day I contacted a friend who is good friends with a Wal Mart regional manager… guess what.. someone got fired.
Be happy, at least Target had increased their no-receipt cap.
And I am happy with the certain Target Store near my area, it had the best customer service among the targets I went to.
Ok….Recv’d a sewing machine as a gift….it was “plastic” and not my cup of tea….I went to Target to return for store credit….no receipt……So, was told that without a receipt I would get Maximum of $70.00 back, because of a &70.00 cap on returns….(Store policy states that each individual can only receive $70.00 total per year on returns…..So, when I questioned her, got the same “guy from India”, Wouldn’t let me talk to a supervisor and wouldn’t give his full name, location, identify number….nothing:)…….So, the girl at customer svc. was feeling actually human and told me that if I had a cc that it was purchased on, that she’d give me back store credit on whole amount! Called my Mom and she gave me the cc it was paid on………CRAZY! Total ripoff…..If I had been rude or nasty, you would bet I wouldn’t have recv’d a dime……….
LOL Well, Sun Temp she was very nice and was able to give you an in store credit for the full amount because of the “Receipt look up” ability afforded her when she had the cc that was used (it looks up a saved soft copy of the purchase receipt that gets saved for 90 days in the systems). And as far as the possibility of you not receiving a dime goes well, it was a good thing that you were not rude or nasty then. Really, it does not seem unreasonable to me a simply say no receipt no return but, they are extremely nice in doing otherwise. I don’t get the continual complaints. A receipt is proof of purchase and purchasing something is not your right but, an agreement between you and another (in these cases another is a company). If it was a gift from a third party why should the store enter into any agreement with you over it in the first place? It is an additional service provided for once and future customers! Additional! Extra. Not your right of birth! We are not entitled to moneys for product that they sold to another. Nor are we entitled to “takesies backsies” if we no longer want what we traded for. If there is a flaw with the trade or item it constitutes a violation of the agreement and you are entitled your money back but, other wise you are sol unless the retailer is nice enough to allow it.
I think it’s the way it FREAKING SHOULD BE.. I work for a gift company, and these ridiculous customer service allowances just result in people getting more and more lazy.
No reciept.. no order number, dunno who sent it.. dunno when it was purchased.. and they get pissed off when we can’t help them.
have some responsibility! If you want to return a gift.. gift a gift receipt.. If you don’t have a receipt.. you eat it..
It’s nobody’s fault but your own that you don’t have any proof of purchase.
It’s time the country stops holding everyone’s hand like we’re a bunch of children.
Grow a pair, admit that it’s really YOUR responsibility, and not someone else’s to keep track of your finances.
Yet more people would rather boycott Target, then to ever admit they were wrong in the first place.
In the last two years I have taken certain retail giants for a ballpark figure of about $89,000. I love it. Their own greed is their worst flaw. They pay their employees (that in turn work for me) poverty wages , their mark up is well over 70% , and the loss prevention tactics they practice are useless. I am grateful though for all they have provided me , such as a new Jeep and a very powerful Bose system for starters, both of which I got from craigslist. Keep shopping America!!!
Bwahahahaahaa!