Target sucks too!! (A PSA for future registering Brides)

[AmyJane]

So, my bridal shower was on April 27th. A good time was had by all. But that's beside the point.

I got lots of lovely gifts. Some were from Bed Bath & Beyond and some were from Target. I registered at both stores because they both had items I really wanted.
I returned a few gifts to BB&B with no gift receipt and no problem. I could have even gotten cash back if I was returning the items because I didn't like them or didn't want anything else from the store. I only had to return a few things because they were either already used or looked knocked around.

Yesterday I tried to return my 1st Target gift. It's a Dirt Devil vacuum cleaner. This vacuum cleaner is TERRIBLE and if I had only read the reviews before I registered for it then I might not be in this mess but this is far from completely my fault. I do not have a gift receipt and the buyer of the gift paid cash so looking the purchase up in Target's computer at customer service is out of the question. Basically, I was told, "No gift receipt, no return!" Now mind you, I did not want any money back. I had every intention of using whatever I got back from that return at Target. I just wanted store credit!! I was going to buy a different vacuum.
So it's my fault that someone bought me a gift and didn't give me the gift receipt? I even called corpotate, which I got the impression is in India , and from what I could understand I was again told "Sorry! You're S.O.L.! No receipt, no return!" So now I have a very large paperweight. I was ready to throw it at the store manager!!

So to all you girls out there who will be getting married one day...Do not register at Target!!! They may have some good stuff there but God forbid someone buys you an expensive gift that happens to be broken and they don't give you a gift receipt....you might as well just throw it in the garbage. If you register pretty much anywhere else and have to return something, as long as it's an item on your registry and it shows as purchased, they'll take it back.

Target sucks

[pixelnexus]

Wow that sucks. I was registered at both those stores, and didn't have any problems.

Can't you ask the buyer of the gift if they can provide you the reciept? Tell them it broke, and you need it to exchange.

So it does it show on your registry that the vacuum was purchased there, and they still won't take it back? If that's the case it sounds like your best bet is to go to the purchaser.

[Jillybug]

They used to be able to print a receipt off of the registering koisk if it was purchased off your registry. I was able to return something that way. But they changed everything. That sucks.

[boblamb58]

It's called good busines sense. They don't know you're not a thief. I'd say they got burned a few times by people returning itmes they didn't buy, but lifted off the shelf and returned them as bought, claiming they lost the reciept. A lot of stores are adopting this policy, which is why it is important to know a store's return policy before buying anything there.

I'm sorry to hear you had a bad experience, but you can blame others who have gone before you and wrecked it for the honest ones.

And finally, ask your friend to try and locate the reciept!

Good luck.

[Buglover]

CGB,We bought one of those "bagless" vacs at Walmart a while back and yes.........they do suck.......They work fine but for some reason they spit out a lot of dust.........We quit using it and went back to our old one. Do ya want another paper weight?

[pdoel]

I got a gift from Target once for my birthday that didn't work.

Took it back and had no trouble exchanging it.

[FineExampl]

The problem here is that it was a gift given to Amy off her registry. All Target needed to do was to check the registry, find the selling info from when it was purchased, and bingo...instant return.

They should adopt some kind of name registry and ask for ID when returning stuff and enter names and returned products into a database to find people habitually returning stuff without receipts. Obviously Amy wouldn't fall in this category (or maybe she would ) and be allowed the return.

[Smileybug]

Yeah Target is pretty strict about their returns, but I do understand. Like boblamb said, they don't know you aren't a theif. But there should be a way to look up the registry information I would assume (I used to work there, but was a cashier, didn't do any real customer service). I mean yeah, it seems stupid, but it does make sense. They don't know that you got that item at their store (yes, I've been there when someone tried to return an item they got at a Walmart!) I would try to talk to your friend about getting a gift reciept. If it was something off of the registry and they had the registry printout scanned at checkout, it automatically prints out a gift reciept for any items they bought on it.

[AppleScruff]

this is good information amy. maybe you can sell it for parts or something? just to get something back for it. that is really crummy customer service...

[pixelnexus]

Originally Posted by FineExampl

They should adopt some kind of name registry and ask for ID when returning stuff and enter names and returned products into a database to find people habitually returning stuff without receipts. Obviously Amy wouldn't fall in this category (or maybe she would ) and be allowed the return.

This actually already exists. I don't know the site for it though

[Mazzzja]

Sorry about your troubles Amy

[AmyJane]

For everyone that mentioned it, they did print off my registry and saw that it was purchased there. I gave them my ID to prove it was my regisrty. Also the purchaser no longer has the reciept and paid cash.

Good business works both ways. I understand your POV, Bob, but at the same time they can lose customers this way. I could see if I didnt register there and I didnt provide them with valid ID and wanted cash back...but it clearly was purchased from my registry and they do know it was from their store bcause there is a big sticker with a barcode on the box that says Target on it and they were able to scan it. Because I registered there I gave them some good business but I guess not good enough from their stand point being that they're a huge company so one person saying they wont shop there anymore isn't going to upset them, which sucks.


Ahhh well...I guess lesson learned

[AmyJane]

Originally Posted by AppleScruff

this is good information amy. maybe you can sell it for parts or something? just to get something back for it. that is really crummy customer service...

Im going to call the manufacturer and see if they can do anything for me. I doubt it, though

[Lmhansen]

Ask yourself this: Would you accept a return without a receipt? Chances are if you are running a business, you would not.

[AmyJane]

Originally Posted by Lmhansen

Ask yourself this: Would you accept a return without a receipt? Chances are if you are running a business, you would not.

It wasn't a return, it was an exchange. There's a difference. And I had other ways to prove it was on the up and up. This is the only store I know of that doesn't take something back without a receipt for something purchased from a bridal registry.

[Lmhansen]

Return or exchange, it doesn't matter. You're asking for a refund, and they have to give you full credit for the item, but since it's opened, they cannot sell it for full price, so they have to take a loss on it. If there'd only been one return every now and then, it wouldn't be a problem, but as you may have noticed, there's a line at customer service every day returning stuff they bought yesterday or last week or last year, all wanting a full refund... I know you want to think you're different and special (don't we all?), but for the store, you are just one of the many trying to return an item...

I've been there myself, trying to return a broken item without a receipt. I even had the credit card that the item was purchased with, but they still couldn't figure it out, so no return for me either...

[mojo_trixie]

I think you should try it again. I doubt everyone there will be as strict with "their policies". Maybe you will get lucky and get the new kid working the counter. I've never had problems returning things to Target, so I hope you have better luck if you try again.

[SilverVw3]

Target changed their return policy last year. It is basically impossible to return anything there (even with a receipt!). You also have a limit on how many returns you can have a year.

That sucks you got stuck with a crappy vacuum.

[SatelliteBlueNB]

Could you maybe try a different Target and see if maybe they'll let you exchange it? You might have better luck with different employees/managers.

Petsmarts return policy is INSANE. They will take back ANY pet-related item...whether it was purchased there or not and give you a gift card if you don't have a receipt.
So, if you go and buy dog food at Walmart, and don't have a receipt, and you decide to return it to Petsmart instead, they will take it back and give you the $ back for the amount we sell it for on a gift card. If you have a receipt for it, even though it says "Walmart" on it, we will give you the $ back, with cash or back on your credit card.

I think their return policy is ridiculous, especially since they might be getting items put on their shelves that weren't in the inventory in the first place. You can even return a bag of dog food that you COMPLETELY used and say "My dog didn't like it." and they take the empty bag back and give you your money back! That's one way for con-artists to take you for everything you're worth. I think it's dumb, they say it's business savvy.

[niki]

Same thing happened to my best friend. She got 3 electric skillets in September and still has all 3! Want one?

Sorry to hear you got stuck with that sucky vacuum (no pun intended )!

But hey... good luck with the wedding day and best wishes, Amy