Off Target

For those of you who don't read every comment on my blog (you know who you are!) here's one that came in this evening:

Just visited Target and was told to eat the $140.00 HP movie maker I purchased because my receipt is 15 days past the expiration for returns. Sales clerks tell you if you keep your receipt, you can make a return. Can't do it. I have to keep a worthless item that was never opened, even though I have the receipt.

I will always go to WalMart in the future. I could have returned this unopened item two years from now at WalMart and been given no grief. I'll also tell everyone I meet that Target will take your $$ and smirk. The in-store management did exactly that. I regard Customer Service as the ultimate, and this is the second issue I've met with on Target's Customer Service. I'm not giving them a third chance.

Wanna screw up your brand quick?  Piss off good customers.  But, be cool about it!

Excellent strategy!

Comments

[Kristin]

I too have suffered at the Customer Service counter every time I go to it. I think they employ the surliest people to work at returns. Those that never smile and are particularly unattractive because of their scowls. Even returning with a valid gift reciept they bark the rules at you "I'll have to give you store credit." Yeah, I know you will and I am fine with it except for the way you say it. I always hope that they will be nicer the next time, but they never are - I think they hope you will never return anything because you get treated so poorly. I love getting the survey reciept when I check out. I always pan the returns department even if I didn't visit it that day since my experiences have been so traumatic there. They do seem to listen to some comments - they do empty the garbage cans out front more frequently these days, but I won't hold my breath for a nice transaction at the CS counter.

[david parmet]

I've had some nasty experiences at the returns counter at the Stamford Target. It's in the 'will never shop there again' category.

My advice - shop at Costco. They are cheap, treat their labor with a bit of dignity (their lowest paid entry level jobs pay better than most managers at WalMart) and they have a very liberal return policy.

[BLAUGRA]

Yo, I've also been hassled by the returns man. One item they wouldn't take back was a shirt -- no longer in stock on the floor, but had all tags on it and a receipt. They can easily look at my purchase record to see all the money I've spent there and give me store credit for the lousy $11.99. But no....

I almost miss K-Mart sometimes.