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—>Target has agreed to pay New Jersey $375,000 to settle charges that it sold baby formula and non-prescription drugs that had expired, and that it charged higher prices on some products than what was displayed on the shelves. More »
—>Walmart announced yesterday that it will be slashing prices to below wholesale on 10 of the most popular DVDs that will be released soon, says the LA Times. Target announced that it will be matching Walmart. Amazon has not yet responded. More »
—>Target loves to keep you on your toes. Which is the better deal? 110 wipes for $4.79 or 80 wipes for $4.79? More »
—>One problem I've always had when shopping for jacked-up prices is I can't find enough crazy to go along with it. Same thing for the crazy: I know where to go to get cart-loads of that, but I can't find the 2400% markup! What I need, clearly, is for Radio Shack to open up specialty kiosks inside Target stores, so then— oh hey! It's the Bullseye Mobile Solution! More »
—>It's Halloween, and what's scarier than exploding DVD player batteries and killer flatware? Or dairy lurking in an innocent-looking tortilla? What about a zombie ATV that accelerates on its own? More »
—>After the wedding has passed and gifts are all opened, married couples who has registered at Target receives a coupon for 10% off any items on their registry that they didn't receive. It's a nice promotion that gives happy couples a break on that eighth place setting, and maybe the Kitchenaid mixer no one wanted to drag into the reception. More »
—>Independent book stores can't even buy new releases for the low prices that Target, Walmart, and Amazon are offering them to the public — which has led to rationing in order to keep the independents from buying and reselling the books at a profit. More »
—>Target recently changed their return policy. It's more consumer-friendly. We think. What we can tell you for sure is that it's more confusing. More »
—>Lisa ordered a sewing machine and a dress from Target.com and had the silly idea that clicking on the "free shipping" option, purportedly available on orders over $50, would lead to free shipping. Lo and behold, she was stuck with $5 in shipping charges! More »
—>We'd like to alert you to an exciting sale on iTunes gift cards at Target this week. All cards are $30, regardless of whether their face value is $15 or $25. (Thanks, Nick!) More »
—>UPDATE: The gift-giver's identity has been discovered! Perhaps this is a better question for Miss Manners than Consumerist, but Chris needs help. See, a beautiful red KitchenAid mixer, an item on his Target wedding registry, arrived via FedEx with no clues as to who sent it. Adding to the confusion, the item doesn't appear to have come off the registry. Which seems to us to be the entire point of registries. More »
—>Target decided to break its rule about not talking to blogs and responded to our inquiry about the Fisher Price Rock A Stack toys with the blue rings that bleed blue dye on those who encounter it. We asked how many complaints has Target received about this defect? Are there any plans to remove the toy it from the shelves? And If a customer has bought the toy and wishes to return or exchange it, is a receipt required? They responded thusly: More »
—>UPDATE: Target: No Plans To Remove Bleeding Rock-A-Stacks More »
—>Looks like the CPSC can afford donuts tomorrow for their office: Target has agreed to pay $600,000 for selling toys with too much lead on them from May 2006 to August 2007, reports Reuters. The fine "resolves allegations" over the issue, so now Target can focus on what it does best, which is act crazy. More »
—>On September 27, 2009, there were 89 days until Christmas. But not at the Target in Peoria, Arizona. Reader Chris noticed that the twin phenomena of Christmas Creep and Target's creeping insanity converged on one glorious, confusing, Santa-filled point where there were suddenly only 53 days until Christmas. More »
—>For awhile now (since at least 2007) we've been posting pictures of mindboggling Target price tags. We're starting to wonder if we're actually encouraging them. We got two of these today. More »
—>Geoffrey went to Target in search of light-blocking curtains but when he got there, he found more. Ever so much more. Target now gives customers the tools to create a singularity in their very own homes. More »
—>Regular Consumerist readers are familiar with our exposure of Target's absurdist pricing policies, and this is a particularly confusing example. Reader Rob in Minnesota noticed a nice promotion on a 3-pack of Brita water filters, which came with a free small Nalgene water bottle and a few packets of drink mix. Nice deal, but he couldn't help noticing that the identical 3-pack of filters without the "free" water bottle cost $1.50 less. See a bigger picture and a twist to the story, inside. More »
—>Silly Jeremy, thinking he can use an online Target ad for an in-store only price to gauge the actual price of an item at his neighborhood Target. More »
—>Reader Michael sent us this picture of a 16-ounce bottle of Crest whitening rinse and a 32-ounce bottle that says "BONUS 100% MORE FREE." Turns out by "FREE" they mean "$1.15 more." More »
—>Back in April, Target announced an appealing if confusing reserve program that nets gamers a $5 gift card if they buy a game they reserved in advance by paying for a $1 reserve card — netting a $4 savings since the $1 doesn't go toward the full price of the game. More »
Shopping tip: If a strange man asks you to try on some shoes "for his wife," say "NO." [Mail-Tribune] More »
—>Loyal Consumerist readers may have noticed that we haven't made any recent posts in our widely acclaimed series of posts about how discount retailer Target is insane. Has Target sought help and found its way back to reality? No. We were just saving up material. More »
Hey, where was Target back in the day when our parents were looking for a babysitter? The one we had wouldn't let us watch anything cool. Certainly not anything with a huge "CENSORED" sticker on the front of it. More »
—>Fortune has an interesting article about a Target that opened up in Walmart country. The store is located about seven minutes from "Wal-Mart No. 1", the first Wal-Mart ever built, and 20 minutes from Walmart's headquarters in Bentonville, AR. At first, Target was concerned that the Walmart faithful wouldn't shop at their new store — but they worried needlessly. Apparently, former CEO Lee Scott and current CEO Mike Duke are regulars. More »
—>"Psst...Batista. Don't look now, but I think Hannah Montana over there is checking you out." (Thanks to Chris for sending this in.) More »
—>Target continues its rebranding as the Duchamp of retail stores, with this receipt that indicates savings where no savings ever existed. Or perhaps multi-dimensional savings; we can't pretend to know what Target sees when it stares into the void. Mark notes, "The cookies were on sale, as indicated. The cascade, I had a coupon for it to be free. Total savings should be $4.23. The receipt says $7.37. Maybe it's a conspiracy since it is the Love Field (near the airport) in Dallas where Southwest flies only 737s." That's as good an explanation as any, Mark. Maybe you should work for Target? More »
—>Eagle-eyed reader Kt noticed that Target is charging $9.99 for both the 3 oz and the 6 oz size of Coppertone's NutraShield sunscreen. More »
—>Joshua sent us this link to the Google Maps aerial view of a Target store in Alexandria, Va. There's something to be said for branding, advertising, and taking advantage of unused space, but maybe a giant bulls-eye isn't the logo to start with. More »
—>We'll give away the answer right away. You need to talk to at least 3 people, and 2 of them will try to sell you a Target credit card. Finally, the last one will locate a product that may or may not be the one from the ad. It may, however, be cheaper than the advertised deal. More »
—>We love to report on comically overpackaged mail-order items and Target's reality vortex here, but I didn't think that the two would coincide. A wedding gift that John and his fiancée received proved me wrong. In the photo are the gift, the box it was shipped in, and the lovely bride. Who fits in the box along with the clock. (Paging Dr. Seuss?) More »
—>Target, we need to talk. No, sit down, Target. You're among friends. You know that we care about you very much, which is why we're concerned. Either you're suffering from some serious mental problems, or you've decided that the laws of time, space, and reality no longer apply in your stores. More »
—>Taken with yesterday's sign denying its own existence, we are worried that Target, or at least its labelmakers, might be having some kind of existential crisis. You're freaking us out, Target. Thanks, Caitlin! More »
—>Fear not, art history majors. René Magritte is alive and well and working at Target in Chicago. Reader Cecil spotted this shelf tag last week underneath some soda bottles. Clearly someone either wasn't reading the signs, or needs to drink more soda. (click to view full-size image) More »
The mice are all gone and the Pikesville Target is again open for business! [Baltimore Sun] More »
—>A Target in Pikesville, Maryland "has been closed until further notice because of a rodent problem," reports WBAL Baltimore. Target officials wouldn't tell customers why they were closed—our tipster aishel says they told him it was for maintenance, and a person interviewed by WBAL says she was told it was a "water main problem." Target's corporate office, however, confirmed there's a big mouse problem. Update: The store has reopened. More »
—>Target sold Shawn a defective shoe, and then gave him defective customer service when he tried to get exchange it for a functional shoe. Here is his amusing story, which he was kind enough to submit already written in the third person. More »
—> Here we go, folks. Your first match-up of the 2009 season. Tie your sneakers and put on your gym clothes. More »
—>Erica, who writes Philadelphia Weekly's Style blog, went to Target this past Saturday to purchase some new tank tops. She and her boyfriend filled their cart with a lot of other stuff too—"Ready to stimulate the economy?" she joked to him on their way to the register—and they agreed to split the cost equally. Now when I worked retail, that was an infrequent but not impossible task. When you ask a Target cashier to do that, get ready to have your debit card debited twice for the full amount of the bill, and then told two days later that the voided transactions will take 72 hours to clear. More »
—> Sigh. More »
—>Consumers are cutting back — and the AP says that shoppers are abandoning Target for even cheaper stores. In addition, Target's credit card division is running into trouble as shell-shocked shoppers aren't able to pay their bills. More »
—>Last summer, we highlighted an ominous-looking animation that traced the spread of Walmart stores across the American landscape over the past 5 decades. Now the same guy behind that map has put together a new one, this time tracing Target's growth. More »
—>Finally, an example of a business plan in which Phase 3 is definitely, "Profit!" More »
—>Reader Justin was shopping at Target when he noticed some interesting pricing going on in the cotton swab aisle. Remember, the bigger package isn't always going to save you money. More »
—>Here's part 2 of FIPS investigation into why the Target at the Brooklyn Atlantic Center is the Worst Target Ever Created. Their video crew probes more into the shelves that are at best, disheveled, and at worst, empty. When we posted the first video, some said Target should get a break, they're recovering from the holidays. Well, this one was shot 15 days after the holidays. It still looks like crap. It also looked like crap before the holidays too. The real culprit? Management that doesn't care and poorly trained employees. C'mon, Target Corp, you need to send an attack squad to fix this store. It looks like a freakin' TJ MAXX. Video inside [NSFW, curseywords]. More »
The Minneapolis Star-Tribune, whose excellent Best Buy and Target coverage we really appreciate, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. [Reuters] More »
—>Kevin sent us this picture of a non-sale at Target with the following explanation: "I took the attached picture back in October and noticed today that their pricing still makes no sense (I brought this up to customer service back in October and was told that they will have a manager take a look at it)." More »
—>If you're picking up your prescriptions close to closing time at Target's pharmacy, you might want to make sure you don't have any questions after closing time. Reader Kathy says she realized that she had a question about her son's prescription immediately after picking up the prescription, but when she turned around to ask it — she was too late. More »
—>The FIPS blog, via undercover video (which contains NSFW curse words in textual format), attempts to uncover why the Target at the Atlantic Center Mall in Brooklyn is the absolute worst Target ever created. See, you people in the suburbs, with your nice Targets where products are arranged on the shelves in a sensible matter and the floors are clean and the lights are bright, probably don't get it. This Target is like a Kmart that got too depressed to be physically able to put its shoes on in the morning. I know of this particular Target and speak from experience. So the FIPs people don't get anywhere close to finding out why the Target is so bad, but they do approach its pathos. (The girl in the video blames the disarray on "the weekend" and "time of year." Not true. It's ALWAYS like that). Video inside... More »
—>Jason likes his car a lot. Apparently, so do the shopping carts at the local Target, because they just can't stop themselves from colliding with his vehicle. Luckily, it isn't Target's fault, according to Target. More »
—>Regarding this story, turns out, every year at this time, Target has an internal clash of the titans over whether or not to automatically print guest receipts, according to a former employee. More »
—>Reader Jennifer reports that Target doesn't seem to be automatically printing gift receipts at the bottom of the receipts. Clever way of discouraging holiday returns? Target's official policy is no returns without a receipt... More »
—>Check out the 18 and counting online retailers at freeshippingday.com for stores that will give you free shipping and guarantee delivery by Christmas if you shop there on Thursday, December 18th. The retailers include Amazon, Zappos, Dell, Target, Macy's and other big names, with perhaps more joining before the 18th. Nothing like getting rewarded for waiting until the last minute. More »
—>Here's a question we get a lot. Are stores required to price match their own website? More »
—> Tipster William was ready to start his seasonal job at Target when he was told that there was no record of him ever being scheduled, taking a drug test, or ever being hired. More »
—>If you were thinking of loading a semi with tons of shopping carts, make sure you view the following video before you attempt it — just in case you've missed a small detail. More »
—>Walmart is winning the big box retail war it seems. They reported same-store October sales were up 2.4 percent versus October 2007. Target, however, lagged behind, with same store sales dropping 4.8%. More »
—>Inside, email addresses, phone numbers, and addresses for over 100 different companies to inject your customer service complaints into their corporate executive offices, and get it well on the way to success. More »
—>A jury awarded Rita Cantrell $100,000 in actual damage and hit Target with $3 million in punitive damages after a Target employee sent a group email falsely accusing her of passing counterfeit bills. Rita was trying to buy stuff with a 1974 $100 bill which the store employees didn't recognize and thought was a fake. A loss-prevention employee then sent around a group email containing her picture and the false allegation to 31 different local, state and federal law enforcement offices, malls, department stores, home-improvement stores and grocery stores. The email result in the Secret Service interrogating Rita at her work place, but they were able to check out the bill and determine it was genuine. "Every aspect of Rita’s life was harmed by Target," said Cantrell's attorney. More »
—>Target has agreed to pay a $1.7 million penalty after weights and measures inspectors found "numerous occasions where the price charged at the cash register was not the lowest posted price," according to a statement from the Sonoma County district attorney's office. More »
—>Target would like you to buy two bottles of Simply Orange instead of one. To that end, they've decided to charge you slightly more if you buy two. Why? Who knows. More »
—>Maybe there's a localized outbreak of inaccurate grocery store scales happening in Kansas City, MO — or maybe grocery store scales in general are just not very accurate? A local KC news team decided to randomly test some grocery store check out scales to see if you were being charged the correct amount for your green beans and whatnot. 5 out of 30 of the scales tested were inaccurate. The news team also went through 2,000 state inspections and found the most egregious examples of malfunctioning scales. More »
—>Forbes says that Wall Street is starting to be concerned about Target because of an increase in the amount of delinquencies in its credit card operation. Uh oh... More »
—>Deck the halls, folks! Reader Raphael sends in this photo of a Target in Brooklyn, NY. More »
—>Back to school supplies? Halloween decorations? Depressing! Instead, focus on the distant future with this grossly unseasonal timepiece, a perfect gift for oblivious retail merchandisers and the counting impaired. Thanks, Target! (and Heather!) More »
—>We're big fans of Target's smart approach to package design for medicine. They may want to give a little more thought to their OTC generics, however—how about using more distinct labeling for the children's line, for example? One reader explains why this would be a lot safer. More »
—> We get a lot of complaints about people buying things from stores like Best Buy and Target and finding that once they get them home — there's a bunch of bathroom tiles in the box instead of the item, or that the item is used, broken or smashed. When they try to return the thing, the store tells them that they're out of luck. When you ask why they think they can get away with selling you a paperweight instead of an XBOX, they point to some bullsh*t policy and send you on your way. You don't have to put up with this. In this post, we'll tell you a) How to keep this from happening to you in the first place. b) How to equip yourself with tools that will help you in the event that this does happen to you. c) How to take advantage of these tools so that you never get stuck with someone's old broken PS3. More »
—>JD Power and Associates ranked American Express at the top of their 2008 Credit Card Satisfaction Study. Customers gave the company high marks in interaction, billing and payment processes, reward programs, fees and rates, and benefits and services, with the first three factors standing out in particular. Capital One and HSBC, which target revolvers with lower credit scores, received the worst marks. Oddly, Discover got second place. People must really like their two-cycle billing (see "Two-Cycle Billing And Why It's Evil"). Full rankings inside... More »
—>Reader Nancy says that Target rejected the 10% coupon she received for being a Target Visa card holder. When she asked why, the cashier told her it had probably been used, but had no more information.
More »
—>Reader I. ordered some shoes from Target.com, only to find out that they were so big that they fell off her feet when she tried them on. No worries, she would just print her receipt and bring them back to her local Target. Right? Wrong.
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—>Conventional thinking says that you should buy based on better unit price, but Target knows this and has figured out a way to trick you. On the left is a name brand joint-strengthener, on the right, Target's generic. Going just by unit price, Target looks like the better deal. But let's see what's going on on the back label... More »
—>79-year-old Christina Brown had a sales receipt and bank records showing that Target had taken cash from her bank account, but the retailer refused to give her a cash refund — offering a gift certificate instead. Christina refused. She wanted her money, and said she'd stay at the Target all day if she had to, but she wasn't leaving without $30. Target told her she was trespassing and that they would call the police. Christina said that was fine with her and called 9-1-1 herself. When the police arrived, Target had Ms. Brown hauled out of the store on a stretcher and taken via ambulance to a hospital for a mental evaluation. Does wanting a cash refund mean you're potentially mentally ill? More »
—>This is now our third, (yes, our third) post about "buy two and save" or "special value" deodorant two packs at Walmart and Target. This lovely example comes from Tucson, AZ. More »
—>More wedding/baby registry pain from Target, a reader calling herself Consumer in MD, has started a blog called "Target is the Devil," with the aim of convincing other consumers not to register their weddings and baby showers with Target after they ripped her off to the tune of $75.01. She tried to return a gift from the registry (with a gift receipt), and Target told her that according to their records the current clearance price is what the person actually paid for the gift. It turned out that this wasn't the case, and when she brought the actual customer receipt back to Target they refused to refund her the additional money. More »
—>The Grocery Shrink Ray continues its miniature spree across the supermarket aisles of America. Here's 14 more victims that have surfaced in the past week, as spotted by our watchful bands of deputized Consumerist reader-investigators... More »
—>Dan can do math in his head, which is a great skill these days when you're checking out the n objects for x price! specials at Target. In this case, Dan notes that the "temporary price cut" is so temporary that it doesn't even exist: you'll pay 13 cents more per box if you buy three of them. This is the third Target "special" we've seen this month that screws the consumer. Are we seeing a new trend? Is it legal to call it a price cut if it's not? More »
—>Joe spotted this box of Bausch & Lomb Boston contact solution at his Target, another victim of the Grocery Shrink Ray. "Someone at Target wasn't smart enough to change the original price label...4oz down to 3.5oz is significant when you are dealing with an everyday item like this at $7-7.99 per bottle," he writes. Full pic inside. More »
—> Gavin wants to know what's up with Target's deodorant pricing. More »
—>Thruhike98 tried to buy some wine at Target a couple of weekends ago, and they were surprised at how invasive the ID check turned out to be: More »
—>Andrew writes in to let us know that he's started to look more carefully at prices when shopping at Target... and so far it's saved him $0.61 on ketchup... More »
—>If you downloaded a web coupon that offered $5 off any $25 purchase at Target, you should know that you've been had. Someone altered a real coupon—removing the image and the word "toy," in order to make it seem like it applied to any purchase. The original undoctored coupon, which was e-mailed to 85,000 Target customers, was for $5 off any $25 toy purchase, and Target is now pulling the coupon due to the rampant fraud. More »
—>A Cleveland paramedic was arrested last week after being caught on video using credit cards she had stolen from an 87-year-old patient, according to The Plain Dealer. Tiffany Forte, age 32, has been working for the Cleveland Emergency Medical Services for the last seven years. A police statement says she was seen on video surveillance at Target and Marshalls racking up $1000 worth of charges while wearing her EMS t-shirt. Details, inside... More »
—>Target confiscated Nick's coupon for 10% off items left on his wedding registry after randomly deciding that the coupon was too generous. More »
—>Reader Jon writes in to let us know that your complaining has had a positive effect on Target's return policy. They will now allow you to return duplicate wedding registry gifts without asking your friends and relatives for a receipt. More »
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—>Ronald was in a hurry and wondered if he could delay returning a camera to Target until a few days after the 90 day deadline. He called them up and they told him it wouldn't be a problem. Guess what? It was a problem. More »
—>Reader D says: More »
—>The ever-thoughtful economists over at Freakonomics are stumped by eBay member lpinok, who bid $55.71 for a $50 Target gift card. More »
—>Kirk and his wife spent over $4,000 last year at Target, but we have a feeling that figure is going to drop dramatically for 2008 after Target refused to refund Kirk $24 because they said they didn't have a record of his purchase in the system. In fact, they didn't have any record of the lampshade he was holding in his hands—it wasn't in their computer, and therefore it didn't exist, even after his wife went and brought an identical lampshade from the store shelves to the customer service counter. Said the clerk, "We don't carry this lampshade." More »
—>Mary is freaking out because BCBS of Maryland just doubled the copay on her thyroid meds. Times are tight, and Mary doesn't have a thyroid. The insurance companies have been telling her for years that Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs is a generic, now BCBS has classified it as not being generic. She's pretty ticked, and considering getting married to her fiance early just to get on his insurance. Her letter, and how she might save $200.32 a year, inside. More »
As we've mentioned before, Target doesn't accept returns or exchanges of gifts bought through their wedding registry unless you have a receipt. Got two of the same thing? You're out of luck unless you're willing to call your wedding guests and ask them if they kept the receipt. More »
My mother in law, recently went to Target to get a battery installed for her watch. The watch was a common Timex model and the associate told her that she would have to buy the battery first. So she purchased that battery, and the associate attempted to install it in the watch. The battery did not fit the watch, so the associate said "sorry, we don't have the right battery" and then refused to take the battery back and refund her money. She was told they don't take back opened battery packages. More »
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—>Walmart's $4 prescription plan is getting even cheaper, says Reuters. The big blue box will add 1,000 over-the-counter items for $4 or less and make some drugs available in a 90-day supply for only $10 — thus kicking K-mart's 90-day supply program squarely in the teeth. More »
—>Consumer Reports tells us that Target's strict "No receipt, No return" policy has an "unadvertised" loophole — you can return items of less than $20 for store credit. The catch? You can only do this twice a year. More »
I'm hardly the first to point this out, but had to snap a few pics of the dryer sheets I was buying yesterday at Target. More »
—>Target doesn't accept returns without receipts to keep criminals at bay, but Chrissy recently discovered that their policy also extends to wedding registry gifts. Chrissy and her husband ended up with several duplicate gifts when Target failed to keep track of her registry. Chrissy didn't want a refund or cash, just store credit, but Target refused to consider any proffer until Chrissy provided receipts. One manager even urged Chrissy to call her wedding guests to ask for their receipts, because in Target's book, that's not extraordinarily rude or anything. More »
—>The FCC handed out a whole basketful of fines to electronics retailers today: $1.1 million for Sears and Kmart; $992,000 for Wal-Mart; $712,000 for Circuit City; and amounts between $168,000-384,000 for Target, Best Buy, CompUSA, and Fry's Electronics. What made Christmas come so early? They were all failing to warn consumers that analog-only TVs and tuners will stop working on their own when the digital switchover comes next year. More »
—>A reader who would like to be called CrazyNJConsumer writes in with another one of those "mismatched serial number" PS3 stories. The scenario usually goes like this: You buy a PS3. It's broken. You return it. The store checks the serial number and finds that it doesn't match. They accuse you of swapping your old broken PS3 for a new one and refuse to take the return. You are very sad. More »
—> Usually our shoplifter stories focus on being detained illegally or held at knifepoint by a rabid senior greeter who demands receipts*, but Target in Milwaukee toes the line when it comes to dealing with suspected theft. That's why they fired a retired cop (warning: video) who stopped a teenager he saw stealing liquor for the second time in a month. He told her he'd seen her take rum a few weeks before and asked her what was in her bag this time. She showed him. He called her father. Target fired him because the store policy is that only certain managers can intercept shoplifters. We admire his attention to detail and desire to help, but we're glad to see a Big Box retailer following its own policy. More »
—> The American Customer Satisfaction Index has released its latest scores of retail businesses, so we thought we'd take a look at the department store rankings by constructing a handy graph. When it comes to customer satisfaction, apparently Dollar General is doing something right—and Wal-Mart, as usual, is doing lots of things wrong. More »
Found this yesterday while at a Target in Troy, MI. Apparently this napkin holder has more features than most. (see description) apologies for the fuzzy photo.The description reads: "Three yellow bow-tie sprinkler heads and 2 15' lengths of garden hose. Each sprinkler covers up to a 24' diameter. Attach to standard garden hose. Portable. Rain like spray." More »
—>The North Miami police are looking for Antonio McKenzie, a "fake Target clerk" suspected of stealing numerous iPod Touches from Target Department Stores in South Florida. More »
—>Ex-Best Buy manager Michael Oliveri, may "suck," but he's pretty darn clever. After he was fired from Best Buy he applied with Circuit City and Target, but became suspicious when job offers from those companies were abruptly terminated. More »
—>Reader James saw the above "free shipping" promotion on Target.com and decided to order the entire "collection," only to find that just one part of the "collection" qualified for "free shipping," and he'd need to pay a $154 shipping charge. More »
—>Holy crap! A "multiagency" investigation that started with a single shoplifting incident has lead to the arrest of an 18 person crime ring in Florida, says The Ledger. More »
—>A Target billboard depicting a woman spreadeagled over a Target logo with her vagina centered squarely on the bullseye has some parents and feminists all riled up. One of them, Amy from ShapingYouth.org, contacted Target to see if they realized, you know, that their ad had a woman's crotch centered on a bullseye. More »
—>Quick, you stuffed $195 worth of videos into your jacket and you're rushing towards the exit when you spot Target's menacing security force. What do you do? If you answered "set lingerie on fire as a diversion," then you may be as bright as 19-year-old shoplifter Tabitha Bozman of Elyria, Ohio. More »
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I typically prefer to make jokes at Wal-Mart's expense. Target, however, is forcing me to make a joke with Target as the punchline. Every time I go into the store, I have to stand and gawk at the point of purchase Red Bull display. A 4-pack is $5.89 and the 12-pack is $19.99. Seems to me that you could just get three 4-packs for $17.67 and save yourself a cool two dollars. Also, this is Target's standard pricing for these items as I check every time I go in Target to see if they have wised up. Also, it saddens me to say that I have seen customers purchase the 12-packs. So maybe Target has it figured out after all? More »
—>You heard it here first and now shoppers in the Slickdeals forum confirm that it's gone into effect: as of yesterday, Target won't accept any returns without a receipt. Even if you can present the debit or credit card used to buy the item, you will still need a receipt. Previously, items under $20 could be returned sans receipt. Before that, it was items under $40. So, make sure to save your Target receipts and include them when you give gifts. I understand about trying to mitigate fraud (a commenter on the previous post talked about his "friend" in college who would swap tags on a $40 item with a $10 item, buy it, and then return it later without receipt to make $30 in beer money for the weekend), but they should allow people to use the card they bought the item with as a way to look up the receipt information. More »
Ladies and Gentlemen... Boys and Girls... The final tally for lead recalls is in. More »
—>We'd love to tell you exactly what we yelled at our computer screen when we saw the above photograph, but it would probably set off your company's web filtering software. More »
—>Have you heard about shopdropping? It's the big new fad among burgeoning anarchists who, instead of stealing, spread havoc by smuggling unwelcome items into stores. Think Che shirts in Target's clothing department, or unwanted bunnies roaming the pet store after Easter. It's all very badass and has several stores in a tizzy.
At Powell's Books in Portland, Ore., religious groups have been hitting the magazines in the science section with fliers featuring Christian cartoons, while their adversaries have been moving Bibles from the religion section to the fantasy/science-fiction section. More »
—>If you were planning on getting a Talking Jesus Action Figure this Christmas (or whatever) you're almost out of luck. Walmart has completely sold out of the toy and Target.com has "very limited supply," according to the manufacturer's spokesperson, Joshua Livingston. More »
—>A Target insider writes:"Starting next year, guests will no longer be able to return items without a receipt. This means that if you accidentally lose your receipt, or if your cashier doesn't give you one, you're SOL. More »
—>Richard went to Target to purchase Call of Duty 4 and saw an offer for a free $5 gift card with purchase. When he inquired about the offer, the employees at Target said it was expired. More »
—>ABCNews asked a optometrist to write a bifocal prescription and have it filled at Costco, Target, LensCrafters and Walmart, then they asked him to rate the quality of the glasses. More »
—>Thanks to everyone who participated this year. The offenses against Halloween and Thanksgiving that you documented were many and varied. More »
—>Consumers in twenty-seven states are suing Aurora Dairy, the nation's largest organic dairy for selling milk that failed to meet basic organic standards. The suit is bolstered by findings from USDA inspectors, who found that between December 2003 and April 2007, Aurora: "labeled and represented milk as organically produced, when such milk was not produced and handled in accordance with the National Organic Program regulations." More »
—>Melanie Ritter thought she was buying a video iPod from Target for her daughter's birthday, only to open the box and find rocks inside. Imagine how much more disappointed she was the second time this happened. More »
—>Someone explain how this works. Jason tells us that Starbucks Frappuccinos 4-packs normally retails at the Target in Amherst, NY, for $5.24, but there's a new price tag on them for $5.49, boasting they're, "Even Lower than our advertised price." So, in the circulars they're advertising them for, say, $5.99? Why not a sign that says, "BIG SAVINGS" and then in small letters, "as compared to a piece of gold bullion." More »
—> Reader Daniel would like to let us know that the Target in Huntsville, AL thinks Jones Soda is alcoholic, and they're going to need to see some ID. More »
—>Attention women who like the idea of $9 birth control: Target has announced that they will be matching Walmart's program. Target will also be matching the additions to the $4 generic program. More »
—>Here at Consumerist we've been keeping an eye on the 2007 lead contamination recalls. Here's September's update: More »
—>Analysts aren't pleased with Lowe's and Target's latest news. More »
—> Andre Agassi is suing Target for slapping his name on a pair of brown men's flip-flops without his permission, says the AP. More »
—>According to the NYT, Target, Limited Too and Dollar General have located additional products that are contaminated with lead, but no recalls have been announced by the CPSC. More »
—>Reader Marie went to the Target store in Biddeford, Maine and was told by the on-duty manager that "it is not the responsibility of the department manager or stocker" to ensure that the store's bins actually contain the items that they are supposed to. More »
—>I purchased a camera from Target the day before my vacation. Later that night I opened the box and there was no camera! Everything else was in there the owner manual, battery, cords, etc. but no camera! I called Target customer service and they said to bring the box back. More »
—>If you're going to pay twice as much for milk because you like the idea that the cows have a yard to play in—that's your business—but you'd better be getting what you pay for. More »
—>Target and Lowe's cheered everyone up by announcing that they're doing just fine in the "tough selling market" that Home Depot was so worried about. More »
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Having a handicapped child changes life completely. Simple tasks such as grocery shopping have become a major ordeal for me. I rarely go to stores alone due to the difficulties pushing a wheelchair and buggy simultaneously and family members work schedules leave little time to assist me with shopping. My three year old daughter is unable to sit independently, walk, or talk. To navigate stores I find it easier to use her lightweight stroller rather than her bulky and heavy wheelchair...More »
—>Most stores pulled their stock of Chris Benoit action figures after the WWE wrestler murdered his family, but the toys can still be found by those morbid individuals, and reporters, who look hard enough. More »
It was $999 but you got 10% off for applying for a Target card making it $899. Not too shabby I thought. The picture looked good, it sounded good, and I liked the style of it. The sign talking about the Target card said that you just had to apply for the card and that it did not need to be used for the purchase. We said that we had $100 in Target gift cards with us and that we'd take it. They rang it up and we handed them the gift cards. They scanned them through the computer. It popped up on the screen and said that the Gift Cards could not be used as the item was on Sale. Well that's a load of crap...gift cards are supposed to be as good as cash. More »
Maine Gov. John Baldacci last week signed into law a measure requiring developers of retail stores exceeding 75,000 square feet to conduct studies gauging the project's impact on municipal services, the environment and local businesses. The proposed store can't be approved if the studies find it is likely to cause a quantifiable, "undue adverse impact" on more than one of those fronts and is expected to have a harmful effect on the community overall. More »
Target construction worker climbs ladder and peeps on female customer trying on bras (it was a temporary dressing room with no roof). When confronted about the incident, the store manager effectively shrugged her shoulders. With video. More »
—>Here's something of a "eff you" to consumers, according to Pitchfork Media. More »
—>I wanted to buy a softball glove for a game today. I called my nearest Target to find out if they had any in stock. The operator tried transferring me to the sports area three times but no one picked up. She asked me to call back. I asked if she had a fancy device for looking up the in-store stock. She said to do that she needed a specific item number. Online, Target's wares have 3 numbers: a category #, an ASIN, and a DPCI. She needed a DCPI. I gave her one for this glove. She said they didn't have any in stock. I then tried to look at other gloves, but the two or three that I tried didn't have DCPI numbers... More »
—>UPDATE: A current Target employee rebuts these statements, inside... More »
—> According to a confidential report leaked to the New York Times by WakeUpWalmart.com, Walmart's low prices may be working against it when it comes to selling plasma TVs and more expensive clothes. From the NYT:
A confidential report prepared for senior executives at Wal-Mart Stores concludes, in stark terms, that the chain's traditional strengths — its reputation for discounts, its all-in-one shopping format and its enormous selection — "work against us" as it tries to move upscale. More »
—>Yahoo Photos will close on September 20th, according to this internal Target newsletter. Users will have until that date to move their online scrapbooks to a partner site, like Flickr, Shutterfly, Kodak Gallery, Snapfish, Photobucket More »
—>Magnetic toys that killed one boy and injured more than 2 dozen others are still available for sale in many Illinois stores according to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. The attorney general's office found the recalled toys at several stores all over the state, and a Chicago Tribune reporter was able to purchase the toys Wal-Mart, Target and Big Lots stores in the northwest suburbs. More »
—>Target is tightening up their return policy according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Currently Target doesn't allow any cash/check returns without a receipt for items over $40, but in August that limit will drop to $20. Customers who bought their items with credit or debit cards will still be able to return items without a receipt. More »
—>Getting married? Target is launching a bridal collection by Isaac Mizrahi. The collection has "8 stunning looks in ivory, white and black," and range in price from $9.99-$159.99. More »
—>At least 60 Wiis will be arriving and selling at Target stores this Sunday, according to an inside source. More »
In past decades, deejays and music critics helped shape musical trends. Today, many music industry executives agree, the big boxes have become the new tastemakers. Even as compact disc sales fall, their choices dictate which CDs are widely available on store shelves across the U.S. Big boxes are the industry's biggest distribution channel — and the rock, hip-hop, jazz and classical music titles they choose not to carry face drastically reduced chances of reaching mass audiences. More »
—>Reader Colin writes us to share an email he sent to Target about their practice of marking items as "Sale"... with no actual discount. Colin writes to Target:
I'm currently in the process of shopping for a Nintendo DS, and have been keeping out for any kind of deals on the item before I buy it. Today I was in the Turnersville Target, and I noticed a big red SALE tag on the DSes. However, the price was still the usual $129.99. I asked the clerk at the electronics counter and he told me "Yeah, that just means it's at the price in the flyer." Quite frankly, the only word I can think of for marking an item with a SALE tag when it is not, in fact, at a sale price, is deceptive.We thought this might have been an isolated incident in New Jersey, so we went to our local Brooklyn Target and sure enough, the Nintendo DS Lite is marked "Sale" even though there is no discount. More »
The law on this is Title VII of the U.S. Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits religious discrimination in the workplace. It requires employers to make "reasonable accommodations" for an employee's religious beliefs — "reasonable" being anything that doesn't create an "undue hardship" on the employer or on co-workers.We think it's great and wonderful and amazing that companies make these accommodations, but retailers should probably make sure there's at least one friendly atheistic heathen-type cashier available at all times. Otherwise, at which register would we buy that gun that shoots pork-based birth control? —MEGHANN MARCO More »
The Minneapolis-based retailer views Wal-Mart's move as "an opportunity,'' but will take its time to find the right space at the right price, Jim Hogan, Target's group vice president for New England stores, told M.B.A. candidates at Harvard Business School on Sunday.Target is already alive and well in New York City, but has not yet made the move to Manhattan. —MEGHANN MARCO More »
...people need to know about this. This policy change will increase customer inconvenience and dissatisfaction in order to stop the 1% of shoppers who collect $200 a year by gaming Target's current return policy.Target is not worried. They are telling concerned cashiers, who must explain the change to potentially angry shoppers, "of every 100 guests, one will be affected." More »
—>If something is going to fail on our bike, the frame isn't our first choice. The CSPC has issued a recall of two bikes, sold exclusively at Target for about $100. Triax PK7 and Vertical PK7 Bicycles have a frame that can crack "while in use, causing the rider to lose control and suffer injuries from a fall or collision." More »
The ad reads: $24 Sale, Each Nintendo DS Games (fine print: Choose from over 30 titles to stuff their baskets! Includes all reg. $29.99 and above DS games.) To me, that ad says, if ANY DS game is $29.99 or over, then I get it for $24. Sound about right? Well, anyone who just answered yes would be wrong, including me.Naturally, the game that Jared wanted to buy rang up at its normal (non-sale) price. No big deal, right? Jared thoughtfully brought the ad to show the manager. Oh, if it only were that simple... More »
Frustrated by a bruising, and so far unsuccessful battle to open its first discount store in the nation's largest city, Wal-Mart's chief executive said yesterday, "I don't care if we are ever here." More »
Not that this is a big deal, but I thought it was funny. More »
—>This story is precisely why we've decided to avoid buying furniture from any store that doesn't specialize in furniture. Christian and his wife bought a couch from Target and had it shipped to the house for $100. It turns out that "Target Ground" was really just UPS, and the 6 foot couch took no less than 3 boxes and 2 drop-offs for UPS to deliver in its entirety. Oh wait. They didn't deliver it in its entirety because they forgot the screws and legs needed to put the couch together. More »
—>The following cities are getting a new Target store: More »
—>Working mom/WSJ reporter Suzanne Barlyn discovered it wasn't easy to return a busted Tamagotchi. The Journal also tried to return a Target shirt that didn't make it through the wash, a $13 camera from Toys "R" Us that broke after one use, a broken flat-panel TV from Amazon, a coat that didn't fit from BabyGap, and an oversize duffel from L.L. Bean. At each turn, they discovered retailers tossing road-blocks in their way.
Who can blame them? Return fraud soaked retailers for an estimated $9.6 billion in 2006, according to the National Retail Federation. Returning stolen merchandise for a refund is the most flagrant offense, affecting 95% of retailers last year. Computer-generated, counterfeit receipts make the practice easier. So-called wardrobing — the unethical practice of returning nondefective, used merchandise — affected 56% of companies. About 69% of retailers have modified their return policies in response to fraud, according to NRF. Changes include shorter time limits, restocking fees and requirements for original packaging.The Journal recommends making purchases with a credit card (paid in full each month,) since retailers look up purchases electronically. We agree, but for a different reason: credit cards allow you to dispute charges. Tell us about your fun experiences returning products in the comments. — CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER More »
According to one Target employee, Target doesn't accept "just change." You must have bills, or you do not get your stuff. Reader Mike went to Target with a bunch of change in his pocket. He didn't feel like using an ATM, and the item he was at Target to purchase cost less than 5 dollars, so he figured he would pay with change. He figured wrong. More »
Target on Thursday said it partnered with an independent start-up music label, 180 Music, to release 15 adult contemporary CDs in all 1,449 stores on February 25 for $9.99 each. Similar releases are set to follow, according to 180 Music founder and chief executive officer Jim Brandmeier.They're planning on releasing CDs by Kenny Loggins and David Cassidy. More »
—>Not that you should shoplift, but if you do, you should realize that shoplifting while carrying an 18" steel machete will take your charges from retail theft up to prohibited offensive weapons charges. That's what happened to one Pennsylvania shoplifter, when he was caught with $140 dollars worth of CDs that he'd shoplifted from Target... and an 18" steel machete that he'd shoved down the left leg of his jeans. Allen Edward Pople, 18, is now being held on $25,000 bond. More »
—>Here's the real deal on why there was Japaneses cartoon porn on Walmart.com, much of it of the homosexual male, or, as its known to connoisseurs,"yaoi" variety. More »
—>UPDATE: More Walmart Porn Found More »
Here's a roundup of some relevant Comsumer-type urban legends from Snopes's Hottest Urban Legends Page: More »
UPDATE: Check out, "More Price Tag Codes Decrypted." More »
—>Reader jpac sent us this photo, and we thought about it while waiting in the world's longest line at an understaffed Target the other day. Say what you will about that mother@#$!@!-ing Menards jingle that they endlessly...endlessly repeat over the loud speakers... More »
—>Target has pulled a CD carrying case with the image of Ernesto "Che" Guevara wearing iPod-style headphones. More »
- "Williams-Sonoma, which operates Pottery Barn and other chains, claims in a federal lawsuit filed last week that a quilted Christmas stocking sold at Target stores contains "every distinctive element of Pottery Barn Christmas stockings," right down to the snowflakes and blue sky.
Retailers are getting stricter with their return policies this year. If you're not hot about the Marshmallow Shooter or Toshiba SD-4990 DVD Player grams got you, keep the receipt and don't take it out of the package. Here's the return policies of some of the major retailers. — BEN POPKEN More »
—> Walmart will replace its employee's trademark smocks with navy shirts and khaki pants. More »
Bad consumer. Bad bad bad. — BEN POPKEN More »
—>Walmart is announcing its first November sales slump in a decade, "In a season of what has been pretty healthy numbers from retailers, Wal-Mart has been lackluster, to say the least," said Adrianne Shapira, an analyst at Goldman Sachs. "Houston, there is a problem." More »
Target is set to begin offering its $4 generic drug program at all of its 1,287 pharmacies. Previously, Target only offered the program in markets where Walmart was offering their $4 program. No longer. From Reuters: More »
—>Target is recalling a whopping 190,000 play-set type toys. "Some of these toys contain lead paint, which is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects. Also, some of the toys have sharp points, posing laceration or puncture wound hazards. The recall involves "Kool Toyz" brand toys, including sets containing die-cast cars, playground set, doll house set, dinosaurs, trucks, boats and planes. The packaging is primary blue and has the "Kool Toyz" logo is on the upper left corner of the packaging." If you have these toys, take them away from children and bring them to Target for a full refund. More »
According to the Chicago Sun-Times:
"Target Corp.'s policy of prohibiting Salvation Army bell ringers on its property will remain in force this Christmas season, but the Minneapolis-based retailer said Tuesday it will donate $1 million to launch an online version of the Salvation Army's Angel Tree program. More »
—>Third quarter profit reports are out today and both Walmart and Target did well. More »
—>As Black Friday draws ever nigh, a splooge of new Black Friday ads appeared on the internet. More »
An 8-point buck activated the automatic doors of a West Des Moines, Iowa SuperTarget and strolled right in. That's all the information you need; on to the bad jokes from witnesses: More »
Will Walmart's extremely early holiday price cuts, or "rollbacks," inspire other retailers to follow suit? More »
—>Today, Coach dropped a trademark infringement suit alleging Target sold counterfeit versions of a popular purse, the Python Signature Striped Demi. More »
In stark contrast to this morning's story, "Target Has No Time For Owwies," reader Frank writes that while visiting a Chicago area Sam's Club... More »
Every time we bad mouth Target (like when one of their managers verbally harassed an elderly handicapped woman), the entire comment section of this site suddenly goes frickin' Devil's Advocate. It's testament to how much people love Target that our healthy constabulary of "Fuck Corporate America" commenters find their loins turned to jelly every time the company's name is mentioned. More »
—>In the wake of media buzz concerning Wal-Mart's $4 dollar a month generic drug plan, and Target's claim that they too will slash prices, Kmart has responded: But we already have a $5 a month plan, hello? Guys? Are you there? More »
Last Monday, lovely reader Lexi wrote us about Fran, the Target store manager who publicly harangued her sweet, handicapped mother. We called Fran a cunt. We asked people to call and complain. It's a testament to how much goodwill Target has that many of you played devil's advocate for Fran. More »
—>It seems our buddy Target Corp. doesn't like it when bloggers post store policies on the Internets. Their rational response? Duh, lawsuit. More »
—>Target's motion for dismiss was dismissed by Judge Marilyn Hall Patel and we're taking a peek at the complaint and rubbing our eyes. More »
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Doing some social engineering, we found Fran's last name and home phone number (we think). It's hard to say, because twice when we called her, she hung up immediately after we asked for her. More »
By popular demand, we tried to followup on the reader complaint about her disabled mother getting treated poorly at at Target. We made some calls and learned what happens when you try to go in the front door. It gets slammed in your face. More »
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After reporting on our famous blog that Target was selling Franklin Delano Roosevelt dressed up like Ben Franklin, the offending page was removed from the Target website. In its place is this page, offering 3 of the most popular "Gift Humor Toy President Political" dolls. More »
—>At left, the Franklin Roosevelt doll from Target. Seated at right, our 32nd president. More »
—>As sometimes happens when we are searching both for images on a topic as well as suffering from groggy brain cramps impinging our desire to dash off consumer affairs riffs, we stumble into something interesting. The subject is TARGET and the puddle is a Citizen of the Month entry, almost a year old, jazzing on one of the most gripping paradoxes of our time. More »
—>For some strange reason, "T" prefers clear and bright aisles filled with well-labeled merchandise, chipper employees who direct him to appropriate departments, and a well-running checkout line with open registers to match how many customers are in the store. More »
—>In the latest round of cosmetic tweaks to make itself appear less evil, Walmart has affixed itself with a strap-on dildo and railed a few poppers... in the form of hiring a gay-marketing firm, joining the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and initiated talks with activist groups about giving domestic-partnership bennies to employees. More »
Dear Consumerist, More »
—>Damn spooks showing at the doorstep, traipsing inside and getting their dirty data-miner boots all over the wall-to-wall shag carpet. Now you can remind them to wipe AND obtain a warrant before entering, with this fetching doormat from Target. More »
—>The modern, compact and secure approach to learning how to potty, The Potty Bench opens for toilet training and can be closed to use as a step stool or seat. More »
—>Bush on Claude Allen's recent arrest for refund fraud at Target: "When I heard the story last night, I was shocked, and my first reaction was one of disappointment, deep disappointment - if it's true - that we were not fully informed. Shortly thereafter, I felt really sad for the Allen family." More »
—>On February 9th, Bush's longtime domestic policy advisor Claude Allen carefully waxed his handlebar mustache, adjusted his jet top hat and — throwing a smoke bomb to the ground — disappeared from the White House with the glint-eyed mystery of the master criminal. No one knew why he'd resigned his post... all that anyone could agree was that it was pretty dang mysterious. More »
—>A brief glance on what goes on inside the mind of PR giant and Wal-Mart lover, Richard Edelman, courtesy of Gawker.com. Our virginal, Harriet-the-Spy-esque sister writes, More »
—>A strange glitch on the online Target gift registry service is causing one bride-to-be's registry to display something odd. Right next to "Pyrex 16-pc. Starter Set" and "KitchenAid 2-qt. Red Teakettle" there's a skillet listed as "Monkey Full Bedskirt." More »
Ladies and Gentlemen, your Tier 1 champions! Some no-brainers, squeakers and absolute pummeling. More »
—>Owning any of these products may kill you. More »
—>We really enjoy it when readers send in not only tips, but punch lines, as well. Everything from this sentence on out is totally Friday Quote Madness. More »
—>• For the well-off goth who's looking to settle down, Sharon Tate's Opal and Garnet Engagement Ring for $25k on eBay (the one given her by Roman Polanski). [via Bayraider] More »
The Consumerist is technically off today, but we're doing a bit of Boxing Day online browsing ourselves and thought we'd let you know what's shaking, deal-wise. More »
The Switch—it's one of the great classics of shoplifting techniques. Traditionally, The Switch involves preexisting tags of disparate value. Properly executed, a price tag of lower total cost will replace the original, leaving the shoplifter with a lower price at the checkout. (If one feels guilty later, The Inverse Switch can be used to mark prices up.) More »
