- Report: #533174
Complaint Review: The Target Corporation - Internet
Reported By:
Anonymous -
Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States of America
Submitted:
Updated:
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Author Not Confirmed
Why?
The Target Corporation
Internet, United States of America
Phone:
Web:
www.target.com
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The Target Corporation Target Deceptive Pricing ; Target.com v Target Brick and Mortar Pricing Internet, Internet
I am writing to express my extreme displeasure with a recent Target shopping experience. Specifically, my displeasure is centered upon what I believe to be a deceptive pricing policy. To point, I had an opportunity to view an item for sale on Target.com (highlighted below) :
Step 2 Lifestyles Kitchen
DPCI: 242-11-4704
ASIN: B001T1ARCU Catalog #: 11168866
Once I had reviewed the item on-line, I proceeded to the aforementioned Target store in order to purchase the item for the stated website price of $79.99.
Unfortunately, when I arrived, the price of the item within the local store was $99.00 plus applicable tax (for a grand total of $109.99). Based upon the $20 disparity on the base price, I elected to not purchase the item in question.
As I was upset concerning this matter, I sent a written complaint through the Target.com website. In a relatively short amount of time, Target Corporate sent me an email stating that "Prices, promotions, styles and availability may vary by store and online" along with some other general points.
HOWEVER, when I spoke with local Target representatives on the intended purchase date and after receiving the note from Target HQ, I was explicitly told that local Target stores NEVER price match with Target.com. Needless to say, the blurb on the Target website utilizing the word "may" relative to whether or not stores will match on-line pricing available through Target.com is either:
1.) a complete falsehood given the fact that local Target representatives utilized the word "never" in reference to price matching with Target.com, OR
2.) indicative of an inconsistent policy which no one within HQ or at the store level seems to truly understand.
Unfortunately, given the amount of stores within the Target network, this is likely an everyday occurrence.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Dani
USACase of not reading into things and blaming somebody else
#2Consumer Comment
Tue, January 11, 2011
So, let me get this straight. The website clearly tells you "Prices, promotions, styles and availability may vary by store and online", and you walk into the store, see it's not the same price, and get upset and call corporate? Last time I checked, the word "may" means it can go either way. What you got from HQ and the local Target rep are completely two different concepts; one told you that prices may vary, and the other told you that they do not price match online prices.
With that being said, like Target, many retailers will NOT price match their online prices with in-store prices, because there really is no benefit to an individual store for doing it. And many of those sites have a clear disclaimer saying they will not match online prices. Welcome to retail. And as for competitor pricing, it's mostly for local, current ads.
It''s a shame
United States of AmericaNo validity!
#3Consumer Comment
Tue, January 11, 2011
Well, I sure you also TRIED/OFFERED to pay for shipping and handling when checking the price in the store, as you would have likely had to have done if you'd purchased the item online.
Your complaint is invalid. As the previous person wrote, "Prices...may vary by store and online" have nothing to do with a price-matching policy. It simply means as it is read: prices could be different from one store to the next and may differ from online prices. It's humorous to me that you stated that it's possibly a case of "inconsistent policy which no one withing HQ or at the store level seems to truly understand." So, wait - you thought YOU were the one who had a grip on what the policy was, while the employees in the stores, at Target.com AND at Target HQ *ALL* were misunderstanding the policy on which they have received training? Haha. Thank YOU for the laugh.
You, like so many others, choose to read into policies as you see fit, and then get furious when you were wrong. Don't assume anything. Contact the store and ask what that policy means. Better yet, contact someone at Target.com, as that is where the policy was posted. But don't assume and then blow up when you've made a mistake.
And you are completely correct, Target store employees are to NEVER price match with a Target.com price. I said it - NEVER. Unless, as we did when we got a customer like you in our store (who had also misunderstood our policies and/or tried turning them into whatever they wanted them to be) and offered to price match, while charging tax (because you're buying the item in a store) and shipping and handling. Usually you wouldn't come out ahead that way, and that was our point.
JAFO
Atlanta,Georgia,
USA
The policy is quite clear.
#4Consumer Comment
Fri, December 04, 2009
You are comparing apples and oranges. Target's price match policy, which is new, states they will match a local competitor with print ad. It does not mention websites/Target.com. It has nothing do with price disparities between the two.
The line on Target.Com about prices,promotions,styles and availability may vary by store and online has nothing to do with pricematching. It clearly states that Target.com and Target stores may have different prices on things. Sometimes its the same, most of the its not. Even 2 different Targets, with the exception of the national ad, may have different prices on the same product. So what the instore TM told you was true, Target does not and will not price match their online prices.
