115460 
I must say I'm pretty disappointed with Target at this point. Instead of taking the time to present a well thought out price matching policy, they seem to be in a reactionary mode and updating it on a whim.
After just presenting a new version of their Low Price Promise last weekend, Target has already updated it again. Going forward Target coupons will be deducted before price matching. If the price in the competitor ad is still lower, then that price will be applied and any manufacturer's coupons will be deducted. So basically Target store coupons can no longer be deducted after the price match is made.
It seems to me that if Target really wants to provide excellent customer service and give customers an incentive to shop their store over a competitor, they would offer us a true low price guarantee, including honoring store coupons. As far as I'm concerned, price matching at Target is already difficult enough. I'll just take my business elsewhere.
Thanks for the info, KC Penny Pinchin' Mama!
Tara Kuczykowski is a married mom of three boys and two girls, ages 4 to 10 years, living in Columbus, OH.
{ 82 comments… read them below or add one }
I agree....I love Target but they are being greedy right now!!
I'm thinking they got killed by the Skippy and Kellogg's last month...wait a week, maybe it'll change back.
I already DON'T shop at Target and this certainl adds to my deterrence.
AGREED, will be taking my business elsewhere too...it's just getting to be ridiculous and CONFUSING at this point...not even sure I understand what their new policy is, and at this point, it's not worth it to me to figure it out :(
Just when I was getting excited about shopping and hunting for the good deals they start cutting it off grrrr
This defeats the purpose of COUPON!!! So stupid in their part!
Exact reason why I stopped shopping there months ago!
I agree. I never write emails to companies, and today I'm writing them telling them I'll take my business elsewhere. I loved that they put a limit on the number of target coupons you can print, but the rest just seems really unnecessary and ,yes, reactionary. I used to love target but this has really changed my opinion of their brand and what they are supposed to offer their loyal customers. I encourage anyone else to do the same.
I used to love Target! Not anymore. As a one income family I am shopping for the best deal. The last few times I tried to price match I was treated like a criminal the entire time. This "low price guarantee" is just a marketing ploy, not anything that is in practice at any of the 7 Target's in my town. Walmart will always get my price matching now...along with all my other purchases. I'm so disappointed in Target.
I feel the same as everyone else on this one. If only the company showed real loyalty to its shopper's by not changing te policy every single week. I used to be able to get good deals--not the case anymore. Wal*mart might basically be the sun of Satan but at least they provide lower prices without the annoying fuss.
I AGREE! The Target where I live NEVER has the sale items, and they never restock. The cashiers are nice, but there is no point for me to drive across town when I can simply go to the Walmart supercenter nearby. I recently read an article about Target trying to woo customers from Walmart. Attention Target: this is not the way to achieve your goal.
This last week was the first time in MONTHS that I was thrilled about shopping at Target. They have surely burst my bubble. Figures they would start backing out!
Well, for awhile I was much more happy with Target, than Walmart. But this is just a little more than ridiculous. I guess I'll stop shopping there now, on sheer principle, and go back to walmart who does the exact same thing already.
While this is highly annoying, I would rather eat glass than shop at Walmart. So, this is frustrating me, but I will likely still shop there out of necessity. Or shop my local Kroger affliate (Fred Meyer). I won't, won't, won't give that heinous Walmart one penny of my family's hard earned money.
However, Target needs to slow down, take a deep breath, & focus on what they want to achieve. Perhaps just eliminating their PM'ing policy would be easier (it certainly seems like it at this point). Or come up with a consistent, well thought out, well documented policy. But changing it every week on a whim is beyond insulting to the customer.
I agree! Target is a bunch of wanna be hard asses. They think they make more money by being to tight on their ability to cut prices and price match without a million things to go thru first. And then on top of it, their return policy sucks! I personally love walmart over target, and only reason I go to target is if theres a special deal on something, or clearance items. other than that, they lose a lot of business to walmart!
I love Target and I love shopping there but this new policy is frustrating! I agree that it is almost hard to understand which is what I think they are aiming for. I think Target wants to say they are in the price matching game to keep up with Walmart but in reality they want no part of it. Up until recently I have been intimated to use coupons at Target because the cashiers seem to get so angry about it. It finally seemed like that part was getting better than Target does this. I hate Walmart but if it is less hassle I may have to check them out.
I agree, I am sick and tired of Target changing their policy whenever they feel like it. In my town I have to drive clear across town to go there, and when I was getting great deals it was worth it, but I think I will be sticking to the Walmart and local HyVee to shop. I really only like the clearance sections at Target anyways, in the baby section. Unless it is a deal of a lifetime, no more Target.
I've never been a fan of Target because they've always had a horrible return policy and I also don't like being stalked by their "security people." I was at customer service one time when the woman ahead of me was trying to return a baby car seat/carrier/stroller combo. She didn't have a receipt because it was a gift, but she had her Target baby registry and it showed she had asked for 1 and received 2 and she was at the counter sobbing because they were going to make her keep it. I pretty much only go there now to check out the dollar spot for birthday party favors or little stocking stuffers for my kids.
I'm a new couponer and I love the deals I'm able to score but I think some may be overreacting to this policy change. I think Target has changed their policy due to the abuse of some coupon users. I see a store coupon as a store "sale". From this perspective, I understand why they would deduct their store coupon before doing a price match.
In my humble opinion, I think shopping at Target is not just about the good deals but also about the bigger picture. I am lucky to have a local Target that always provides excellent service (even with my stack of coupons everytime) and is involved in the community. They have donated money to my children's school and they have never turned me down for any donations I've requested for the non-profit organization that I work for. They have donated lots of gift cards for our homeless women with children and for that alone I am willing to pay the sale price and not go elsewhere. I love Target and like Heather I refuse to support WalMart in any way.
I have actually had the opposite reaction to Target. I have not had a single problem here in Vegas with Target and using ANY coupons and getting the price match! I think perhaps some employees there are seasonal and not really taking the time to learn the policys of the store or don't care. I don't think that Target is a bad store at all. IT is ALWAYS clean, friendly service and great products with some really great sales. I wouldn't dismiss one store just because someone had a problem at their store. Bring up your concerns to the store manager and voice your concerns, they would work with you!
Tara, I can not agree more with you and the other ladies, Target change of policy is insulting!!
I've been lucky that they have accepted every coupon I have tried to use (they were always legit). On the other hand, my local Publix grocery store is no longer accepting computer printed free item coupons and they do consider Target a competitor so they do not accept their coupons. I'm thinking more and more that I will either go out of my way Target or Winn Dixie, return to Sweet Bay supermarket and only get my luncheon meat at Publix, or get up early on Saturdays to shop at Wal-mart.
I agree that thi change of policy is maddening... Why would I go to Target if I can get the same price at the original store advirtising the sale.. The only benefit of Price Matching was to be able to use the Target coupon on top of the sale price... Now if they price matched like Staples with beating the price by 10% we'd be in business..
I'm STILL reeling over last week when a Target Manager told me that the $0.60 difference in ONE package of Up and Up brand baby wipes between 2 stores less than 10 miles apart was due to their policy of pricing items based on a locations median home price and customer income. This additional blow does NOT boost my confidence in them. BOO!
While I agree the new policy is "lame", I do understand it to a point.
They offer a coupon as an incentive to give you a great price on an item above and beyond the normal everyday price.
Another store may offer "sale" prices instead of coupons. When an item at that store goes on sale, why should Target price match that and then give you their coupon on top of that? At that point, Target could be potentially taking a big loss (if you walk away with a .99 cent toy which normally is like 20 bucks)
Just saying.. I get their point, although it was more fun to be able to use coupons and price match.
I think their new policy is confusing: they should simply state, you cannot use a store coupon with price matching. Or, you can use a store coupon or price match, whichever is less. Then you can use your Man. Q on top of that.
It is worded VERY stupidly/confusing/complicated.
I agree with most here that is aggravating and insulting. I'm also not a fan of the new limit on target coupons. I admit I have used several at a time and over time but I don't care for the limits imposed. In my area Target has the highest prices but with the tq and mq sometimes they would have a better price. I don't care for Walmart but to be honest the service is usually better at Walmart since I don't get looks or sighs when I hand over coupons. I think it's time Target started thinking before they acted or just deal with it, a guaranteed way to lose customers is to change your policies from week to week or like some of my stores from shift to shift.
AGREED! I had a horrible experience with an asst manager at Target over the Leap From Alphabet Pal. I emailed corporate and have to date received NO RESPONSE. I'm taking my business elsewhere.
Target is a very frustrating place to shop. While I have not tried using the price matching at Target, I have had more problems than I care to think about over using coupons at Target. I have e-mailed corporate on three separate occassions explaining exactly what has happened and all they do is e-mail me back and say they are sorry I had a bad experience, blah, blah, blah. I have tried going back, but it is alway the same story. Target corporate does not seem to care. The only time I will go to Target is if there is a deal too good to pass up and I have to use minimal coupons to get it. The main problem is that the cashiers are not trained in the same way at all. While one cashier would have no problems accepting my coupons, the cashier at the next register won't take them. They need consistency in their training programs!
I have never tried price matching at Target, but I have always had a great time with the cashiers taking my coupons. They have never given me a problem, ever. Now for the people in line behind me... that's another story.
I think that everyone who has already posted needs to take a step back and look at it from Target's standpoint - two weeks ago, yes, there were rules. But it seemed as if they varied from store to store and that some of the employees would make up their own interpretations as well. Now everything is out there, and, quite litterally, is in black and white. HOPEFULLY this means that we can all have the same shopping experience across the country and things will get better.
Yes, it super sucks right now. As the times got harder, more people started "stocking up" and taking advantage of the system that we all came to know and love. I agree that the new price matching rule sucks, because you can't use a target coupon on top of someone elses lower price - but its not as if you could have used the target coupon elsewhere; there have been plenty of times where I would have LOVED to have used a CVS coupon at Target to create a great deal, but it just doesn't work that way. So I don't blame target for restricting our shopping power; I'd rather them do this than have them completely go out of business. At least we still have the option to price match OR use a coupon.
Maybe after a few months there will be some huge shift in sales or mindsets and they'll change the policy again, only more in our favor; but we shouldn't accuse Target of not wanting to make us, the consumer, happy.
I think we all will be just fine in the end. We'll all learn to shop with the new rules and will continue to find great deals and steals as well. If the target coupon price makes a better deal than the competitor ad price, then so be it - it's just one less step in the deal seeking process.
And if you want to move your business elsewhere, that's fine too - it won't make the prices any lower at that other store - but it will leave stock on the shelves for the rest of us.
I shop at Target, but rarely. And I never even tried their price matching policy because it was so complicated to begin with! They're definitely going to have to try a bit harder to keep me coming in. :)
another horrible experience over the alpha leap pal thing. i wish they would get their ducks in a row. i really like having another option outside of wal-mart. but only if they are going to make a policy and stick to it.
I think corporate has one policy and the stores are instituting their own. I was told they weren't tsking any price matches from stores that had a customer card. That left one grocery store in all of Phoenix.
At a different Target it took me one hour to buy the Monopoly cards. I had a BOGO from the USA magazine and Target had a BOGO coupon. They wouldn't accept it. I went to my car and came back to customer service with a printed copy of their policy and they finally reluctantly accepted it. The hassle is not worth it.
I can understand that target is trying to cover the loose ends from their policy but its kind of frustrating when they do accept one thing a week and by the end of that week they change thir minds.I think all stores(companies) they go in the game of price matching go in aware that the will be loosing money that way but its an effective way to lure costumers to shop at the stores.Now Target corporates are well educated people that know the risks of the game and should have entered prepared for that; knowing that the store offer thir own coupons. In my opinion are just reacting to things and not thinking.Its a fact that if a person is given the deal of its life they will tend to shop more ,at the store that was good with them, for their regular priced items.
I saw this coming... There have been so many deals lately and people were stocking up big time. I have been hearing of people returning some of these items and making money back from them.
I suppose they were not that interested in my business after all. Too many good deals out there for all that.
I am trying to think of this from a business point of view even though I have never worked at Target and wish they would train their employee's better. I think about some of the deals of getting items price matched with a store coupon and manu. coupon where the item ends up being 95-100% off so Target is losing money after paying for the costs of running the store and the item. Just a different point of view to think about.
My Target doesn't honor all of their own coupons. Target Corporate always says that I am doing everything right; however, the store still does not act in accordance with the corporate guidelines. A big waste of time. I don't shop Target anymore, Period!
I am an avid Target shopper, but will not buy gifts there unless I pay cash and give the person the receipt because even if you give them a gift receipt, they will only give you a Target gift card, not cash back, if you do have to return something. On the other hand, I love Target's ability to look up on my credit card my purchase when I am returning it, so i don't have to have my receipt. I have not had any problems with coupons, but I do agree that different cashiers have different policies they enforce.
I agree with Steph above.
The thing is - although we all love couponing and getting the best deals and many are single-income families (including my own) trying to wade through this economy, I have seen so many coupon "rules" being broken by the couponers trying to get the best deal.
Like when a Target coupon CLEARLY says at the bottom of it: "Limit one offer per transaction" and people are using more than one in a transaction to be able to get gift cards, or free boxes of cereal or whatever, you're totally breaking the rule. And yet you want to complain that Target has to change their policy because they're most likely losing money because of coupon manipulators? I told my husband I was not at all surprised to see they had limited the coupons to only printing 2. They should! This is a learning process for everyone and they probably were not expecting to be taken advantage of since they already offer better prices and deals than most stores (in my area at least.)
I will keep shopping at Target because they still offer me the lowest prices, have helpful customer service (I know this is also probably a local store thing as it sounds like everyone has different experiences), and also refuse to shop WalMart.
AND this whole price matching policy hasn't really even been in effect for that long - what did you do before then? Everyone needs to take a breath and stop getting their panties in a twist about it.
Is this blog run by one of the Walmart moms? HMMM
I found this so ironic as I'm reading all of your comments, there's a giant Target ad to the right of the screen!!
well, it's a price MATCH offer, not a price BEAT offer. All they should be expected to do is the same as the competitors, not beat someone else's ad price with store Qs
I must say Im not as distressed as some people are over this change in policy. I believe and will continue to believe that Target is a better option, a more responsible option to shop at than say Walmart. I shop at my local Super Target every week and have had absoluetly no problem.... ever!! THere has to be a limit to stop the couponing abuse and they have changed it to protect them....lets face it they are a for profit organization!! (so is Walmart!!) To me Walmart is such a hassel the people restocking the shelves in the middle of the day making in near impossible to navigate through the isles just adds to the overall ambiance which is horrible!! Target may have slightly higher prices in some things... but is well worth the pennies if you consider the amounts of $$$ they delve out to local charities. I feel the quality is unbeatable and the prices competitve!
I am sorry but I have to disagree. It is unrealistic for us to expect Target to give items away. This policy is in reaction to items in the toy book and the Target coupons in it. Instead of lowering prices on some items, Target offered coupons. Toys R Us lowered the prices instead of offering coupons. Now 'we' want to get the Toys R Us price AND use the Target coupon (and sometimes a manufacture coupon too) and get $30 toys for $.49!! I do think it is confusing, but some people are just abusing the system and Target is loosing too much money. My local Target is working hard to be sure cashiers are properly trained and friendly while avoiding GIVING away the store. They are in business to make money after all and we should be realistic in our expectations. I think this is another example of a few people ruining it for everyone.
People act like they are only talking a few pennies. There have been products I've gone to Wal*mart to get $10, $20, even $50 differences. No one is trying to scam the store and the policy was clear in the firs place. Stores decided to make their own rules. Kroger does the same thing--for example--my local Kroger's do not accept coupons PERIOD though their corporate office continually swears they do.
I am another person that sees both sides of this. I will admit, I stocked up on free Chex Mix, etc. using Target coupons, but I bought a little bit at a time each shopping trip; and not more than my family uses. I am not a shelf clearer. =)
I had just gotten the hang of printing coupons off the registry kiosks and although there weren't as many coupons there, it was nice to use that option, especially if I forgot to print something from home.
I am disappointed that I can't use more Target coupons and although I haven't used the price matching much, it was always exciting to use 2 coupons on a price matched product.
That being said.....
I will now use my 2 Target coupons per computer and any my mom, etc. doesn't want just like I do on manufacturer's coupons. I don't think I will suffer very much!!! Also, I TOTALLY understand the viewpoint that Target does not get reimbursed for their Target coupons and it is more like an in-store sale or promo. If I was a business person, I think I would have made the rules the same way.
As long as they are still accept the manufacturer's coupons after price matching (if they change that, I 'll just go to the store advertising the sale!) , then I will stick with Target.
My main frustration has just been lack of knowledge on the part of cashiers and managers when it comes to accepting coupons. Let's hope they are not as confused as the shoppers! =)
Ladies,
I sincerely apologize for any I may offend, but I do need to speak my mind. I have been truly disappointed by some of your posts. I too and discouraged by Target's constant changing of their coupon policy and my Target is never stocked with anything that is on sale. However, in the past two weeks, I have seen people go absolutely buck nutty getting at least a hundred of a single item because they could get it for free. Do you really think that places like Target, Walgreens, CVS, etc. are just going to let some abuse the system and not do anything to stop the hemhoragging?
I don't begrudge anyone an excellent deal, and like almost everyone else, pinching pennies and getting the most bang for your buck is important. Is it truly THAT important to walk out of Walgreens with SEVEN cases of kleenex because you could get it for free? Or TEN cases of tomato sauce? or 152 packs of baby wipes from Target? Is your life going to be truly crushed because you didn't have ALL of that? Where is the moderation?
As much as I hate what Target is doing and the fact that my WM treats me like a criminal when I use certain coupons, I have to be honest and say that it's not like we couldn't tell it was coming. It only takes 1 bad apple to spoil the bunch, and in this case, to change corporate coupon policies.
I love to chase deals and stretch my dollar as much as anyone. However, after seeing these three instances in the last two weeks, I am SERIOUSLY reconsidering couponing in general. I think we forget one thing in our efforts to get as much as possible for our dollar- everywhere we shop has store employees and families, all of whom depend on whatever measly salary they may receive from the store. When you get those 152 packs of baby wipes or 7 cases of kleenex, the profit loss has to come from somewhere, and that is usually the employees.
PS-- I avoid Walmart like the plague, too!
I also agree target should want to be competitive with other stores. So if the price is lower next week, what do they do then? take the coupon? Walmart or Meijers will match and still take coupons off. I only go to target if they have a really good deal. Once in a great while. I can not stand a store that everyone is not on the same page. Training issue big time.