One of my readers commented the other day that a manager at her store refused to let her stack a Target store coupon with a manufacturer’s coupon on the same item. I’ve never found this to be the case (although I have come across misinformed cashiers), so I set off in search of an official Target corporate coupon policy.
Not surprisingly, I didn’t find an official policy online. Walmart is one of the few stores that I’m aware of that has the corporate policy in black and white and publicly accessible. I came across a few sites that had a Target coupon policy listed that they had received from Guest Relations, but as they had not been posted recently, I decided to email Target Guest Relations myself to get the most current version.
They were very speedy with their response, and here is the information I received.
Thanks for asking us about using coupons at Target. Coupons are a great way to save even more when shopping with us, and it’s easy to use them at our stores. Because of the variety of coupons available to our guests, we do have some guidelines for how coupons can be redeemed at Target.
When accepting coupons, we use the following guidelines:
- We accept two kinds of coupons: Target-issued and manufacturer-issued.
- We’ll accept one Target coupon and one manufacturer coupon for the same item, unless either coupon prohibits it.
- We can’t give cash back if the face value of a coupon is greater than the purchase value of the item; in this case, we’re able to adjust the value of the coupon to equal the price of the item.
- We can’t accept coupons from other retailers, or coupons for products not carried in our stores.
- All valid coupons should be presented to the cashier while you’re checking out.
For questions about using a specific coupon, we encourage you to stop by Guest Service and ask to speak with the Guest Service Team Leader. They’ll do their best to help while you’re in the store. If you still have questions after speaking with them, please call our Guest Relations team at (800) 440-0680. Either way, we’re here to help!
I’d suggest printing this out and carrying it with you when shopping or at least keeping the Guest Relations phone number handy for disputes.
Shabnam
I had a problem with Target accepting only 1 Target coupon.
I bought a whole bunch of Morningstar, but forgot to give the cashier the Target Morningstar coupons, so she told me to go to the guest service desk to get them adjusted.
The guest service desk lady told me I could only use 1 Target coupon, so she could only refund me for 1 coupon.
I asked her why I couldn’t use more than 1, she said because the coupon said limit 1 coupon per customer.
I stood right there and read the coupon. Nowhere on the coupon that said limit 1 per customer or purchase. I told the lady so, but she didn’t even read the coupon and wouldn’t let me use more than 1.
I don’t know if she discriminated me because I’m a foreigner, or because I’m a foreigner and she thought I didn’t know English.
Well, my concern is if guest service desk didn’t know the policy and didn’t even bother to read the coupon, then that’s a very bad customer service.
Shabnam
I had a problem with Target accepting only 1 Target coupon.
I bought a whole bunch of Morningstar, but forgot to give the cashier the Target Morningstar coupons, so she told me to go to the guest service desk to get them adjusted.
The guest service desk lady told me I could only use 1 Target coupon, so she could only refund me for 1 coupon.
I asked her why I couldn’t use more than 1, she said because the coupon said limit 1 coupon per customer.
I stood right there and read the coupon. Nowhere on the coupon that said limit 1 per customer or purchase. I told the lady so, but she didn’t even read the coupon and wouldn’t let me use more than 1.
I don’t know if she discriminated me because I’m a foreigner, or because I’m a foreigner and she thought I didn’t know English.
Well, my concern is if guest service desk didn’t know the policy and didn’t even bother to read the coupon, then that’s a very bad customer service.
Britt
I just recently had the same issue. The manager told me that next time I shouldn’t cut out the internet coupon, but rather leave it as a full page printout. His reasoning…I could be photo copying the coupons. Couldn’t I photo copy the full page printout too? Hmmm…My poor little embarrassed brain didn’t think about it at the time…Thanks for this post! I’ll be carrying it with me next time!
Britt
I just recently had the same issue. The manager told me that next time I shouldn’t cut out the internet coupon, but rather leave it as a full page printout. His reasoning…I could be photo copying the coupons. Couldn’t I photo copy the full page printout too? Hmmm…My poor little embarrassed brain didn’t think about it at the time…Thanks for this post! I’ll be carrying it with me next time!
Beth
Does anyone know if there is an official policy about using Super Target coupons at regular Target? I have done it before, but tried today and they refused to take the coupon.
Beth
Does anyone know if there is an official policy about using Super Target coupons at regular Target? I have done it before, but tried today and they refused to take the coupon.
Dea
So I purchased four of the Kashi snack size cereals with my four target web coupons. No problem. I went to a different target a week later and they refused to use the coupon because there was a picture of a box of cereal on it. Even though I pointed out the coupon doesn’t have a size. The store manager tells me that they can’t accept a coupon that makes the item free. I called customer service when I got home, they said that I am correct and can use the coupon for the snack size cereal.(Didn’t have time to argue with them that day) Interesting how from one target to another it can be so different. I did email Target to let them know about this.
Dea
So I purchased four of the Kashi snack size cereals with my four target web coupons. No problem. I went to a different target a week later and they refused to use the coupon because there was a picture of a box of cereal on it. Even though I pointed out the coupon doesn’t have a size. The store manager tells me that they can’t accept a coupon that makes the item free. I called customer service when I got home, they said that I am correct and can use the coupon for the snack size cereal.(Didn’t have time to argue with them that day) Interesting how from one target to another it can be so different. I did email Target to let them know about this.
Laurie
Thank God I have a cooperative Target to shop at! Sorry to hear you all are having such a time. Here is a tip that might help those who are having trouble with the Target printables scanning. Before you print, hit “print preview” then change them to “landscape” layout. They print more to a page (bonus) AND they will actually SCAN. I’ve had no problems since I started printing this way! If your coupons scan without trouble, it might help those (misinformed) cashiers who are attributing the coupons not scanning to other reasons (like not being valid). And always pick the young cashiers! They tend to not take their jobs so seriously. HTH!
Laurie
Thank God I have a cooperative Target to shop at! Sorry to hear you all are having such a time. Here is a tip that might help those who are having trouble with the Target printables scanning. Before you print, hit “print preview” then change them to “landscape” layout. They print more to a page (bonus) AND they will actually SCAN. I’ve had no problems since I started printing this way! If your coupons scan without trouble, it might help those (misinformed) cashiers who are attributing the coupons not scanning to other reasons (like not being valid). And always pick the young cashiers! They tend to not take their jobs so seriously. HTH!
Katie
I have the same question as Beth. My regular Target refuses to accept any Super Target coupons but Super Target doesn’t seem as picky.
Katie
I have the same question as Beth. My regular Target refuses to accept any Super Target coupons but Super Target doesn’t seem as picky.
Joanne
Sometimes I have a problem with Target, too. I have noticed that when I go to a male at the register, I have better results.
Joanne
Sometimes I have a problem with Target, too. I have noticed that when I go to a male at the register, I have better results.
Beth
Katie, and all else who are wondering:
I called Target Customer Service today about the Super Target/Target coupons. She said as long as they carry the item, they should accept Super Target coupons. She reccomended I keep the 1800 number with me and if I have problems to call them, and they can speak directly to the associate. She also is sending me a $3 card because that is the value of the coupons I had planned to use. She was very helpful, and very courteous. Probably one of the best customer service reps I have ever talked to, so that was refreshing!
Beth
Katie, and all else who are wondering:
I called Target Customer Service today about the Super Target/Target coupons. She said as long as they carry the item, they should accept Super Target coupons. She reccomended I keep the 1800 number with me and if I have problems to call them, and they can speak directly to the associate. She also is sending me a $3 card because that is the value of the coupons I had planned to use. She was very helpful, and very courteous. Probably one of the best customer service reps I have ever talked to, so that was refreshing!
Deepa
I went to target today and tried to purchase the morningstar , poptarts for the kellogs fuel for school rebate armed with both target and manufacturer coupons.The cashier refused to stack the coupons first , they would take only one type either the target Q or manufac Q.Then when i said that as per their corporate policy stacking was allowed, she grumbled a bit , and spoke with her supervisor. The supervisor came back and said stacking is ok but wont accept ones printed from a computer/website. Bottomline after wasting time trying to make her understand I refused to buy the things and came back.
My point is, Is there a new policy that they will only accept Manufac Q from newspaper inserts/magazines and not the internet printed ones?
Deepa
I went to target today and tried to purchase the morningstar , poptarts for the kellogs fuel for school rebate armed with both target and manufacturer coupons.The cashier refused to stack the coupons first , they would take only one type either the target Q or manufac Q.Then when i said that as per their corporate policy stacking was allowed, she grumbled a bit , and spoke with her supervisor. The supervisor came back and said stacking is ok but wont accept ones printed from a computer/website. Bottomline after wasting time trying to make her understand I refused to buy the things and came back.
My point is, Is there a new policy that they will only accept Manufac Q from newspaper inserts/magazines and not the internet printed ones?
donna
I live in Worcester county, ma and there are 2 Targets near me. I also have had trouble with the whole coupon issue. I found that for the ones I print on my computer, I always make sure that I do the head cleaning first, then after printing them I take them to the store and check them on the price scanners. It cannot read what the coupon is but it will read the bar code and display a message so I know my coupons will scan at the registers. I also had trouble with the manager in one of the stores who happened to be running the register as it was closing time and there were a lot of people checking out. He said I could not use an mq with the targetq if it made the item free. I explained that I had bought the same items before with no problem there and at the other Target and he said it was not supposed to be accepted. His reason was that if it made the items free them Mass could not collect any tax on the item!!!! Now I know we are often nicknamed taxachusetts but that was just a bit too absurd. I had all I could do to keep from laughing at him. I just politely told him to void the items and took back my coupons which I used at the same Target the next day at a different time with no problem. Thanks for the info and coupon policy.
donna
I live in Worcester county, ma and there are 2 Targets near me. I also have had trouble with the whole coupon issue. I found that for the ones I print on my computer, I always make sure that I do the head cleaning first, then after printing them I take them to the store and check them on the price scanners. It cannot read what the coupon is but it will read the bar code and display a message so I know my coupons will scan at the registers. I also had trouble with the manager in one of the stores who happened to be running the register as it was closing time and there were a lot of people checking out. He said I could not use an mq with the targetq if it made the item free. I explained that I had bought the same items before with no problem there and at the other Target and he said it was not supposed to be accepted. His reason was that if it made the items free them Mass could not collect any tax on the item!!!! Now I know we are often nicknamed taxachusetts but that was just a bit too absurd. I had all I could do to keep from laughing at him. I just politely told him to void the items and took back my coupons which I used at the same Target the next day at a different time with no problem. Thanks for the info and coupon policy.
TARA
Does anyone know how many of the same coupons you can use for the same items at Target (6 boxes of cereal with 6 coupons, etc)? I have gotten conflicting answers from Target cashiers.
TARA
Does anyone know how many of the same coupons you can use for the same items at Target (6 boxes of cereal with 6 coupons, etc)? I have gotten conflicting answers from Target cashiers.
Tara Kuczykowski
Tara, for manufacturer coupons you should be able to use as many as you want. The Target store coupons do say that you may only use one like coupon per purchase; however, Target customer service has told a number of people that stores reserve the right to accept multiples. My local stores have always let me use more than one in a single transaction.
Tara Kuczykowski
Tara, for manufacturer coupons you should be able to use as many as you want. The Target store coupons do say that you may only use one like coupon per purchase; however, Target customer service has told a number of people that stores reserve the right to accept multiples. My local stores have always let me use more than one in a single transaction.
Julie
Thank you so much for this blog, I have only recently begun using the Target coupons and I have 3 stores nearby. Each shopping trip is a different experience,and my last trip was a real ordeal (the cashier turned off her light and had to ask 2 different managers for assistance). I will be emailing Target corporate for their official policy to carry with me. Thank you so much!
Julie
Thank you so much for this blog, I have only recently begun using the Target coupons and I have 3 stores nearby. Each shopping trip is a different experience,and my last trip was a real ordeal (the cashier turned off her light and had to ask 2 different managers for assistance). I will be emailing Target corporate for their official policy to carry with me. Thank you so much!
Carol
I had the same problem tonight. I spoke to three “managers.” I ended up coming home without the products and called the number you provided. They were great! They contacted my Target store and I called soon afterwards. The manager apologized and said he was in the wrong. He invited me back in tomorrow to give me additional coupoons. I hope they have what I went for in the first place as they were low in stock. We’ll soon see! Thanks for posting the phone number. I now have it on my cell phone in case I need it again.
Carol
I had the same problem tonight. I spoke to three “managers.” I ended up coming home without the products and called the number you provided. They were great! They contacted my Target store and I called soon afterwards. The manager apologized and said he was in the wrong. He invited me back in tomorrow to give me additional coupoons. I hope they have what I went for in the first place as they were low in stock. We’ll soon see! Thanks for posting the phone number. I now have it on my cell phone in case I need it again.
Jen E.
Hi Tara! I just linked to your post on my blog :) I put together a list of my local grocery store coupon policies and several actually did have their coupon policy available online — Safeway, Giant, Harris Teeter, Wegmans and Shoppers Food Warehouse. I linked to their policies in my post if you want to check it out… https://fabulouslyfrugalinnova.blogspot.com/2009/09/couponing-101-part-4-store-rules.html
Thanks for being a couponing and blogging inspiration!!!
Jen E.
Hi Tara! I just linked to your post on my blog :) I put together a list of my local grocery store coupon policies and several actually did have their coupon policy available online — Safeway, Giant, Harris Teeter, Wegmans and Shoppers Food Warehouse. I linked to their policies in my post if you want to check it out… https://fabulouslyfrugalinnova.blogspot.com/2009/09/couponing-101-part-4-store-rules.html
Thanks for being a couponing and blogging inspiration!!!