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Today I am sharing the basics of shopping at Target, I will go into greater detail with the majority of the items on this list, but this will give you and overview of what you can expect when shopping at Target.
There are two different types of stores:
- Target: These are the basic Target stores, many of these stores now have an expanded grocery department with some fresh meats and fruit, but they are not considered a Super Target.
- Super Target: The Super Target stores have a full-fledged grocery store within the Target store. You will find a bakery, larger meat, dairy and frozen food departments. If your store is a Super Target, there will be a sign on the outside.
Prices: The prices at each Target will vary by region, in fact, the prices may even vary by city. I have 2 stores that are about 20 minutes from me, and I find that the one in Issaquah has slightly higher prices than the one in Kent.
Weekly Ad: Target puts out a weekly ad, which runs from Sunday-Saturday. You can view the Target weekly ad online. The ad is also delivered in the Sunday edition of most Sunday papers.
Price Cuts: Target will occasionally have unadvertised deals, these are “price cuts” that can sometimes last for several week. You can often find the date the price cut will end on the shelf tag. Price cuts may vary by location
Dollar Spot: Target has a dollar section that can usually be found right as you walk in the store. The majority of these items are only $1.00, however they do have a few items that are priced at $2.50. I personally just skip this section when I first come in, the items in the dollar section will still be there when it is time for me to checkout. I usually head to scope out the clearance deals first.
Coupons: Target accepts coupons, and it is a great way to save money, because they will allow you to use one Target coupon and one manufacturer coupon on each item. People have mentioned that they sometimes have problems redeeming coupons at Target. I do my best to find a cashier that is coupon friendly and I try to stick them with everytime. Likewise, if I find someone that always scrutinizes every one of my coupons I do my best to avoid their line.
Return Policy: Target has a very strict return policy, so you will want to make sure to keep your receipt. If you lose your receipt, you can ask them to do an item look-up and they can use the credit or debit card that you used to make your purchase. You can also ask for a gift receipt to make returns easy for those you buy gifts for.
Price Adjustments: If Target advertises a lower price either the same week or the week following your purchase, bring in your original sales receipt to Guest Services for an adjustment. Unfortunately, price adjustments are not made for clearance prices or Target.com prices.
Price Matching: Target will price match other stores ads, you will need to head over to the customer service desk in order to receive the price match. There are several exclusions to their price matching policy, and you can view them HERE.
Clearance: The clearance is my favorite part of Target. Each department clearances their items on a set day, the percentage of the markdown will range from 15%-75% off. Holiday and seasonal items get marked down as low as 90% off.
Scanners: The scanners are a great resource for checking prices, especially clearance items that may have been marked lower. Consider the scanners your Target BFF! If you scan an item and you get a message that says “Item not found” it usually means that the item had been clearanced and is no longer in their system. More times than not if you try to buy the item, the cashier will tell you that it has been salvaged and they cannot sell you the item.
5% off Everyday: You can save an extra 5% off all Target purchases when you use the Target Red Card or Target Debit Card
Reusable Bag Credit: Target will give you a $ .05 credit for each reusable bag you use.
For more posts in the 20 Days of Target Training, click the image above.
Craig says
You wrote:
“If you scan an item and you get a message that says ‘Item not found’ it usually means that the item had been clearanced and is no longer in their system. More times than not if you try to buy the item, the cashier will tell you that it has been salvaged and they cannot sell you the item.”
I’m curious: What happens next? Does the cashier give you the salvaged item to take for free? Or does the cashier keep the item? If it’s the latter, what happens to the item after that? Does the cashier get to keep it and take home, is it sent back to a warehouse and/or donated to charity, or does it go to the dumpster behind the store?
Christy says
@Craig No, you don’t get the item for free. That would be fun though! I don’t know what happens to each item for certain, but I know a good amount of the salvaged items from Target get donated to Goodwill.
Rebecca Foxworth says
Our local Targets donate salvaged items to the local Goodwill. So far, I’ve got a new headboard missing its screws, a Bissell little green machine missing a $7 brush (I bought it online), A mirror that needed a sharpie run over its scratched, black frame. Figuring out which Goodwill they send to is well worth the time and effort.
Also, our two in-town Target stores have slightly different prices, too. A friend and I stopped to figure one time, and realized those little differences added up to more than $30 a month ($360 a year!!!). The manager said this Target was for “a different clientele” than the other Target in town. I told my friend, “Clearly, I’m the OTHER clientele!”