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Welcome to the first of our two part Shopping Secrets post by a true Target Insider. Jackie, of Adventures of a Twenty Something Mother, has been sneaking little tips into the comments of posts for a while, and now she's kindly agreed to do a guest blogger piece for us. Time to get the low down on making the most of your bargain shopping!
Below is a list I compiled of the secrets to Target shopping. For job security, I must state that none of these‘secrets' I am giving you guys are not allowed by Target. Here we go!
Get rainchecks for diaper sales. Unless an item is stated as having a‘no rainchecks’policy, you are able to go to the customer service desk and request a raincheck. The team member will need a DCPI number. If the item you want to request is in the current week’s circular, then they will have the DCPI number behind the Customer Service desk. If not, then it would be a good idea to grab the DCPI number from the item on the shelf (otherwise, you might have to wait longer than you would like). The DCPI number goes something like this: XXX-XX-XXXX (Those X’s are all numbers). These numbers are used in Target's system to identify the item as in stock and on file. I'm telling you this because you can get rainchecks on most diaper sales! I used this option once when I didn’t have any Pampers coupons, but there was a great sale. I got a raincheck, then waited for my Pampers coupons and used them! The raincheck is usually good for about a month or two.
Watch out for coupons. Check your receipt when you walk out the door. Chances are, you'll have a coupon attached to your receipt. These are sponsored by the manufacturer. I see Enfamil Next Step, $1 off Gerber 2nd foods, $2 off Huggies and others all the time! These money saving coupons can easily get lost in your purse and thrown out if you're not careful!
Use a Target RedCard. I know, I know. You get hassled when you check out; you see the signs everywhere. And I'm not suggesting this because I work at Target—I don’t get anything from your opening a RedCard. BUT, they can be very beneficial if you're able to manage it. I’ve had a RedCard since 2004 and I've saved a lot of money from it. If you generally use cash or debit when you buy from Target, opening a RedCard can be very rewarding to you. How can another credit card be beneficial?
When you use your Target card, you earn points. There are two different types of Target cards: a Target Guest Card and a Target Visa. With the Target Guest Card, you earn one point for every dollar you spend. With a Target Visa, you earn one point for every dollar spent at Target and two points for every dollar spent outside of Target. When you reach 1,000 points, you get a certificate for 10% off a day's shopping. When you receive the certificate (a small card that fits in your wallet), there is an expiration date—you have about 3-4 weeks to use the card. You need to use your RedCard in order to get the savings, however.
Since you have about a month, hold off using your certificate until you have a ton of coupons and there is a good sale on the diapers you want to buy. You end up saving even more! Say you are shopping for Pampers this week. They're on sale at $7.50 per pack, and let's say you have a $1.50 coupon. For size three, that's roughly 17 cents per diaper. But with the extra 10% off, you pay 15 cents a diaper. Not much of a difference, I know. But if you stock up, you save more. And not only on diapers, but all products.
You also get coupons! And not just the random coupons that Target sends out to anyone, but RedCard-specific coupons. You get coupon booklets with your statement from time to time, and these coupons are usually marked, “Use this coupon with your RedCard and earn an additional 50 bonus points." I used a .75-off cereal coupon, paid $1 for it, and earned 50 extra points! You can use these coupons without your RedCard.
It only takes a day or two for your charges to go onto your RedCard account. Target has online bill pay for their card, so I go online after a couple days and pay off what I just put on the card before finance charges accrue.
Part Two: Target Sales, Markdowns and Clearance Secrets
Sep 25, 2007
Target Insider: Shopping Secrets, Part 1
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25 comments:
Wow! This is awesome! As a dedicated and loyal Target shopper(and addict, this is really good info! Can't wait for part 2!!
Great pointers. I have been wondering about a few of these things and this posts will help me answer any questions I have.
Hey guys! One more thing I forgot to throw in there: When you open up a RedCard, you get 10% off the day of shopping as well. You could make a trip to each Target that day and as long as you use your RedCard, you get 10% off, all day! Forgot to throw that in there :)
I hope you guys find these tips useful!
You did a fantastic job with the article, Jackie! Thanks!
Do they not have to be out of an item for them to give you a raincheck?
yeah can you still get a raincheck even if the product is on the shelf?
This is off-topic. wantnot.net keyed me in to the fact that LLBean has a great infant fleece on sale for $9 today only, plus a code for free shipping.
To be honest, that is a toughy! Because it can go either way. when I got the diaper rainchecks, they weren't out of them. When I did one for this lady who wanted bottles, laundry detergent and dish soap, we weren't out of them and it worked. But once, when a person wanted a raincheck for an item that was on sale but out of their size, the computer wouldn't let me do it, even though it didn't state in the circular that it was a 'no raincheck' item. Out of all the times I've personally done rainchecks, I was only denied once by the computer system.
I hate to say that it can sometimes be a 'hit or miss' situation because of that one time. But it is an option you can try! It worked for me and for a co-worker, and it has nothing to do with the fact that we work there. We can't check ourselves out or do rainchecks for ourselves. We came in on our own off time, on a day we didn't work. That's all I can tell you guys!
A manager at my local Target told me that they can't do rainchecks on softlines. That could be why you couldn't do the raincheck that one time (I'm assuming it was clothing, since you mentioned size). Diapers, cleaning supplies, etc. aren't softlines, and should be okay.
Hmm. That's not always the case because I've done both kids and adult rainchecks before, so I don't know! No one actually had an answer for me when that happened to me, so I have no idea :)
But just go ahead and try it this week before the sale runs out! Doesn't hurt to try :)
Is there a limit to the number of rainchecks you can request for one specific item?
It really depends on the item. When I did mine, I did two of them, with (2) on each because if, let's say, you put 4 packs of diapers on one raincheck but only buy 3, you can't keep the raincheck for later. That way, you know that you will get your raincheck.
I had this one lady come in when we were having a really good cleaning supply sale and I remember once item I could only do like 11 (it was dishsoap) and the laundry detergent I could only do 6 at a time. It really all depends on the item :)
I hope you guys are finding this helpful and keep asking questions! I will keep checking back in :)
And if you put any of these suggestions into action, I would love to hear if it worked! If you got a raincheck, what type of coupons are popping out with your receipts, etc
"With the Target Guest Card, you earn one point for every dollar you spend. With a Target Visa, you earn one point for every dollar spent at Target and two points for every dollar spent outside of Target."
I have a RedCard Visa and you do get one point for every dollar you spend at Target. You have to spend two dollars elsewhere to get one point, however. http://redcard.target.com/redcard/page.jsp?contentid=rc_benefits_tgt_rewards
That was probably just a typo in the article.
THANKS SO MUCH for the other great tips. These will be awesome to use in the future.
You are right! I totally screwed that one up! Thank you so much for clearing that up :)
With three kids running around all day, I tend to not proof read!
BTW, since you have a RedCard, do you get the occasional RedCard coupons?
I've tried to get rainchecks on diapers that were on sale at Target but not in the size I wanted and they refused saying that the computer said that there was a store nearby (20 minutes away) that had the size I wanted. There was no mention of a no raincheck position in the ad. The manager refused to come down and speak with me about that. And I had to speak to 3 people and waited at least 30 minutes. I was trying to be persistent because it was a good deal AND I had a coupon. When I sent my husband to the other Target, they gave him a hard time about using the coupon AND the sale price, again, not mentioned in the ad or on the coupon. This was a sale and coupon I had found out from Baby Cheapskate.
It could have been that particular store but it really turned me off to Target, which I had loved.
Great info!
That is terrible! Unfortunately, as I said, each Target is kinda their own store in many ways; corporate doesn't get too involved on policies such as those. They should have given you a raincheck regardless, because that kind of behavior is not what Target, or any other customer service, is about. If that ever happens to you again, contact corporate by finding the appropriate form at Target.com.
I know some Targets are all around better than others. I like to brag that the Target I work at is extremely competent and we care only about customer service. I know I've personally spoken to others Targets over the phone when putting items on hold at their Target and lemme tell you--not the most friendly people in the world, even to their own fellow Target employees.
The rainchecks aren't always a guaranteed thing. Like I said, it can be a hit or miss, but it's definately worth a try!
Is there a way to know what kind of coupon will come out with your receipt. I got a $4 Enfamil coupon one time and of course would like to know if something I bought caused that one to be printed. I have also gotton several for Target brand pull-ups for $1 off. Is it random???
As far as I know, it's random. I believe it's based on what you have bought, past and present in most cases. I see them more frequently with people who pay with debit or credit card, so it may have something to do with your history. If their system can look up a reciept and items on your card, there is no doubt in my mind that they see perhaps a history of buying a certain brand. OR, it could be just that you bought a baby item and they spit a baby item coupon back out at you. I don't know. A couple weeks ago, I had a lady buy Gerber 3rd foods, but it spit out a Gerber 2nd foods coupon. She was like, huh? LOL So, I think it's a combination of whatever manufacturer is doing the promotion through Target and your purchase history. But, I could be completely wrong. I will make sure and ask when I go back into work next time.
Our meijer is giving me $4.50 off coupons on Enfamil right now every time I buy Gerber 1st and 2nd food.
Thanks so much! I love Target and seem to always be there. ;) I do have a RedCard, but never receive coupons in the mail (for RedCard or otherwise). Perhaps I should change back to a paper bill?
Hi Jackie. I just recently signed up for a RedCard (I bought a stroller and waited to open it for such a big bill). I have not received any coupons yet.
We have a Target store here in my town. They are horrible!!! I buy my formula there ( Enfamil ) and every single time I go to purchase it, it rings up for a higher price then is listed on the shelf. It makes me so mad to have to watch and make sure that I am getting charged the price shown on the shelf. Every single time I point it out and the employee ringing me up says that the formula is no longer the lower price, yet they never change the price on the shelf to the correct price the formula rings up at. I am glad to get the lower price in the end, I just hate the hassle of making sure they over ride the price when I purchase it.
Our target is horrible at returns also. I bought 3 boxes of diapers that were on a huge clearance ( marked down to $18.20 originally $26 plus I had $1.50 off coupons ) after I got in my car I thought something was wrong because I paid more then I should have. I looked at my receipt and one of the boxes I was charged full price for. I didn't want them for full price I just bought them because they were on clearance. I went back to target and the customer service person argued with me that they weren't on clearance, even though there was a red clearance sticker right there on the box. After the employee pretty much accusing me of putting the clearance sticker on the box myself to get a better deal I left the store with my money instead of the "clearance" diapers. Target does have some good deals every now and then, but they have also been a pain to work with here in my town.
FYI..Even if the item is in the circular, get the numbers.
I attempted to get rain checks yesterday on the diapers even though they were in stock. I remember reading if the item was in the circular, they would have the number so I didn't bother getting it. BAD MOVE...cust ser radios someone in the dept. and asks for the numbers. I have to wait for the person to call back. When they call back, they ask what I need rain checks for becasue diapers are on the shelf. The ones he told her were not the ones I was shopping for, so I have to tell her specifically which ones I want. Needless to say, he calls back, tells her they are in stock and brings the diapers to customer service. I did not want to purchase them becasue I had no coupons. Fortunaetly, though, it was taking them so long to recognize me, that I ended up leaving. I said ALL of this to say, get the number off of the shelf. :-)
I took advantage of the sale on the Pampers today. I had just one coupon for $1.50 off, so I just bought one package. I then went up to customer service with my receipt and asked if I could get a raincheck for the diapers. She typed in the upc on the receipt and was able to print out a rain check off of that.
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