This experience honestly broke us at a time when we're already stressed and preparing for our baby's arrival. We came to Target simply trying to return a damaged dresser that was purchased from our baby registry. One of the main panels arrived broken, and we just wanted to exchange it or at least get store credit so we could replace it. That's it.
Instead, we were pushed through an exhausting, embarrassing, and honestly humiliating process that left us feeling completely defeated. We dealt with six different associates over two days, and not ONE person seemed to know how to help us. No one even tried to understand the situation..we were treated like an inconvenience every step of the way.
On 11/20, we went in during the evening. Multiple employees shrugged us off, looked confused, or just pointed us elsewhere. The third associate was the only one who somewhat helped, and he told us we needed the receipt from the person who bought the dresser from our registry. As expecting parents, it's already humbling and emotional preparing for a baby but having to reach out to someone who gave us a gift and ask them for their personal purchase receipt was incredibly embarrassing. But we did it because we didn't have a choice.
We returned the next day with the receipt, hopeful. Instead, we got passed around again. Employee after employee acted like they'd never seen a registry return before. They told us the item number on the receipt "wasn't correct," even though it was literally the one Target provided through our registry. My wife kept calmly explaining this, but they wouldn't listen.
Eventually they told us WE needed to call corporate to get the "right" item number. Mind you--we told them repeatedly the dresser was no longer available on Target's website. They still dismissed us and clearly just wanted us to leave.
We finally pushed back and asked why THEY couldn't call corporate. After avoiding it, they finally made the call... and corporate confirmed the item number we had from the beginning was correct. The employees suddenly had nothing to say. They blamed the system, saying it wouldn't pull up because it's no longer sold. Exactly what we told them from the moment we walked in.
After HOURS of this over two days, all we wanted was store credit so we could replace a dresser that arrived damaged. Instead, they told us it was "past the return window" and there was nothing they could do. They ended the whole nightmare by telling us to "contact the manufacturer."
We walked out feeling upset, stressed, and honestly completely let down. As expecting parents dealing with damaged baby furniture and trying to do things the right way, this was the last thing we needed.
If you're thinking about creating a Target baby registry, please be aware:
You might end up dealing with employees who don't understand the system, don't want to help, and leave you feeling helpless when something arrives damaged. This was supposed to be an exciting time for us--and Target made it incredibly stressful and disappointing. read more