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This is the letter I sent to a corporate address yesterday that is probably just going to file into someone's spam box:

I left the Farragut SuperTarget yesterday biting my tongue hard. I had to do this in order to keep from losing my temper in front of my 21 month old son. I decided that if I was still upset today that I couldn't do nothing about it.

I first went to the Knoxville West Target on Ray Mears and purchased several items. During my time there I noticed that the Fisher Price Space Saver High Chair was on sale from $49.99 to $38.49. I was thrilled since I had been looking for some time for a new high chair or booster for my son. I also noticed that the Evenflo Expressions High Chair (in stock) was on sale from $59.99 to $48-$49.00. So, while my son napped I thoroughly inspected both displays. After deciding that I preferred the Space Saver, I finally tracked down an associate by using the customer call phone and when the stock boy arrived I showed him the item I wanted and he informed me via his handheld computer that other than the display there were none in stock. I asked him if there may be any in stock at another nearby store. He looked in his handheld again and was able to tell me only after a moment that there was one available at the Farragut SuperTarget. I asked if he had the number so that I may call and request them to put this on hold for me. He did, I called, we waited, and when an associate finally answered I asked about the item, and she confirmed that they did have one in stock. I asked if they would reserve it for me, she asked my name, and it was done. When I got off the phone I admitted to the associate that I forgot to ask about the sales price and he stated that it should be the same. I thanked him for his help and continued my shopping and eventually checked out and left.

Now, I don't know if you know anything about Knoxville, but if you do, you may know about legendary Kingston Pike and the traffic issues near Downtown West. Even though it's only a 7 mile drive between the stores, it was a half hour ordeal to get to the other Target. Turkey Creek traffic on a Saturday afternoon is no roll in the hay either, just in case you were interested.

I finally arrive at the 2nd store and decide that I should get my grocery shopping out of the way before I go to customer service to claim my prize and eventually make my way to the baby section just in case I forgot something. I notice the Fisher Price Space Saver and the Evenflo Expressions High Chair, NEITHER OF WHICH ARE DISPLAYED WITH THE SALE PRICES.

I decide this would be a good time to go to customer service, because now I'm REALLY curious to see how my hunt is going to end. The young man eventually retrieves my reserved seat and rings it up. Da da da DAAAH...$59.00 and change. OK, so I explain to him why I called and why I drove all the way down here from the other store and he says he'll talk to his supervisor/manager. I overhear that man telling this kid that this store has higher volume so they're not subjected to the same sales pricess as the other store so they won't do anything about it. Now this man was no more than 3 feet away from me, but didn't think the issue was important enough to either tell me himself or even to make eye contact with me. The "kid" repeats to me what I'd already heard.

SO, this is where I *** my lip. I calmly roll my cart away from the counter out of the way of the other oncoming customer service issues and ease my son up out of the cart and walk out of the store.

I don't know where to go or what to say from here.

This shouldn't have happened. If stores have access to each other's inventory at the touch of a button and an associate, ANY ASSOCIATE, advises the customer that the prices would be the same 7 miles away, then I should've walked out of that store yesterday with my seat in tow. OR if you don't have the item in stock but you do at a nearby store you should honor the price the customer is chasing regardless. And just a sidenote: I would've purchased the Evenflo Expressions Highchair from the first store or taken a raincheck for the Space Saver seat (if that was an option) had I been advised that the sales prices wouldn't apply to the other store. It would have been a LOT easier than fighting that traffic alone. Another funny thing I noticed while at the second store: the sales flyers were the same!! I'll give you that the Space Saver seat wasn't in the flyer, but why would anyone think that you would have different sales items based on store volume? Of course a TargetSuper compared to a regular Target would have more volume in sales, but how the BLEEP would you expect your customers to know that there are limits and variations to the items that you have in stock or on sale????

I don't know if you care to address this issue or not, and if not, it will just confirm to me that Target is yet another money-hungry corporation and my choice to boycott you would just be miniscule, but appropriate. I truly believed as a long time patron that compared to other superstores your quality was by far superior but, I can assure you that does not weigh in with me today.

I've already told the story to my husband and happened to spill it to a few family members who seemed to agree with me.

Admittedly, I am sorry, and you can send me the bill, since while I was doing my grocery shopping at the second store with my trooper-of-a-child, I opened a package of string cheese (which I intended to purchase along with my Space Saver and other items) and allowed him to eat one. I also had a gallon of milk in my cart. So, in my angry tongue-biting haste, I forgot about these parishable items in the cart when I left it sitting alone and only realized it while brewing in bed. Really, I am sorry for that.

I hope whomever receives and reads this will take this somewhat seriously or pass it on to someone that will. Or maybe you'll all have a good laugh.

Location: Knoxville, Tennessee

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Guest

Target's store teams are too reliant on the genius product and marketing that comes out of the home office. At the store level the service is downright disappointing and I agree with Travis.

I am a cashier at the TC Target and I am constantly enraged at the way I see leaders and managers treating guests, but I have no power. I'm sorry you had to experience this. To me this would have been such an easy fix to keep a loyal customer happy, but they dropped the ball.

What\'s $20 in the long run? Someone needs to go back to business school.

Guest

There is a reason why Target isnt number 1... I hope they go out of business, I dont shop there anymore because of things like this!!!!!

Guest

Probably the reason why it wasn't in the sales add is because it was a Temporary Price cut. Rainchecks aren't issued for price cuts considering they typically last for about a 2 to 4 weeks.

About the price difference...

If something sales really good in one store, why would they mark it down.

Now if it sales badly in another store, then they'll mark it down to increase sales.

Each store has it's own sales quota, thus why they don't honor each other's prices.

thanks

Guest

I received this email from customer relations:

guest.relations@***.com wrote:

Dear customer,

Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts and feelings about our price matching policy.

We've established our policy as one way guests may expect value and low prices on all our merchandise. Target doesn't price match or price adjust with other competitor stores, other Target store locations (store-to-store), or Target.com. Target prices can vary between stores and our Web site because of the market value of the item. I'm sorry for any inconvenience or disappointment this may have caused.

We're always looking for ways to make the Target experience better for every guest. We also know the importance of having well-trained team members who are knowledgeable about our policies. As a result, I'll make sure to share your comments with our Store Operations team.

Thanks for shopping with us. I hope we'll see you again soon at Target.

Sincerely,

Kyle

Target Guest Relations

www.target.com

[THREAD ID:1-4E0OWI]

TO WHICH I REPLIED:

That's nonsense. None of your competitors have such ridiculous policies. For that matter, it doesn't make sense to me that you can purchase an item from one of your stores and return it to another. What if I had been able to purchase the Space Saver Seat for the sales price at store 1 and then decided to return it to store 2? I would've made a profit!! Does that really make sense to you?

Repair your radical and unfair policies and I would definitely think about returning to Target because the fact remains that due to your on-sale item being out of stock, your policies promised an item to a customer with a child who was forced to drive halfway across town through the worst traffic in Knoxville for NOTHING. If your own employees don't know your policies, how do you expect your customers to?

In the meantime, I'm happy to be a competitor's customer, no matter who that may be (and so are my friends and family).

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