Archived No more noreceipt returns

[Frontlanegirl]

I'm a little late to the party here, so I'll give my take. Our store has turned themselves pretty much into a "yes" store. I'm told to "make it right for the guest" even if that includes using the override code, because our STL doesn't want any guest to leave unhappy. Here's my problem -- the override code should be used for emergencies only, and only used in discretionary situations - it is in the policy that we cannot use the override code to circumvent the no receipt return limit, yet our leadership team wants us to do it and no matter how much I try to advise against it, they still insist we "make it right for the guest".

We already lost the missed coupon option, which sucks big time, and I don't want to lose the override option too. I could go on and on about this "Legendary Service" thing because I think that our store is going about it wrong. I've become a broken record about it and if I keep going I'll lose out on whatever advancement might come my way, because that's the way my store is.

We are instructed to not use the override key. Funny how the ETL's use it if they are at the desk.

 

[MrGSTLman]

We are instructed to not use the override key. Funny how the ETL's use it if they are at the desk.

I use it, but I try to do it at my discretion. We are at the point where my GE and STL have blatantly said to me if I call them down there they will just override whatever issue there is so just use it. I just don't want that to bite me in the butt.

It's not that they couldn't figure out that money was being lost. That was always known. They just felt it would benefit the company more to make legitimate customers happy and accept all returns. The people in upper AP have always pushed against it for obvious reasons. But you also had the upper level guest experience people pushing for it and just make people happy, especially post-data breach. It isn't until now that the board has decided that the cost of that initiative is outweighing the benefits.

I have not seen any type of communication on this recently but if it's that serious I'm sure it will come soon.

 

[RightArm]

I guess that explains the periodic items we get returned in our SL reshop that isn't even Target brand. Like "Land's End" and "Abercrombie" and even "Old Navy" .... I get that we sell stuff online that we don't sell in the store in returns but some of these items are clearly NOT ours. However, if GS is being leaned on to "make it right" no matter what, that suddenly makes sense.

 

[On6]

I guess that explains the periodic items we get returned in our SL reshop that isn't even Target brand. Like "Land's End" and "Abercrombie" and even "Old Navy" .... I get that we sell stuff online that we don't sell in the store in returns but some of these items are clearly NOT ours. However, if GS is being leaned on to "make it right" no matter what, that suddenly makes sense.

That's most likely ticket switch return fraud more than anything. If they have tags on them for Target items.

 

[Frontlanegirl]

I guess that explains the periodic items we get returned in our SL reshop that isn't even Target brand. Like "Land's End" and "Abercrombie" and even "Old Navy" .... I get that we sell stuff online that we don't sell in the store in returns but some of these items are clearly NOT ours. However, if GS is being leaned on to "make it right" no matter what, that suddenly makes sense.

Taking these items back does not fall under the "make it right" umbrella. Most likely the customer has switched tickets.

 

[RightArm]

Anyone ever caught anyone ticket switching just by looking at the brand stamped in the collar or waistband? Or does GS have to accept it just because the attached ticket is ours? Just curious how they get away with this.

 

[LUR99]

Anyone ever caught anyone ticket switching just by looking at the brand stamped in the collar or waistband? Or does GS have to accept it just because the attached ticket is ours? Just curious how they get away with this.

I do not accept the item. I explain sweet and short that the item did not come from Target and hand the item back to the guest. Most act like they had no idea and confused.

 

[buliSBI]

There was a short lived period back in 2001 where that happened at my first store. No receipt no return. It was implemented for about two weeks during the Christmas season then the 2 returns per ID with a max of $75 was pushed at the first of 2002.

 

[60SecondsRemaining]

My favorite part of this interaction every time I got an Lod call for this. Every time I had the same reply.

Me: Hello, what can I do for you?
Cust: I want to return this and I don't have the receipt, I know the policy
Me: Well unfortunately, without your receipt or proof of purchase I can't process the return. Did you use a card? We can look it up!
Cust: *insert bullshit about paying with cash/sisterbrothercousingrandmom bought it/it was a gift*
Me: Well unfortunately, as I said, without a receipt or proof of purchase, I can't return it.

And here is the moment I waited for every time.

Cust: Well show me where it says that, where does it say that.
Me: on the receipt.
Cust: Well I don't have that.
Me: Great, now you see where I'm coming from. Since we have this in common I hope you can understand that I'm unable to process your return. Have a great day.

Literally never got old. Ever.

 

[BullseyeBlues]

We heavily enforce the $70 yearly cap of no-receipt-no-card returns at our store because we're near a fairly large city with several booster rings in the area and a butt-ton of resellers. Anything that's not a Target sold brand is flatly rejected at the service desk.

 

[redeye58]

Had a lady trying to return a worn pair of girls' leopard print skimmers with a Walmart brand label inside.
I told her I couldn't accept them because they weren't Target's brand while she INSISTED that we carried them.
I told her she was more than welcome to go to shoes & bring me a pair to get a DPCI off of so she sent her daughter.
Daughter returned with a pair of Target brand & lo, they weren't the same brand.
She then tried the "Well, WALMART takes ANYTHING back!" to which a woman in line spoke up, saying "Uh, I WORK at Walmart & NO, we won't!"

 

[Frontlanegirl]

Anyone ever caught anyone ticket switching just by looking at the brand stamped in the collar or waistband? Or does GS have to accept it just because the attached ticket is ours? Just curious how they get away with this.

I have and I have denied a return. I had a guest trying to return a holiday shirt with a ticket from a new item. Told her the ticket on the item did not match the shirt and I could not proceed with the return. She knew she was busted and took the item back.

 

[On6]

We heavily enforce the $70 yearly cap of no-receipt-no-card returns at our store because we're near a fairly large city with several booster rings in the area and a butt-ton of resellers. Anything that's not a Target sold brand is flatly rejected at the service desk.

Not to nit pick but.....

Boosters don't return stuff. They either sell it themselves or take it to a fencing operation (I.e. A shady corner store) to get a fraction of the value.

 

[Apapaia]

In my store we do no receipt returns but we are allowed and encouraged to deny the return if we feel it would be fraudulent. I guess you kinda need to learn to "feel" the situation.
In my store there are a lot of drug addict that will literally try to return anything, you see them approaching the service desk with their ID on hand and the items in a Walmart/Walgreen/anyothergrocerystore bag saying they lost the receipt or their girlfriend/grandma bought it as a gift etc. For those people I pretend to attempt the return and then tell them "Sorry I won't be able to process this return unless you have a proof of purchase". If they get upset they get to talk to AP which will point out the policy on the wall. I very rarely call the LOD because not all of them are on the same page.
Overall no receipt returns are not a big hassle for us in the store because we have a big support from our ETLGE and AP.

 

[BullseyeBlues]

Not to nit pick but.....

Boosters don't return stuff. They either sell it themselves or take it to a fencing operation (I.e. A shady corner store) to get a fraction of the value.

Ours are rich kids taking advantage of being under 18 as long as the laws remain the same, who try to return fraud anything they can't sell on Poshmark or Mercari. Makes 'em even more obnoxious. They don't know I watch all the reselling channels around here to see if anything matched shrink from our store in recent times. These kids would wrinkle their noses up at shady corner stores because they think they're too good for them.

 

[thetargetman]

This is how it should be! There are too many scammers and con artists who take advantage of this shit. My favorite was a woman who tried returning a waffle maker she bought 12 years ago! it was my last week with spot and so I didn't give a shit anymore so I just returned it but seriously... 12years?!?!?

 

[thetargetman]

Oh no! I want to return this dress that I wore for one night and no longer like, i don't have the receipt or anything! I know target will take it though

This guy looks pretty intimidating!

 

[thetargetman]

About 12-15 years ago they "tried" an after holiday return policy like this. No matter what you bought the tree, lights, costumes for you would get back the current clearance price even with a receipt. It was sheer chaos! I have never been screamed at by so many people in such a short period of time. Lasted 1 season. Then they went strict 90 days, no receipt no return. Now it depends on how you paid what the item is blah blah blah. Also it depends greatly what store your in and how much of a backbone your ETLS have. This is the exact reason people throw a fit. We need to adopt a return policy and STICK WITH IT. There are guests that will get pissed. I will give them directions to Walmart. But if you stay consistent and enforce the written policy in all stores, the guests will cut down on the temper tantrums. They will see it gets them no where. Also in the day of conceal and carry its only a matter of time before some nut job who can't handle the responsibility will threaten someone. That area should be a higher pay grade.

Exactly! The dickheads who throw fits to get their way don't deserve to shop at Target... they moan and bitch and threaten to call corporate who never work at the store and care about keeping every customer no matter what.

 

[MrGSTLman]

So I need to vent a bit here. Yesterday I had this exact discussion with my ETL-GE about using the override key to get around the no receipt return. I then had a guest come in and want to return an apple watch AND bose headphones with no receipt. I was going to deny it and then she told me no, just use the override to give him a giftcard. $750 later he walked away with a gift card from Target. I expressed to her my concern that using the code too many times may result in us losing the option to use it altogether (much like our district lost the option of using the missed coupon feature because of too much use). She told me that the company is looking at its use but so that "people other than GSTLs (like service desk TMs) can use it so GSTLs do not have to take their time to solve problems for guests." Not quite sure what to make of that, to be honest. It made me a bit angry when she said that because it made me feel that the company wants to do away with GSTLs and GSAs. We had a visit from corporate that basically made it sound like they were trying to figure out ways to solve problems without the GSTL having to interfere.

Thoughts? And sorry if this is a bit all over the place.

 

[Anelmi]

I'm just shocked that your ETL allowed those items to be returned without a receipt. At best I can see allowing one of them but both? For $750? No way. Not in my store.

 

[On6]

Ours are rich kids taking advantage of being under 18 as long as the laws remain the same, who try to return fraud anything they can't sell on Poshmark or Mercari. Makes 'em even more obnoxious. They don't know I watch all the reselling channels around here to see if anything matched shrink from our store in recent times. These kids would wrinkle their noses up at shady corner stores because they think they're too good for them.

I wouldn't describe rich kids, especially under 18, as professional boosters. Those are opportunists. Boosters steal for a living.

 

[HRZone]

Thoughts? And sorry if this is a bit all over the place

I have also heard rumors the gsa/gstl position is going to be phased out. I don't see it In theory yes you always need someone to cover the lanes but there are cheaper ways to do it in targets eyes.

My first hint to this is notice they took Starbucks and cafe away from the etl ge. Yes it puts food together but at stores with an etl ge only rather than a ge/salesfloor they suddenly don't have much to oversee.

 

[Frontlanegirl]

So I need to vent a bit here. Yesterday I had this exact discussion with my ETL-GE about using the override key to get around the no receipt return. I then had a guest come in and want to return an apple watch AND bose headphones with no receipt. I was going to deny it and then she told me no, just use the override to give him a giftcard. $750 later he walked away with a gift card from Target. I expressed to her my concern that using the code too many times may result in us losing the option to use it altogether (much like our district lost the option of using the missed coupon feature because of too much use). She told me that the company is looking at its use but so that "people other than GSTLs (like service desk TMs) can use it so GSTLs do not have to take their time to solve problems for guests." Not quite sure what to make of that, to be honest. It made me a bit angry when she said that because it made me feel that the company wants to do away with GSTLs and GSAs. We had a visit from corporate that basically made it sound like they were trying to figure out ways to solve problems without the GSTL having to interfere.

Thoughts? And sorry if this is a bit all over the place.

There is no way that this would have happened in my store. We are told to follow the prompts and there is no way the system would have allowed a GC for these items. Our STL said there is to be no overriding.

 

[jenna]

I always find switched tags after the fact. In our store, I think it happens more often in our fitting room than via returns at guest service.

 

[BeelzeBecky]

For the most part I'd rather not do no receipt returns because it's a pain in the ass when people try to scam or they bring in something that was clearly purchased a year ago for a return.

We haven't gotten anything to my knowledge about this. Our store policy is "All Returns, All Of The Time!". Very rarely do we deny a return. We have a few frequent fliers who are monitored and I deny returns of items that are obviously used, smell heavily of smoke or cat pee, but other than that, I've seen GSA's let people return used merchandise.

I'd love to see a uniform policy storewide but doubt that will ever happen.

 

[MrGSTLman]

The reality here is I am all for giving great guest service. And I also think exceptions can and should be made once in a while at the GSTL or LOD discretion, hence us having access to the override code.

Things happen, so it's nice once in a while to have the freedom to do a guest a solid and make an exception. But when you make a habit out of it and just become a "yes desk" it goes beyond that to me. With today's guest, there is no such thing as a one time exception anymore, if you do it once they expect you to do it again... and again and again. What makes it worse is that not every store is the same here. You have one that follows the policy and another one city over that is the "yes" store.