Icon769

I went there a couple days ago to buy a few things including the Nightmare Before Christmas Blu-Ray that they had on sale. Once I got home I realized that the cashier hadn't removed the Blu-Ray from the thick plastic case they keep it in to prevent theft.

So reluctantly the next day I have to go back and deal with having to find parking (holiday shoppers), and get this taken care of. I go up to Returns/Customer service and hand the girl the encased Blu-Ray along with my receipt and tell her, "I bought this yesterday and didn't notice until I got home that the guy forgot to take this plastic case off".

I figure since I have the receipt she'll take the plastic off and I'll be out of there quick. Instead, she doesn't say a word, takes the movie and receipt and walks out from behind the counter past me about 40 feet, and goes inside an unmarked door. A second later she comes out sans my movie or receipt, and just stands there. I'm still at the counter looking at her since I had seen where she went. She glances at me for a sec, then turns to look away. She's just standing there, and now I'm like WTF.

After about ten minutes I walk over there and ask what's going on. At this point she tells me the security guy is looking at the video footage. I remind her that I have a receipt and she counters with, "they're supposed to remove the plastic". I took this as she was implying that I could have still stolen in. I told her that the guy ringing me up originally was talking with this buddy which is probably why he didn't do his job correctly. Right when I was about to ask to speak to the manager (which I should have done earlier) the security guy emerged with my receipt and movie.

I left hella pissed. First it's their fault for giving me the movie without removing the security device. Then after making time to return and get it removed the employee esentially walks away for a long time without so much as a word as to what is going on. I felt like I was unfairly treated like a criminal and they made me wait for so long without any indication as to what was going on.

Unless this is protocol for when someone returns with a security device attached to their item WITH A RECEIPT. But I doubt it...

effin douchbags.

Alan Smithee

Why didn't you just break it off yourself?

Doc Moonlight

Did the security guy at least apologize? I'd still talk with a manger.

Icon769

If there was a way to break it off myself without damaging the Blu-Ray itself I would have attempted it.

As the security guard handed me the movie and receipt back I said "so I didn't steal it huh?" He said something along the lines of no. I'm not even sure, I was so pissed I just wanted to get out of there. But definitely no apology, I remember that cause I was expecting one.

movieguru

Call the 1-800 number and ask who the DM is for the stores in the area. Call him and leave a message with his secretary or on his voice mail. You'll most likely get a $25 gift card.

Travis McClain

I wonder, as board members of all these endangered corporations (not that Target's on that list yet) frantically scramble to find ways of keeping their businesses afloat how many of them will even think about addressing the issue of how their customers are treated.

BKenn01

I would suspect that the employee you delt with today was actually doing their job. You have to think that people actually do try to pull things like bring in a reciept, go back pick one up and try to pull a fast one.

Yes, the employee could have handled it better, but welcome to customer service in the 21st century.......

disneyguy

So what they are doing their job.People always need something to complain
about.
DG

dsa_shea

How did you make it all the way home without realising that the Blu-Ray was still in the security case?

Moopher

That's what I thought. I always check my stuff when I get into my car...just in case something was forgotten. You never know.. Well, you know now anyway.

Cardsfan111

I don't want this to come across as if the blame falls on you, OP. However, all of this could have been avoided had you noticed they failed to remove the plastic case before you left the store the first time. You obviously recall specific details of your trip through the line the first time (the cashier talking to his buddy), and perhaps were distracted yourself from noticing it wasn't taken care of then.

I've gotten in the habit a long time ago of paying close attention to things as I'm being checked out....too often I've see cashier's accidentally scan something twice or a price ring up incorrectly. Granted, it sounds like the folks in customer service could have been a bit more polite, but it certainly sounds like they were doing what they needed to do in addressing the matter.

Abob Teff

While wrapping presents earlier I found a security tag still on an article of clothing ... we'll see what happens when I take it back.

That doesn't say too much for their security system ...

Gerry P.

Christmas freudian slip, perhaps?

Moopher

It's christmas...the people who work there are not robots contrary to what some seem to think. People slip, shit happens.

My Other Self

This happened to me at Media Play when they were still in business with a CD. I was at the Customer Service for nearly AN HOUR as they went back, without a single word to me, to check to make sure I didn't steal it.

Now they're out of business.

MBoyd

And probably seasonal employees who haven't been at the job very long. I do however think the girl could have treated the OP like a human being. I think he should call the district manager and see what they say.

DeanoBKN

I don't really see anything wrong with this. It sucks for the honest customer but it's standard Lost Prevention procedure. If they didn't take steps to make sure you didn't steal it, they would open their doors for the assholes of the world to rip them off clean.

Day 1: Buy a Blu-Ray
Day 2: Go back to Target, pick up another case from the section, bring it up to customer service and with your receipt, tell them the cashier didn't unlock the case.
Day 3: With receipt, return the Blu-Ray you purchased and now you got a free Blu-Ray.

When I managed a record store, I used to run into some jokers who would pull this stunt, but with CD's that were locked in those plastic cases.

DarthVong

Yep, pretty standard stuff. Still Im sure if you complain to the DM, you'll probably get a gift card. At the very least they should have apologized for your wait while they checked the video.

Trevor

Agree with Dean.

They could have been nicer perhaps, but were just doing their job, which prevents fraud and keeps customer costs down.

This might sound silly, but I've always had a plan if this ever happens to me. On my trip back to the store, I call the store and get a customer service desk person on the phone. I explain the situation to them and tell them that I'm walking in from outside right now, waving to them as I walk in. This should prevent any chance of them thinking I stole it.

jjcool

I see where the OP is coming from here. The people that work at hte customer service counter at my target are the shittiest of the shitty. You would think that you woul dwant your most customer service oriented people to work at the Customer Service counter. Well if these folk are their best, I would hate to see their worst. They are hands down the worst ever when it comes to customer service. Both in store and over the phone to corporate. My issue with them is that I bought an item from them, then went to return it with the receipt but they claimed that the item I bought wasnt on the reciept that they gave me when I bought it. It was a different item. They couldnt understand how they could have possibly had a mistake happen on their end. To top that off, the first thing that the "customer service" bitch did when I handed here the item was tear open the box. Not open it correctly like a civilized human being, but tear off the top of the box like the animal that she was.

Back to the OP, I can totally see how the OP didn't notice the case on the blueray until he got home. Who actually checks every item in their bags before they leave? I happen to check to make sure I have everything, but I dont check them close enough to notice a clear plastic case around a dvd or blueray. I have had that happen before with clothes and with cds and dvds. I always just break the cases off. They come off real easily if you know what you are doing. But, the alarm should have sounded when he left the store. So it sounds like not only did the cashier not do his job, but anyone that was working the door at the time didnt do their job as well. Not surprising of a target employee.

fumanstan

Another person here that doesn't see anything wrong, other then the poor communication as to what they were doing. Seems pretty standard for them to review some footage to make sure that you didn't just grab a new sealed copy or something.

Of course, Blu-ray's at the Targets here aren't sealed in any plastic. So maybe your particular Target has had issues with theft and thus would be extra careful.

I'm always curious why people get so angry or feel so threatened in these situations, as though its a slap in the face that there are policies and procedures that have to be followed.

Xbox69

I don't see how this scenario could remove ALL doubt from a CSRs mind as to whether it was shoplifted in the first place -- maybe even on a prior visit.

Travis McClain

I keep seeing posts from people who don't feel that Target did anything wrong, that their employees were simply doing their job. I understand that perspective, and yes, they did things by the book and that's entirely reasonable. The OP's beef--and the issue I would take with Target over this incident--is not whatwas done, but how it was done.

Once upon a time, I bought some DVD's at Dollar General. I made it as far as the car before I discovered that they were still encased in their plastic cases. I walked right back inside with them, and the cashier that had three minutes earlier been as sweet as sugar couldn't possibly have acted any more put out and bothered by me. There's something about having your own mistake brought inescapably to your attention that makes a lot of people defensive to the point of rudeness.

Xbox69

I recall a situation I had at a local Blockbuster some years ago. I purchased a used game as part of a sale -- it may have been B1G1 or similar. I don't even recall if the clerk opened the case to verify there was a disc inside but when I arrived home I noticed the game was not the version pictured. I had a Max Payne 2 case but inside was a Max Payne (Platinum Hits) disc. I immediately called the store and was back there in a half hour or so. They didn't take too long in discussing it amongst themselves but they did let me choose another game. However, I did feel a little uneasy wondering if they suspected that I had pulled some kind of switcheroo on them.

Al_Tahoe

Nicely played, Gerry!