Target - Target.com Scam Britax Carseat Internet

You knew it was a mistake. All the mom's flying to buy it and posting on CafeMom, Yahoo boards, BabyCenter boards, and everywhere else knew it was a mistake. You know as well as I do that at least half of those mom's (who just want the best for their children... please!!) were buying as many of those seats as they could get their hands on to re-sell on Ebay and Craigslist. I know some were excited at a Britax car seat at a more affordable price (I myself cannot afford one and did tons of research and some Ebaying to afford the highly rated and less expensive seats I do have for my children... because yes, we all do want the best for our children) Target owes you nothing more than a "sorry for the inconvenience".

Do what the majority of us have done in our lives. Buy the expensive car seat at a consignment shop or a yard sale for an even cheaper price OR buy a cheaper car seat. Come on, expensive does not mean better. If you price shop then as the OP seems to know the price on this carseat then the OP knew this was a misprint.

I note that you say your complaint has "nothing to do with Target's wealth" and then go on to repeat that Target is a "BILLION dollar company" with "MILLION-dollar CEOs." Could you make up your mind, please?

Anyone who has ever worked in retail knows that the lamest cliche out there is "the customer is always right." The customer is NOT always right, the company is NOT always wrong. Target was NOT obligated to send out practically-free car seats because it made a pricing error, whether it's a billion-dollar conglomerate or the guy down the block running a yard sale. Business Ethics don't change with the size of the Business. You guys are just clueless and bitter-- oh, and yes, it has EVERYTHING to do with not getting your cheap car seats, and NOTHING to do with some legitimate sense of "customer service." Again, get over yourselves.

I'd love to see you as the head of a company and how long your definition of "customer service" would last if you were the one who made a MISTAKE in pricing.

How many car seats was Target "obligated" to sell at 85% discounts in the name of "customer service?" A thousand? A million? Again, what difference does it make how big Target's profit margin is? What if Target was the local hardware store? Would they THEN be entitled to make a mistake? What if Target was an individual selling a car? Is that individual entitled to make a mistake?

At what point is a company so rich, it's obligated to honor a mistake by handing out practically free merchandise? And what does "Customer Service" really mean here? Servicing the customer doesn't mean kissing his a*s, sorry. You guys want something for nothing, and you're upset because you aren't getting it. You're upset because Target caught it's mistake before it could send out your car seats. Several of these posters make it clear that they will never shop at Target again because Target won't send them a car seat at 85% off. What kind of "loyal customer" is that? WHO NEEDS THAT KIND OF CUSTOMER?

Target made a decision that will cost it some customers, and they know it. It's a business decision. But they didn't RIP OFF ANYBODY.

Again- you guys are being total brats. Mad at Target? Then don't shop there anymore. Big loss for Target.

Dear John,

In response to your posting I'd like to say that it seems the "spirit" of what was being said was missed in your posting. It's not about Target's "Wealth" or it's Million Dollar CEO. It's about "CUSTOMER SERVICE". Target is a store that make BILLIONS of dollars of people like us, it's customers. We have the RIGHT to expect "Customer Service". No one is asking for anything other then that, CUSTOMER SERVICE. I don't think that is to much to ask for.

I'm not one of the people who ordered a car seat but I do full heartly believe in what the people are saying. Target is a HUGE BILLION dollar company. Yes, they made an error with the price. Would it honestly be to much to ask for the company to honor the people who placed orders. The people who THEY TOLD they'd honor teh sales to even AFTER the error was discovered? I don't think so.

They could have done right by these people and sent the car seats with a letter explaining the error and wishing the customers "HAPPY HOILDAYS" on Target a store who appericates them as a customer. Do you know how many HAPPY customers Target would have just won over? What about the family and friends who they'd share the story with?

It's very BASIC. Customer Service. We are the customers and we have EVERY right to expect it!

Sorry John we are WAY off the mark and didn't get the "spirit" of the complaint!

I must say, I really hate the "Target is rich, Target makes billions of dollars, Target's CEOs are millionaires, the money means nothing to them" argument. Target specifies quite clearly on it's website that it reserves the right to cancel online orders. The store didn't take your money and then refuse to send the product. It didn't offer to sell you the product for one price and then charge your credit card another price. Target just made a mistake, which it rectified and apologized for.

So sorry you don't get a car seat for next to nothing, but I can't believe you are so upset about it that you feel the need to accuse Target of "ripping you off." Target didn't take your money fraudulently. And Target's net worth has nothing to do with anything- you sound like people who think it's ok to steal from the rich because "what the heck, they'll never miss it." I wonder if you encourage your kids to shoplift because the stores are rich, it's a victimless crime, etc. etc.

The poster above who wrote about the private sale of a car said it best- if you would not be willing to part with the car for the mistakenly listed price, you have no business complaining about Target. That I have a lot of money is not an excuse for you to mug me.

I meant my comment to be addressed to Karen, who focused so hard on how Target could easily honor the mistaken price because its soooooo rich, which is not the point AT ALL.

The reason so many people are upset and still fighting this is not because they didn't get their $42 car seat. We're [yes, I am one of "them"] mad because we were told even though it was a misprice that our orders would still be honored if we had an order number. Then, less than 24 hours later, our orders were canceled without explanation! But the worst part? CONSUMERS *ARE* RECEIVING THEIR CAR SEATS AT THE ADVERTISED PRICE OF $42.99 & $59.99.
Target's policy is that they cannot verify the price of an item until it is shipped. Car seats were being shipped out at this price, so was it 'correct' at some point?
A solution would have been nice. Honor 1 seat per order at advertised price or sell them AT cost plus shipping, an apology, something! Simply canceling orders after verifying price and promising to honor is what ticked us off. THEN to find out several orders have been shipped? Not Fair.
I didn't appreciate the email offer from target offering to sell me the carseat at $279.99. Smells of Bait and Switch to me.
They just payout a lawsuit in October for overcharging for items that were advertised as less.
C'mon Target, angering a bunch of mom's who just want the best for their child is not the smartest thing to do a month before Christmas.

To Karen. You are correct it is a site you can report Ripoffs. But there are ones that are valid, and times where common sense needs to take over.

"Target is not the only retailer that we can shop at. Other stores, like Walmart are providing customer service and make us, shoppers feel like they care if we shop in their stores!"
-Again you are right. But if you think Wal-Mart would "make good" on an error such as this..Think Again. Directly from the Wal-Mart site on Pricing errors.
---
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=538449#42030
"While Walmart.com strives to provide accurate pricing information, pricing or typographical errors may occur. Walmart.com cannot confirm the price of an item until after you order. In the event that an item is listed at an incorrect price due to an error in pricing, Walmart.com shall have the right, at our sole discretion, to refuse or cancel any orders placed for that item. In the event that an item is mispriced, Walmart.com may, at our discretion, either contact you for instructions or cancel your order and notify you of such cancellation."
---

"This web site and MANY others are filled with unsatisfied customers of Targets. Where are the customers who WERE and ARE satisfied with Target to post rebuttals about what great customer service they received?"
- There are just as many if not more complaints about Wal-Mart. Personally I feel that Target's customer service and overall polices are better than Wal-Mart. Notice I said better, I don't expect great service at any of these stores.

"I have read totally amature nonsense including foul language from people who have no concept of what the poster is trying to say."
- I don't think I said anything close that could be considered Foul Language. And yes I totally understand what the poster was trying to say. They are upset because they couldn't get a $279 car seat for $42.

The same On-Line Communities that got the word out on this "price" very rapidly. Are the same On-Line communities that are telling people to come up to this(and other sites) making complaints.

Mistakes happen and this is what it was. Have you made good on EVERY mistake you have made during your life? What if you had a sign in a car you wanted to sell for $5,000 but you actually wrote $1500. A person sees this sign and hands you $1500 expecting to take the car, because they know it is worth $5,000 and is such a great deal. Do you sell it to them for that price or do you say that the sign was a mistake and it is really $5,000.

This is a complaint site, of course you're not going to see any kudos for Target here. A price was entered incorrectly in the system and it was corrected. You cannot benefit by someone's mistake. If it is too good to be true then it probably isn't true.

Dear Robert,

I'm sorry but I STRONGLY disagree with your statements and attempt to vailade Targets TOTAL lack of customer service. Target is a company that makes MILLIONS of dollars EVERYDAY of the purchases of us, hard working American citizens. Ok, there was an error- now what is reasonable to expect Target or any other BILLION dollar company to do? I know what I expect... CUSTOMER SERVICE. If Target honored these sales would it make a difference to Target? We all know the answer is NO, it wouldn't. Let's say that Target lost five thousand dollars on this situtation. Would that mean there stock would go down or they'd have to lay employees off, or they'd be forced to raise prices on other items to make up the loss? OF COURSE not!

It would mean NOTHING to Target financially. Of course they'd have many happy, satisfied customers who'd be opening their wallets in their stores in the coming months for Christmas shopping. It would mean they wouldn't be all over "rip off report.com". It would mean many POSTIVE things for Target.

However, like many big retailers they have no regard for us, the little people who are the REASON there stores make MILLIONS of dollars EVERYDAY around the US!
They simply don't care. Gregg Steinhafel the head of Target earns a salary of MILLIONS, receives MILLIONS in bonuses, stocks etc. Would it hurt him if these ladies received the products that TARGET advertised at the advertised price?

Where is community caring, customer service or giving back to us little people who makes the heads of Target MILLIONAIRES!

This web site and MANY others are filled with unsatisfied customers of Targets. Where are the customers who WERE and ARE satisfied with Target to post rebuttals about what great customer service they received? I haven't seen one. I have read totally amature nonsense including foul language from people who have no concept of what the poster is trying to say.

Where are all the happy satisfied customers to tell us about their experiences? Not one person has re-butted any of these postings with a story about there positive customer service experience(s).

This is what is at the "heart" of the matter. People, us the consumers want (and deserve) to be treated as if we matter and are valued. Forget the big words like "guest relations"- show us, act like we the people who put you in the riches you enjoy matter!

Target is not the only retailer that we can shop at. Other stores, like Walmart are providing customer service and make us, shoppers feel like they care if we shop in their stores!

Was this a Mistake..Yes, is it a RipOff..NO.

Do you really believe that they had this tremendous sale where a Car Seat was being sold for 79%/85% off? The reason this was "scooped up" is because in the back of the mind people probably had an idea that it was a mistake and wanted to try and take advantage of it. This feeling was exactly why you called Customer Service. Of course Customer Service said it was correct. Because at the time you asked it they are looking at the exact same page as you. It does not mean that they can't find a mistake later.

EVERY major retailer will have the same disclaimers for on-line purchases. Basically to the effect that they have the right to cancel orders in the case of typographical errors. That is what happened here.

This is the good thing and the bad thing about the Internet. When an error is found it spreads instantly. But when Target noticed a spike in sales for one particular item this "flags" that item to be audited. Oh and don't think selling a couple hundred in a day, when it normally sells under 10 a week did not cause something to be investigated. They did this and found it was an error, so they cancelled the orders. Had the purchase history for this item stayed within "normal" patterns there is a very good chance it would not have been caught(at least for a while) and those few people would have gotten it at that price.

And No I do not work for, nor have I have I ever worked for Target.