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December 28, 2006
Target is not my kinda store
My good friend, CalTechGirl, had an awful experience at Target this week. They have a very dumb policy that Christmas gifts, with no receipt, have to be exchanged for a "like" item. For example, if you get a blanket that you don't need because you already have plenty of blankets, you have to exchange it for something of equal or greater value in the bedding department. Can't go to the kitchen area or the tools area, or books or anything. And, it has to be done the same day.
I admit, I was not at all surprised to read about her story. I don't like Target. The store has always left me cold. They don't have clothes my size that I like. They don't have great prices.
In the past 10 years, I have probably bought a total of 3 things at Target.
The people at every Target I have gone to have been rather surly.
Last year, Target banned the Salvation Army Ringers from having a kettle and bellringer there - now, I get a bit tired of the constant begging, but I can walk by if I don't feel like throwing money into the pot, and it is for a very good cause.
I am not impressed with their merchandising. The only thing I like about Target is the music in their commercials - sometimes.
I know that many, many people disagree with me. They think that Target is the cat's pajamas (in my dad's lingo), and look down their noses at Walmart and K-Mart.
Well, I also look down my nose at K-Mart, but I love our local Walmart. The people there usually have a smile on their face and are willing to help me to find things.
The prices are great.
The quality is pretty good, especially for the money.
Some of you consider going to Walmart, "Slumming it", because the people who shop there must be poor, or they would not shop there.
I ain't poor. I buy tons of stuff at Walmart, from kitchen appliances (which I can return without a receipt and buy ANYTHING in the store) to blue jeans and t-shirts to great garden things.
Walmart serves a grand purpose in my small town of 35,000 people. There are plenty of home-owned shops that are healthy and survive just fine - the smart shop keepers have made a niche for themselves. We have a shop that sells everything English, from tea to clotted cream to Christmas pudding to fine china.
We have a great furniture store, with the odd name of Sadtke's - they carry most interesting furniture - not the normal chain store stuff. We have a great pet supply store - Horse Country - and the owners run it beautifully. We buy all our dog, cat and horse supplies from them, not from Walmart. With our herd, that adds up to a pretty penny! We have a couple of Polish hand-painted china shops - oh, I love the patterns!! And we have at least 3 paint stores - and they are not chain stores.
We even have a hardware store, Gronis Hardware, which is quite unique. It is in downtown Leavenworth, and it snakes thru about 5 buildings. They have everything. And they are nice and helpful. Always.
Target has nothing unique, different or exciting. They don't have good prices, they are often more than Walmart for very similar items.
I don't get the love that some people have for Target. Yech.
Posted by Beth at December 28, 2006 6:25 PM