Target.com - How to Spend Your Money in a Few Easy Steps
Written: Nov 04 '02
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My younger daughter went to school in Atlanta. It was that city that introduced me to Target. It has only been recently that one sprung up 1/2 hour from me. I sent her items from Target.com many times since I knew she could easily return them. I am reviewing Target.com because now she is living in Massachusetts but still in need and lives near a store.
What is on the site and how it works:
The first page is a busy one but not difficult to figure out. It is red like their logo and I couldn’t help but notice the promotion of $10.00 off of $100 you spend. During my recent visit to the site I thought I was just browsing since I didn’t know what to get her or if I was going to buy anything.
You can shop by links under Home including appliances, Clothes including jewelry or Entertainment including toys. You can also shop by brand as well as look at some of the featured links on this page.
There are links on this first page to Using the Shopping Bag, Apply for Credit, Shipping Information, Print a Gift Receipt, Return Policy, Product Recalls and many other links including one to their pharmacy where you won’t just buy products but you can get information on health issues and alternative care.
The pages load easily and there are a terrific number and variety of products online. I have found that many online stores do not have what the store has and it may be true that Target.com doesn’t have every piece of inventory but they have enough to keep my daughter and me happy. Since she moved from the south to the north I took advantage of one of the featured products, Women's Fleece Hat, Gloves and Scarf - Black. The page is really comprehensive as are all of the product pages with a description of the item as well as related items, favorite lists (for example Winter Stuff you need) and links that will allow you to browse for similar items in the product category in which you are looking.
I loved (on another page) the Women's Sorel Winter Boots for $59.99 and find that the online prices are very reasonable. These boots are leather. However, I really think she needs a winter coat and found Women's Faux-Shearling Hooded Zip-Front Coat for $49.99. There are 8 coats in this category alone and I could have picked 1 or 2 out that she may have liked.
Another feature of the site (drugstore.com has this also.) is the ability to view what you just viewed. At the bottom of a page there are links to the products you took a look at saving you from having to remember where you were. I love this feature because I tend to get sidetracked while shopping online and then it takes a long time to find what I wanted. This is great.
I decided that I did want to get her something but once again I ended up choosing a gift card in spite of my horrible time with kmart.com’s gift card for my older daughter. I was so impressed with this site that I decided to give them a chance and let her pick out what she wants. The gift card link is at the top so there is no mystery in finding it. We are told: Free standard shipping (If you read my kmart.com review I noted that a shipping charge for gift cards was unusual.), that it is redeemable for merchandise at Target stores or target.com and that any unused balance remains on the GiftCard.
I had 9 choices in what I wanted the gift card to look like! NINE…I think that is amazing. I have been given choices at Starbucks.com and Borders has choices but not 9 of them. Checking out was a snap. I picked how many I wanted, which card I wanted and how much I wanted to spend. My choices ranged from $25-$1000, quite different than the $25 or $50 only options at kmart.com!
I was a bit confused by what seems a merger of some stores and read: “Welcome to target.direct. Shop for everything you've come to expect from Target, Marshall Field's and Mervyn's, and enjoy a huge selection of books, music and DVD's from Amazon.com. It's target.direct. Your direct link to the stores you love.” There is a link if you want to know about target.direct.
You will then either sign in or register if you have never bought anything. The rest is the usual – put in your charge card, where it is going, billing address and I wrote a message on the gift card. There is a gift wrapping option also (not for gift cards). A package the size of a CD will be $2.95.
They accept Target Visa, Target Guest Card, Marshall Field’s Card, Mervyn’s Card, American Express, Visa, MasterCard and Discover.
Shipping and Returns:
As I said there is no shipping charges for gift cards and we are told they usually ship within 24 hours which means she should get it in 3-7 business days. There is also 1 and 2-day shipping options.
I ordered the card on Thursday, October 24, 2002. Unlike kmart.com shipping rates and times are clearly delineated at the shipping link. You will see, for example, that standard shipping is 3-7 days for items and something the size of a CD will cost $1.99, a cell phone $3.99. I found their shipping charges very reasonable.
I got a confirmation e-mail on the 24th that the card had been shipped and it would take 3-7 business days. She received it November 1- less than the given time frame. Due to my bad experience with kmart.com, I did e-mail the company, even though I could track the card asking them if she really should expect it within that time. I immediately got a very nice response back that I should give it until November 4 and if she did not get it by then to let them know and they would track it down. There was no need, however, thank goodness for that!
They do not ship internationally, or to U.S. Protectorates, Guam or the Virgin Islands. APO/FPO orders can be shipped via standard delivery only.
Their return policy is very clearly stated and fair: Most items on target.com can be returned to a Target Store or by mail.
My daughter has always received her items on time and this purchase was no different.
My final thoughts:
What a pleasure this site is to use. It is easy to navigate. I love their products and product selection and think target.com’s prices are reasonable, as are the shipping charges. I like the fact I can send a gift card and have the option of gift-wrapping and that it can be used at the store. (I went to order a card from Barnes & Noble and/or Borders.com. Both sites’ gift cards can only be used online. Some people like to see what they are buying in person especially my daughter in NYC who loves to go into the bookstore so that was disappointing.) There was nothing disappointing about target.com. There is also a link if you want to know about target.direct. So that is fully explained as well. I will be using this site too much I am sure and highly recommend it.
Recommended:
Yes
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Member: Jo
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Spent one glorious day on the beach. The sun came out!
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