One Move You Must Make Before Checking Out at Target

This tip really pays off in money and convenience.

Who doesn't love Target? According to Target's website, this major company has stores in all 50 states plus Washington D.C., and 75% of Americans live within 10 miles of at least one of its stores. I am one of these Americans, although I must admit that I don't enjoy the layout of the store in my area, and it is always very crowded. So I don't shop in person at Target as much as I did when I lived near a location I liked better. However, I am a big fan of Target.com, and frequently order pet supplies and toiletries from there, and always for less money than I would spend at another store.

It can be easy to get carried away when you see so many great prices, so it's great that Target offers many ways to save money. However, I'm a little ashamed to admit right here and now that I was unaware of another easy way to save money at Target: price matching.

How does it work?

Target's Price Match Guarantee states that shoppers can get a price on a purchase matched if they buy a qualifying item at Target and then later find a lower price on the Target website, select online competitors, or in Target's or a competitor's print ad. You can also ask that a price be matched in person.

Let's say you are shopping for a new coffeemaker. You've already picked one out, and you want to go to Target because you know they store has new seasonal pet toys in stock and you're in the mood to spoil your pets (hey, this is my scenario!). So you do some checking on the list of Target's selected online competitors and decide to look on Amazon for your preferred brand/model of coffeemaker. Lo and behold, Amazon is selling it for $5 less than Target is. Now you can drive to Target, find the coffeemaker (and grab some adorable catnip mice), and take it to the checkout. If the checkout clerk asks to verify the lower price on Amazon, you'll be asked to show them, so keep the link handy on your smartphone. Voila! You've just saved $5 and won't have to wait for Amazon to ship you a new coffeemaker at the lower price point!

What if I don't find a lower price until later?

Target's Price Match Guarantee is good for 14 days after purchase. So say you buy your new coffeemaker without looking for a lower price first, and then you're on Bed Bath & Beyond's website a few days later, looking for new bedsheets. On a whim, you check the price of the coffeemaker, and it's going for $10 less! To get a refund of the price difference, you'll need to bring your receipt and proof of the lower price back to your Target store and the nice folks at the Customer Service desk will be able to help you out.

What if I ordered from Target.com?

Since I spend more of my Target money on the website, it's more likely that I will end up finding a lower price and have to take a different route to get part of my cost refunded. If I order the coffeemaker on Target.com and later find it selling for less money on Kohls.com, I'll need to call Target Guest Services at 1-800-591-3869 or use Target.com's customer service online chat to arrange my cost difference refund.

It's a great time to save money on your shopping

In this inflationary (and possibly recessionary) time, we've all got to save money where we can. Now that I know about Target's Price Match Guarantee, I'll be sure to check its prices against those of other major online retailers to see if I can get a better deal. My bank account will surely thank me for the effort.