The Energon Pub

i went to target tonight in hopes of finding an "evolution of a hero" pack. i went to the toy department were i found an employee. i asked him if he could do a search if i gave him the ISBN number. he asked me what it was for and i said "a transformers toy." he then said "we can't do searches or go in the back for toys for collectors anymore." i then aked if he could at least tell me if it was in stock, and he he said "they won't let us tell anyone what we have anymore. they're (target, i presume) being really strict with the street dates now. we're only allowed to sell what's on the shelf. that goes for star wars, GI joes, and transformers." i couldn't believe it! has anyone else had this happen to them?

Some people are just painfully stupid. The guy I talked to at the West Lansing Target was just as dumb. I asked him to get a SWTF Death Star for me and offered him the DPCI. He kept trying to refer me to the deluxe SWTF and the little raincheck sign for them.

No matter how many times I said "This is not part of an assortment, it has a unique DPCI. Can you please verify stock and get one for me?"

For some reason THIS IS NOT PART OF AN ASSORTMENT, IT HAS A UNIQUE DPCI would not sink in. I know they had stock because I called prior to driving out there to verify. So I left and called the South Lansing Target and asked them to hold one at the customer service desk for me - which they did.

Anything that has a unique DPCI they should have no problem going into the back and getting for you. If you gave them the deluxe DPCI and expected them to go find you a Concept Bumblebee, yeah they won't do that (or there not supposed to) but for the exclusive 2 pack it should not be an issue.

i didn't think so either. i mean, "collector"(which he just assumed) or not, i'll be paying for it!

i'm going to go back tomorrow morning and hope someone else is there

Bumblebee-otch wrote:i didn't think so either. i mean, "collector"(which he just assumed) or not, i'll be paying for it!

i'm going to go back tomorrow morning and hope someone else is there

It's a shame that not all Target stores have the price checkers with the number pad so you can verify stock yourself. Only one of the three in my area do and it's a pain in the ass to call the store, find someone who wants to help without an attitude and verify stock or go though the whole process of finding someone in the store that is willing to help.

I also wish Target had self checkouts.

Bumblebee-otch wrote:i went to target tonight in hopes of finding an "evolution of a hero" pack. i went to the toy department were i found an employee. i asked him if he could do a search if i gave him the ISBN number. he asked me what it was for and i said "a transformers toy." he then said "we can't do searches or go in the back for toys for collectors anymore." i then aked if he could at least tell me if it was in stock, and he he said "they won't let us tell anyone what we have anymore. they're (target, i presume) being really strict with the street dates now. we're only allowed to sell what's on the shelf. that goes for star wars, GI joes, and transformers." i couldn't believe it! has anyone else had this happen to them?

You've got a few options.

1.) Go to Customer Service, give them the DPCI number and they should be able to tell you if they have it.

2.) Call ahead, and ask for the Toys Department and have the employee do a DPCI search.

Once you know it's there and in stock, go to the store, ask for assistance, if you're turned down, ask for a manager and tell them that the item's due out now, you know they have it in stock, etc.

If that doesn't work, call Corporate, tell them what happened.

One way or another, you'll get the 2-pack.

It all depends on who you ask. I went to one Target asking for it and they said they couldn't pull it from the back. Then I went to a different Target and they pulled it for me.

Yeah, to be fair, for some stores it's policy not to go back and check stock. I've heard of a few Targets putting signs near the toys that say the same thing. If anything, at least they're trying to deter scalpers somewhat.

ive seen the sign that they put up at TF aisles saying they cant do searches. this was about 2 months ago.

Or you could be like me and have an ex-girlfriend (That you're still on good terms with) that works at Target. Currently, she's one of those people that goes around dropping the prices of merchandise and sticking a clearance sticker on it, so she's never without a scan gun that she can use to check things for me.

Inside connections, FTW.

tom brokaw wrote:ive seen the sign that they put up at TF aisles saying they cant do searches. this was about 2 months ago.

One of the three local Targets have these signs up. I wonder if it's a store-by-store policy or that the other two just didn't put the signs up but follow the policy anyway

the easiest way is just to call and ask for the service desk. they'll always look stuff up for you no questions asked. don't even bother with the toy dept cause most of them are completely clueless.

Kimmer wrote:the easiest way is just to call and ask for the service desk. they'll always look stuff up for you no questions asked. don't even bother with the toy dept cause most of them are completely clueless.

ehh. not necesarily. ive called target before, probably about a month ago to ask if they had some toys(TFs) in stock. they said if it was about transformers they cant do anything for me .

tom brokaw wrote:

Kimmer wrote:the easiest way is just to call and ask for the service desk. they'll always look stuff up for you no questions asked. don't even bother with the toy dept cause most of them are completely clueless.

ehh. not necesarily. ive called target before, probably about a month ago to ask if they had some toys(TFs) in stock. they said if it was about transformers they cant do anything for me .

hmmm. sounds like your target is run by asses. obviously, every store will be different but for them to say that if it's about tf's then they can't help you? that's just absurd.