Girls,

I have a piece of advice regarding baby registries. Try to avoid creating one at Target if possible. If there are things you really want there, as I did, and you choose to create one be sure you let the people you invite to your shower know that they MUST include a gift receipt with the gifts they purchase there. I have had two terrible experiences trying to return things there that we either didn't need (not on our registry) or that we got duplicates of. I think I only got one gift receipt with gifts that came from Target and most of mine were purchased there. I had the second awful experience last week. I got two packages of diapers that were not the kind I was using and were not the size we need right now and a toy that we already had. I was not given gift receipts but they came from Target. We do not need any more toys and have enough diapers to last a long time and really didn't need any more either. I did have a few more baby items I needed to trade for. They would not let me. I was told I had to trade the diapers for diapers and the toy for another toy. Boy, was I mad. So I go and pick out a larger package of the diapers we are using, which was equivalent to the total cost of the two smaller packages (actually even a few cents cheaper) and chose another toy that cost the same as the one I was returning. When I got back to the service desk she told me even though the cost was the same I could not trade two packages of diapers for one larger package, it had to be two smaller ones. I about lost it and let her have a piece of my mind!!!! I was so mad she went ahead and did the trade anyway. She also told me since that was the second exchange I had made at a Target store I was not allowed any more returns or exchanges for another year. I told her that policy was ridiculous and asked for the number for Target corporate headquarters. She gave me a comment card with about four lines available for writing. Like that was going to be enough! I found a contact link for corporate on their website. I sent them a LONG e-mail about it and told them I would never create another baby registry there or shop there anymore, and I would take care of all my future baby purchases at Wal-Mart or Babies R Us. To prove how much attention they pay to their e-mails I got a reply which stated "We will not be able to further assist you in the exchange of the diaper bags you received as gifts. Our associate asked that you trade in the same department so you could find another diaper bag you would love." I never even mentioned a diaper bag so I know my e-mail was just skimmed through and deleted. I'm so mad I refuse to shop there anymore. If had known it was going to be that much trouble I would have traded the things at Wal-Mart. Even though they didn't come from there, I have never been hassled about exchanges or refunds on anything at Wal-Mart. So if you decide to do a Target baby registry, please ask that purchasers include gift receipts with your gifts. I don't want any new mom to have to endure the headache that I did at that store last week!

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Kelli-that's good to know. Target is one of my favorite stores & was planning on registering there. I think I may go with Wal-Mart now.

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Kelli-that sounds awful! I remember reading in the "baby bargains" book that Target doesn't have a very good return policy with the registries. Most places will give you store credit if you return an item without a receipt.

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My friend registered at Target for her wedding and we gave her a shower a couple of weeks ago. I kept checking her registry and NOTHING had been taken off, even the day of the shower, so I was worried no one was coming. Well, people brought tons of stuff from Target, and lots of the same item b/c the registry showed nothing had been bought.

I registered at Dillards for my wedding and it was wonderful - I know there's not a ton of baby stuff there, but they provided excellent customer service. Even let me return things that were currently on sale and get the difference in store credit. I also registered at Wal-Mart and was happy with that, except that it disappears after the event date. I wanted some things for Christmas so I had to change the wedding date to 12/25 and then people could see it again.

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I too am frustrated with Target for the same reason...Dh was trying to take a couple -pair of shorts back and they gave him a hard time because he had alrady returned two things without receipts....UGH MEN do not keep up with receipts...What do they think he is a scam artist...COme on. So Stupid. Then we go to Lowe's with bushes that had died no receipt and they take them back no problem....I realize Lowe's and Target are apples and oranges but we spend 300-400 everytime we walk in the place cut me a break on some stupid 15.00 shorts. Ya know? I registered there before all this happened...Hopefully it will work out but WHO KNOWS!!

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wow....i had no idea target was like that....thats where i was planning on registering. In fact, i already started one, so i couldremember the stuff that i really liked...talk about "baby dreaming"....

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We haven't registered yet, but DH signed our names up so we have a registry number at Target. When I read their policies, it said all you need is an ID and your registry for them to take/exchange an item-nothing about needing a gift receipt. We'll see.

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They won't hassle you unless you receive items that were not on your registry. They don't want to take those things back. When everything on my registry had been purchased, people bought a lot of things that weren't on my registry that I didn't need. I got stuck with most of it because most people did not give me a gift receipt.

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If they take it back without hassle if it is on your registry (even without a gift receipt), maybe you could add the items online to your registry, change the items quantity to already purchased, then take them back I'm not sure if this would work after the "event" (due) date though.

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I don't know about the things not on the registry...so far, my Target registry experience is going well. They told me that anything could be returned for any reason (for exchange or regular gift card that can be used on any purchase).

That sucks that they didn't even read the message properly, Kel. Booo!

This reminds me of an idea I had a week or so ago...we have the book exchange, but since we are all going to have tons of babies soon, perhaps it might be useful to have an 'trade uneeded baby stuff' thread? Like if you have six unopened packages of newborn diapers and your bean was born at 10lbs. I don't know how often this would be useful...I'm still running scenarios in my head...

I think the registry stays active for two months after the event.

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