Special Report

5 Little Known Perks to Shopping at Target

Colby Maxwell

Published: February 10, 2024 9:10 am

Target (NYSE: TGT) is one of America’s favorite stores, and for good reason. You can get a reasonably priced TV, your weekly groceries, and a few t-shirts, all in a place that doesn’t feel like Walmart. There’s a lot to love about Target, but not every perk they have is as well-utilized as it should be! Let’s take a look at some of the least-known perks of shopping at Target and how you could be missing out on savings, deals, and more!

To compile this list, 24/7 Wall Street used resources like Target’s benefits page, online shopping forums, and some personal experience/editorial discretion. Many of these benefits could be underutilized or at least have a record of underutilization. Let’s get started!

1. Price Matching Power

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Walmart is usually the superstore known for its price-matching, but Target does the same thing. They will generally match prices on anything that is an eligible Target product, items from other stores that are identical (brand, weight, color, quantity, etc.), or even a Target product that went on sale within 14 days of the original purchase. You can get the price-matching in-person, or if you’re shopping online, by calling their customer service number.

Target doesn’t price match for 3rd party sellers, or if you bought it in a different Target store and then another store lowered its prices, or if you used gift cards, or if the competitor price is on clearance or special deal due to membership or liquidation. There are a few restrictions, for sure, but for some big-ticket items, it’s totally worth it.

2. 5% Off for RedCard Users (and More)

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The Target RedCard is pretty well-known to devoted Tarjay shoppers, but there are a few tiers to consider. All three of the card options (Credit, Debit, and Reloadable) give a flat 5% discount at Target and online. Additionally, they have free 2-day shipping on most items at the store and an extra 30 days of penalty-free return extensions.

Getting a flat 5% off your overall grocery bill is pretty much a steal. Along with the other benefits that you get from the RedCard, it makes having one a no-brainer, especially if you shop at Target with any regularity.

3. Registry Discounts (More Than Just Weddings!)

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It’s somewhat common knowledge that Target does wedding registries, but what isn’t as commonly known is you can set up registries for all sorts of things! Baby showers, graduations, housewarming events, and more are all available for registry access, and that access is absolutely worth it.

The real “hidden” part about these registries is that you can get some great perks along with them. The first, and probably the best, is that you can get discounts on the items being purchased (usually up to 10%), along with anything that didn’t get bought. Known as a “completion discount,” Target will give you special pricing to finish off what wasn’t bought from your registry.

4. 90-Day Return Policy

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One of the most potentially compelling perks about a superstore is if they have a great return policy. Sometimes, things just don’t work out how you want them to, and you need to return a product. Target is pretty solid regarding its return policy, offering a flat 90-day window for any returns, usually with no questions asked.

On top of that, they offer an additional 30 days to that return policy for anyone who paid with a RedCard, bringing the total to an impressive 120 days, or four months after the original purchase.

5. Same-Day Services

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You can shop at Target in person, but with today’s technology, the options are a lot more comprehensive. Without needing anything special (like a RedCard), you can order from Target and choose in-store pickup or drive-up pickup for most of the products they have on hand. Ordering groceries in the app, for example, immediately entitles you to drive-up delivery, meaning you don’t even have to get out of your car.

This middle point between home delivery and in-person shopping is a great way to save money while also keeping your day efficient and seamless. Oh, did we mention that you can select to have a Starbucks drink brought to your car with your order? You can also do returns in the same way. Just initiate the return, drive up, signal you are present in the app, and wait for someone to come out and meet you.