“Ruining it for the rest of us”: Target shopper catches woman trying to return kids’ clothes because her daughter outgrew them. What’s the real policy?
Whether they're flexible or stingy, return policies are controversial among consumers. But a common concern, especially in online discussions, is how customers use them.
Many have taken advantage of Costco's incredibly lax return policy, whether they're returning a 5-year-old couch or a used mattress. And now, one Target shopper is side-eyeing a mom who tried to take advantage of the retailer's return policy by returning her daughter's used clothes.
The reason? The clothes didn't fit anymore.
Despite other shoppers' dismay at the attempt, she may have been unfairly denied a return under the policy.
A denied Target return
Mother and TikTok creator Meg (@the.mama.meg) shared her experience at Target's return desk on Wednesday, where she says she was shocked by another customer's attempt.
"I'm just curious if other people think this is as ridiculous as I think it is," Meg says in the clip.
The customer tried to return a "Target shopping bag full" of Cat & Jack-branded clothes. The reason? Her daughter outgrew them.
"The associate said, 'OK, are they damaged?'" Meg recalls. "And the lady said, 'No, my daughter outgrew them.'"
The Target associate then told the customer that the return policy was "intended" for clothing items that were damaged.
"She said any Target brand up to a year," Meg adds. "If they're damaged, they will gladly refund your money."
Meg says the customer and the associate went back and forth for a while, with the customer holding Cat & Jack's alleged return policy up on her phone.
Did Target accept a year-old Cat & Jack return?
The tussle ended with the associate informing the customer that they had the right to refuse her return.
Meg was stunned by the customer's behavior. "You think you can return a whole lot of clothes because your daughter outgrew them?" she asks. "So you're essentially borrowing that amount of clothes from Target or any store. Like, what in the world? That is just wild to me."
The TikToker added that the clothes were likely pretty worn, due to the simple fact that they were children's clothes.
"Kids play hard," she says. "You know, they're not gonna resell the clothes. You just think you can borrow the clothes and get your money back."
Meg ends the video by asking her viewers their opinions on the matter. Her clip has garnered over 83,700 views.
What is Cat & Jack's actual return policy?
This shopper isn't the only parent trying to take advantage of Cat & Jack's generous return policy.
Another mom successfully returned $537.80 of Cat & Jack clothes to Target in January, as SheKnows reported.
Target's Cat & Jack webpage says customers can return items up to one year after purchase with the receipt. Cat & Jack is a "Target Owned Brand," and all of those brands developed exclusively for Target have the same returns policy.
The policy makes no mention of the item's condition or the reason for return.
This appears to vary from Target's standard return policy, which states that unopened items in good condition can be returned within 90 days of purchase. The website also states, however, that Target does reserve the right to deny returns, like the associate did in this customer's case.
The Daily Dot has reached out to both Meg and to Target via email for more information.
@the.mama.meg What do you think!? #creatorsearchinsights #targettoddler #targetfinds #target #momlife ♬ original sound - the.mama.meg
Are customers like this "ruining" the return policy?
In the comments section, viewers warred over what the true policy is.
"That is Cat and Jacks policy and has been for years, they give you a Target gift card, for the amount that is why people buy Cat and Jack. The customer was correct in this case," one user said.
"I’ve always thought this was crazy when I see moms posting about 'being able to return cat & jack' like I’d be too embarrassed but just me," another said.
Some even argued that the customer was "abusing" the store policy—though they appeared to be following it.
"This is the perfect example of people abusing a store policy, and then ruining it for us the rest of us when we actually have to return something," one user wrote. "I can’t believe she was trying to return clothes because her kids outgrew them."
"People's entitlement is over the top now a days!" another said.
"People are ruining it for the rest of us. I’ve had to return C&J legitimately for quality issues and appreciate the value it adds," a third added.
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