Target's "no cart in fitting room" policy

tifvolley

Anyone experience this?  I was with DS at Target today and saw something I wanted to try on.  Both of the fitting room attendants told me I wasn't allowed to bring the cart in with me.  I politely asked them if they could make an exception since DS was in it and they wouldn't budge.  They told me it's policy and that I was being unreasonable asking them to accommodate me.

On the way out, I saw a manager and asked him.  He also told me that it's company policy and no exceptions are made.  I've heard about carts being security risks, but it's not like I can hide merchandise in it.  I'm also always thought part of the reason their family fitting rooms are so big is to accommodate carts.

ETA: I didn't have any other items in my cart, just the dress I wanted to try on.
 

Jessibell

Same thing happened to me about a month ago. Very annoying.

avonbride

Wow that would piss me off! What are you supposed to do with a LO? Leave and go get a stroller and come back?

Next time hand them your kid and say how helpful it is that they offered to watch him so you could try things on. LOL 

*blondiem*

Yep, that is their policy. It's a policy that many stores hold. I think Meijer is the same way. And yes, you could finagle your cart merchandise into your purse while you are in the fitting room.

My DS would rather walk around the fitting room anyway, so I always just take him out of the cart/stroller while I try stuff on.

ling79

Hmm never heard of this - when DS was smaller and in the carrier, I have brought it in the fitting rooms before.

Fordlor

Interesting.  I've taken a cart (w/ DD in it) into the family fitting room plenty of times.  No employee has ever said anything to me about it.

J+O

Nope.  Target has always let me take DS in as long as nothing else was in my cart except for clothing that they counted.  I did experience that at a different store. I was so pissed.  And then the lady tried to talk me into leaving DS outside the fitting room WITH HER.  I told her she was crazy and then gave her all the clothes to put back and left. 

Gina418

Yep - it's always been that way (at least at my Target). I assume the family rooms are bigger to accomodate taking in 2-3 kids maybe. I don't think it's a big deal - I leave my cart with the attendant and take ds in with me.

ElizC

It is company policy, but most store don't enforce it.  The one I was a manager at did, but we had major theft issues.  However I have brought DS in a cart with me at the Target near my house, no problems.  I didn't have anything in it, so many that's why they didn't care.

mlf625

I always take the cart in (when I have DS in the cart). ?Weird.

IckyThump

I worked at Ross in college and that was our policy, too. In a situation like yours, we'd probably ask you to hold any merchandise you weren't trying on at the fitting room desk while you wheeled your cart back with your DC.

mikey&amie

This just happened to me today.  She said I could bring the cart in, but I would have to take everything out of it first.  I had a lot of stuff in there, so I just took DD out and into the fitting room with me.  Annoying.

betsnup

It seems weird they wouldn't let you take an empty cart, but I guess if it's policy.  What a PITA, good to know!

avonbride

Wow I am jealous at your well behaved kids!

DS would be under the door in a second, through the store, and running amok in the tool section

noisy_penguin

Why wouldn't you just take your kid into the dressing room with you sans cart? They have a policy, it's not like they were just being assholes to you for no reason, and it's not like taking your kid out of the seat is a huge hardship or something.

jen_k2

One time when I went to try on clothes at Target, they wouldn't let me take the cart in plus I has one more item than was allowed. They made a fuss which is funny b/c usually at that store no one is ever even staffing the fitting room and you can just walk in.

The worker told me about secret shoppers and that she didn't want to get in trouble. I wasn't going to argue, but I also wasn't going to try the clothes on. Sale lost.

ETA: This was when DS was 7 mos, crawling and not in an infant carrier. Now I would just take him out of the cart.

lvisser

I have ALWAYS brought a cart in with me.  Cause DD is in the front and DS in the basket.  They just let me in the handicap room, no questions asked.  Never had a problem... if I was ever confronted about it, I would probably complain...

lvisser

*blondiem*:

Yep, that is their policy. It's a policy that many stores hold. I think Meijer is the same way. And yes, you could finagle your cart merchandise into your purse while you are in the fitting room.

My DS would rather walk around the fitting room anyway, so I always just take him out of the cart/stroller while I try stuff on.

You have had that problem?  I never have... never tried at Meijer... but did get a dirty look from a guy when i asked to use the dressing room to BF Kai.... When he gave me a look, I just about dropped my shirt then and there.  LOL! 

Laroogirl

I have taken the cart in the dressing room with my at 2 of our local Targets.  I can't remember if I had other things in my cart or not.  I can tell you if they would not have let me, I would have just left.  DS would crawl under the door and be on his merry way unless strapped into the cart or stroller.

tifvolley

noisy_penguin:

Why wouldn't you just take your kid into the dressing room with you sans cart? They have a policy, it's not like they were just being assholes to you for no reason, and it's not like taking your kid out of the seat is a huge hardship or something.

I guess I'm not as lucky as you are to have such a well-behaved child.  I once made the mistake of taking DS in a fitting room without a cart and he spent the whole time trying to crawl under the stalls.  I also don't want him sitting on a dirty floor.

I wasn't being lazy by not taking him out and I never said they were assholes. 

tmp-336341562506044

I think some stores enforce and some don't. I work at Target and sometimes do the fitting room and we do not enforce it. Neither does my DH's store where he is a manager.

mlf625

noisy_penguin:

Why wouldn't you just take your kid into the dressing room with you sans cart? They have a policy, it's not like they were just being assholes to you for no reason, and it's not like taking your kid out of the seat is a huge hardship or something.

It's not the taking him out part that's the PITA, it's the free range child that's the problem. ?I was in nothing but my bra and undies at Anthropoligie, and DS made a break for it underneath the door. ?Now what? ?Expose my (pregnant) mostly naked self to the entire dressing room, or let my kid run free through the store?

avonbride

The store policy for theft is what makes me giggle a little. Because no thief is cunning enough to, say, go to an empty aisle or area and stuff things in their purse. Or put clothes on under their existing clothes in the changing room.

Why do they let bags/purses in the fitting rooms then? Can't you stuff clothes in your purse just as easily? Isn't that why they have sensors at the exits and people checking your receipts when you leave?

MegGary

noisy_penguin:

Why wouldn't you just take your kid into the dressing room with you sans cart? They have a policy, it's not like they were just being assholes to you for no reason, and it's not like taking your kid out of the seat is a huge hardship or something.

 

Thats what I was thinking.

nbjenni

I've taken my girls in inside their stroller, but they won't let me take in their cart. This made me give them a big WTF look. I mean, you can easily tell that there is nothing but two babies in my cart, but I could have hidden tons of crap in my stroller to steal.

And where am I supposed to put them if had to take two babies out of the cart? Mine don't walk or really even stand!

mrsdiamonds

The policy sounds dumb, but seriously, I could never try on clothes with DS either way.  I always shop alone.

noisy_penguin

mlf625:

It's not the taking him out part that's the PITA, it's the free range child that's the problem.  I was in nothing but my bra and undies at Anthropoligie, and DS made a break for it underneath the door.  Now what?  Expose my (pregnant) mostly naked self to the entire dressing room, or let my kid run free through the store?

That sucks. I think I'd have to give up trying on clothes when I couldn't leave him with my H though. Anthropologie doesn't even have carts.

eep9906

I've heard of this policy but I've never had a problem taking my cart in the fitting room when DS is in it.  Like pp, I can't take him out of the cart while I try on stuff because he tries to escape under the door.

Back when I was on maternity leave the local news ran a story about a woman who accused a Target of discrimination because of its cart in fitting room policy.  The store said it was official policy but a Target spokesperson said that "shopping carts and child holding equipment are permissible in fitting room when required by a parent." Here's a link to the story https://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0608/527567.html

rynhales

Which one were you at?

I go to the one in New Berlin all the time and they always let me take it in.

mlf625

noisy_penguin:

mlf625:

It's not the taking him out part that's the PITA, it's the free range child that's the problem. ?I was in nothing but my bra and undies at Anthropoligie, and DS made a break for it underneath the door. ?Now what? ?Expose my (pregnant) mostly naked self to the entire dressing room, or let my kid run free through the store?

That sucks. I think I'd have to give up trying on clothes when I couldn't leave him with my H though. Anthropologie doesn't even have carts.

lol! ?I know Anthropologie doesn't have carts- he was in a stroller but I let him out to stretch his legs while I tried on 20 dresses. ?;) ?Leaving him with DH isn't an option when DH works a billion hours a week, unfortunately.

SarahDuff

My Target has always let me bring my cart in. 

tifvolley

rynhales:

Which one were you at?

I go to the one in New Berlin all the time and they always let me take it in.

I was at the one in Wauwatosa.  It's the first Target I've had this problem with.  I'm wondering if it's because they just re-opened. 

Punk*Mommy

noisy_penguin:

Why wouldn't you just take your kid into the dressing room with you sans cart? They have a policy, it's not like they were just being assholes to you for no reason, and it's not like taking your kid out of the seat is a huge hardship or something.

 

jenifairies

I haven't tried to bring her in one at target, but i have at lane bryant multiple times. if someone told me i couldn't bring the cart (or my stroller) in to try something on, they can keep their merchandise.

cops_wife

My Target actually let me take the cart in the fitting room once when DD was in it. I guess I got lucky!

fIowerchild

That is annoying and enough to make me want to NOT buy anything.

noisy_penguin

mlf625:

lol!  I know Anthropologie doesn't have carts- he was in a stroller but I let him out to stretch his legs while I tried on 20 dresses.    Leaving him with DH isn't an option when DH works a billion hours a week, unfortunately.

I'm sorry. You're just going to have to go naked. 

FallinAgain

tifvolley:

noisy_penguin:

Why wouldn't you just take your kid into the dressing room with you sans cart? They have a policy, it's not like they were just being assholes to you for no reason, and it's not like taking your kid out of the seat is a huge hardship or something.

I guess I'm not as lucky as you are to have such a well-behaved child.  I once made the mistake of taking DS in a fitting room without a cart and he spent the whole time trying to crawl under the stalls.  I also don't want him sitting on a dirty floor.

I wasn't being lazy by not taking him out and I never said they were assholes. 

I doubt it's luck.

jbloom

Where are these Target stores with all these luxuriously large fitting rooms?  I can barely fit myself into one, not to mention an entire shopping cart.

 

KristenBtobe

noisy_penguin:

Anthropologie doesn't even have carts.

I love Noisy.

lauren&matt

Don't hate the policy... hate the thieves that *caused* the policy.