PSA: Always free shipping from target.com

AggieCouple

Target finally added an option to pay with your Target Debit card on-line.  You get 5% off plus free shipping (it seems like it's unrestricted).  If you don't want to open another line of credit, like us, it was easy to just open a debit card.  5% at the store I frequent the most?  Hell yeah!  The shipping was the only thing that held me back most of the time, as their shipping fees are crazy, but now it's free.

 (Of course, it's not free 2-day shipping like amazon prime, but you also don't get an extra 5% at amazon, and no amazon prime annual fee)

Yodajo

I was thinking about getting this, but was turned off by them asking for your ss#.  I don't want a credit inquiry showing up on my report and lowering my high credit rating.  I looked it up online and it was unclear if it was a hard or soft credit inquiry.  Do you know which it is? 

Other than that, it sounded great.  One of the criticisms was that it took a while for your transactions to register at your bank, but that wasn't a big deal to me. 

MrsStubbs

Does the debit card just come out of your regular bank account?

AggieCouple

Hm.  I got it a while back at the store (but it wasn't accepted on-line at the time, which annoyed me).  I'm wracking my brain, but I could have sworn all they required from me was a check, and I got my 5% for that transaction, and a temporary "card" (printed on receipt slip) right there.  We were about to refinance the house, and get a car note, so we didn't want unnecessary credit checks either, so I went with the debit option.

Yes, it comes out of your checking account, but you can only use it at Target. This is great for me, because H wants me to charge *everything* to get our points, so I always have to go to the ATM separately.  But I can still get my 5% and cashback right at the checkout.

Yodajo

The application I got for it (and I'm sure it was for the debit card and not a credit card) asked for my ss#.   I shop there a lot, so I am interested in it, especially after hearing about the free shipping now.  I may try calling to see if I can get a definite answer. 

AggieCouple

I just asked H, and he happened to check my credit recently and there has been no hard credit checks on me in the past 12 months.  

shouldbworkin

My guess is that they need it in order to do a background check to protect your identity.  That is less than a credit check, they check your SSN to make sure it is legit and use your personal info to make sure you're not associated with identity theft (e.g. someone trying to open a bogus acct in your name).  This is required now for all institutions that carry credit/debit accounts under FTC rules. 

MichMomofGirls

So is it 5% for shopping in store as well?

AggieCouple

MichMomofGirls:

So is it 5% for shopping in store as well?

Yep, it's awesome, esp since they now carry groceries and organics.  

KellyGreen

This is great news!!!  I have the debit card as well, for the same reason.  Thanks!

MelandJeff

AggieCouple:

Hm.  I got it a while back at the store (but it wasn't accepted on-line at the time, which annoyed me).  I'm wracking my brain, but I could have sworn all they required from me was a check, and I got my 5% for that transaction, and a temporary "card" (printed on receipt slip) right there.  We were about to refinance the house, and get a car note, so we didn't want unnecessary credit checks either, so I went with the debit option.

Yes, it comes out of your checking account, but you can only use it at Target. This is great for me, because H wants me to charge *everything* to get our points, so I always have to go to the ATM separately.  But I can still get my 5% and cashback right at the checkout.

I LOVE my Target debit card. LOVE LOVE LOVE.