I'm Lost! The REDCard Thread

[sher]

But again, they don't know or won't tell us, which came first....does the guest shop a lot because they have a Redcard (like they assume) or does the guest have a Redcard because they shop a lot? Huge difference.

I think it's both, tbh. I already shopped at target pretty often (only because work) but if I look at the trends on my spending from the mint-like junk from my bank it shows a definite increase of spending at target. But I do think there are people who are great at the self control and won't fall to using the 5% as an excuse but they already shop at target so why not.

Buuut I do wonder how those of us who don't always use the red card effect the stats. And how do non redcard people who may not use the same card for each transaction effect it?

Same. A few weeks ago it said 15% off Nivea hand cream. I would've never bought it otherwise.

I used the same cartwheel coupon for body lotion! I would've bought up&up brand but I was convinced by cartwheel + the nivea bottle said fancy things about long lasting moisture.

 

[balthrop]

and there is the bit about data tracking and privacy issues (not related to the breach).

 

[TeamRed]

5 percent is too big thing when you think about it. Guests probably think oooh 5 percent ( who cares?) they wan't more like 10 percent, 15 percent and as others pointed out airline miles. I mean macy's and kohl's gives out coupons ( that are related to the credit card) so I am sure guests would be more inclined to sign up if they did that.5 percent is no big thing......

 

[whippingboy]

Mine was anywhere from same day to 7 days.. Fuck that!

7 days is effing ridiculous. Where's the warning for that one, Target? Blaming the consumer for a card that pretends to be a debit card is shady.

 

[awbuckit]

Same!

My credit score is great and I was turned down for the cc (though they used equifax and I haven't looked at the equifax report in over a year). I reopened my target cu account though so I'll probably transfer money there when I use the discount. The redcard 5% is not worth the trouble. I've saved so little this year and when I think about it, I wouldn't have bought a bunch of stuff to begin with if I wasn't thinking about potential discounts. That 5% becomes an excuse more often than I'd like to admit

Exactly why my balance is 2100. right now!

 

[Kartman]

My shit shows up that day or the next.

Go figure!

 

[pellinore]

There's a TM at our store who has a side business for AVON. She really wants to get a debit card for that account, but the system won't let her get one.

 

[OffYaPhone]

So does mine, @Kartman. I'm always surprised when I hear that people have an issue with how long it takes for a transaction to post.

 

[sigma7]

It used to take 3 or 4 days for my transactions to post. Lately, like the past couple of months, it's only taking 1-2 days for transactions to post. Most of the time they post the next day. I don't know if Target changed clearinghouses or something, but it's gotten significantly faster for me.

If you don't have money in your account to cover your bills, you are the only one to blame. That's not Target's fault. Or anyone else's for that matter. You should be keeping a register for your own reference. You should know your actual balance and any upcoming bills you have. Banks make mistakes. Transactions can take time to post. If you are only checking your online banking balance, you are going to be misinformed much of the time.

The lack of financial literacy/responsibility in our culture is crazy. Balancing books is a dying art. Our youth have no clue. And people want to blame everyone else. It's maddening.

 

[Retail Girl]

It takes three days for my transactions to post. I had a mortgage check bounce because of this. I had an ETL that would never sell a redcard for this reason alone.

Wait. If you make a transaction, and then subtract it out of your register, then you know how much you have left....and it doesn't matter if it posts within five minutes or three days, because you know the money is not there. If you did the math wrong (or didn't do it at all), how exactly is this Target's fault?

 

[sher]

When you advertise something as a debit card and it doesn't work like a debit card, you get partial blame. Idc idc idc. Ain't nobody got time for a "register."

My bank's app actually allows for manually entering things that will be slow (or recurring items) so you can see a projected balance. Then when it comes out the manually entered one merges with the actual one.

Eta: I didn't even realize the thing took forever to come out until months into use, though. Then I overdrew a few times in secession. Stopped using the card then. Then when I switched to usaa I started using it again. I still hate that it doesn't show up instantly so I'm trying to quit the damn card. I always call it a check card to guests.

 

[mrknownothing]

They should go back to calling it the Check Card. It's not a true debit card. The transactions are not immediate debits like if you use your bank card as debit; they're ACH transactions, which are basically handled by the bank like checks. When you write a check, your bank doesn't know it until the recipient cashes or deposits the check.

 

[Noiinteam]

I probably should keep this comment to myself, but I can't help myself. When you use your debit card or write a check, the money should be considered gone at that moment! For crying out loud if it causes you to stress out over how long it takes to post, then cancel the card and don't have a checking account. Thank you, I feel better now, lol

 

[mrknownothing]

I probably should keep this comment to myself, but I can't help myself. When you use your debit card or write a check, the money should be considered gone at that moment! For crying out loud if it causes you to stress out over how long it takes to post, then cancel the card and don't have a checking account. Thank you, I feel better now, lol

As others have said, keep an updated register of your transactions.

 

[sher]

I probably should keep this comment to myself, but I can't help myself. When you use your debit card or write a check, the money should be considered gone at that moment! For crying out loud if it causes you to stress out over how long it takes to post, then cancel the card and don't have a checking account. Thank you, I feel better now, lol

Physical checks actually leave my bank account instantly if the store puts it through that fancy machine that scans it. Same for debit card which I assumed was true for everyone (not talking about tgt's CHECK card). Never said I was stressed. Period. I just dont think that any electronic payment method in 2015 should take more than a few hours to show up. If you own a register checkbook thing use it. If you use USAA enter your transactions in the schedule and peep your projected balance. I do and I havent overdrawn since I realized the CHECK CARD went through slower than an actual check would. I still dont like the red card. I'm not stressed and I don't think anyone else said anything about being stressed... Sooooooooooooo....

Also I've overheard ignorant cashiers pushing the "debit card" and say things like "it works just like your debit card! If you dont have the money, it will reject! Don't worry." And I think that misinformation comes simply from people referring to it INCORRECTLY as a debit card. And THAT in my opinion leads to unprepared folks when they don't realize the transaction doesn't occur instantly in their account. Once you've become accustomed to trusting your bank and their internet features, it's hard to switch back to (or to start for the first time) manually tracking it.

 

[sher]

*whispers* but I have used the red card to "float checks" because I know how long it takes in my bank. 3 days every single time, not counting weekends or holidays.

 

[redeye58]

*whispers* but I have used the red card to "float checks" because I know how long it takes in my bank. 3 days every single time, not counting weekends or holidays.

 

[PassinTime]

[QUOTE="sher, post: 192328, member:

Also I've overheard ignorant cashiers pushing the "debit card" and say things like "it works just like your debit card! If you dont have the money, it will reject! Don't worry." And I think that misinformation comes simply from people referring to it INCORRECTLY as a debit card. And THAT in my opinion leads to unprepared folks when they don't realize the transaction doesn't occur instantly in their account. Once you've become accustomed to trusting your bank and their internet features, it's hard to switch back to (or to start for the first time) manually tracking it.[/QUOTE]

When you sign up a victim, um, I mean guest, for a RC, your options are either credit or debit. My store certainly didn't train me to tell guests it's not a debit card, but rather a check card.

 

[sher]

^exactly. I was trained the same way and knew no better until I got the card. I think I'd be less annoyed with the card if I had been better educated on it before I signed up.... And before I started pushing the card.

 

[Stubio]

Takes 2 days for my bank to approve my online redcard purchases which completely defeats the purpose of paying extra for faster shipping.

I learned my lesson after paying extra $10 for 2 day shipping and the package not coming until a week later.

 

[dannyy315]

Lol, today they had someone at the front handing out brochures to guests walking in. They're getting desperate.

 

[Kartman]

Whutta bunch of whiney wankers!

 

[queencat]

Apperantly if you are on social security or disability (or something like that) you can't have even a regular debit card.

Had a guest who was purchasing some stuff for her mother using a check who tild me about it. It was a while ago so i don't remember exactly what it was but she was on some support program ancnd could only use checks and cash. Don't think she was pulling my leg as the daughter used her own debit red card for something else.

Also pure laziness. I'm guilty of this one (to lazy to get checks.....)

 

[TeamRed]

Hmm maybe that's why I had 2 guests get denied the other day. I never knew that........

 

[Onizuka]

Easily the worst thing about this job (so far at least) is the pressure to "get" Redcards. At first I wasn't very good at pitching the card to guests, and I didn't ask every single guest either. Now, I ask almost everyone that comes through my line, my pitch is better, and I vary what I say so I don't sound like a robot. I've worked at Target for a little over a month now and I've only signed up 4 guests for Redcards...

Today one of my GSTLs talked to me about how I haven't gotten enough Redcards lately, and how I need to make sure I'm explaining all the benefits to every guest. I know that my GSTL is likely being pressured about getting Redcards from higher up, but it sucks getting talked to about something that is not really in my control. No one cares about how fast I am, or how well I handle guests, or how helpful and friendly I am... it's all about the stupid Redcards. Nothing else matters. I can't force guests to sign up. I felt like crap leaving work today without getting a single Redcard..

I'm sure you have all read rants similar to this before, but I just had to vent a bit..