Lost Something at Target? Here‘s the 2023 Lost & Found Guide You Need
As one of the most visited retailers in America with nearly 2,000 stores, Target sees millions of customers walk through its doors daily. With so much foot traffic, it‘s no wonder personal items get lost in the fray. In fact, Target employees report finding over 183,000 lost items per year, or 500 per day!
Losing your wallet, phone, or other prized possession can negatively impact your whole day. Fortunately, Target has a detailed lost and found protocol in place to assist. As a shopping expert with over 20 years of retail consulting experience, I‘ve compiled this comprehensive guide on reclaiming lost objects and returning found items to their owners.
Top Tips If You Lose an Item at Target
If you realize your personal item is missing after a Target run, stay calm and take these steps:
Call the store‘s customer service as soon as possible to file a report. Provide the exact time/date lost, aisle location, and item specifics like brand, color, and distinguishing marks. The more details the better!
Come back to search the store yourself if reasonable. Retrace your steps through each aisle you visited and recheck busy areas like electronics and checkout lanes. Ask associates to check under shelves and behind displays along your route.
Leave your name and number with customer service for follow up. Insist they call you if it turns up, even months later. I‘ve seen lost items reunited with owners long after they lost hope!
Check neighboring stores too. Wind or other shoppers may have carried the item to different Target location.
For specialty items like medications or medical devices, call each day to monitor the search. Timeliness is critical for health-related losses.
Here‘s the story of a woman who left her expensive orthopedic knee brace at Target after shopping last year. By calling customer service twice a day for a week, they were able to find her brace and ship it to her the next day. The persistence paid off!
Behind the Scenes: How Target Handles Found Items
When you turn a found item over to Target customer service, here‘s what happens behind the counter:
Employees immediately log details like date, time, and location found into the lost and found system.
Belongings are locked in a secure cabinet or safe accessible only by select staff. High-value items may go in the store safe.
Small paper goods get put in a sealed plastic bag labeled with specifics in case of water damage.
Perishables like lunchboxes are emptied of leftovers and containers cleaned before storage.
Target aims to hold found items for 30 days, then donates, destroys, or discards them if unclaimed.
I once found a brand new iPhone still in the box that someone had left at checkout. Rather than turn it in to general lost and found, I insisted they put it directly in the safe after logging it. Sure enough, the owner returned looking for it the next day! He was thrilled to have his expensive new phone back unharmed.
If You Find a Lost Item at Target, Do This
If you come across a lost possession at Target, here are the best practices to follow:
Turn it into customer service immediately, don‘t hold onto it yourself. The sooner the better for reuniting it with its owner!
Provide detailed specifics like the exact aisle or endcap where you found the item.
Note and report any visible owner identifiers like initials monogrammed or engraved.
For food, cosmetics, or medications, alert staff of perishability concerns right away. Timeliness is imperative.
Avoid excessive handling of lost items. Turn over "as is" so staff can examine contents and log details.
I‘ll never forget finding a little girl‘s lost teddy bear as I was exiting a Target restroom last year. I swiftly brought it to customer service and they were able to reunite the distraught father and daughter with "Coco" just a few hours later. She cried happy tears when her beloved bear was returned to her safe and sound!
Lost & Found Protocol Summarized
For quick reference, here is an overview of the key steps for Target‘s lost and found process:
| If You Lose an Item: | If You Find an Item: |
|---|---|
| Call customer service ASAP | Turn in to customer service immediately |
| Provide detailed description | Note exact location found in store |
| Leave contact information | Identify any owner markings |
| Personally retrace your steps | Alert staff to perishables |
| Check surrounding stores | Avoid handling excessively |
The Takeaway
Losing a personal possession can be extremely disruptive and stressful. But Target‘s detailed lost and found policies allow for many happy reunions between lost items and their owners. Now that you know what to do when you lose something at Target, or if you happen to come across a lost item while shopping there, you can have peace of mind. Just remember to act swiftly, provide details, and follow up persistently. With Target‘s help, there‘s a great chance you‘ll be reunited with your lost belonging.
