I learned a new trick at Target stores recently that I thought I would share with you. Any tips that make treasure hunting at Target easier are very exciting to me.
So if you are lucky enough to have a store with the NEW scanners (you will see it pictured below)- you can easily check the inventory of any item with a DPCI number. Now this is handy for lots of reasons- if you can’t find an item in your store you can enter the DPCI and try to locate it. You can also use this to check the price of a heavy item so you don’t have to lug it through the store. (And if you have never attempted to scan the bar code of a car seat in a huge box, this can actually be quite the project.)
So here is a little trick:
You can find the DPCI number just underneath the price on a sales tag. To use another example, recently many of you had trouble finding the Kraft Homestyle Macaroni and Cheese. I posted the DPCI number– so even if you can’t find a particular item in your store you can still check the coupon scanner.
If your store has one of the newer price scanners like this- you will see a line of numbered buttons on the far right side of the scanner. Simply start pushing the DPCI number into the scanner. Once you have entered the numbers you need to push “enter” also on the right side. When you begin typing in numbers the screen will look like this.
Once you finish and push enter, the item should pop up on the scanner if your store carries it. It will tell you the price, the item description and if there is a gift card promotion that will be featured on the right side where the screen currently says “sale”.
Even better, it will tell you the location of the item at the very bottom of the screen. You can see in this example, I entered a mirror in and the location is Aisle C35.
So there are other methods of finding inventory in your store but I thought I’d pass this tip on. I have found it helpful when I am trying to determine the prices on large items in particular.
Anyone else have a nifty Target tip to share?
Sarah says
This is a great tip! I’ll be checking my scanners out on my trip tomorrow.
Danielle says
I’m sure most people know about this – but if there is an shelf label with a gray dot sticker, it means it is out of stock, but they have ordered it. So if you see an empty shelf, and no gray dot sticker, check the scanner and it will tell you if there is some in the back. (rather than waiting for a worker to figure it out…)
🙂
Dallas says
If the shelf price tag is seperated from others on the row (as in not connected in one long strip) You can easily remove the tag and scan it on the scanner. Which I also found useful when purcahsing a car seat LOL! It will also let you know if they have any in the back stock room as well.
Just be sure to return the tag immediately incase someone else is looking for it.
Charlene says
Yes Danielle I learned that tip with the Clean and Clear awhile back! I think it might be secret Target code for don’t put inventory out until the pricing error is corrected actually 😛
goosemonkey says
this is why i love you. always giving us useful information that no one else ever bothers with…
one thing that i like to do at target is to buy things at the dollar spot that i need or want (and that i think are actually worth a dollar). then i hang onto them without using them until they go to 75% off. if those items are still there, i buy them for a quarter and return the ones i bought for a dollar. if they’re not available anymore, no big deal because i thought they were worth a dollar in the first place! (you don’t think that’s dishonest do you?)
Emily says
@goosemonkey–I do that too. Haha! I’m glad that I have a partner in crime 🙂
Lauren says
Danielle is right. The grey dot means there are no more in the store and that it has been ordered. There is just no ETA on when that particular item will be back in stock. I agree with Dallas but just make sure you put the label back so that the team members can stock the shelves properly and so we can find out what that item costs without having to go to a scanner.
Charlene says
Goose,
Thanks 🙂 I always wonder if I am the only one excited for these little pieces of information. Glad there are other professional Targeters that are interested.
I don’t think it is dishonest. As long as the item is there for .25 you aren’t doing anything sneaky.