Target: item arrived damaged or defective

Collect

• photos of the item and packaging
• order number

Steps

1. Photograph the item and the packaging.

2. Call Target.com Guest Services and ask for a replacement or refund.

   PhoneTarget.com Guest Services (orders, price match, damaged or missing items) +1-800-591-3869

3. For an item past the return window, use the manufacturer warranty or, for Target Owned Brands, the one-year return.

More contacts for this issue

Facts you can cite

• Process

  Target's terms (last updated September 10, 2026) require a signed written notice to the Target Law Department and 60 days of good-faith negotiation before arbitration; JAMS administers arbitration and either side may use small claims court.

  Source: target.com, verified 2026-10-12

Rules in force

• Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act
  15 U.S.C. 2302, 2310; FTC Disclosure and Pre-Sale Availability Rules

  Federal law for written warranties on consumer products. Warrantors must disclose warranty terms in simple language, may not void a warranty because the consumer used another brand of parts or service (unless those are free or the FTC grants a waiver), and may not disclaim implied warranties when they give a written warranty. Consumers can sue for breach and may recover attorneys' fees.

  Source: ftc.gov, verified 2026-10-12

  1 citable point

  • Policy

    Under a "full" warranty, service must be free, available to anyone who owns the product during the warranty period, and the warrantor must replace or refund if it cannot repair the product after a reasonable number of tries. It may not limit the duration of implied warranties or impose unreasonable duties, such as requiring return of a registration card.

    Source: ftc.gov, verified 2026-10-12

If that fails, escalate

Go up one step at a time. Keep the reference numbers and dates from each contact.

1. Customer service

   PhoneTarget.com Guest Services (orders, price match, damaged or missing items) +1-800-591-3869

2. Supervisor

   PhoneTarget guest service and Guest Relations (Target.com orders, store experience, Target Circle Card) +1-800-440-0680

3. Written complaint

   MailInformal dispute notice (required before arbitration; certified mail) Target Law Department, 1000 Nicollet Mall, TPS-3155, Minneapolis, MN 55403

4. Card or bank dispute

   Fair Credit Billing Act billing-error and purchase-dispute rights (Regulation Z)

   Electronic Fund Transfer Act error resolution and unauthorized-transfer liability (Regulation E)

5. State agency

   Your state’s attorney general. Find it in the list of state agencies (also as JSON: states/<code>.json, for example states/ny.json).

6. Public complaint

   RegulatorBetter Business Bureau

Watch out

Related

• Item arrived damaged or defective at other companies
• Retail and online shopping — how complaints work
• Target: refund request
• Target: lost package