11 Bizarre Target® Returns That Will Mess With Your Head

Let’s face it: We’ve all had buyer’s remorse. But while most of us return that ill-fitting sweater or extra blender, some shoppers take returns to a whole new level. Target^® employees have seen their fair share of bizarre returns, and the results are both hilarious and head-scratching. Here’s a roundup of 11 of the weirdest items people have actually returned at Target.

1. A Single Banana

Picture this: A customer struts into Target with one lonely banana in hand, hoping for a refund. What was the plan here? Did they expect a full 5 cents back? They probably spent more than that for transportation to and from the store. We’ll never know, but this tiny return certainly left employees baffled and slightly amused.

2. A Bloody Bathing Suit

Brace yourself for this one. A customer brought back a bathing suit - complete with bloodstains. Yes, you read that right. Not surprisingly, Target employees refused to process that return, but not before everyone was thoroughly grossed out. Some things go just way, way beyond the return policy.

3. Half-Drunk Bottle of Wine

Returning food is one thing, but bringing back half-eaten items? That takes some serious nerve. Someone reportedly returned a half-drunk bottle of wine, perhaps hoping for a refund after they realized they didn’t like the taste. Sorry, but once you’ve popped the cork, you’ve sealed your fate (and your chance of return).

4. Christmas Decorations - in February

There’s taking advantage of a return policy, and then there’s this: One shopper reportedly returned $400 worth of Christmas decorations - in late February. We’re guessing they really decked the halls for Christmas and then squeezed every last drop out of that 90-day return window. The moral of the story? Keep your receipts - and maybe your holiday spirit too!

5. ‘Tampered-With’ Contraceptives

Open box? Check. Awkward explanation? Double check. One customer returned an opened box of condoms, and let’s just say the situation left more questions than answers. Target’s return policy has its limits, and this one definitely crossed the line.

6. Suspicious Bedsheets

Here’s one that sounds more like a heist. A man tried to return three sets of high-end sheets, claiming his wife went overboard with the shopping. In exchange, he grabbed a pricey camera. But employees suspected he’d bought the sheets from a thrift store just to pull off this sneaky swap. Clever, but not clever enough! Return denied.

7. A Piñata Fail

Some returns have a certain charm, like the customer who brought back a piñata because it broke… too easily. Newsflash: That’s kind of the whole point of a piñata! Apparently, this shopper had some exceptionally high durability expectations for a paper-mâché donkey designed to be smashed.

8. An Xbox^® - Without the Console

It’s one thing to forget the remote, but this customer brought back an Xbox - missing the actual console. Maybe he hoped no one would notice? Unfortunately for this person, Target employees were quick to realize that the return didn’t quite add up. No console, no refund!

9. Wet, Icy Snow Gloves

You’d think some things would be a no-brainer, but no. One customer returned seven pairs of snow gloves - still dripping wet and covered in ice! The customer’s complaint? She wasn’t satisfied after, ahem, using them in the snow. Pro tip: Target sells snow gear - they don’t rent it!

10. An Entire Lawn Set

How do you return an entire lawn set? Well, if you’re one ambitious customer, you rent a U-Haul^® and make multiple trips into the store with cartloads of patio furniture. The logistics alone boggle the mind, but apparently, this customer managed to pull it off. We feel sorry for the unfortunate Target employee who had to schlep it all back to the patio aisle.

11. Items From Other Stores

This one’s a real head-scratcher. Customers have tried to return items they obviously bought elsewhere, including flour with Walmart^® branding and branded clothing from other retailers. Yeah, that sweatshirt that has the word Abercrombie^® splashed in huge letters across the chest? You’re going to need to return that at the mall.

Pro Tip: Don’t Be Ridiculous

So, the next time you’re tempted to bring back something questionable, ask yourself: Is this weirder than a half-drunk bottle of wine? If the answer’s anything other than “Absolutely not,” maybe it’s best to hold onto that receipt - and the item!

References: Target employees share the most ridiculous returns they've seen customers make | The 8 weirdest things people tried to return to Target | Target: What’s the most ridiculous reason a guest has returned something?