Here’s a rant/report on an experience I had with Target Stores that might prove helpful as you think about your interactions with customers, how you support them and what it does for a brand — and a huge caution if you ever considering buying Target’s consumer electronics brand, TruTech.
Before I get started some disclosure is necessary: my wife was once the audio buyer for Target and I was a manufacturer’s representative calling on her with Pioneer Electronics (no…I didn’t ask her out while she was a buyer but waited until she was promoted out of the area into a non-conflict of interest position…but I digress). So we both know this game well and I can only imagine what Joe SixPack thinks since alot of “Joe’s” seem to be having similar experiences.
In November of 2006, I purchased a Target brand TV/DVD combo for my first year college daughter (this Target “TruTech” model). It was cheap but more than sufficient for her needs. When plugging the batteries into the remote I remarked on how cheap it was and — having broken and lost many remotes in my day — was not terribly concerned since universal remotes are so easy to find and cheap to buy…
…unless you’re a major mass merchandiser that buys from multiple vendors that do not offer or publish their remote control codes and have one place to buy a replacement for nearly 17% of the retail price of the unit itself!
(Please note the updates at the bottom of the next page)
I couldn’t find the original manual (who of us with *any* geek street cred would keep a manual for a TV/DVD combo for God’s sake!) so didn’t have the customer service number. Turns out there are no codes available *and* Target has used multiple OEM vendors to make the TruTech branded consumer electronics. Therefore, no universal remotes work. I bought one figuring I’d solve the problem, and after a couple of hours of screwing around (and reading this and all of these on Google, for example), I ended up at Alco Electronics support (just one of the Target TruTech OEM vendors) who indicated that “LG or Goldstar codes might work”.
They didn’t nor could the universal remote find a compatible code in “seek” mode.
I finally reached out to Target customer support. The first guy was helpful and indicated Starlite Consumer Electronics had supplied these particular models (which I think is Funai Electronics in Hong Kong) though calling back later a second woman hung up on me which was disconcerting. The Starlite 800# call was next and I talked to a very curt woman who sternly proclaimed, “NO…we do NOT publish the codes and we’ve TOLD THEM IN HONG KONG what a problem this is but they haven’t done anything yet.”
She indicated that — even though I could purchase one of a dozen or so universal remotes on a Target endcap for under the amount — she’d help me get a replacement remote for $30 and it would ship “sometime in the next couple of days and you will probably get it next week.”
$30 for a cheesy and cheap plastic remote (which is why it broke in the first place) for a TV/DVD combo set that retails for $179? It might ship in a couple of days and I might get it next week? WTF is THAT all about? In a day of great customer service, conversational marketing and precision in shipping information, this is baffling for a retailer the size of Target.
My wife calmly explained to me over lunch that writing a letter addressed to Target Corp and “video buyer” would probably be the best way to reach someone and indicate change was required. I thought I’d do this post first and reference it in the letter.
Here’s the deal: this is completely unacceptable and my time is too precious than to spend more than 10 minutes on this matter (which has been about the amount of time I’ve spent in the past replacing remotes for an untold number of devices). If it wasn’t for my little girl asking, “So Dad…have you been able to get me a remote yet?” I would’ve given up and bought another set (and for what I charge for consulting I could’ve bought 3 or 4 of the damn things and been done with it…but it’s the principle of the thing that gets me).
Furthermore, not either stocking replacement remotes or using the power, might and buying influence of Target Stores to DEMAND that the OEM manufacturer bend-over-backwards to support this TruTech brand by publishing codes or buying infrared (IR) chips from a mainstream vendor so universal remotes are supported is mystifying.
My faith was in the Target brand and the ethics expressed by my bride when she was buying audio (as well as other buyers I’ve known over the years). I expect nothing less of *anything* Target carries but I’ll *never* buy TruTech again and suggest you don’t either until such time that Target gets their act together.
UPDATE 10/25/08: Two
pieces of interesting news today: One is that I just checked, and there have been 37,086 pageviews of this post since it went live in May of 2007. The other is the most distressing as my daughter just informed me that the TV is making such a loud audio crackling noise (she hits it to make it stop) that she wants to make it go away (and we’ll buy her a new one for Christmas, no doubt, and there isn’t a snowballs-chance-in-Hell it’ll be a Trutech!).
So this means that THIS TV LASTED FOR ONE YEAR AND FIVE MONTHS since there’s no way it would be cost-effective to have it repaired.
UPDATE 12/25/07: I’ve been amazed at the hundreds of pageviews of this post every day between the day after Thanksgiving and today, Christmas day (over 16,000 total so far). I’ve received emails from people, you can read the comments, and see for yourself that there is a tremendous amount of dissatisfaction with the Trutech products. Please note that I cannot do anything myself but have, in fact, reached out via email to Kimberly Youngstrom (kyoungstrom@kaplowpr.com) who is the person sanctioned as responsible for public relations for the Target Owned Brands. Ms. Youngstrom is with Target’s public relations agency in New York, Kaplow PR. I’ve emailed twice, the last time on November 26th but there has been no response.
UPDATE 9/3/07: This post has been amazing in the HUGE number of people that have read it (especially during this back-to-school season) and, most troubling, how many have commented AND have sent me emails asking for help. Target has used at least two vendors to make electronics for the TruTech brand. I’ve tried to locate the electronics buyer for Target Stores responsible for this brand, but after four hours of trying I’ve given up. I’d recommend calling Target Customer Service (1.800.440.0680) and let them know of your displeasure and what you could and should do.
About Steve Borsch
My 30 Day Odyssey With Comcast
I had a conversation with a friend of mine regarding some customer service issues he was having with Best Buy and he asked me what my issues with Comcast had been and how come I never wrote about it. What
I was able to get a universal remote to “find” the code for the True Tech TV I purchased at Target. The remote that worked was purchased at Walgreens and it is a Innovage Product. Actually, it is a jumbo universal remote, so that I can’t lose it under all my paperwork on my desk. I guess I got lucky, because getting my jumbo remote to find the code for the true tech was a piece of cake.
I’m with you on the Trutech issue though mine is for a different reason. I bought the Trutech TV/DVD combo. After the first movie it wouldn’t load DVDs anymore. I took it back and the customer service person assured me that mine was the very first one that had been returned. So I ended up getting another one. Now while the DVD player does work fine, after only a few months of use, the screen won’t stop jumping. Nothing has helped. I truly regret buying the Trutech brand and will never again buy anything of that brand.
I agree! My unit worked fine for 4 months. Then the power went off. I haven’t been able to contact the Trutech Service number 1-888-6TRUTECH. The line only rings busy. The manual is no help either. This is the crappist piece of junk I have ever purchased!!!! Consumer beware.
Wow! Shure wish I’d read this before buying the TV/DVD combo by T..Tech. Have had it a month and played only 2 dvds (not hooked to tv service/purch only for playback). Will now not open to load a third!!!!!!!!!!
NEVER buy one of these products! Gotta hope I can get money back.
S
This is the worst tv i have ever seen. the dvd doesn’t work and without a cable box the tv doesn’t either. there’s no menu option for cable. and the two numbers i have found are answering machines or are busy.
go walmart
i have a question… has your daughter ever tried to watch certain shows on television or even put in a dvd and the trutech tv jus turns to this blue screen thats says tv-ma… and thats it… and thats jus freakin me out because im an computer electronic expert… see my mom bought me a trutech tv for christmas as a house warming gift… well i threw the box away like most people (with all the styrofoam, warranties, manual etc) and mines isnt a dvd combo! its a regular tv! so how is it that the tv knows that i put a tv-ma rated movie inn my playstation 3? and who authorized and parental block? all i did was plug it in.. never touched any settings.. i dont have kids! and by readin your letter i guess its no use in pursuing my search because i’ve been sent thru the exact same thing as u within the past hour…. (sigh) im glad i read this…. i guess i can jus toss that junk in the trash..
I bought a trutech VHS/DVD writer a while back. Out of the box, everything played correctly. However, it needed oiling!
The gears moving the tape in the VHS squeaked so loudly it made watching tapes impossible. I’m a professionally trained engineer, and I’ve never had to, or heard of anyone else having to, oil a VHS player. In their defense, a little oil did clear up the problem. But seriously… oiling a VHS player?
The menu system in the DVD player literally takes between 5 and 10 minutes to start up, depending on the DVD. This was a huge annoyance, bordering on the absurd. But this I could have lived with, though it was a constant source of complaints from my girlfriend: “Why couldn’t you shell out a few extra dollars and get a real player? Come on Joe, Trutech? You knew something like this was going to happen!”
Finally, the whole system gave up the ghost after only about a year. Now the LED just blinks “Hello” and the screen eternally shows blue. This was the most expensive paperweight I’ve ever bought. To be honest, I’m glad it’s dead.
Okay, so I have had mine for a year, combo, NO problems but now I just want the codes for my RCA directv remote…some of you mention having found the codes–want to share them??? Pretty please, since I obviously am only going to be able to use it for a short time!
My wonderful boyfriend of fourteen years bought me the TRUETECH TV/DVD unit for my bedroom as a surprise. Yes, the gesture was wonderful and genuine, but the unit is, for lack of a more fitting and descriptive word, a piece of crap.
I am a Consumer Reports subscriber and never buy anything over $20 without doing my research. My boyfriend bought the TRUETECH unit because he thought it was a great deal and Target is known for great deals. The DVD part of the unit worked about ten times. Now when you try to load a DVD, it proclaims: “Wrong disc.”
I have had the unit about ninety days. I have searched the manual for an explanation of how to troubleshoot this problem with the DVD player. I think someone shot the manual before I got it.
What are my chances of getting Target to take it back and exchange it for a unit that works???
I have a trutech model zv450tt8 VHS/DVD combo. It is has a hybrid tuner. The NTSC works great. However, the ATSC tuner can’t remember any of its channels. I have to set it up, just before I watch it. Trutech Sucks. I feel like throwing it through Target’s window. $199 of crap.
I hope somebody doing research on Trutech gets to this site before they buy.
I received a TruTech dvd player, model TT320, as a gift. After only a few uses the dvd player stopped working. When I press any button the power light change from blue to green and nothing happens. Nothing. It wasn’t used very often but I’ll be sure not to by anything TruTech as a replacement. I haven’t tried any customer support yet, but from what I’m reading here, I probably shouldn’t even waste my time. Don’t buy TruTech
I have a trutech CD clock radio. CD part does not work nor does the sleep button. Went on the web site on the pamphlet that was enclosed with the radio and it comes up to a porn site. Disgusting
Trutech, stinks I have a DVD/TV 13′ combo. I purchased it about 4 months ago ( throwing away the box of course) so my 3 year old niece can watched Barbie when she visits and already it does not work. It always seem to take a long time to register when I put a movie in and now it just does not read them at all, I either a blue screen or a messahe that says no DVD. What a waste!!!!! And now I have to watch Barbie again.
does anone have problems with volume on their TV…my trutech flatscreen has lost volume for about a week now, i am hoping it comes back…muted tV kinda sucks…it did this about 3 months after i purchased it. it continued on and off for about a week or two and then it was fine for the last 10 months. now no volume and a sad me…the TV is just a year old. any advice??? thanks
Wow… I gotta say I’ve not had a problem yet with my 17in TV/DVD/PC TruTech LCD display.
Sure I never use the remote (only care for 1 tv station) and I’m close enough to just switch inputs on the tv manualy since it is used for Wii and my Mac. For sound sure I do use external speakers through the headphone jack. I’ve watched the entire 24 season 1 and 5 on DVD, along with all the Harry Potter films and a few others here and there.
I have been pleased with the display. Sure its not above EDTV, sometimes you notice ghosting… but either way It has been a great little machine.
Thanks to all for the feedback and to the blog for the info on Trutech. I was just about to go out and buy a TV/DVD combo that is on sale. I had a nagging feeling to do research on this brand after buying a Lite-on DVD recorder that sucked. I’ll stick tried and true brands.
I was given a TruTech tv/dvd combo for Christmas last year. The DVD went out after two months and I returned it and got a new one (no box, no receipt.) However, I was given a return receipt and tucked it away in my wallet. (By the way, there was another woman returning the exact same tv that same time and day at Target!)
So, needless to say, I went to take it back today (the second go-round) and my “return receipt” was EXPIRED! Gimme a friggin’ break! I hadn’t used the damn thing in a few months- it’s been in storage, and now it doesn’t work!
How do we get a hold of TRUTECH and what are they doing to replace/remedy these issues?
Anybody know?
Found your site when I thought I had failed to follow set up instructions for my new “bargain” and went looking for the 800# for Trutech. I will confirm that the 17 inch TV/DVD I purchased last night will not go past channel 13 with a direct cable connection. There is no warantee, only a 90 day return policy on your receipt and the instruction manual does not have a technical support number. If you loose your receipt you are out of luck. This whole thing sounds like a rotten deal and the TV is going back to the store today. Even the kind fellow I spoke to on the phone at the store said he would not buy this brand.
If anyone can help, I purchased a trutech tv/dvd combo from arget and it only willl scan 19 of my subscribed 180 cable channels. I receive all 180 channels on all my other tv in the house but can seem to get the trutech model to receive the same can anyone offer some suggestions and any possible trouble shooting to resolve this dilemma? Target is unable/unwilling to assist. Please feel free to e-mail me at the following:bluensami@hotmail.com
We bought a Tru Tech 7 inch photo frame and after 3 months it just stopped working. Target won’t replace it and the Tru-Tech toll free number just drops out when we cal – 1-800-248-3960. What do I do?
I’m trying to find out if anyone knows why I have sound when playing a DVD but NONE when trying to play a VHS tape.
I have a toddler & we still break out the Disney videos; out last combo was great until my son fed it some Goldfish crackers & 3 refrigerator magnets.
We got a TruTech to replace it (it’s now on a high shelf away from short people), but we can’t get any sound thru the VHS side!! Has anyone had this problem, and is it possible I need seperate audio cables for each side of the unit? Just wondered….
Just read all your comments. Unfortunately a day late. I purchased the Trutech 19″ LCDTV + DVD Model PVS2119,from Target. With %40 off of the $330.00 price, I just couldn’t resist. Hopefully I will have better luck. But I did want to post a phone number that may help. The guy at Target yesterday told me the Trutech was made by Daewoo and gave me the email and phone number. So here it is.
http://www.e-daewoo.com 1-877-393-7823
Hope this helps. Good Luck
Just read all your comments. Unfortunately a day late. I purchased the Trutech 19″ LCDTV + DVD Model PVS2119,from Target. With %40 off of the $330.00 price, I just couldn’t resist. Hopefully I will have better luck. But I did want to post a phone number that may help. The guy at Target yesterday told me the Trutech was made by Daewoo and gave me the email and phone number. So here it is.
http://www.e-daewoo.com 1-877-393-7823
Hope this helps. Good Luck
I bought a 23″ TV last year. It is model DW27FTT. It has started losing sound about 45 minutes after you turn it on. If you turn it off and turn it on again the sound is there for about another 45 minutes. It is very scary and I am afraid of fire. I will never buy another Trutech item from Target.
We bought a TV/DVD combo at the beginning of the year. We have DVD loading issues frequently. But the worst problem is the screen will jump with horizontal lines after a few minutes of having the unit on. I would love to take it back as we have the receipt, but we are outside of the 90 days. Let me know if you have had any return success outside of 90 days with Target.
what a piece of junk my tv/dvd combo is. the dvd works intermittantly with various errors, none which make any sense. i will never buy another piece of electronics from target. what i thought was gong to be a good deal, turned out to be very expensive as i needed to buy my college age daughter a new tv.
i am sad to admit to being taken by the target tru tech also. i have a 17 inch tv/dvd combo. mine lasted at least 6/8 months before the dvd wouldn’t play anymore. i bought a seperate dvd player and hooked it up. that played for awhile and then after 2 months that wouldn’t work on the tv. i dare get another dvd or a tv set….like previous responders i had the tv to long to return and well i got it on sale so it wasn’t worth pursuing.
I have a 20″ trutech tv/dvd combo. Can anyone tell me where and how I can obtain a remote for this unit? Or a compatible remote that will work?
if the trutech company, i have a problem with my C.D. player. one day i was listening to my C.D. player & then then the headphones were not working, so i got mad & threw it on my bed, & suddenly it stopped working.
Just had the same problem…recieved a DVD player as a gift and after 3 uses…nada….went to exchange…nope…no receipt…last time i ever shop Target……
I am also experiencing difficulty with the Trutech codes. My cable company, Time Warner Cable, supplies a cable box and a remote control to its customers. In order to turn on/off the Trutech television and/or use the DVD feature, I must use the Trutech remote control. But, to change the channel on the television, I need to use Time Warner Cable’s remote control. In the past, I have always programmed Time Warner Cable’s remote control to my television so that I could use one remote for all functions, but not with Trutech. I cannot locate the manufacturer or the applicable code and am thereby forced to use two remote controls for one television. I cannot believe that a company as large and profitable as Target would elect a supplier that does not supply universal codes. I am extremely dissatisfied and will never purchase another electronic product from Target.
Last spring I got a Trutech DVD Recorder, a display model without remote, for $34. It usually sold for $100, so it was a good buy. I am glad I did not pay any more than I did! Since I am a gearhead, I did manage to find a universal remote it would work with. But I would not recommend this unit to the average customer. Picture quality is okay on playback, but recording quality is mediocre.
Your essay is a good warning about Trutech products.
I have repeated problems with my 27″ lcd purchased 7 months ago. The sound went out completely to fix the problem you power off and then back on. Today I come to find that my TruTech purchased at Target no longer powers on, the light is on shows that it receives power, but no picture and no sound. Yes I got a very good deal with almost $500.00 of the original price but it still leaves me without. Due to all of the comments I have read today I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER TRUTECH, or any other electronic from Target….
I totally agree. We bought the Trutech DVD player 3 times. I know it sounds crazy to have kept purchasing the player, but I thought my two year old son broke the first two. Poor kid that he was blamed for it. The third player we put high up so he couldn’t touch it at all. Now we know that Trutech is just cheap junk. The third player wouldn’t play DVDs after one month of use. I bought a DVD cleaner and that didn’t help either. DO NOT BUY THE TRUTECH BRAND. IT IS JUNK. Even though it is reasonably priced you get what you pay for. Target should not carry the brand. They are going to get a bad name for it.
I puchased a trutech dw19tt 18 months ago. It worked all right up until now. The sound simply went out. I use my pc loudspeakers plugged to the headphone jack to watch TV now and that woks ok. Considering that I spent only 79 bucks on the 19″ TV set I’m not overly disappointed…
Looks like TruTech TV/combos are crap, and I don’t know, since I’ve never had one (doesn’t look like I want one). But I’ve had a TruTech DVD player for over a year, and it’s been a charm. Dirt cheap, tiny, lightweight, and plays any possible thing I throw at it, including MP3 CD’s and improperly burned DVDs. Its remote died a month after I got it, and Target just exchanged the whole thing.
Eventually I lost the remote, but have found that CyberHome codes work and give you basic functionality.
So it’s not all that crappy.
Our portable DVD player quit playing DVDs after 90 days had expired. I will not buy electronics at Target again. Wish I hadn’t wasted $80.
I have the TV/DVD also. So far I have had no problems, except the remote code dilemia. I do have a DVD Recorder from TruTech that I brought from Target and I am upset because it gets hot and then stops recording properly. What a bummer!!! Oh well, I guess that what I get for $89.00. Target needs to get better products!
I have the TruTech DVD model TT320. The code for the Time Warner remote is 1023.. Try Cyberhome codes for any other model. Even though my TruTech is still working well after a year, because of all of the comments, I will never buy a TruTech again.
We bought a Trutech T2000-D 20″ at Target last Jan for superbowl. All of the channels did not come in clear so my boyfriend felt he did a bad job running cable in. He never got around to checking the cable and I got busy with my mother who is very sick so I did not watch TV. We did not use it till I moved and took the TV with me. Again I could not get clear channels. I voiced my opinion with Target and they said they have had issues but because it is past the time they cannot help me. I called the consumer line and they said too bad that it only has a 6 month warranty and they realize the TV had issues but they cannot stand behind it. I will continue my drive to recoup on what both Target and Starlite already know as a bad item.
My tru-tech 20″ tv/dvd combo has been working for a little over 12 months now, but probably not for long. I am starting to see the “wrong disk” message when i try to play cd’s (which has never happened before this). While playing dvds the disk freezing for about 20 seconds every once in awhile.
The reason i actually came acrossed this post was in attempt to find a replacement remote. I have made it through a few months without a remote after losing it, but its became a little bit of a hassle to manually go through all the channels or not being able to see special features on dvds and whatnot. I bought a $15 universal remote about a month after losing the original, but neither myself or my roomate could get it to work. I laid it aside frustrated and finally came back to it today. After 2 hours of trying different codes and doing a manual search, I finally seemed to get the right code.
Trying the remote out, I found out I could turn the tv off and on… go to channels 1, 3, 5, 7, and 8… with buttons completely unrelated to their specification I can mute, go to a previous scene, turn the volume up (but not down), and open the drive. The rest of the buttons do nothing.
I guess instead of buying a new remote, I should be saving for a new televison. From what i read, my unit has already surpassed its expiration date.
Bought a TV/DVD combo last Christmas season b/c it was the ‘lowest price of the season’ and it worked fine. Tonight we were watching tv with our son and it just shut off and won’t get any power. I thought it was a great tv until that happened. I threw away the receipt, not like it would do any good 10 months later. I will never waste money on this brand again. I guess you get what you paid for. Lesson learned.
I purchased a trutech dvd player about 120 days ago. I just bought the dvd “knocked up”, and when i put the disc in it displayed “wrong disc”. I have only watched about 3 dvds on the thing. Anyone know how to fix this problem, or should I just go dump it in targets parking lot?
All of the above goes for Trutech MP3 players as well. Don’t buy ANY Trutech electronics from Target. Because of their retiscence to fix the problems, don’t buy ANY electronics from Target. There are other reputable stores.
I PURCHASED A TRUTTECH T2000-D 20″ COLOR TV WITH THE DVD PLAYER. tHE REMOTE BROKE WITH IN A WEEK. i WAS SHIPPED A NEW REPLACEMENT. AFTER ABOUT 5 DVD MOVIES THAT REFUSED TO LOAD ANY MORE DISKS. iT SAYS WRONG DISK. I CALLED STARLITE ELECTRONICS, THEY SAID DUE TO ALL THE PROBLEMS THE WARRANTIES HAVE BEEN EXTENDED TO 180 DAYS. tHEY SAID THEY HAVE THE SETS FIXED AND ARE NOW OK.
I HAD TO SEND MAY BAD SET TO CA, IT COST 35.00 TO DO THAT. ABOUT 60 DAYS A NEW SET SHOWED UP. I SAID WELL THIS WAS A GOOD DEAL. ONLY 2 DVD MOVES AND THE DVD PLAYER SAYS WRONG DISK AGAIN AND WIKK NOT LOAD DVD ANYMORE. IF YOU HAVE ONE OF THESE SETS JUST JUNK IT. THEY ARE NO GOOD. TARGET IS NO LONGER ON MY LIST OF STORES TO BUY ANY THING, SORRY.
What is the code of this tv so I may use it with cable???
Ihave the 15″ trutech for the br. I only used it a couple hrs. a day, after 14 months it quit working. No pic no sound just a little churp every few seconds. “TRUCRAP” electronics for sure.
Thanks
Thank you for this article. I purchased an Trutech armband radio for $13 (I was too cheap to pay $30 for the Sony), and because of your article (as well as everyone else’s comments), I will be returning this to Target ASAP.
You are not going to believe this. I am friends with 2 men that opened 5 HUGE tanning salons, and the trutech CD Player caught one of them on fire! Im not joking. I was a personal witness to it. Luckily, one of our technicians used the extinguisher in time, but each piece of equipment in the salon is about 15,000 each, and we have 12 of them. DO NOT USE THE CD PLAYER