90 day return policy on unopened mirror - too short for big box store

I purchased a Homedics makeup mirror M-8051 last summer as a gift for my mother. Unfortunately, she did not want it, never opened it, but never returned it with the gift receipt provided with the gift. She lives in another city, and by the time I got it back, it was late fall. I went to the North Hills store on 6 Forks Road in Raleigh, NC and asked to return it for a store credit. I purchase a lot from Target, and although I return very little, once in the past I had returned something after the time allowed by the return policy and had gotten a store gift card rather than a refund. This time, however, I was told that I could not return the item because I had purchased it more than 90 days earlier.

Until today I had not even opened the mirror because the reviews I have read of the product on-line, including on Target's own web site, were quite negative. I figured it was just as well that Mom didn't want it. So today, seeing that they are not ever going to accept the thing for return, I opened it, and lo and behold it is a poorly designed and made mirror.

I have emailed and called Target customer service and credit services on several occasions to ask for amnesty on this purchase but have been told repeatedly that the policy has always been 90 days (even when I got a store credit for an over 90 day purchase) and that they would not accept it for return. Today I was told by customer service that I should call Homedics customer service to ask if they could help me. I did so and was told by Homedics that I would need to return the mirror to Target.

What is mindboggling about this is that I am a loyal Target customers. Not only do I purchase in the store, I have a Target credit card that I use so much that I receive a 10% off store coupon almost every month. You have to rack up 1000 points to get one, so you can see that I use the credit card a lot. Let me point out that I have been quite patient and kind in all of my interactions regarding this mirror. I have asked NICELY to return the item. Nevertheless, the answer is always NO. I expect a limited return policy from a small local merchant, but not from a huge national big box retailer.

Well, I will no longer be using my Target card or shopping at the Target store. A new Costco is opening right down the street, and there are lots of Walmart's, Sam's, BJ's, and other shopping opportunities in Raleigh. I hope the $50 Target is saving on this item is more than offset by the loss of thousands of dollars of my business.