Target’s Car Seat Trade-In Event Is Back, So You Can Save And Recycle
Starting this weekend, Target’s Car Seat Trade-In Event gives you a chance to recycle your unwanted car seats and get 20% off another one, or a selection of other baby gear. The event starts Sunday, September 15 and runs until September 28. You can bring in any used, expired or even damaged car seat to receive the discount. Since Target introduced trade-in events in 2016 (the last one was held in April of 2024), the program has recycled over 3 million car seats, making it a win-win situation for both your budget and the environment.
Starting on September 15, you can recycle unwanted or expired car seats and get a discount on a new … [+]
You must bring the old seat to a Target store for the trade-in (there’s no mail or pickup option). It’ll be helpful to bring your mobile device and sign up for Target Circle, Target’s free loyalty program, ahead of time. Starting on September 15, 2024 pretty much all stores (except for a few small-format Targets), will have drop-off boxes for car seats near the Guest Services department. Simply drop your seat in the box and scan the sign from your mobile device.
Once scanned, you’ll receive a 20% off bonus offer in your Target Circle account. The discount will be available in your account until you use it twice or it expires on October 12, 2024. You can use the discount both in-store and when shopping online, which is good news if the product you want to apply the savings to isn’t in stock at the store you drop off at.
Target will accept any car seat for recycling, regardless of the condition. That includes infant seats, convertible car seats, car seat bases, harness or booster seats. The 20% off bonus applies to various baby gear, including a new car seat, car seat base, travel system, stroller and some baby gear for home such as play yards, high chairs, swings, rockers, bouncers, walkers and jumpers. The trade-in event takes place only in-store, and store associates should be on hand to help with any questions or technical issues or to help clarify the items the discount applies to. The discount can also be stacked with other offers.
All car seats have a manufacturer’s sticker on the base of the seat, which is required to include the expiration date. Dates vary from six to 10 years from the manufacture date, and there’s no reason to hang onto these bulky seats past their expiration dates—in fact, it’s unsafe. However, it can can be hard to recycle them. Many recycling centers and donation services won’t accept car seats, but sending car seats to landfill isn’t good for the environment. Thankfully, Target makes it easy to recycle old car seats during the trade-in event, which overlaps with Baby Safety Month.
Our Picks To Shop During The Target Car Seat Trade-In
Target carries many of the car seats and strollers we recommend. If you’re trading in a car seat during the September 2024 event, here are some of our recommendations and top products to purchase with your discount.