Target code A036: Cost Difference
Target code A036 is a cost difference chargeback: the unit cost on the invoice is higher than the cost on Target’s purchase order, and Target paid at its own cost.
The invoice cost and the PO cost disagree. Cost changes agreed with the buyer but never loaded on Target’s side are the usual cause, followed by promotional costs applied outside their window.
Recoverable when the cost change was agreed and not loaded. The dispute is documentary and turns on whether the effective date preceded the ship date.
Evidence that settles a A036 dispute
Most decisive first. A dispute filed without the first item on this list rarely survives review.
- 1 Purchase order (EDI 850) with cost as transmitted
- 2 Accepted cost change with its effective date
- 3 Buyer correspondence confirming the agreed cost
- 4 PO acknowledgment (EDI 855) flagging the discrepancy before shipment
How to stop code A036 recurring
Check PO cost against your own cost at acknowledgment rather than at invoice. The disagreement is cheap to resolve before the truck leaves and expensive afterwards.
Target’s A-codes are matching failures: the invoice, the ASN, and the purchase order describing three slightly different shipments. Endless keeps all three on one order record, so they cannot drift, and EndlessEDI builds carton-level 856s from the actual pack. Brands on Endless report a 90% drop in retailer EDI chargebacks.
- Where to dispute
- Chargebacks surface in Target’s vendor systems and are disputed through Partners Online and Synergy, with supporting documentation attached to the claim.
- Dispute window
- Most Target chargebacks are reported to be disputable for 12 to 18 months from the issue date. Compliance and performance charges, including OTIF and ASN violations, are reported to carry shorter windows, sometimes as little as 90 days.
Related Target codes
Deduction programs and dispute windows change and vary by vendor agreement. Figures marked “reported” come from third-party supplier resources, not a retailer’s published fee schedule — confirm against your current routing guide and supplier agreement before you file. See every Target deduction code .
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