Target code A038: Item Substitution
Target code A038 is a substitution chargeback: a different item arrived than the one the purchase order specified.
A substitute SKU shipped against the PO — a successor item, a pack variant, or a picking error — without Target’s system recognizing the swap.
Recoverable with written buyer approval or a documented successor relationship. Unapproved substitutions are valid claims and are better prevented than fought.
Evidence that settles a A038 dispute
Most decisive first. A dispute filed without the first item on this list rarely survives review.
- 1 Purchase order (EDI 850) with the item as ordered
- 2 Written buyer approval for the substitution
- 3 Item cross-reference documenting the successor relationship
- 4 ASN (EDI 856) and invoice showing the item shipped
How to stop code A038 recurring
Substitutions decided at the pick face become chargebacks. Catching the mismatch when the order is acknowledged leaves time to confirm the swap with the buyer.
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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