The satisfaction of shopping at a major chain retailer like Target is a great deal for many people. People carve out time from their hectic schedule to make a trip to the nearest Target store. Many people may relate to the pleasure that one person gets while shopping at Target. But what many people may not know is that the prices are changed sometimes on the mere factor of your closeness to the store. Let us know ‘Are Target Online Prices the same as In-store?’.
What is Target?
The general merchandise retailer is a multimillion-dollar company with its stores around the globe. They are headquartered in Minnesota, USA. Target is known for selling different types of products in their outlets, with a unique shopping experience, which maintains and increases their customer base.
Are Target Online Prices the same as In-store?
No, online prices are not the same as in-store prices at target. Many factors lead to the deviation in prices of the products at Target stores. But there are tricks which can help you to negate the price change and avoid you spending more than necessary.
The roller-coaster of price change
The practice of changing prices of products based on different factors like time of day, the demand of the product, and the location of the buyer is known as dynamic pricing. As deceptive as this practice may seem to some people, it is not illegal.
For example, the E-commerce giant changes its prices almost every 10 minutes. The prices at Amazon are adjusted many times based on different factors that they use with the help of technology. This method proved to boost the profits by 25%.
This forced many companies to adopt the same strategies to increase their profits. This strategy of dynamic pricing is not unique to Target. And customers who were not aware of this method ended up paying more for the same products than other people.
During an investigation, it was found that Target would change the price of its products based on the fact whether the costumes were shopping from inside the store or from outside the store. Shopping from inside the store would mean that the customer was more than likely to buy the product, and shopping from outside would allow the store to offer some discounts on the same products to lure the customers.
But it’s not just whether you are inside or outside the store that affects the pricing of the products. The prices are also changed based on the location of your city, suburb, or any other community you may be part of.
Experiment of change
An experiment was done to determine whether Target changes its price or not. In one instance, a customer was made to order products while being inside the parking lot of the store. For its second part, the customer was made to order the same products while being away from the store; at least a 50-feet distance was ensured before ordering. The results of this experiment were eye-opening, to say the least. There was a significant change in the bill for both times.
Another experiment was done regarding the location. Different locations were submitted into the Target app while viewing the product. As the area kept on going near a big city, the price of the product kept on rising.
Why are the prices changed?
Target adjusts its prices of the products based on the factors of the local economy. So, you may end up paying more for the products even if you are shopping from the app, depending on where your order is fulfilled from in the end.
It was noted that the prices are generally higher in the big cities. It is also assumed that the people have more income to spend in those cities. The matter is not limited to offline stores only. Target can also track your location while you use the app to shop and may change the price of products based on your location while making an order. It also analyzes your location from the address you may have saved on the app while purchasing some products.
How to negate the price change?
There are a few ways that can help you to prevent paying extra charges on goods. Given below are some of them to ease your life a bit.
- Turn off your location: While shopping on the app, make sure to turn off the location. Open the app settings on your phone, go to the location and click on never. Doing this will restrict the app from using your location to change price, and only the online price of the products will be shown to you.
- Price matching: Once you have the app open, make sure to compare the store prices with them. If there is a product with a higher price tag, you can get it reduced to the online price. The Target policy permits this feature. You can also have a price match while you check out. This can also be done within two weeks of the purchase.
- In-app coupons: While you shop in the store, check the app for any coupons that you may have with you. Use them to get a better deal on the products. Also, if any other store is selling the same product at a lower price, Target will match the price. So, do your research before the shopping spree.
Conclusion:
To conclude, the online prices are not the same as in-store prices at target. Many factors lead to the deviation in prices of the products at Target stores. But there are tricks which can help you to negate the price change and avoid you spending more than necessary.
Frequently asked questions:
- Can I get the price reduced at target?
Yes, you can get the price reduced at target.