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UPDATE: Contrary to language used in the original press conference and the following business media reports, Black Friday thru Cyber Monday is excluded. Other limitations are listed below.

Starting Nov 1 thru Dec 16

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/tar...ing-2012-10-16

Target Corp. became the latest big-box chain to offer to match the online prices of some rival retailers in what is shaping up to be a fiercely competitive holiday shopping season. Like Best Buy Co., which last week announced similar plans, Target is seeking to combat "showrooming" by shoppers who check out products in its stores but buy them on competitors' websites, often at lower prices. Target said Tuesday that its strategy for the holiday season includes being "intensely competitive'' on price, while also showcasing exclusive merchandise, such as a limited-edition designer collection it is creating with Neiman Marcus Group Inc. The Minneapolis-based retailer said it would match prices from Amazon.com Inc.,Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s Walmart.com, BestBuy.com, Toysrus.com and Babiesrus.com between Nov. 1 and Dec. 16. Best Buy's online matching program started already, but excludes Thanksgiving weekend and CyberMonday. It also includes matching the prices of a larger number of retailers. Target Chief Executive Gregg Steinhafel said Tuesday that he wasn't concerned that price-matching would dent the company's profit margins. "We're already rock solid in price," Mr. Steinhafel said. "But if periodically some competitor has a lower price, this gives our guests the ability to know 'I can do all of my one-stop shopping in Target.' " Last year, Target eschewed battling competitors on price to preserve its profits, but the retailer missed its sales projections for the fourth quarter. Another contributor to the miss was its troubled website, which crashed several times last fall, leading to declining Internet sales during the holiday. This year, Target said, it has increased its online capabilities, tripling the orders per hour the site can handle, and has been testing the site in anticipation of higher traffic during the launch of the Target/Neiman Marcus collection on Dec. 1. Last January, Mr. Steinhafel, in a widely publicized letter, asked suppliers to help Target stem the showrooming trend. Among other things, he asked vendors to produce more exclusive merchandise that would make it harder to compare items to similar things in other stores.

From Target's website:

Holiday Price Matching: select online competitors

We’ll match the price if you buy a qualifying item at a Target store between Nov. 1 and Dec. 16 and find the identical item for less at Amazon.com, Walmart.com, BestBuy.com, ToysRUs.com or BabiesRUs.com. Simply show us the current online price using your mobile device, or bring in a printed page showing the current online price by Dec. 16. The online price and availability will be validated by a Target team member at the Guest Service desk.

• Excludes “Marketplace” prices: Price matched items must be sold by Walmart.com, Amazon.com, BestBuy.com, ToysRUs.com, or BabiesRUs.com; prices from 3rd party sellers on these websites will not be honored.
• Excludes Target stores in Alaska and Hawaii.
• Limit quantity of 1 online price match per identical item, per guest.
• Must bring in original Target receipt when requesting the price match by Dec. 16.
• The retail price must be shown on the competitor’s website and must be valid at the time the price match is requested.
• The item must be the identical item, brand name, size, weight, color, quantity and model number.
• Online prices from Nov. 22–26 are excluded.
• Excludes online prices from competitors not listed above.

What is excluded from the Holiday Price Match?

In addition, the following exclusions apply:

• Items originally purchased at Target.com
• Prices that only display on a website after guests log in
• Purchases from CityTarget stores
• For items that are out of stock at Target or a competitor at the time the price match is requested; rain checks will not be issued for any item being price matched
• Items advertised as limited time/limited supply/limited quantity
• Paid membership club or paid loyalty programs (e.g. prices that require a club or loyalty card that is associated with a membership fee)
• Competitor coupon-required or gift card offers
• Competitor price matches on items where Target is offering a free gift card
• Prices advertised only as a percent off or dollar off
• Buy one, get one if the retail price is not shown in the advertisement
• Free product where no qualifying purchase is required
• Bundled offers (including Amazon.com add-on items) and special purchases
• Timed events (e.g., early bird, door busters)
• Sales tax promotions
• Damaged, refurbished and open package product
• Clearance or closeout items
• Mail in offers or instant rebates
• Product services (warranties, assembly, etc.)
• Going-out-of-business liquidations
• Offers that include financing
• Used or previously owned items
• Pricing or typographical errors
• Target Portrait Studio, Optical and Clinic offers
• Non-branded items (e.g., produce not marketed under a specific brand name)
• Contract cell phone plans and devices
• Daily Deals, Lightning Deals, Gold Box Deals, Today’s Deals, Deal of the Day, Deal Near to Me, Value of the Day, Special Buy
• Target team member discounts may not be used with online competitor price match

All matches are done against pre-tax prices; guest is responsible for applicable taxes.

What qualifies as proof of a price?

• For printed ads: please show us the entire printed advertisement. Photos, photocopies, or mobile phone versions (of the ad) cannot be accepted as verification of a competitor’s printed ad.
• For online prices: please show us your mobile device or a printout from a qualifying competitor’s website or Target.com. A Target team member will then verify the match using a Target device.

target needs to get off their "were better than everyone" horse and needed to start doing this a decade ago. Their requirement of a paper ad to pricematch in this age is mind-boggling.

Wow, so they'll price match on Black Friday............CHAOS

Your urls are broken

Originally Posted by benjamouth Wow, so they'll price match on Black Friday............CHAOS

I'm so glad I'm not a cashier at Target. Having to verify price checks on Black Friday with a massive line and everyone irritated to begin with is crazy.

Originally Posted by Wario64 Your urls are broken

shoot =[

CAG is blocked at work, so I need to copy and paste from my phone. I'll amend them when I get home. If anyone wants to read more on this, use Google for now =]

So they are they going to figure shipping into it? My local Sears used to price match online but would never budge on the shipping on amazon even though it was free on things over 25 dollars. If not then that is great. I might actually shop at target again.

Originally Posted by litepink shoot =[ CAG is blocked at work, so I need to copy and paste from my phone. I'll amend them when I get home. If anyone wants to read more on this, use Google for now =]

Use this URL

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/target-says-it-will-match-select-online-pricing-2012-10-16

This is nice but problem with Target is that they use the grip claw of death on the video games in the case which absolutely destroy the cases.

This changes everything!

Time to print out those gold box deals and bring them in.

Oh god BF is going to be crazy for them.

Originally Posted by Lightning War I'm so glad I'm not a cashier at Target. Having to verify price checks on Black Friday with a massive line and everyone irritated to begin with is crazy.

Call me crazy, but on Black Friday, I find cashier to be one of the calmer places in the store. Yes, it's crazy and lines are miles long, but I always feel rushed on a normal day when they lines get backed up. On Black Friday, that rushed feeling is no longer there because you know it's going to be that way. Granted, I'm not normally cashier, but still.

Also, the cashiers don't do the price matching. For that, you'd have to go over to guest service.

Originally Posted by Wario64 Use this URL http://www.marketwatch.com/story/tar...ing-2012-10-16

Thank you, that worked

That's great news and all, but no amount of savings will convince me to step inside any retail store on Black Friday. I have to work overnight that day anyways so by the time I clock off all the good deals will be scooped up.

Thanks for posting the information OP.

Originally Posted by Bosamba That's great news and all, but no amount of savings will convince me to step inside any retail store on Black Friday. I have to work overnight that day anyways so by the time I clock off all the good deals will be scooped up. Thanks for posting the information OP.

+1

I'll wait for Cyber Monday.

I am too cheap for a data plan for my phone. So I guess I will lug my laptop to Target.

Originally Posted by benjamouth Wow, so they'll price match on Black Friday............CHAOS

Was chaos last black friday. Hopefully even more people go there so less crowds at the stores I want to go to.

Match bf deals huh ? This will put pressure on bestbuy and wallmart to do the same which is great for us !

Originally Posted by strait edge follower Match bf deals huh ? This will put pressure on bestbuy and wallmart to do the same which is great for us !

About to say the same thing. I still ponder why the websites and b&m door busters can't be the same. It ain't worth it camping out just for a TV which will be flipped on Craiglist.