Bill Emerson

Target Looks to Battle Pricing Apps

January 24, 2012

FROM RETAILWIRE:
Target Corp. is exploring pricing changes to counter the practice of "showrooming," or using mobile pricing apps to check out and scan the price of products in stores only to purchase them at a less expensive price online. Do you think Target's purported tactics to offset the "showrooming" trend will be effective?      [more...]

Target can rattle sabers at the vendors all they like, but to little effect. The technology is giving more power to the customer and, no surprise, the customer is using it. In effect, the customer is telling retailers that they need to have something unique -- product, experience, price -- to be successful in the new model. Having a ubiquitous product in a convenient location is no longer a viable strategy.