Target Follows Best Buy’s Lead, Will Match Online Prices For Holidays

Image courtesy of (Ron Dauphin)

Less than a week after Best Buy announced it would be price-matching online competitors this holiday season, the folks at Target declared “us too!” and dove headfirst into the price-matching pond.

According to Reuters, between Nov. 1 and Dec. 16, Target retail stores will match prices at the following sites — Amazon.com, Walmart.com, BestBuy.com, Toysrus.com and Babiesrus.com.

This is the first time the red-and-khaki crew has matched other retailers’ online prices. It will continue price-matching print ads for competitors right up through Christmas Eve (that’s December 24 this year).

The unstated goal of matching online prices is to curb the practice of “showrooming,” in which customers head to Target and other retailers to get a look at the actual product before going online — sometimes while still in the store — and buying from an online store with a lower price.

Retailers are also hoping that recent actions in states from California to Texas to Pennsylvania that require Amazon to collect sales tax will make online shopping less attractive.

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