Target Confirms Holiday Plans: Gift Guides, Free Shipping, Rotating Promotions

Yes, we’re going to have to accept that the holiday shopping season has begun. Today, Target announced its holiday promotional plans, which include discounts that rotate through departments, free shipping for online orders, and app-based toy coupons.

The free shipping promotion was reported based on a leaked copy of the retailer’s holiday 2016 toy catalog, and today the company confirmed the rumor. While customers shopping on Target’s site get free shipping on purchases of any amount if they use the store’s charge card, this opens free shipping up to all customers, beginning today.

The rotating discounts will begin in November with a $10 off $50 deal that will rotate between different departments of the store: for example, one week it would be grocery, the home department the next, and apparel the next. The promotion will escalate to $25 off a $100 purchase in December—remember, though, that’s just on the amount from the department on promotion that week. If you have $15 worth of groceries and $85 worth of penguin-themed home goods, that won’t help you if it’s a grocery promotion week.

The holiday decorations area will be called the “Wondershop,” though we really prefer when Target does a “Nightmare Before Christmas” mashup. The “wonder” branding will extend to the store’s curated gift guide, called the “Wonderlist,” which recommends curated gifts for different kinds of people.

Finally, the store’s Cartwheel coupon app will feature 50% off one featured toy each day, encouraging shoppers to open the app daily even if they aren’t at Target.

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