So, I harbor no ill will towards Target and their broken e-commerce technology. Stores are tough to run and all that internet piping gets clogged sometimes.
That being said, it seems like they’re having a tough time with implementing their marketing strategy as well. In an attempt to (1) repurpose creative or (2) target locally but probably (3) both, they have launched the Target Weekly Ad.
Do you see the price on the TV? Is it $798 or $898? Depends on where you live.
What this doesn’t do for shoppers is confirm that they’re seeing the broadest selection available at the lowest price possible. E-commerce removes all of the friction associated with tradtional offline comparision shopping. If someone does find a better deal in a different city, the first thing they’ll do is to use the proof to get it for the same price at a local store.
What this does is further reduce consumer trust in advertising and a brand – now they are able to discern the inconsistencies with greater ease.