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| Target is offering holiday shoppers a perk for Black Friday this year. A shopper checks out Black Friday deals on her smartphone at a Target on Nov. 24, 2016 in Orem, Utah. Photo: George Frey/Stringer |
By Susan Oliver Nelson, International Business Times
Target Corporation (TGT) has officially kicked off Black Friday and the holiday shopping season by offering shoppers alternatives to waiting in long register lines.
This holiday season, Target stores will offer guests “Skip the Line” mobile checkout technology, a speedy way that allows customers to pay for items from anywhere in the store. “Skip the Line” allows guests to pay for their items with Target team members who use handheld devices to complete purchases.
Mark Triton, Target’s executive vice president and the chief merchandising officer, says the retailer understands that shoppers look forward to Black Friday deals every year. This year Target will offer their customers more than savings on the “hottest items of the season,” saving time by offering convenience.
“Combined with the unmatched easy ways to shop with us- including new mobile technology that allows guests to skip the line for an even more convenient checkout- we’re confident guests will save time and money and experience the joy of the season by choosing Target.”
The new mobile technology gives customers a more “convenient experience when shopping at Target” during the busy holiday shopping season. Located anywhere in the store, team members will use the handheld devices to scan items directly from shopping carts or baskets and process payments by credit card.
According to Triton, this service will be most convenient in-store departments like electronics where peak shopping times like Black Friday affect wait times. The “Skip the Line” checkout is the latest Target’s technology designed to make shopping easier and less stressful for shoppers.
Last season, the Target tech team introduced the service that allows team members to place Target.com orders for guests from the sales floor and shipped directly to their residence. This season, there’ll be many ways for shoppers to take advantage of Black Friday deals. The Target mobile app will be equipped with localized Black Friday deals map to help customers navigate the store to find savings more efficiently.
For traditional Black Friday shoppers, Target stores will open at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving until 1 a.m. on Friday, then reopen its doors Friday morning at 7 a.m. Team members will be waiting with their handheld devices to help shoppers “Skip the Line.”
