Target announces "shopping reservations" in case of long lines

[Brad]

Press release with more safety measures: https://corporate.target.com/article/2020/10/holiday-safety

 

Make a shopping reservation

Visit Target.com/line to see if there’s a line outside your store and if so, instantly reserve your spot.

 

For the health of our guests and team members, we're currently limiting the number of guests inside our stores.

We'd still love to see you, so we made it a little easier to get in line. Search for stores near you, then select Save your spot. We'll hold a place in line at that store.

 

---

 

I doubt you'll see any lines yet, but it'll be interesting to see if this actually gets used (and enforced) as BF gets closer.

[jesusluvu]

Now this could be a game changer or a disaster waiting to happen. How do you know what spot you are, how long is it held, who get priority - those standing currently or you who just pulled up ? 

[daftande]

Very interesting! We shall see how this plays out.

[freesia39]

Now this could be a game changer or a disaster waiting to happen. How do you know what spot you are, how long is it held, who get priority - those standing currently or you who just pulled up ? 

 

I'm hoping they're doing it like Downtown Disney in Anaheim to get inside some stores - you're in essentially a "virtual" queue. You sign up via text for a spot. You get a text when you need to return to the store because it is now your "time" because enough people have left. You have 15 minutes from the time of the text to arrive and show the text at the door.

 

The other way to do it is again, a virtual waiting list, which will show you approximately how many people are in front of you, and will text you a notice as it gets to within a certain number of people ahead of you, warning you to be near the store, and once you receive the "check in" text, you must check in within 15 or so minutes. There are several restaurants here that uses this method as well.

 

They can also integrate this into their app as well.

[Brad]

Guessing you'll initially have a lot of angry people waiting in line who have no clue that there's a reservation system getting very upset at people who just stroll right past them into the store. This is Target, not Walmart, so maybe it won't be videos-posted-all-over-social-media bad, but we'll have to see.

[mgreen]

It's their fault if they don't keep abreast of things on gotta deal! [emoji38]

[stevierocks]

wow this can back fire .. i hope all goes well !! 

[tinkrbel]

This is nice, gotta see if there's anything we need. I don't think I've been to Target since last year

[speeddiva]

I’m intrigued by this idea. If it works, it’ll be fantastic but I can see it backfiring because of the current trend of “karen’s”. Edited October 22, 2020 by speeddiva

[tyreejames]

None of my local Target’s are doing lines anymore but I can see how they will possibly need to go back to them once holiday shopping ramps up.

 

Target has secured a shopper for life between the 5% red card discount, the 1% when you don’t use your red card, target circle offers, and their drive up service. I have been in Target probably twice since the pandemic began, but I pick up drive up orders on a regular basis.

[HanShotFirst]

None of my local Target’s are doing lines anymore but I can see how they will possibly need to go back to them once holiday shopping ramps up.

 

Target has secured a shopper for life between the 5% red card discount, the 1% when you don’t use your red card, target circle offers, and their drive up service. I have been in Target probably twice since the pandemic began, but I pick up drive up orders on a regular basis.

I’ve slowly ventured out beyond grocery shopping to Hobby Lobby and Michael’s several times over the last several weeks.  I can honestly say I feel safest in my Target stores still.  There are visible signs throughout the store that they are cleaning and/or disinfecting shelves and buggies regularly.  There is always a team member at the entrance directing you to the sanitized buggies so you don’t have to guess.  No signs of any buggy cleaning at any of my Walmart stores or Kroger stores.  Not to say it isn’t happening but I sure do like seeing it done.  Target has gotten most of my usual Walmart business for household items and even some groceries since the beginning of this stupid pandemic and hopefully will get a good amount of my money during the holiday season.  Anxiously awaiting an ad or ads from them.  

[jesusluvu]

wow this can back fire .. i hope all goes well !! 

Right, in the south we are nice, but mess with our money and a good deal and oh we turn to New York real quick. 

[Brad]

Just remembered this. Did anyone actually see these reservations being used or was store traffic low enough (and the deals not hot enough) that they weren't needed?

[freesia39]

I wonder if this will become a thing now that some states have re-implemented capacity restrictions on stores as well.