REVERE, Mass. -- You know the drill: Traipse into a store, scope out size and quality and then sheepishly bow out to buy the item online for less.
Don’t think you’re being sneaky. Target and other retailers know what you’re up to, and they even have a word for it: ‘Showrooming.” But Target isn’t mad – rather, the retail chain has determined to compete with those online prices.
“It’s our goal to offer an incredible shopping experience for all of our guests regardless if they shop online, their mobile device or in store,” said Mark Schindele, Target's senior vice president for merchandising.
Now shoppers can bring an ad from another retailer to Target or pull up the cheaper price on a handheld device, and the lower price will be honored.
That’s welcome news for Julie Barry, a Target regular who says she walks the store’s aisles twice a week.
“I think having the convenience and knowing that they will price match is important,” Barry said.
Keeping prices low at brick-and-mortar stores isn’t easy, especially when competing with Internet-only warehouse operators like Amazon.com that move a lot of product and don’t have to pay sales people to help customers.
Craig Berman of Amazon.com said the new competition has motivated Amazon “to stay focused and offer customers great value and great prices and fast deliveries.”
“Customers are going to benefit whenever things get competitive,” Berman said.
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