Cyber Monday at Target

Shopping online at Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT) stores is quite similar to the shopping experience at the Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) website. The first thing on the homepage is an offer to apply for Target's REDcard, which offers a 5% discount and free shipping.

The first promotion - "happy Cyber Monday" - contains a link to "all Cyber Monday deals," which leads off with a "today only" 46-inch LCD HDTV for $379.99. For some reason, there is yet another link to "all Cyber Monday deals," which leads to a page headed by two cameras, both of which are "currently unavailable online." A stand mixer is advertised as a "sale" item and so is an electric toothbrush.

But aside from the TV, none of the items appears really to be a Cyber Monday special, although scrolling through the page indicates several other items, from dolls to books, that are being sold with a "temporary price cut."

The most promoted item at both Walmart and Best Buy Co. Inc. (NYSE: BBY) was free shipping. Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) promoted its Kindle Fire tablet, and Target's first choice was its credit card.

And except for Amazon, online retailers are pushing HDTVs, both LCDs and LEDs, in a 32- and 40-inch sizes for prices under $500. Happy holidays!

Paul Ausick

Filed under: 24/7 Wall St. Wire, Consumer Goods, Internet, Retail Tagged: AMZN, BBY, TGT, WMT