Target's app will soon guide you to the item you're looking for
Retail scavenger hunts, anyone?
While Target has to keep up with Amazon to compete in a tough retail market, it may have just found something its competitor cannot do. The company is rolling out its previously tested Bluetooth-powered Beacons to give its customers a real-time map of their current store via the Target app. Now you can find your way to anything you need at Target using your smartphone just like you do when you're driving and using Google or Apple Maps. The system will go live in about half of Target's stores for the holidays.
Using the in-store new mapping tech seems super easy. You simply search for an item, then the Target app will tell you the precise aisle where the item is, and whether it's on sale or not. According to TechCrunch, the Beacon system will also point you in the direction of any deals near you from the "Cartwheel" coupon section of the app.
According to Target's chief information and digital officer Mike NcNamara, Target's digital future in its actual stores. "They're great places to shop, great places to ship from and an easy and convenient place for guests to return unwanted items," McNamara says in a video. That's a clear dig at Amazon, which is still looking to create more real-life retail space.
Update: You may also have noticed a shot of a customer scanning a barcode in Target's promotional video, too. A Target spokesperson confirmed that, while the feature is currently used for reviews and pricing via Cartwheel, the company is planning on using it for mobile payments in the future.