You can officially be part of Target's inner circle on October 6 with the launch of Target Circle.
Target—the every man's department store—now has a personalized loyalty program that will tap into your purchase history and target what you shop for the most, designing extra deals specifically for you.
A customer stocks up on their baby's diapers or formula weekly at Target? Target Circle may send them "a special offer on their next purchase of baby items," according to a Target spokesperson. And while this can seem creepy (check out this story about how Target was responsible for dropping the news about a teenager's pregnancy to her family—yikes!), tons of stores are constantly collecting your data. And while that doesn't get rid of the ick factor, Target Circle is actually providing customers with the ability to "opt-in" to data collection rather than having to opt-out. In other words, Target Circle is making it easier for us to keep our shopping habits (addictive as they might be!) more private.
But if you've got nothing to hide and want to reap the rewards of Target Circle, here's how you can start making your weekly Target trips a little less guilt-inducing.
Target Circle's logo. Courtesy of techcrunch.com
The Perks of Being a [Target] Wallflower
If you're chilling at Target as frequently as I am, you've been going home with lots of necessities and lots of extras. But Target Circle is going to start making Target work for you. You'll get 1 percent back on all your Target purchases to use for future Target purchases. And let's be completely honest with ourselves: there are always going to be future Target purchases. Always. Pair Target Circle with Target RedCard and you'll see your savings go up to 5 percent. Deals on deals on deals!
Target Circle also qualifies you for a special birthday gift every year. While I'm not sure what the birthday gift is, free stuff or discounts or coupons are always a pleasure. Just another great way to celebrate surviving another year on the struggle bus of life.
Want to help give back to the community? Target Circle members get to vote on what charities the company will be contributing to each year. You can have even less guilt about spending all your money and free time at Target because now you're basically donating it!
Did you miss out on Target's limited-edition Lily Pulitzer collection? Didn't feel like waking up at the crack of dawn to get in line for the Vineyard Vines' release? No worries. Target Circle will grant you early access.
Target Circle via your phone. Courtesy of techcrunch.com
But this isn't all Target Circle is going to do for you. As time goes on and the program's popularity grows, Target is going to continue to develop it to service your needs in better and more personal ways.
The best part is none of this is going to cost you! Target Circle is free and if you have RedCard or an account, you'll automatically be signed up. If you don't have either of those, you can still get an account and sign up online or pass along your phone number in-store to start getting your savings! Target really is the best!
What do you think? Will you become a member of Target's not-so-secret circle? Or do you prefer to pay full price? Let us know in the comments!