Here's why Target is ending its long-running ‘price matching' policy this month
"We've found our guests overwhelmingly price match Target and not other retailers, which reflects the great value and trust in pricing consumers see across our assortment and deals," a Target spokesperson told ABC News.
The policy, introduced in 2013, allowed customers to buy items in Target stores at reduced prices if they were being sold for less on Target.com, or at Amazon or Walmart.
Under the new policy, the price match will only apply to lower-priced items on Target.com, according to the company.
Target's policy was an industry first as brick-and-mortar chains faced increasing low-price competition from online retailers.
Target, which is ending its price match policy this month, has faced rising inflation, consumer boycotts, disappointing earnings, and uncertainty around Trump's tariffs (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
Neil Saunders, a retail analyst at the research and analytics firm GlobalData, said the change was a sign of Target's continued financial challenges.
"Target's profitability and margins have weakened over recent years, and if it wants to invest more in stores, then it needs to be more financially disciplined," he told USA TODAY. "Ending price matching helps to achieve this, especially at a time when costs are rising because of tariffs. That said, this is only one part of the puzzle and there is a lot more Target needs to do to bolster its bottom line."
In May, the company missed Wall Street expectations and announced sales were down 2.8 percent in the first quarter, and had declined compared with the same period in 2024.
Target, along with some of its competitors, have faced financial headwinds including uncertainty over the Trump administration's on-again, off-again tariff regime, rising inflation, as well as multiple consumer boycotts in the wake of the company's decision to align with the priorities of the new administration and end some of its diversity initiatives.
Target competitors such as Best Buy retain a price match offer while Amazon and Walmart do not.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Why Pool Corp Stock Could Be the Cool Play in a Hot Summer
Key Points Pool is down a little bit right now, as the economy has made it tougher for people to sink tens of thousands of dollars into building new swimming pools. However, only 14% of its business comes from the installation of new swimming pools. Pool doesn't need a huge market of new construction to be successful. 10 stocks we like better than Pool › Few things are as sweet as resting by the swimming pool on a hot summer day. The cool, refreshing water, the faint smell of chlorine, the warm sun on your face, a cool beverage in your hand -- it's always a good day when you're at a good swimming pool. What's the only thing that could make it better? How about knowing that your investment in a solid stock like Pool Corp (NASDAQ: POOL) will likely make you richer in the long run? Pool is down a little bit right now, as the economy has made it tougher for people to sink tens of thousands of dollars into building new swimming pools. But that's OK for two reasons. First, Pool is still a money-printing machine, even in a volatile economy. Second, one day the pool business will be a good one, and Pool stock will start climbing again. When that happens, you will be glad you bought this stock while it was on sale. So, whether you're a short-term investor or have a long-term horizon, Pool is a buy for me right now. That's why I call it one of my best stocks to buy on the dip and hold. How Pool is making money now Pool distributes and sells outdoor equipment, but it's best known for selling replacement parts and equipment for swimming pool installations. The company has more than 200,000 products and a network of over 2,200 suppliers working in the United States, Europe, and Australia. More than 80% of its customers are builders or service professionals, although the company also has a retail business that accounts for 14% of its revenues. And most importantly, 64% of its business -- nearly two-thirds -- comes from maintenance and repair product sales. Only 14% of its business comes from the installation of new swimming pools. That's an important point right now: Pool doesn't need a huge market of new construction to be successful. And it's doing well. After seeing revenue dip on a year-over-year basis in the first quarter, Pool issued its Q2 earnings report on July 24. Revenue of $1.78 billion was up nearly 1% from the same quarter a year ago. Net income of $194 million and earnings per share (EPS) of $5.17 were up 1% and 3.5%, respectively, from last year. Pool also maintained its 30% profit margin, the same as a year ago. The company, which says it expects tariffs and inflation to increase its prices by 2%, has slightly revised its guidance downward, now stating that full-year revenue will be flat compared to its previous guidance of flat to slightly up. It's projecting EPS of $10.80 to $11.30 versus a previous range of $11.10 to $11.60. Why I like Pool even with lowered guidance For long-term investors, I think Pool is a slam-dunk pick. I love getting stocks when they're on sale, and Pool is down more than 4% this year (although it did jump by 3% after the company issued its earnings report on July 24). However, this is a solid company with a steadily growing dividend and a cash position that increases each year. Pool paid out $92.2 million in dividends in the first half of the year and executed $160.6 million in stock buybacks in the first two quarters of the year. That's perhaps one reason why Berkshire Hathaway, which is headed by the famed buy-and-hold investor Warren Buffett, added Pool stock to its portfolio last year. Buffett and his team never buy on a whim and he has famously said his favorite stock holding period is forever, so you know Berkshire's in for the long haul. This is a stock that pays you to hold it. It's perfect for short-term income investors looking for ways to juice their portfolio or get some extra income from their holdings, or for long-term investors seeking a set-it-and-forget-it stock. The bottom line on Pool This isn't a blazing hot stock that's going to set your portfolio on fire. But it's not going to leave you flat either. Instead, Pool is a solid, undervalued income stock that is going to look like a bargain soon. And Wall Street is just starting to figure that out, as the stock started to move upward after the company's Q2 report. If you're looking to take a position in Pool, an ideal strategy would be dollar-cost averaging -- dividing your investment into four equal amounts and adding to your position over a set period of time, thereby eliminating the risk of short-term volatility. Should you buy stock in Pool right now? Before you buy stock in Pool, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Pool wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $636,628!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,063,471!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,041% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 183% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 21, 2025 Patrick Sanders has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Why Pool Corp Stock Could Be the Cool Play in a Hot Summer was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
3 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Parents Say 17-Year-Old Daughter 'Owes' Them Rent, Totaling Half Her Monthly Paycheck
She's already paying for most of her own expenses and contributing to various household bills A 17-year-old girl's parents believe she owes them rent after landing her first job, despite already paying for "the majority" of her own expenses. The teenager took to Reddit to share her predicament, explaining that now that she has a minimum-wage job, her parents are charging "rent," which amounts to roughly "half" her total paycheck. "I recently got a part time job to help cover my personal expenses, like saving up for driving lessons, a car, university, days out, shopping trips etc," she explains. "However this job doesn't pay very well, it's minimum wage and I get my hours cut often," she explains. "I often only bring in around 250-350 a month, and my parents want me to pay 100 for 'rent' a month." If she agrees to that number, she would only be saving around $200 a month. On top of that, the poster notes that she already helps her parents out financially. "I already pay for majority things myself, like clothes, give them money for other bills, my luxuries ect, they want more ON TOP of this just for 'rent,'" she explains. "It equates to literally HALF of my paycheck, I already offered a fairer price, but they aren't having it. " Still, her parents argue it's not enough. "They think I 'owe' this to them as it's now my responsibility to make a living, but I disagree, as they are still legally responsible for putting a roof over my head and feeding me," she writes. "They said if I don't pay I can 'get out then' or I can 'buy my own food and if I don't then that's my own problem.' " The disagreement is now "causing major issues" in the family, as her parents claim she is being "disrespectful" and has a "disgusting attitude problem." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. However, commenters unanimously agreed that the teen was not obligated to pay her parents rent, as many pointed out that she's still classified as their independent. Thus, her parents are "legally obligated" to provide her with any basic needs, including housing. "It's strange to make your child pay rent to live in their own house to be clothed, fed, and provided with necessities, which is the bare minimum," one wrote. "How are you expected to reasonably save enough for your future if you have to pay them for the bare minimum?" "That said, put as much as you can away and have your documents ready," another user added. "They will charge real rent or kick you out the minute you're 18. They clearly don't care about you." Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
CNN
5 minutes ago
- CNN
In a deal with Trump, Europe gets an elusive agreement. But everyone's a little annoyed
Tariffs European Union Prescription drugsFacebookTweetLink Follow The United States and the European Union avoided the worst-case scenario: a damaging, all-out trade war between allies that threatened to raise prices on a large number of goods and slow two of the world's largest economies. The framework delivered a sense of relief for both sides – but few are cheering the arrangement itself. The agreement, which sets a 15% tariff on most European goods entering the United States, is higher than the 10% tariff Trump put in place on April 2 and significantly higher than the average of around 2% from before Trump's presidency. But it's significantly less than the enormous numbers Trump had been threatening if an agreement wasn't reached. A deal with the United States felt like an impossibility in late May. Frustrated by a lack of progress in negotiations with the 27-member European Union, Trump on May 24 told the world he was done talking to some of America's strongest allies. 'Our discussions with them are going nowhere!' Trump posted on Truth Social. 'I'm not looking for a deal,' he said later that day in the Oval Office. 'We've set the deal — it's at 50%.' The statement — and the shockingly high tariff threat — stunned European trade negotiators and rallied Europe's leaders into action. They quickly agreed to kick talks into high gear. Trump, who has taken a particular liking to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, was swayed after she called him to say the EU would commit to moving 'swiftly and decisively.' Trump soon backed off his threat and said negotiations would continue. But a deal between the United States and the European Union, one of America's top trading partners, had remained elusive for months. The two sides squabbled over America's insistence on high tariffs for steel and aluminum, looming tariffs on pharmaceuticals and the tariff floor for virtually all goods that the Trump administration appears set to raise to 15%. Negotiators were unable to come up with a resolution before the initial July 9 deadline — one of the reasons the Trump administration postponed the effective day for its 'reciprocal' tariffs to August 1. With just days to go before the extended deadline, while Trump was visiting Scotland, he met with van der Leyen and finalized a framework for an agreement — one that was thin on details, heavy on caveats, but was nevertheless a hard-sought relief for both sides. With the agreement in place, two of the world's largest economies avoided a potential economically crippling trade war. The United States held a 50% tariff threat over Europe's head, and Europe threatened America with strategic retaliatory tariffs that threatened to damage key US industries. Both sides appeared to embrace the fact that a deal was in place more than they celebrated it. 'We made it,' Trump said while announcing the deal with von der Leyen. 'It's going to work out really well.' 'I think we hit exactly the point we wanted to find,' von der Leyen said. 'Rebalance but enable trade on both sides. Which means good jobs on both sides of the Atlantic, means prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic and that was important for us.' Markets cheered, somewhat: Dow futures rose 150 points, or 0.3%, poised to open near record territory. S&P 500 futures gained 0.3% and Nasdaq futures were 0.4% higher. The United States and Europe 'seem to have avoided a self-destructive trade war for now in the biggest and deepest commercial and investment relationship the global economy knows,' said Jörn Fleck, senior director of the Atlantic Council's Europe Center. Nevertheless, the details remain murky. Europe will increase its investment in the United States by $600 billion and commit to buying $750 billion worth of US energy products. It eliminates tariffs on a variety of items, including aircraft and plane parts, semiconductors, generic drugs and some chemicals and agricultural products. Industries in the zero-tariff arrangement cheered. 'The zero-for-zero tariff regime will grow jobs, strengthen our economic security and provide a framework for U.S. leadership in manufacturing and safety,' Airlines for America said in a statement. But the 15% baseline tariff applies to most goods, so the EU member states – and American importers — will have to come to terms with the fact that higher tariffs will raise prices for European goods in America. 'Higher tariffs mean higher prices for US consumers—and that will seriously dent EU companies' bottom lines,' said Alex Altmann, vice president of the British Chamber of Commerce in Germany. 'EU companies aiming to stay competitive in the US market will think twice when deciding where to produce or assemble.' The agreement also deals another blow to Detroit automakers, which objected to a similar deal the Trump administration reached with Japan. The 15% auto tariff on EU cars imported to the United States undercuts the 25% tariff American automakers pay if their cars are built in Mexico. Although von der Leyen said pharmaceuticals were included in the early framework, she acknowledged that Trump may ultimately place higher tariffs on drugs imported to the United States, undercutting the agreement. Still, in the eyes of the hard-working negotiators — and for the sake of the global economy — a deal is better than no deal. Now comes the hard part: figuring out the details.
