Target Announces October Circle Week Deals, Adds 20,000 SKUs and Expands Next-Day Delivery

Target is promising a large holiday splash amidst a better-than-expected August U.S. sales report, announcing the return of its pre-holiday deals as well as new merchandise and faster delivery. The Minneapolis-based retailer announced its Circle Week savings for its loyalty members will return Oct. 5-11. The Circle membership is free to join, but Target also has a separate Target Circle 360 paid membership program, which promises exclusive early access to deals one day ahead of the free membership offerings.

Target also announced 20,000 new items starting in October, including décor, food and beverage gifting options; beauty products; toys; and apparel. It's also promising next-day delivery to 35 U.S. metro areas by the end of October, with more than 20 additional cities included next year.

At the conclusion of Circle Week, Target will provide weekly discounts and a "deal of the day" leading up to the holidays.

Total Retail's Take: As we've seen over the last few years, retailers are kicking off their holiday campaigns earlier in the season to maximize shopping days. This is particularly true this year as retailers seek to win over consumers that have shown an interest in shopping for the holidays early in an effort to score deals before merchandise is marked up later in the season as a result of tariffs.

Target's place in the holiday race is precarious; its soon-to-be new CEO Michael Fiddelke, who replaces retiring CEO Brian Cornell in February, announced last month a three-part plan to reclaim profitable growth after a second quarter net sales drop. During Target's quarterly earnings call in August, Fiddelke said he wanted to re-establish Target as the place to go for unique products in categories like apparel, home, and food and beverage, hinting that the company was going to invest in more private-label products.

Meanwhile, e-commerce competitor Amazon.com announced its Prime Big Deal Days would occur Oct. 7-8 for its loyalty customers, with deals on toys, electronics, household essentials, and groceries. Another sign that retailers aren't waiting for Black Friday to roll out their holiday deals and promotions.