Shopping Cart Abandonment

The discount chain's latest online offerings have a distinct Amazon.com feel, from recurring deliveries for diapers to on-demand streaming video to free shipping and discounts for its members. All emulate similar offers from Amazon. Target's headquarters is also taking on some perks more typical of West Coast technology companies than a Midwestern retailer. That includes vintage arcade games, a boccie ball sand pit and a red basketball court stamped with the retailer's bull's-eye logo in the new common area. And next year, the company plans to spend more on technology than it does on building and upgrading its stores.

Online shoppers faced with buying a gift often don't know what they want to buy until they see a product that catches their fancy. That presents a challenge for online retailers, who must present shoppers with the right mix of products without knowing what they'll jump at. A variety of search and navigation tools can help guide your customers through the process of looking for a gift and zeroing in on the best options. Your job is to make this process as fast and easy and possible; consumers don't have time for endless, random browsing.