A customer shops for holiday gifts in a Target store on December 21, 2023 in Austin, Texas.
Brandon Bell | Getty Images
Target on Tuesday said it will launch a paid membership program next month, riffing off the playbook of its rivals Amazon and Walmart.
The subscription tier, Target Circle 360, will include unlimited free same-day delivery for orders over $35 in as little as one hour with no delivery fees and two free-day shipping, along with other perks.
The paid membership tier will launch in early April and initially cost $49 per year, said Cara Sylvester, Target’s chief guest experience officer, who announced the program at an investor event Tuesday in New York City. It will cost $99 per year after the company’s promotional period, which ends May 18. Customers who have a Target Circle credit card will be able to pay the lower price of $49 per year beyond that.
The retailer will also relaunch its free Target Circle loyalty program, which debuted in 2019, to make it easier to use and more personalized. For example, members who belong to the free program will have discounts automatically applied rather than having to scan through deals on the app, she said.
Target also will rebrand its credit card program. The Circle card will include an extra 5% off customers’ purchases, free two-day shipping on many items and extended time to make returns. The card was previously known as Target RedCard.
The big-box retailer is turning to the new revenue stream as it tries to boost weaker sales. Its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings and revenue reported Tuesday beat Wall Street’s expectations, but its comparable sales have declined three quarters in a row.
With the move, Target is also following in the footsteps of retailers that have turned membership fees into a money maker and a sales driver. It is unclear how many people could sign up for the paid tier. The free Target Circle has more than 100 million members, according to the company.
Amazon launched its Prime program in 2005,…
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