Target Backs Out Of Black Friday 2012 Sales Blitz

It looks like some shoppers may get to hit the snooze button on Black Friday morning, as a major retailer is hinting it might back out of its traditional doorbuster sales the day after Thanksgiving.

According to Daily Finance, Target CFO John Mulligan reportedly announced that the chain is considering revamping its holiday planning away from loss-leader sales and towards its popular boutique mini-collections.


"We're not interested in driving sales for the sake of sales, [so] you might see us lag competitors in terms of comp-store sales increases,"  Mulligan said during a retailing conference last week.

Target is also concerned about bringing in too much inventory that might go unsold if shoppers scale back their holiday budgets this year.

The smaller boutique collections, like the hotly anticipated Neiman Marcus capsule collection scheduled to launch in Target stores December 1, 2012, require less inventory and bring in shoppers expecting items to sell out fast.

"How do we compete effectively our way?" Mulligan said. "The Neiman Marcus [co-branded collection] brings something that's about fashion and differentiation, which is how we compete in the marketplace, and not focus so much on the lowest price of a 44-inch television."

It's unclear whether Target also intends to adjust its Black Friday opening time, which was scheduled at the stroke of midnight last year.

Will you shop Target for Black Friday 2012 if there are more unique items instead of lower prices?  Do you think this is a smart move for the chain heading into the holidays?  Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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