Pros:
Bargains galore, site layout, easy check out.
Cons:
Snobby people will have a hard time shopping there, even though no one will know.
The Bottom Line:
To my surprise, I am a happy target.com shopper!
Full review
Ok, I have lived in the city, and I have lived in the city. I still have never seen a Target brick and mortar store. So while the rest of you trot on over there to get good deals, I am stuck with only Kmart. Sure, there are a few Walmarts within an hour of my home, but I have never ventured that far for a bargain. So, to get a bargain on those everyday items, I need to turn elsewhere. I turn on the computer.
I first discovered www.target.com while reading a post about a too-good-to-be-true sweater. Someone had written about the unbelievable deal on an online forum I sometimes read. This great deal was a Cashmere sweater for only $10. Now I have never bought clothes from a discount store before, so I was very leery. But, hey, ten dollars isn't much to lose. So, I went for it. I bought a ten-dollar cashmere sweater from target.com. Crucify me if you wish.
When the sweater came I felt this awful feeling in the pit of my stomach. Why did I buy this thing? How nice could a sweater from target.com be, let alone one for $10? Then I opened the box and pulled out a beautiful fuscia colored, soft, sweater. I fell in love with it.
That was not all that was in my box. Target also included a pencil case and a beachball. I am not sure why, but apparently, they do this sort of stuff frequently. I guess it's their way of thanking you, the loyal customer.
I didn't need to be thanked. I have never seen a cashmere sweater selling for under $100. The retail price for the sweater I bought was only $70. So, had I paid full price for the item, it would have been a good deal. Especially for a sweater which is so soft and stretches over my curves so well.
The website itself is intuitively laid-out. The homepage offers some featured items, and has a list of all the different sections on the site. So if you are looking for a stereo, you can click on "electronics" and then narrow your choices down from there. Then you will get to the part with all the different stereos, and you can read about each one.
One section to check out (or to avoid, as I will explain) is the "clearance" section, which is right on the front page. From there you narrow it down further to clothes, furniture, etc. After you have narrowed your selection down, it will show a list of all the items on the site, which have clearance prices. What an easy way to find a bargain. The hard part is, the prices are so cheap that you might end up finding something you do not need and you will buy it anyway just because it is cheap (like myself purchasing a cashmere sweater in July).
Another nice feature is the gift registry. You can register for weddings and births on the site. I thought to myself "ha, register for wedding gifts at Target? You've got to be kidding!" However, to my surprise, they had a lot of name brands like Corning, Kitchen Aid, and T-fal. It certainly does sound feasible to register with them, and regardless of where your friends and family live, they could order, since cyberspace is not measured in miles.
Check out is a breeze. If you are a new user, you will need to add your personal info, such as mailing address and credit card information. The first time you register, it asks you to create a username and password. When you return to the site the next time, you can type only your username and password in, and use "express checkout". If you are shipping to the same address as your billing address and do not require gift-wrapping, this will make your life easy. All the information is already there!
When you are checking out, you have a few options. If you have a discount code or a gift certificate, you can submit it and receive your savings. If the item is a gift, you can choose to have them gift-wrap it (for a fee) and, if you desire, you can have the item shipped directly to the recipient. You can also choose the way you would like the item shipped. Can't wait for the USPS? Try Express shipping, and the item will get there in one to two days.
Overall, I am surprised, but I really liked my Target experience. Perhaps it is because I was able to reap the rewards of a discount store without setting foot in one. Or perhaps it was because they had the same quality of merchandise as I expect to receive when shopping at more expensive stores. No, my sweater didn't come with a Ralph Lauren label in it this time, but that is ok sometimes. And a lot of the items (especially in housewares) are the same name brands you pay an arm and a leg for in other stores.
So, whether you are shopping for yourself or someone else, or if you are shopping for a specific item or just looking for a bargain, target.com is a good site to poke around on.
Oh, and if you are curious, here is the url for my $10 cashmere sweater:
http://www.target.com/common/catalog/product.jhtml? navAction=push&navCount=13&prodid=14676&catnav=12937
Happy shopping!
