Business & Tech

To Combat 'Showrooming,' Best Buy and Target to Match Online Prices

The two chain stores have locations at the Liberty Tree Mall.

Target, for the first time, said this week that it will match its in-store prices with online competitors such Amazon.com in the weeks leading up to the holidays, reports MarketWatch.

The price match guarantee applies only to “select rivals” and runs from Nov. 1 to Dec. 16.

Best Buy had announced a similar program days earlier, the Washington Post reported. But the Post said that it would apply only to appliances and electronics and will be given only “if asked.”

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Both big box chains have a store at the Liberty Tree Mall.

Price match promises have typically only applied to local in-store pricing, both MarketWatch and the Post report. And in this case, Target said it specifically plans to match Best Buy’s prices too.

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Best Buy has specifically been combating a phenomenon known as “showrooming,” where consumers go into the store, look at the merchandise and then go home and order it online for less.

For Target, the company says it hopes to save people time and money by giving them one store where they know they can find everything they need with a promise of also having the lowest prices.


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