Target, Inc.

Sales in the consumer electronics space would have been abysmal in 2011 were it not for tablet and e-readers, according to data from market researcher The NPD Group, which shows Target has an opportunity to gain share.

Target’s recent moves to deepen its relationship with Apple could be beneficial in that regard, as it was Apple that drove CE activity in 2011 and is likely to do so again in 2012. Currently, Target is not among the top five CE retailers, which NPD lists as Best Buy, Walmart, Apple and a tie between Staples and Amazon.

What a fortuitous promotion Target ran this week featuring a collection of nine Grammy Award nominated artists in its weekly ad. The awards program drew a record audience, and between ads during the broadcast and the artists featured in the circular Target gave a broad range of music lovers a reason to visit Target.com during the show or stop by their local store after the program.

Target is looking to get ahead of the curve in major media markets by placing communications executives in such places as Dallas, Los Angeles, New York and Toronto in addition to those at the Minneapolis home office, Ad Age reported on Monday.

Even ground-breaking partnerships must come to an end, and that will be the case next month when after collaborating on roughly 2,000 items over a 13-year span, the final offering of Michael Graves branded products arrives in Target stores.

Ron Johnson isn’t afraid of making waves. Just as my page-neighbor Jeff Green suggested in his latest column, “A Penney for your Thoughts,” the Apple-CEO-turned-JCP-chief is keenly focused on reinventing a department store dinosaur into a sleek, well-oiled retail machine. And if that means reneging on prior deals, so be it.

By Craig R. Johnson, [email protected]

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens is following in the footsteps of the likes of Target and Walmart in offering a digital edition of its weekly advertising circular that will offer additional items through Walgreens.com and the company's mobile applications.

The Sunday circular — read by more than 50 million consumers, according to Walgreens — also will get a new look and feel, designed to improve the shopping experience.

New York City -- Apple Inc. and Sam’s Club are in early discussions to expand their partnership, possibly by adding in-store Apple shops in select Sam’s locations, according to a report on 9to5Mac, a website for Apple enthusiasts. Sam's Club stores already sell iPhone, iPad, and iPod products.

The report, which cited unnamed sources, said that a range of plans are being discussed, including having Sam’s simply sell a broader range of Apple products without in-store features.