Target, Inc.

Chicago -- The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) on Thursday launched two, long-awaited green building programs: LEED for Retail, and the LEED Volume Program (usgbc.org/leed/retail).

New York City -- Best Buy has become the latest retailer to offer free shipping for select online orders for the holidays.

The chain said the offer, which is good through Dec. 21, is valid on hundreds of thousands of items, including all CD’s, Blu-Ray and DVD movies, as well as gaming software and accessories.

Other retailers have begun offering free shipping programs to entice shoppers to open their wallets this holiday season, including Wal-Mart Stores, J.C. Penney and Target Corp.

Minneapolis -- Target Corp.'s fiscal third-quarter earnings rose 22.6%, beating analysts' estimates, boosted by improvements in its credit-card business and rising food sales. The chain also projected a strong holiday, saying it expects an important sales measure to rise more sharply than it has in three years. It is hoping to lure more shoppers during the holidays with its updated store layout and a new credit-card program that offers 5% off all purchases.

Minneapolis  -- Target on Tuesday became the first mass-discount retailer to make the shopkick mobile application available to its shoppers. Users of the app will receive points and other rewards, like instant mobile coupons, just for entering Target. The location-based retail app is available in 242 stores in the Chicago; Dallas; Los Angeles; Miami; Minneapolis; New York City and San Francisco/Silicon Valley markets.