Sales & Marketing

Improving traffic and sales, particularly in the digital channel, helped Target Corp. easily beat third-quarter profit expectations as the discounter raised its year-end outlook.    Target’s profit increased 10.7% to $608 million, or $1.07 cents a share, up from $549 million, or 88 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Adjusted for one-time expenses, it earned $1.04 cents a share, which was better than the 83 cents analysts had expected.  

As more shoppers become victims of “porch piracy,” they are changing they way they shop — and receive — online orders.   This message was delivered in a new study from Vivint Smart Home, a smart home services provider in North America. The study, which is based on 2,000 people, explores the far-reaching impact of the porch piracy phenomenon — an issue that has affected 23 million Americans, according to a separate study from Princeton Survey Research Associates International.