Discounter ups mobile game with in-store location technology

Target Corp. is making it easier for customers to find their way around its stores — and to quickly find what they are looking for.



The chain is integrating beacon and Bluetooth technology into its mobile app. It will show the shopper’s location in real-time on the app's map as they move about the store, and display nearby Cartwheel deals. Shoppers will also be able to find an item on the map through their digital shopping list.



In a posting on its website, Target describes the new technology as “a GPS for your shopping cart.”



"Just click on an item from your list and the app will indicate on a store map the precise aisle where you can find your item," explained Target chief information and digital officer Mike McNamara in a video that accompanied the posting. (To see the video, click here.)



The new app technology will be live in across half of the chain in time for the holidays. It comes on the heels of another mobile enhancement: Target’s integration of its Cartwheel app within its mobile app. Both efforts are part of the company’s commitment to turnaround its business.