• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechTarget

Target Takes Another Step to Better Compete With Walmart and Amazon

By
Leena Rao
Leena Rao
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Leena Rao
Leena Rao
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 9, 2017, 3:37 PM ET

Target is making another move to catch up with Walmart online and fend off e-commerce juggernaut Amazon.

Target said on Thursday that it plans to consolidate its mobile apps to eliminate customer confusion over having to switch between apps for important tasks.

The move is part of Target’s $7 billion push to improve its e-commerce operations and stores over the next three years as it faces stiff competition from both online and bricks and mortar retailers. In 2016, Target’s online business only represented 5% of its total sales, well below the industry average of 10%.

In recent months, Target has started an overhaul of its tech strategy after some futuristic tests failed. For example, it recently announced that its big innovation project, the “Store of the Future,” which aimed to incorporate robots into stores and to test other innovations, would be shuttered.

Since 2013, Target has operated two separate apps for its mobile commerce efforts—a main app for shopping, and Cartwheel, an app that includes coupons and discounts for shoppers in physical stores and online. Cartwheel had gained momentum with 27 million users, but Sean Murphy, the company’s vice president of digital products, said that using two apps confused customers.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

To fix the problem, the retail giant is integrating Cartwheel’s discounts into the main Target app. The change is in line with Amazon and Walmart, both of which have individual apps that let shoppers buy items and access discounts and coupons.

According to TechCrunch, Target won’t shutter Cartwheel completely, but will slowly phase new and existing customers over to the one dedicated Target app.

For more on Target:

For the newly consolidated app, Target is adding a number of new features that it hopes will lift sales in its bricks and mortar stores. The Target app had already included maps of stores, but now it will recognize which ones customers are in so that it can show shoppers their location inside and highlight deals nearby.

As Target announced earlier this year, the app will also let members of its loyalty and credit card program, REDcard, pay for items in stores using their smartphones. However, the retailer did not reveal any other details about how this technology would work.

 

About the Author
By Leena Rao
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Goldman Sachs’ tech boss says tracking individual AI usage isn’t useful. He just watches how fast his 12,000 engineers move from idea to production
AIBanks
Goldman Sachs’ tech boss says tracking individual AI usage isn’t useful. He just watches how fast his 12,000 engineers move from idea to production
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 8, 2026
10 hours ago
hacking
CybersecurityHacking
Student hackers get revenge on final exams as ‘ShinyHunters’ takes down nearly 9,000 schools study software
By Heather Hollingsworth and The Associated PressMay 8, 2026
12 hours ago
Michael Saylor says remarks about selling Bitcoin were intended to jam short-sellers and ‘haters’ 
CryptoBitcoin
Michael Saylor says remarks about selling Bitcoin were intended to jam short-sellers and ‘haters’ 
By Ben WeissMay 8, 2026
13 hours ago
Apple promised a smarter Siri, but a lawsuit says it didn’t deliver—and you can get up to $95 back
LawApple
Apple promised a smarter Siri, but a lawsuit says it didn’t deliver—and you can get up to $95 back
By Catherina GioinoMay 8, 2026
13 hours ago
Fortune 500 Power Moves: Which executives gained and lost power this week
C-SuiteFortune 500 Power Moves
Fortune 500 Power Moves: Which executives gained and lost power this week
By Fortune EditorsMay 8, 2026
13 hours ago
Tired hispanic man in a professional suit feeling sad while waiting for the appointment of a job interview at a recruitment office
EconomyJobs
The job market is healing for everyone—except in the office
By Eva RoytburgMay 8, 2026
13 hours ago

Most Popular

California farmers must destroy 420,000 peach trees after Del Monte closes its canneries and cancels more than $550 million in long-term contracts
North America
California farmers must destroy 420,000 peach trees after Del Monte closes its canneries and cancels more than $550 million in long-term contracts
By Sasha RogelbergMay 7, 2026
1 day ago
'Blue dot fever' plagues musicians like Post Malone, Meghan Trainor, and Zayn as a growing list of artists cancel tours due to lagging ticket sales
Arts & Entertainment
'Blue dot fever' plagues musicians like Post Malone, Meghan Trainor, and Zayn as a growing list of artists cancel tours due to lagging ticket sales
By Dave Lozo and Morning BrewMay 7, 2026
1 day ago
A Michigan farm town voted down plans for a giant OpenAI-Oracle data center. Weeks later, construction began
Magazine
A Michigan farm town voted down plans for a giant OpenAI-Oracle data center. Weeks later, construction began
By Sharon GoldmanMay 6, 2026
3 days ago
U.S. Treasury will have to borrow $2 trillion this year just to continue functioning—more than $166 billion every month
Economy
U.S. Treasury will have to borrow $2 trillion this year just to continue functioning—more than $166 billion every month
By Eleanor PringleMay 7, 2026
2 days ago
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky warns two types of people won’t survive the AI era: ‘pure people managers’ and workers who resist change
Success
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky warns two types of people won’t survive the AI era: ‘pure people managers’ and workers who resist change
By Emma BurleighMay 7, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 8, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 8, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 8, 2026
15 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.