Target?

Yes, it's scary. But we're the ones who let the IT genie out of the bottle, so we're not the ones who get to complain about it.

People have been predicting for decades that computer technology was going to make slaves of us, so we have no excuse for being surprised by things like this.

Just look at how a primitive, fragile little artifact of 14th century technology rules the entire population. Suppose the government issued an edict demanding that everyone start getting out of bed an hour earlier each day. The people would rise up as one and drag the despots out of office. So instead they call it "Daylight Saving Time." Each morning a stupid, lying CLOCK tells us to get up an hour earlier...AND WE DO IT!

(Credit to Isaac Asimov for the original rant.)

Target aim to serve the lower end of the social economic retail market and thus have more stores in or near the poorer sections of most communities - I am not sure but I also think that they have more stores than most other retailers. They are a more likely target (pun intended) for shoplifting from those that cannot afford to pay for the goods. Thus they would have the best video surveillance systems that they can get and the best people and methods to get the most out of those tapes.

So simply due to their demographic situation they should be the best experts or using the best - thus others would be going to those experts when they need them.

They have the best video in their labs and the
stores. Paying employees minimum wage, they
watch the employees as much as the "GUEST".
Unwritten policies and procedures handicap
true customer support. It's getting better.
RFID is also a very big part of the in store
protection and video provides the proof.

Then what you commented about is a fair statement about the stores in Australia.

How long have you had Targets/K-Marts? Could it be that all the "good" land is already built upon, and these companies build where they can?

And if you are really unfamiliar with Wal-Marts... Just imagine a store that attempts to sell EVERYTHING (and I do mean everything) at the loswet price possible.

That's the first time I heard that, I wonder if anyone in France knows that? (maybe I should go next door & tell them, I could get some french fries too)
And G-L-B-T??? is some new disease somewhere? like the chicken flu?
As for foreign ownership, the Chineese now own America anyway. so it really don't matter.

Target is the old Dayton-Hudson corporation. It changed its name a while back when the directors realized that the bottom-end chain they founded to complement Marshall-Fields and the other old guard stores had eclipsed the rest of the company and had become their most recognized logo.

You're just confused because we all picked up on that comedienne's line and pronounce it tar-ZHAY. ^_^

BTW, I don't know how they treat their line staff but I did a gig there a few years ago and their IT department is about the most content bunch of people I ever met.

It's a shame that few stores treat their front-line employees very well. It sure shows. But I wouldn't put too much into the surveillance thing, because after all, as someone pointed out, employee theft is a major cost of business and they just have to address it the way they would any other problem.

America has evolved into a nation of cheaters so we have to live with what that means. I just don't know how that happened. It couldn't have anything to do with the income tax code, the war on drugs, the old 55mph speed limit, the Byzantine welfare regulations, etc., could it? Our government wouldn't actually train people to discover that beating the system any way you can is the right way to get ahead, would it?

if you ask someone who is part of that community, they would naturally say yes.

if you ask someone in marketing they would also say yes.
[ more disposable income when no family expenses ]

if you ask your typical red-necked homo-phobe, they would say no.

glancing through the subject lines of the various posts and thought I'd provide the following link:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/target.asp

About 5 years ago, I left a $22.00 can of baby formula at the Target check stand. I went back with my receipt the next day to pick it up. The security guy took my receipt and went in back to check the video taken around that time. He said it also showed the cashier calling after me, but I didn't hear her. It was against policy for her to follow me out to the parking lot.

I talked to one Target cashier near Marina del Rey, (California - very rich area) and she had just transferred from the midwest. Back in her home town, the Target was the main department store around and lots of people wanted to work there. She didn't realize that Target was regarded as lower-end out here, but at least she was close to the beach and kept her seniority.

I shop Target all the time in Pasadena or Eagle Rock. I did notice that when Fedco closed up, ALL the prices went up by at least 20 cents that same week. Fedco had terrible customer service, but really good prices.