Whether online or in-person,
Target
is a one-stop shop for groceries, pet supplies, tech, home goods, beauty products and more. To help customers save while shopping, the retailer offers a free loyalty program,
Target Circle
, and a paid membership, Target Circle 360. The latter typically costs $99 a year, but
now through Dec. 2, you can sign up for $49 — that’s 50% off your first year of an annual membership.
Below, I broke down everything you need to know about Target Circle and Target Circle 360. Plus, learn about the
Target RedCard
.
SKIP AHEAD
What is Target Circle?
|
What is Target Circle 360?
|
What is the Target Circle Card?
|
Why trust NBC Select?
What is Target Circle?
Target Circle
Target Circle, which launched in 2019, is the retailer’s free loyalty program. Once you sign up, you can earn 1% in Target Circle rewards every time you make eligible purchases (purchases made with a Target Circle Card do not receive these earnings). Over time, your Target Circle rewards build up in your account’s wallet, and you can use them toward future purchases.
One of the biggest Target Circle perks is access to exclusive deals. The retailer automatically applies relevant discounts at checkout online, in its app or in-stores, so you don’t need to search for them beforehand. This is similar to how Amazon, which owns Whole Foods, automatically applies exclusive deals when
Prime members
check out at the grocery store.
More Target Circle benefits to know about
-
Target Circle Bonus:
ATarget Circle Bonus
unlocks deals and games the retailer personalizes based on your shopping habits. It allows you to earn extra rewards by making qualifying purchases or completing specific actions at the retailer. When you’re signed in, you can find your active Target Circle Bonus offers online or through the retailer’s app.
-
Annual birthday gifts
: For your birthday, Target gives Circle members 5% off a single purchase. The offer is valid for 30 days after your birthday. -
Community support votes
: Target Circle members can cast votes for select local and national nonprofits, which impacts how much the retailer donates to different charities. You earn votes per qualifying transitions in-store and online. -
Target Circle partnerships
: Target partners with various brands to offer Circle members exclusive deals and free trials. Target Circle partners includeApple
and
Ulta Beauty
, both of which are Target shop-in-shops, meaning the companies have their own branded shops within Target stores.
What is Target Circle 360?
Target Circle 360
Target Circle 360 is Target’s paid membership. It costs $99 a year or $10.99 per month — for comparison, an Amazon Prime membership costs $139 a year and a
Walmart Plus membership
costs $98 a year. College students and those who participate in certain government assistance programs are eligible for a discounted membership, which costs $4.99 per month, once they verify their enrollment status online.
Target Circle 360 expands on the retailer’s free-to-join Circle membership. Those who join Target Circle 360 get all the benefits of Target Circle, plus other perks like:
-
Same-day delivery in as little as an hour through
Shipt
, which Target acquired in 2017, and its 100+ retail partners like
Sephora
,
CVS
,
Petco
and
PetSmart
. Delivery is free on unlimited orders over $35.
- Free two-day shipping on eligible items
- An additional 30 days to return purchases beyond the standard 90-day return policy
What is the Target Circle Card?
Previously known as the Target RedCard, the Target Circle Card is a
store card
that can only be used at Target. The Target Debit Card, Target Credit Card and Target Mastercard are each considered a Target Circle Card (though you can use the Target Mastercard at any merchant that accepts Mastercard).
When you pay with a Target Circle Card, you save 5% on eligible purchases in stores and online, including during sales events. You also get free two-day shipping and an additional 30 days to return purchases beyond the standard 90-day return policy.
Cardholders get special pricing on a Target Circle 360 membership — it’s $49 rather than $99. They can also sign up for a free Target Circle account instead (note that since Circle Card holders save 5% on Target purchases, they’re unable to earn 1% in Target Circle rewards while shopping).
Why trust NBC Select?
I’m a
reporter at NBC Select
who has written about retailer loyalty programs since 2020. For this piece, I researched Target Circle and referenced NBC Select’s other Target coverage.
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