Target updates app after TV station reveals pricing jump

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Target has modified its smartphone app after a Minneapolis TV station reported that prices displayed on the app went up whenever users approached the retailer’s stores, sometimes by hundreds of dollars.
KARE-TV reports that the Minneapolis-based retailer recently released an updated version of its app that labels “online” or “in-store” prices next to each product. The update follows the station’s investigation into customer concerns about price jumps on the app depending on when users were inside or outside of a Target store.
The app asks users for access to their location, which enables them to find nearby stores or where specific items are located. But the location-tracking function also appeared to trigger price changes as users entered Target parking lots.
A Target spokeswoman says the changes make it easier for customers to understand its pricing policy.