Target's Guest ID: Pregnancy Predictions, Canada's Collapse and Boycotts

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Target traces back to George Dayton's company in Minnesota, founded in 1902, and the first Target store opened in Roseville in 1962 under John Geisse and Douglas Dayton, who cut internal costs to sell good merchandise at low margins. Wide aisles, dropped ceilings, softer lighting and sharp signage printed on cheap foam board built the "Tarjay" image, a nickname in use since 1962. The 1999 Michael Graves housewares line proved designer collaborations could work in discount retail. The median shopper is 40 with a household income near $64,000, and SuperTarget groceries, added in 1995, were treated as a traffic driver rather than a core business.

In 2012 a father complained that Target was mailing baby coupons to his high school daughter, then learned she was pregnant; the Guest ID system had spotted purchases like unscented lotion and supplements. A 2013 data breach hit up to 110 million customers. Target entered Canada in 2013 through old Zellers leases and untested supply chain software, then closed in 2015 with a $2.1 billion loss. Its 2016 bathroom policy, 2023 Pride merchandise and 2025 DEI rollback each set off boycotts.

After the pregnancy story, Target mixed random coupons such as lawnmowers and wine glasses in with baby offers to seem less omniscient.
Target sold its pharmacy and clinic business to CVS Health in 2015 for $1.9 billion.
Breach settlements included $10 million to consumers and $39 million to banks and credit unions.
A 40-day boycott in early 2025 over the DEI rollback coincided with a $12.4 billion loss in market value.
Target dropped an egg supplier after a 2011 undercover video and pledged 100% cage-free eggs by 2025, a deadline it missed.

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