Target Closing Stores Amid Black Friday 2015 Hot Sales: Closures List & Best Deals At Amazon, Walmart, Target

Target is closing 13 stores just as the hottest deals and sales are being revealed by the same company. The targeted stores will shut their doors before February 1, 2016, reported CNN.

Prior to making the decision of which locations to shut down, Target analyzes how well each possible candidate is faring financially. The final verdict on closing stores is a serious matter, said a representative, and made only after seeing a continued downward spiral when it comes to making money.

“The decision to close a Target store is not made lightly. Typically, a store is closed as a result of seeing several years of decreasing profitability.”

For those locations, what happens to staff? Employees deemed “eligible” for transfer can move to a Target that isn’t on the hit list of closing stores. The corporation currently owns approximately 1,800 shops.

The Target closing stores list follows.

• Austin North East in Austin, TX
• Suncoast Pasco County in Odessa, FL
• Casa Grande, AZ
• Victorville, CA
• East Flint in Flint, MI
• Columbus Southwest in Columbus, OH
• Springfield, OH
• Northridge in Milwaukee, WI
• Superior, WI
• New Ulm, MN
• Ottumwa, IA
• Anderson, IN
• Dixie Highway in Louisville, KY

Hashtags for some of the locations on the Target closing stores list immediately started spreading on Twitter, such as one intended to save the New Ulm, Minnesota, succinctly called Save New Ulm Target (#savenewulmtarget).

But even as Target announced the closing stores, the company also started up its Black Friday and holiday shopping deals early, reported the Motley Fool.

As of November 1, Target provides returns and free shopping through its website. Live outside the United States? An international option for the holidays includes shipping to over 200 territories and nations.

In addition, Target has teamed up with Borderfree in order to accept about 60 varieties of currency. Individuals then can have their gifts sent to pals and relatives who live outside the U.S., or if you’re being an elf to yourself, you can send it to your own home.

If you’re in a rush or have bad weather where you live, Target also is tempting more shoppers with a Curbside pickup program that its broadening from 21 stores to 121 locations. Those who go for that option can place their orders on the site, then drive to Target and get what they bought without ever stepping foot outside of their car.

Got toys on your holiday shopping list? Target also has a Cartwheel app that will entice toy shoppers by giving half off one select toy that will vary day to day through Christmas Eve.

With Target closing stores, what can you do if you’re eager to get a jump-start on Black Friday and want to skip a location that’s set to shut down? Walmart and Amazon also are in the battle to appeal to holiday shoppers.

Walmart started its seasonal hot deals on the first of November. In addition to a price-matching offer, Walmart will be cutting costs for longer periods this holiday season, with products on special ranging from kitchen gadgets to electronic goodies.

Every day of the holiday season, Walmart will feature new “Season’s Best Online Special” deals, reported Yahoo.

Look for the special sales items in Cyber Monday and Black Friday-style, with examples shown below, all of which include free shipping.

• $199 Nintendo 3DS Handheld Animal Crossing Happy Home Designer Bundle (get a $20 savings)
• $99.99 24-inch RCA HDTV (get an $80 savings)
• $288 Dell 15.6? Inspiron Laptop PC with Intel Pentium N3540 Processor (get a $50 savings)

If you’re always bummed that Black Friday comes but once a year, Amazon is attempting to end your depression by providing clones of Black Friday starting this month and continuing into much of December. Although the specials are short-term and revolve, you can track them on its Deals Of The Day page.

Plan to check again on Black Friday and, of course, on maniac Cyber Monday. However, Amazon’s vice president of consumer marketing feels that they’re going to do best by expanding its season for bargains.

“Shoppers come to Amazon to discover the best deals on the best gifts, and this year, we’re pulling out all of the stops,” shared Amazon Consumer Marketing VP Steve Shure. “With incredible deals, fast delivery options, curated lists like our Electronics Holiday Gift Guide, gift recommendations, customer reviews and more, we’re making it easier than ever for customers to save time and money on their holiday shopping.”

In all, Amazon will entice holiday bargain hunters with over 30,000 “Lightning Deals,” according to the Daily Herald.

That’s twice as many promotional specials as in 2014. If you’re a Prime member, you can purchase any of the deals 30 minutes prior to other shoppers.

[Photo by Andrew Burton / Getty Images]