Summary:
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Target’s Black Friday promotion backfires as customers receive disappointing swag bags instead of promised prizes. Some call it a scam.
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Amid boycotts over DEI rollbacks, Target faces backlash over messy stores and understaffing. CEO ranked poorly, stock down.
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Despite strong holiday sales, public missteps like this can erode trust and loyalty in the long run.
Target is trending today, but not for the reason they hoped. Their Black Friday “swag bag giveaway” was meant to be a fun holiday promotion, but a viral video with over 2 million views shows shoppers opening their bags to find a pack of UNO cards, a tiny shampoo sample, and a small candy pack instead of the big-ticket prizes promised. Many customers called it a scam, with one saying, “If they cared about our business, that bag would’ve been half full!”
The fiasco comes amid the “We Ain’t Buying It” boycott, led by groups like Black Voters Matter and Indivisible, encouraging shoppers to skip Target over DEI rollbacks. CEO Brian Cornell was recently ranked one of the “Worst CEOs in America,” the stock is down nearly 50% over five years, and customers have complained about messy stores and understaffing. Despite the backlash, Target still saw strong holiday traffic in toys and apparel, but moments like this, small yet very public, can chip away at trust and loyalty.
