The Shocking Truth: Does Target Price Match Amazon In 2025? (4 Things Shoppers Must Know)

The answer to the most-asked shopper question—"Does Target price match Amazon?"—has changed dramatically in 2025. For years, the ability to walk into a Target store and have them match a lower price from the e-commerce giant Amazon was a cornerstone of the retailer's customer-friendly policy, but that era is officially over. As of a major policy shift implemented in late July 2025, Target has eliminated its competitor price matching guarantee, a move that fundamentally changes how savvy shoppers must approach their savings strategy at the bullseye retailer. This article breaks down the new policy, the reasons behind the change, and the fresh, powerful alternatives you must leverage to maximize your savings.

The updated policy means that the long-standing practice of pulling up the Amazon app at the checkout counter is now obsolete. Target’s focus has aggressively shifted to promoting its own ecosystem, including its loyalty program, exclusive sales events, and proprietary credit card. If you are a dedicated Target shopper, understanding this new landscape is critical to avoiding disappointment and ensuring you still get the best possible deals.

The Definitive 2025 Target Price Match Policy: No More Amazon

The most crucial update for any shopper in 2025 is simple: Target no longer price matches Amazon.com or any other external retailer, including Walmart. This policy change went into effect on July 28, 2025, marking an end to Target's decade-long commitment to matching prices from its key competitors.

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The retailer’s updated Price Match Guarantee is now strictly limited to matching its own prices. This means Target will only match a lower price if:

• The item is purchased in a Target store or on Target.com.
• The price drops lower at an eligible Target platform (in-store, Target.com, or the Target App) within 14 days of purchase.
• It applies to items sold by Target, not third-party sellers on the Target Plus™ Partner marketplace.

This internal-only price adjustment is a clear signal that Target is prioritizing its own sales and promotions, driving customers to utilize the retailer's proprietary savings tools rather than relying on external comparisons.

Why Did Target End Competitor Price Matching?

The decision to discontinue price matching against major retailers like Amazon and Walmart is a strategic move driven by several business factors and a desire to control the customer experience.

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Firstly, the policy change is part of a broader push to focus on the retailer’s own lucrative loyalty programs and exclusive events. Matching a competitor's price often meant losing the opportunity to capture the full profit margin, especially on high-volume items. By eliminating this practice, Target encourages shoppers to engage with its own value proposition.

Secondly, the move aims to solidify the value of the Target Circle program and the Target Circle Card (formerly the RedCard). These programs offer guaranteed savings, which Target is now positioning as a superior alternative to the hassle of price matching. Amid reports of declining foot traffic in the first half of 2025, this change is an aggressive attempt to redefine the value of shopping at Target.

4 Powerful Ways to Save at Target Without Amazon Price Matching

With the old price match policy gone, the savvy shopper must pivot to Target's existing savings mechanisms. These four strategies are now the most effective ways to ensure you get the best deal, often leading to greater savings than a simple price match ever could.

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1. Maximize Savings with the Target Circle Card (Formerly RedCard)

The Target Circle Card is now the single most important tool for saving money at the store. The card, which comes in Debit, Credit, and Reloadable forms, provides an immediate and guaranteed discount on nearly all purchases.

Key Card Benefits:

• Guaranteed 5% Off: You receive an instant 5% discount on virtually all purchases, both in-store and on Target.com.
• Extended Returns: Cardholders receive an extra 30 days for returns, providing peace of mind.
• Free Shipping: You get free two-day shipping on select items from Target.com, a perk that rivals Amazon’s shipping speed.
• Exclusive Offers: Access to special, Card-only discounts and promotions throughout the year.

For a $100 purchase, the 5% discount saves you $5 instantly, which often beats the minor price difference you might have found on Amazon previously.

2. The Power of Target Circle and Target Circle 360

The free Target Circle loyalty program is the retailer’s primary vehicle for personalized savings and is essential for all shoppers. You earn 1% back in rewards on every purchase and gain access to hundreds of personalized offers and deals.

For the most dedicated shoppers, the new Target Circle 360 is a paid membership that offers premium benefits, directly competing with Amazon Prime.

Circle 360 Benefits ($99/year):

• Unlimited free same-day delivery on orders over $35.
• Free two-day shipping on all orders.
• Exclusive partnerships and special deals.

By combining the free Target Circle offers with the 5% Target Circle Card discount, you stack savings that can far exceed any competitor price match.

3. Leverage Target Deal Days to Compete with Prime Day

Target has aggressively positioned its major sales events, known as Target Deal Days (or Target Circle Week), to directly coincide with competitor events, most notably Amazon Prime Day.

In 2025, Target has hosted multiple Circle Week events, offering massive discounts of up to 50% across categories like electronics, home goods, and everyday essentials. This is where Target is now placing its competitive focus, offering deep, store-wide discounts rather than item-by-item price matches.

Key Deal Days Strategy:

• Always check the dates: Target Circle Week often runs concurrently with Amazon Prime Day in July and sometimes again in October (known as "Prime Big Deal Days").
• Look for Target GiftCard promotions, which often stack with the Circle discount.
• The biggest discounts are often reserved for Target Circle members, making enrollment mandatory for maximum savings during these periods.

4. Understand the Holiday Price Match Guarantee (Target-Only)

While the competitor price match is gone, the popular Holiday Price Match Guarantee remains, though with a critical caveat: it only applies to Target's own prices.

How the Holiday Guarantee Works (November 1 – December 24, 2025):

• If you buy an item between November 1 and December 24, 2025, and the price drops lower at Target (in-store or Target.com) before Christmas Eve, you can request a price adjustment.
• This policy is designed to encourage early holiday shopping by protecting customers from post-purchase price drops *within Target’s own system*.

This guarantee does not, under any circumstances, allow you to match a lower price found on Amazon, Best Buy, or any other external retailer during the holiday season.

The New Reality: Target vs. Amazon Shopping Strategy

The 2025 policy change forces a new reality for shoppers. The days of using Target as a convenient price-matching hub for Amazon's lowest prices are over. Instead, Target is positioning itself as a destination where consistent, built-in savings through loyalty programs and large-scale sales events are the primary value drivers.

If you are looking for the absolute lowest price on a single item, you will now need to compare prices between Target, Amazon, and Walmart yourself before making a purchase. However, for a shopper who buys groceries, household essentials, and clothing regularly, the cumulative savings from the 5% Target Circle Card discount, personalized Target Circle offers, and the deep discounts of Target Circle Week will likely outweigh the occasional price match from a competitor. The new game is about loyalty and ecosystem, not one-off price comparisons.