Will you brave Black Friday, or shop online?

Examiner.com reports that Target apparently sent an email out to customers yesterday (which I didn't get) with the clever title “You don’t have to wait online". It seems they will offer many of the same deals on their website on Thanksgiving day that they will offer later that night in stores and early on Black Friday morning. And if the item or items you want are on sale online and would ship to you for free, then why not buy it online and sleep in Friday morning?

If you still plan on going shopping on Thanksgiving night or Friday morning, Target also has that new app I told you about last week to help shoppers with maps of their stores and to get you to the item you want faster. The interactive app will lead you directly to the department or area you need to get to and quickly. To see the Target Black Friday 2014 ad or for information about the Target app, click here.

Meanwhile, Target is having plenty of deals even before Thanksgiving, like this cozy C9 by Champion Microfleece Pullover (available in a variety of colors) on sale for just $11.99 (regularly $19.99).

TOMS sells well...

The TOMS + Target collab seems to be selling well both online and in stores. At my local Target, the entire collection - men's, women's, kids, shoes and accessories - was grouped together in one section off of Womenswear, and on Sunday there was a full selection. By yesterday, all the shoes, hats and scarves were gone at my store, as were the throw blankets.

Target App Tells You If Items Are In-Store + Where To Find Them

Have you ever made a shopping list, driven to the store, then realized they were out of certain items? Well Target is solving that frustration in the form of an app that tells consumers what’s in stock and where to find those items inside the store.

Consumerist reports that Target’s new service - implemented by Washington-based tech company Point Inside - makes it possible to offer in-store functions for all U.S. locations for the first time. The company’s app allows a shopper to start their list using a type-ahead function that includes brand named items. Then the app will then notify the customer if the product is available at their chosen store location and what aisle they can find it in.

Once inside the store, the app uses the digitized model of the store to create a map showing the user the aisle location of each of the items on their shopping list. During Black Friday, the app reportedly will alert consumers to the location of doorbuster items.

One caveat: while the map can pinpoint the location of products, Target lacks the in-store beacons or similar communication capabilities that would enable Point Inside to provide shoppers with the exact route to those locations.

Deals on Target + Faribault...

Remember the Target + Faribault collab that launched earlier this month? This particular line is available only on Target.com, but here's a little tip: any customer store returns are automatically discounted to 30% off. So at my local store yesterday, I found this scarf (in Cannon Stripe) and a couple of others on clearance. In my store they were displayed front and center in the fashion accessory section (vs. on a clearance rack) with their clearance tags discretely tucked away. The quality and fabrication seemed excellent, but keep in mind these are made of woolen wool, so they are quite thick and not soft like merino wool.

The Look for Less: Merona vs. C Wonder

Novelty sweaters are popping up everywhere this season in a variety of motifs. Animals are an especially popular theme, as shown on these two cute doggie pullovers.The one on the left is the Dapper Dog Sweater from C Wonder, and will set you back $69.10 (on sale from $88). But you can get a similar look for much less with this Merona Printed Pullover at Target for only $19.99.

TOMS + Target debuts today; will you be buying?

As a reminder, the TOMS + Target line launches today, both in stores and online. While I love the intent behind the brand and this collab - giving away a portion of each purchase to those in need - this isn't a collection I'm particularly excited about. Most of the items look pretty ordinary, and there are no "must-haves" IMO. To that end, I won't be reviewing this collection, but for a full review check out this post by The Recessionista. I agree with her that the poncho (shown here) is attractive but not hugely functional. Despite that, though, this item is already sold out on Target.com in both colors.

What about you out there, readers? Is this a collab you've looked forward to, and if so, what will you be buying from it?

Target's Black Friday 2014 Ad

Target's Black Friday 2014 Ad has been posted on their website. From the looks of it, the doorbuster deals include the usual fare of flat-screen TVs, video games & movies, game consoles, toys, cameras, tablets and phones. They are also offering 40% off ALL regular-priced clothing for men, women & children, both in-store and online (with minor exclusions like the TOM's collab). And as you may have heard this week (as it was heavily reported in the news) Target is offering 10% off all Target gift cards... HOWEVER, please note that this offer is only good from 6am - noon on Black Friday, and the limit is $300 per household.

Target's 2014 Holiday Lookbook

A Bullseye View has posted Target's 2014 Holiday Lookbook, which includes featured items from Sonia Kashuk and Nate Berkus (as shown here) as well as an extensive look at their upcoming TOM'S collab (which debuts this weekend). You can click through the extensive Lookbook Slideshow here. I wish that Target still produced their holiday catalogs (which used to come in the mail) but alas, they got rid of those years ago.

The Look for Less: Merona vs. Kate Spade

Have you ever coveted one of Kate Spade's iconic bow bags but faced sticker shock at the price? The brand has used the "bow" motif repeatedly over the years, and the one on the far left is just one of the many styles they offer (retailing for hundreds of dollars). But you can get the same look for much less with the Merona offerings on the right. In particular, the Merona Bow Tote at Target comes in a purple color almost identical to the Kate Spade bag, only at a much more wallet-friendly price of $34.99.

New at Target: Chris March Christmas Costumes

Hot on the heels of Chris March's Big Fun Halloween Costume Collection, the former Project Runway designer now has a collection of Christmas hats, headbands and glasses available in Target stores as well as on Target.com. Everything is under $12, and you can look for the special endcaps in the greeting card/stationery section.

Now Available on Target.com: Target + Faribault

The Target + Faribault collab (announced back in September) debuted the other day on Target.com. As a reminder, this collection is just available online, and only for a limited time. It seems centered around blankets, shawls and scarves, with a smattering of tote bags, backpacks, tablet and smartphone sleeves thrown in. And since it's only sold online I'm wondering how well this collab will do - ?

New at Target: Method Holiday Scents in Orla Kiely Prints

Target and Method are again releasing special holiday scents of their Gel and Foaming Hand Wash products in Orla Kiely prints. So far, I've only seen the same two scents as last year: Vanilla Mint and Hollyberry. The prints are the same as last year, too, but I'll take what I can get as I love the Orla/Method collabs.

"Alex from Target" becomes overnight viral sensation...

ABC News reports that the Internet became a localized "Tiger Beat" teen magazine this past weekend when photos of this band-worthy young employee went viral.

It all started when a young Target employee's photo (shown here) hit it big with the hashtag #AlexFromTarget. The unsuspecting young man named "Alex" apparently has been amused with the attention, at least according to his Twitter account.

Target said in statement to ABC News the company is "proud to have a great team, including #AlexFromTarget," but declined to confirm any details about him.

UPDATE: It seems as if the whole #AlexFromTarget thing was a hoax. Or was it?? According to Gawker, a marketing company called Breakr claims it orchestrated the viral campaign around an "unknown good-looking Target employee from Texas," which purportedly started when teenage girls began retweeting a photo of him that had been posted on Twitter. However, "Alex from Target" himself has denied involvement, tweeting yesterday that the company is just jumping on to his viral fame.

Coming Soon to Target: Cheeky Tableware

Dovetailing nicely with their upcoming collab with TOMS, Target is launching a collection of paper and plastic tableware by Cheeky. For every Cheeky product you buy, they'll help donate a meal right here in the U.S. by teaming up with Feeding America to deliver meals to those who need them. By the end of 2015, they hope to provide 10 million meals.  The Cheeky for Target line debuts on Nov. 2, and you can check out the offerings here on Cheeky's site.