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| Benefits | Earning | FAQs | Joining | Redeeming | Circle vs. Target Circle Card | Target Circle 360 | Target Circle Week |
Virtually every major retailer has some kind of rewards program, and Target has one of our favorites. The chain’s free loyalty club, Target Circle, hooks members up with rewards for shopping, in addition to other deals and savings opportunities.
Target rolled out Target Circle in October 2019 with the goal of creating an easier, more rewarding shopping experience. Target Circle replaced the retailer’s previous loyalty program, Target Cartwheel. The latest iteration of the program launched in spring 2024.
If you’re considering joining Target Circle, keep reading — we’ve put together a complete guide to literally everything you need to know about Target’s enticing rewards program.
How Target Circle Works
Image: Target.comThe primary purpose of Target Circle is to reward loyal customers for shopping at Target. It works like this: After joining for free, Target Circle members get special member-only deals on qualifying purchases every time they shop at Target. These might include percent-back rewards that can be used towards a future Target purchase, BOGO offers, free-gift-card-with-purchase offers and that famous 10% off Target gift cards deal that comes along a couple times a year. Target Circle membership also gets you access to Target Circle Week, Target’s annual sale.
Benefits of Target Circle
Circle membership includes these perks:
- Access to hundreds of deals and personalized offers for up to 50% off.
- Access to exclusive members-only sales.
- A birthday gift where you get 5% off a single item, valid for 30 days from your birthday.
- Votes that help Target decide which local nonprofit organizations to donate to.
- Exclusive offers for Target Circle partners, such as Ulta and Apple.
- Exclusive access to certain Black Friday deals and pre-Black Friday deals.
How to Sign up for Target Circle
Signing up for Target Circle is free, quick and easy. There are three ways to join Target Circle:
- Create a Target.com account: If you have an existing Target.com account or create a new one online, you’ll be automatically enrolled in Target Circle.
- Use the Target app: You can also sign up for Target Circle using the account tab in the Target app.
- In stores: Finally, you have the option to sign up for Target Circle in stores at checkout — just ask the sales associate about joining.
When you sign up for Target Circle, expect to provide an email address and optional phone number. You will use your phone number to look up your account when shopping in-store.
How To Earn Target Circle Rewards
If you are a member of Target Circle, here’s how can get those offers:
Target Stores
- Scan your Target circle barcode located in your Wallet in the Target app.
- Enter the phone number you registered with on the keypad or self-checkout screen at checkout.
If you forget to do either of these things at checkout, you can use the Target app to retroactively enter the receipt for Target Circle rewards. Within seven days of purchase, use the app to scan your receipt or enter it manually to earn rewards on that purchase.
Target.com
You need only be logged into your Target account to automatically get Target Circle offers.
Target App
If you link your Target Circle account to your Target app, you’ll automatically get valid offers applied.
How To Redeem Target Circle Rewards
When you earn Circle rewards from special offers or the 5% birthday offer, you can simply redeem these rewards like cash towards your purchase during your next visit to Target. Keep in mind that Target Circle Rewards expire if you haven’t earned or redeemed them in one year.
Here’s how you can redeem your Target Circle rewards:
In Target Stores
At checkout, provide the phone number you signed up with or scan your Wallet in the Target app. At payment, either select your Target Circle balance or tell the sales associate you wish to redeem your Target Circle earnings. Your balance will be applied to your purchase. At a self-checkout station? Open the Target app, tap “Show My Barcode” and scan it.
At Target.com
Before checking out on Target.com, make sure you are signed into your account. During checkout, you can choose to apply your Target Circle earnings to your order.
Via the Target App
During checkout on the Target app, choose to apply your Target Circle earnings to your order.
Keep in mind when you choose to redeem your rewards, you must redeem your full balance in the same transaction — you can’t choose to redeem only part of your balance. If your purchase total is less than your current rewards balance, you will be unable to access your remaining rewards balance until the transaction is completely processed.
Target Circle vs. Target Circle
Card
Image: TargetThe Target Circle rewards program is separate from a Target Circle Card, the store’s credit, debit card, or reloadable card. If you sign up for a Target Circle Card credit, debit, or reloadable card you receive 5% off at Target every time you shop in stores, online or through the Target app.
Other Target Circle Card benefits include:
- Free two-day shipping from Target.
- An extra 30 days for returns and exchanges.
- Exclusive offers.
If you are a Target Circle Card holder, you will automatically be signed up for Target Circle. However, the savings do not combine. As a Target Circle Card holder, you will get 5% off on your Target purchases instead of — and not in addition to — earning rewards in the Target Circle rewards program.
One key difference between the two programs is that Target Circle rewards must be redeemed during a future visit. By contrast, a Target Circle Card immediately takes 5% off your current purchase.
Even More Benefits with Target Circle 360
Target launched it’s paid service, Target Circle 360, in 2024. Target Circle 360 costs $99 a year or $10.99 a month. If you have a Target Circle Card, the cost is only $49 a year. Target Circle 360 benefits include:
- Unlimited same-day delivery orders to multiple addresses
- Same-day orders from dozens of retailers through the Shipt Marketplace
- An extra 30 days for returns
- Free 2-day shipping on hundreds of thousands of items
- As well as all the benefits of a Target Circle membership
Target Circle Week
Target Circle Week is Target’s sales exclusively for Target Circle members. Target had a Spring Circle Week sale in April, and the Fall Circle Week is from Oct. 6 to Oct. 12, 2024. Unlike Amazon’s Prime Day sales, Target Circle Week is seven days of savings. You’ll need a Circle membership to take advantage of the discounts.
Everything Else About Target Circle Rewards
What Happened to Target Cartwheel?
Target Cartwheel no longer exists, and Target Circle replaced it as Target’s loyalty program in 2019.
Do I Still Need to “Clip” Coupons
For Target Circle members, coupons are applied automatically to your purchase. Clipping offers before checkout used to cause us anxiety and FOMO, and we’re glad that extra step is gone. There are a few caveats, though:
- Some manufacturer coupons/rebates still need to be “clipped” and applied, if you want to redeem them.
- Some “timed” Target Circle Bonus offers still need to be activated. Think those “spend $50 in two shopping trips within X Days and get a bonus”-type offers. You wouldn’t want these activated automatically anyway, as you might want to plan out the timing of those shopping trips and activate the bonus when YOU are ready.
What Happened to Target Circle 1% Back?
Target revamped the Target Circle program back in April 2024. One change was no more 1% back earnings on all purchases. While the old reliable 1% rewards are gone, you might still find percent-back bonus offers on select purchases.
What Can You Buy With Target Circle Rewards?
You can use your Target Circle rewards on any purchase from Target, with a few exceptions. These are purchases you can’t buy with Target Circle rewards:
- Alcoholic beverages.
- Dairy products.
- Prescription medications.
See the full list of excluded items in the Target Circle terms and conditions.
Which Purchases Are Eligible to Earn Target Circle Rewards?
You earn Target Circle rewards on a wide variety of purchases made in Target stores, on Target.com or using the Target app, with a few exceptions.
These are purchases that don’t earn you Target Circle rewards:
- Alcoholic beverages.
- Prescription medications.
- Target Optical purchases.
See the full list of excluded items in the Target Circle terms and conditions.
Can You Stack Target Circle Offers?
In general, yes. Unless the terms of the offer forbid it, you can often stack Target Circle offers with other Target Circle offers and with other coupons. We recently stacked two Target Circle offers (5% off Burt’s Bees products AND a free $5 Target gift card when you purchase three Burt’s Bees products):
Image: RetailMeNotYou can also often use Target Circle offers on top of manufacturer coupons (which you’ll find taped to Target products on shelves).
And don’t forget the ultimate stacking shopping hack: Combining Target Circle offers with cash back. By clicking through from RetailMeNot, you can automatically earn cash back on your Target online run (and redeem that cash via Venmo and PayPal). Check our Target page for the latest Target cash-back offer.
What Is the Target Circle Apple Offer?
Target has teamed up with Apple to offer Target Circle members deals on Apple subscriptions. Here’s what’s included in the Target Circle Apple offer:
- Three months of free Apple Fitness+ Access.
- Three months of free access to Apple TV+.
- Two months of free access to Apple Music.
- Three months of free iCloud storage (up to 50GB).
- Three months of free Apple Arcade access.
These deals are available until Feb. 3. Note that they are only available to new users — if you’ve ever subscribed or used a free trial on any of the services, you’re ineligible for the Target Circle Apple offer.
Do Target Circle Rewards Expire?
Yes. Your Target Circle earnings will expire if you do not earn or redeem rewards for one year.
What Is the Target Circle and Ulta Beauty Rewards Offer?
Target recently partnered with Ulta beauty store and has opened mini Ulta shops at 100 Target stores. The retailer says it plans to add Ulta mini shops to 800 Target locations.
As part of the partnership, Target lets members of Ulta Beauty Rewards — Ulta’s rewards program — connect their Ulta Beauty Rewards and Target Circle accounts. Linking these two accounts allows you to earn Ulta Rewards points and Target Circle rewards (assuming there’s an active relevant offer) every time you shop at Ulta mini shops inside Target. It’s a good way to save at Ulta and Target simultaneously.
Is There a Target Circle App?
No, there’s not a stand-alone Target Circle app. Target Circle is rolled into the Target app, so you can manage offers, stash gift cards, manage your Target Circle Card, and, of course, SHOP all in one place.
The post Everything You Need To Know About Target Circle appeared first on The Real Deal by RetailMeNot.
