Amazon has its October Prime event, and now Target is launching another round of Target Circle Week, a renewed version of the Black Friday-era retail showdown that helps set off holiday deal season weeks before Black Friday.
The move highlights how, one after another, big-box retailers are leaning into overlapping promotions in a bid to snag early spend from consumers who crave value without the paywall of a premium membership.
Unlike Prime Big Deal Days, Target’s savings are available with a free Target Circle membership. That lower threshold to entry, set alongside a longer sale window, makes the Circle Week more welcoming for families, students and deal hunters who’d rather compare prices and not rush against the 48-hour clock.
Why retailers pile on during “October Prime Day”
Amazon, a few years ago, normalized a major fall sale by pulling holiday demand forward and conditioning consumers to expect doorbuster-caliber prices weeks before Thanksgiving. Competitors followed. Retail analysts at Adobe Digital Insights and Salesforce have tracked the effect of pull-forward during recent seasons, observing that discounting kicks in earlier and that shoppers will jump when prices on categories like electronics, toys and small appliances fall precipitously.
The National Retail Federation has also found that a substantial proportion of shoppers now start their holiday shopping long before November, thanks to budget planning and concerns over the dangers of out-of-stocks. Retailers in turn use early events to test the price elasticity of goods, clear inventory from one season before plunging into the next and secure the loyalty of holiday-season shoppers before they are consumed by Black Friday fever.
What to get with Target Circle Week deals
Circle Week usually combines category-wide markdowns with brand-specific promos. Anticipate headliners from Shark and Ninja in kitchen, as well as floor care; favorite Apple accessories; and evergreen household buys across paper goods, cleaning and personal care. Target’s hallmark “gift card with purchase” offers are also likely to make a return; in recent years, they have offered a bonus $5 or $10 gift card for everyday essentials you need to buy, anyway.
The retailer also counts on fulfillment advantages: free in-store pickup, Drive Up for added convenience, and same-day delivery in many markets.
That immediacy counts when stock is limited and shoppers don’t want to play the waiting game with shipping delays.
In payment, that store-branded card generally piles an extra 5 percent off most items, providing a quiet edge when one plays the all-in totals game across retailers.
Circle Week vs. Prime Big Deal Days for shoppers
The biggest difference is access. Target’s deals are open to anyone who signs up for the free Circle program; Amazon’s marquee discounts are hidden behind a paid membership. So does length: Target tends to let its event run longer than Amazon’s fall sale, which gives shoppers more room to breathe as they monitor prices, wait for restocks or walk away from impulse buys driven by ticking timers.
Assortments diverge as well. Amazon typically takes the victory here in terms of breadth and lightning-fast price drops across third-party sellers. Target’s $1 billion answers: A handpicked selection of cool, popular brands; an easier return process for in-store purchases; and store pickup that can beat two-day shipping when you need something right this second. Convenience like that, plus no membership fee, is enough to swing the balance for many households.
Smart ways to shop the overlap and save money
Make shortlists on the Target app and keep a wish list in Amazon so you can monitor price changes in real time. And compare the final price — item price, taxes, shipping and any bundled credits or gift cards. If there’s an offer that includes a Target gift card, add that value to your effective price, particularly for essentials you’ll go through fast.
Big categories to watch include small appliances, vacuums, headphones, tablets, video games and baby gear. Essentials promos in particular can be sneaky MVPs: Sale prices on diapers, detergent and skin care tend to rise later in the season, so any stock-up discounts that come with a bonus credit can often outshine flashy gadget sales. Watch open-box or clearance areas in stores; Circle Week can cause further markdowns on endcaps that never hit the home page.
Fine print and buyer beware for early fall sales
Target has discontinued its formal price match policy, so you won’t be able to count on any post-purchase adjustments should a competitor beat a price.
Inventory may be limited on hot styles, and brand exclusions may apply to extra percentage-off promos. Look at return windows for electronics and seasonal items, which may be different than those for general merchandise.
The larger takeaway: Circle Week is no longer just a spoiler for Amazon’s fall sale — it’s now an important waypoint on the holiday deal calendar. For consumers capable of thinking ahead a little, the duo of extended access, store-side pickup and regular essentials promos can ultimately translate to better real-world value than a frantic two-day blitz.
