Target

This year, consumers’ expectations for simple online shopping experiences will be bolstered by the highly publicized battle over how people pay for just about anything offline. Technology allowing consumers to use their smartphones to pay for goods where credit cards are accepted has been around for several years. It's called Near Field Communication (NFC), but it's yet to gain anything approaching wide acceptance. That may begin to change in 2015.

Target revealed plans on Tuesday to shutter its online streaming service Target Ticket, which launched in 2013. Comparable to Amazon.com, Wal-Mart's Vudu and Apple's iTunes, the retail giant's cloud-based video provider offers up everything from television series like AMC's "The Walking Dead" to big-budget movies like Disney's "Big Hero 6." But services will be discontinued for good on March 7. Target announced the development on its website, explaining it intends to focus its "efforts on other entertainment offerings."

It was an ordinary Wednesday for Audrey Shepps Mark in Raleigh, N.C. She was shopping at Target. In the midst of buying some headbands and a ham, according to Audrey, she had her heart warmed. It turned out that a young teenage boy had stopped by in search of a clip-on tie. He was making a pit stop before heading to a job interview. Only one problem: Target doesn't sell clip-on ties; the store only sells regular ties. A Target team member began to assist the young man. Audrey watched as the situation unfolded.

The New York State attorney general's office accused four major retailers on Monday of selling fraudulent and potentially dangerous herbal supplements and demanded that they remove the products from their shelves. The authorities said they conducted tests on top-selling store brands of herbal supplements at four national retailers — GNC, Target, Walgreens and Wal-Mart — and found that four out of five of the products did not contain any of the herbs on their labels. 

As one retailer closes the book on its Canadian operations, another is writing its first chapter there. Japanese-owned specialty store Uniqlo said Monday that it will open two flagship locations in Toronto in fall 2016, its first stores in Canada. It then plans to expand its presence with a shop in Vancouver. "Entering the Canadian market is a milestone for the company and a significant step in our growth strategy," said Larry Meyer, CEO of Uniqlo USA and Canada.

Target may have ruffled some feathers in the past with what some considered a lack of plus-size offerings, but the retailer seems to be making up for it now. Target says it's launching a new plus-size line, Ava & Viv, which will be sold both online and in-store starting on Feb. 22. "Target is synonymous with great design, and with the launch of Ava & Viv, we're stepping up our fashion game for our plus-size guests," said Stacia Andersen, senior vice president, merchandising, apparel and accessories, Target. 

It was a brief stint for Target in Canada. Less than two years after opening there, Target announced last week that it would close its 133 Canadian stores. Some Canadian Target customers responded emotionally to the news on Target Canada's Facebook website ("totally heartbroken," "please don't go," "good riddance," "you obviously don't understand Canadians"). Target CEO Brian Cornell decided to close the stores after determining that they

With 2015 upon us, it's time to evaluate your marketing strategy for the new year. Here are four areas that you want to pay particular attention to:

Sears, despite its own problems keeping its staff employed, is riding to Target workers’ rescue. A day after Target announced plans to close all 133 of its locations in Canada, Sears Canada offered discounts to its competitor's employees and invited them to apply for jobs at its stores. "In recognition of the challenging retail landscape and yesterday's announcement regarding the exit of Target from the Canadian market, Sears Canada wishes to do something meaningful to help employees affected by store closings and job losses and to do so in a respectful manner," the company said in a statement on Friday.

Target has company when it comes to its Canadian troubles. Target's Thursday announcement of defeat in Canada may be one of the largest retreats from the country by a U.S. retailer, impacting 133 stores and more than 17,000 employees. But the news follows other major U.S. retail chains that have had trouble across the northern border and abroad.