A recent glitch at Target sent bargain hunters into a frenzy, with customers trying to snag a massive discount on the iPad 9th generation. Usually priced at $329, the device was ringing up at just $69.99, thanks to a technical loophole that allowed buyers to stack Target Circle deals with price matching—a combination that’s typically against store policy.
The buzz began when a customer in Alabama successfully purchased an iPad at the ultra-low price, and the receipt quickly made its way online, inspiring a rush of shoppers hoping to score the same deal. Julie Perea, a TikTok user, shared her attempts to replicate the bargain, documenting her trips to multiple Target locations.
Her video, which has amassed 6.8 million views, highlighted the chaos surrounding the glitch, with other customers lining up in hopes of grabbing the discounted iPad.
“Everyone is here for the iPad 9th generation at Target cause of the discount,” Julie shared in her video, showing packed aisles and shoppers scouring shelves. Despite her efforts, Julie wasn’t able to get the discount herself, as store managers caught wind of the situation and intervened before she could make a purchase.
The deal worked because of a price-matching loophole. Target’s price-matching policy allows customers to get a lower price if they find the item cheaper on Target.com, at Walmart, or through a Target Circle deal. However, the policy clearly states that Circle discounts cannot be used in conjunction with a competitor price match—something that many stores missed in the early hours of the glitch.
In her video’s comments section, viewers chimed in with their own stories. Some had successfully taken advantage of the glitch before it was shut down. “Worked for me. Had to go early though, they sent out a company-wide email mid-day on this,” shared one user. Another commenter, who claimed to work at Target, pointed out that combining Circle deals with price matching was against store rules, adding, “Yea during circle week you have to choose either or you can’t do both, it’s just policy.”
Others weren’t so happy about the situation, with some Target employees expressing frustration at the potential fallout. One commenter wrote, “It’s actually against policy for them to allow that to go through. I work at Target. I hope all you people trying to get this deal know how many people you’re getting fired in the process.”
This pricing mishap comes on the heels of other policy changes at Target, including a stricter stance on returns. The retailer recently tightened its return policy after seeing an increase in fraudulent returns, where customers were returning stolen or heavily used items.
A source told “DailyMail.com”, “Target wants to make clear to customers who abuse the very generous returns policy that their days are numbered. Fraud or deception will not be tolerated.”
While the iPad glitch provided a brief opportunity for some customers to score a major discount, Target quickly moved to patch the issue. As of now, the bargain window has closed, leaving those who missed out with little more than a viral story to tell. But for a few lucky shoppers, it was a day to remember—one where they managed to walk out of Target with a brand-new iPad for less than the cost of a typical dinner out.
