What users hate. Clustered.

1- and 2-star reviews grouped into themes with verbatim examples. Each cluster is a wedge a competitor could exploit.

162 reviews·8 themes

False or inaccurate inventory availability
Users report that items shown as in stock in the app are actually out of stock in-store, leading to wasted trips and frustration. This includes high-demand drops like Pokémon cards and BTS lightsticks.
32
reviews
- “Items I want are in stock, but it won’t let me add to cart”
- “Store inventory is not accurate. 3 items shown in stock. Electronics department employee was not very helpful in trying help look for the items. She simply went to shelf location and said we don’t have it.”
- “I drove all the way from New Jersey to Pennsylvania because this store said they had a specific squishy in stock. This was the only location that showed it available.”
App crashes, freezes, and performance issues
Frequent crashes, lag, freezing during checkout, and inability to load carts or orders after updates. Users describe the app as slow, glitchy, and unusable during peak times.
28
reviews
- “App won’t even open after the last update. Just gets stuck on the target logo then shuts off.”
- “Super slow app”
- “After this latest update, my app won’t show my purchase history. I get “oops something went wrong” messages”
Bot and scalper abuse during product drops
Users complain that bots and scalpers consistently win high-demand product drops (e.g., Pokémon cards, BTS lightsticks), making it nearly impossible for regular customers to purchase items.
21
reviews
- “Bots get everything even if I manage to add stuff to my cart, once it’s in my cart the item should be secured for at least a few minutes so I can pay, instead it’s a frustration back and fort refreshing the card because it becomes impossibl”
- “They decided to prioritize bots and scalpers as opposed to their own customers. Horrible company that I will no longer EVER support.”
- “Can’t even load into the cart… Why does this have such high ratings if an item is popular the cart literally crashes. Junk app”
Poor user experience and confusing interface
Multiple complaints about poor navigation, excessive clicks, unintuitive design, misplaced search bars, and lack of logical flow when shopping or checking out.
25
reviews
- “Why do I have to click like 4 different things just to add something to my cart? Add item, pickup, come in store or at curb, c”
- “The app UI is miserable. The search bar bounces around between screens. Adding grocery items to your cart is more painful than it should be.”
- “Too many unnecessary clicks to complete simple tasks like adding an item to cart or selecting delivery/pickup”
Account, payment, and gift card failures
Users report issues with login sessions, payment methods (Apple Pay, Target Card), gift cards disappearing, and inability to use stored payment options.
20
reviews
- “I had $18 in gift cards saved on the app and when I went to go use it, all of it was gone. I didn’t spend it and no one else did either.”
- “Target card issues — Having issues with my target card. Won’t work whenever I try to make an in app purchase even though I have spoke with card services 3 different times and they have reassured me it’s fine.”
- “The app will not let me add/use my target Circle card. it also will not let me use the card when I try to use it in stores.”
Unreliable order fulfillment and customer service
Orders are canceled without notice, delivered late, missing items, or never delivered. Customers report poor communication and unresponsive support.
19
reviews
- “Order status Delivered but not received- no refund — I order skin moisturizers from target app and It says order is delivered but I didn’t find in my mail box.”
- “My Order keeps saying canceled very bad I can’t get a gift card”
- “I ordered some items from target using the phone app and when the package was delivered, there were three missing items from that same order.”
Excessive and intrusive notifications and ads
Users are annoyed by constant pop-ups for offers, reviews, promotions, and irrelevant ads, often triggered after checkout or unrelated to actual purchases.
16
reviews
- “Too many pop up to sign up for offers. It’s getting annoying”
- “Repeatedly asking for review — One start for constantly asking me for a review after every checkout…”
- “App pushes out multiple notifications daily. Zero reason for this. Sure I can disable notifications in iOS settings, but then I miss important notifications...”
Inventory and pricing inconsistencies across platforms
Prices differ between online and in-store, and users report dynamic pricing that increases costs after login or account access, undermining trust.
12
reviews
- “App works well but they change prices based on who is buying. Not good.”
- “A recent purchase was $4 more in the app or when logged into my account at target.com. (Also $4 over MSRP). At the store where would have picked it up I bought it without my account for $4 less.”
- “Why do they have different prices online than in the store? They should be the same.”

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