Target Stores Crippled By Cash Register Computer Failure - NPR

Customers abandoned their carts after the cash registers failed at a Target location in Washington, D.C. Alina Selyukh/NPR hide caption

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Alina Selyukh/NPR

Updated at 4:09 p.m. ET

Red carts full of merchandise piled up at Targets nationwide as customers abandoned their shopping due to a computer failure at the cash registers.

"We're aware that guests are currently unable to make purchases at Target stores. Our teams are troubleshooting now and we apologize for the inconvenience," the company said in a tweet.

NPR's Alina Selyukh reported that staff at Target's branch in Columbia Heights, Washington, D.C., sent all shoppers out and said the problem had affected all locations and all stores.

We’re aware that guests are currently unable to make purchases at Target stores. Our teams are troubleshooting now and we apologize for the inconvenience. We will provide an update as soon as possible.
— Target (@Target) June 15, 2019

"Sorry for all the inconveniences, but all of the registers are down," a worker announced via a loudspeaker.

Dozens of shoppers getting frustrated at @Target in DC as announcement goes out: “ All the registers are down” pic.twitter.com/N0jpSq2x9X
— Alina Selyukh (@alinaselyukh) June 15, 2019

In the late afternoon, Selyukh reported the D.C. store had reopened.

Customers in other states wrote of similar experiences. Target has 1,849 stores in the U.S.

In Blaine, Minn., one Twitter user posted a video of customers waiting in line, writing, "Registers are down...#targetfail."

Registers down at Target Blaine MN... @Target pic.twitter.com/awRf3phJ8g
— Nikki2k (@Nikki2k) June 15, 2019

A shopper in Tennessee posted, "#targetdown - Collierville TN -Help!"

#targetdown -Collierville TN-Help! pic.twitter.com/gitBtp70Ie
— SSchulke (@spschulke) June 15, 2019

Shopper Meaghan Mooney wrote on Twitter that she filled her cart but couldn't pay for anything because of the systems failure. " I just filled my l cart w/ hundreds of $ of merch I need TODAY, but REGISTERS ARE DOWN GLOBALLY???" she wrote.

Hey @Target — I just filled my l cart w/ hundreds of $ of merch I need TODAY, but REGISTERS ARE DOWN GLOBALLY??? And NOW after I begging your staff to put my items on hold, I only have till EOD?? 1 inconvenience after the next. How will you be making good w us consumers?! #Target pic.twitter.com/4KQTtdNv0M
— Meaghan Mooney (@MeaghanMooney1) June 15, 2019

And anchor Hunter Sowards of KTRE in Texas found staff handing customers chips.

Terrible video but had to share. Employees handing out chips. Starbucks handing out drinks. Customers offering their baskets to strangers trying to hold all of their items. Sometimes the most uncomfortable situations can actually bring out the best of human nature. #targetdown pic.twitter.com/iI3owraDoX
— Hunter Sowards (@huntersowards3) June 15, 2019

In some stores, Target employees got around the problem by keying in barcodes on their personal mobile phones. The checkout process was lengthy and trying, and a customer in Las Vegas offered her thanks to a worker who went through the trouble for her.

"It took me almost an hour to check out just now. Honestly the only reason you still got my money was because of employee Kevarian at the Blue Diamond Las Vegas location. He manually entered in every one of my items and was patient," wrote the Twitter user.

@Target It took me almost an hour to check out just now. Honestly the only reason you still got my money was because of employee Kevarian at the Blue Diamond Las Vegas location. He manually entered in every one of my items and was patient. @AskTarget
— Lydia (@LydiaPenn1) June 15, 2019

There could be an upside to the shuttered Targets, according to a Minnesota news site. "This is the one time you can go to Target and not come home with 20 things you didn't plan on buying," Bring Me The News wrote.

This is the one time you can go to Target and not come home with 20 things you didn’t plan on buying #targetdown https://t.co/8tDYAbLtsy
— Bring Me The News (@bringmethenews) June 15, 2019

Other customers took the shortage as a crisis. One woman in Illinois noted, "Tensions are high and the ice cream is melting. They have provided us popcorn and green tea, but rations are fast diminishing. How I wish we had gone to Walmart. Pray for us."

My Beloved,
We are entrenched in asile three between the deodorant and the razors. Tensions are high and the ice cream is melting. They have provided us popcorn and green tea, but rations are fast diminishing. How I wish we had gone to Walmart.
Pray for us.#Target #TargetDown
— Bridget 🌊 (@BShopps) June 15, 2019

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