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In this July 28, 2012 photo, shopping carts sit parked outside a Target store in Marlborough, Mass. Target is reporting that net income for the second quarter was unchanged, as the retailer gets ready for its upcoming move into Canada. But the retailer saw solid spending in the quarter and in a sign of confidence, the cheap chic discounter raised its earnings outlook. Target posted earnings Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012 of $704 million, or $1.06 per share in the period ended July 30. That compares with $704 million or $1.03 per share, in the year ago period. (AP Photo/Bill Sikes)
Battleground: Target practice
Target wasn’t nearly as thrilled as Beyoncé’s fans when the pop singer dropped her latest album, without warning, only on Apple’s iTunes store. Miffed by the week-long exclusive deal, the retail giant later declined to sell the CD version of Beyoncé’s self-titled album in any of its stores, saying, “We are primarily focused on offering CDs that will be available in a physical format at the same time as all other formats.” Amazon, too, declined to sell the CD through its popular website. Undeterred, Beyoncé responded by strolling through the aisles of a Massachusetts Wal-Mart store, showering shoppers with $50 gift cards.
Beyoncé’s bold gambit appears designed to wrest more control for artists in a changing music industry—and, so far, it seems to be working. Her album has already become a best-seller despite the backlash from retailers. Even Apple, the other supposed big winner in all of this, agreed to sell only the full album on iTunes (as opposed to individual 99-cent tracks, which is its preference), suggesting Target may not have been the only one with a bull’s eye painted on its back.
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