Target’s mobile app and website experienced an outage on Friday (December 19), leaving thousands of customers unable to place or track orders, according to outage tracker Downdetector.
Reports of problems began surfacing early Friday morning, with users flagging issues related to app access, order tracking and online checkout.
Thousands report issues on Downdetector
Downdetector data showed complaints started coming in shortly after 6 a.m. ET. By 8:30 a.m. PT, more than 8,000 users had reported problems with Target’s digital platforms.
Some shoppers said they were unable to view order confirmations or access their purchase history, while others reported problems with curbside pickup and returns.
Target acknowledges “system issue”
Target’s customer service team confirmed the disruption, describing it as a “system issue.”
In a separate statement issued , the retailer said it was “aware of the issues you’re experiencing and are actively looking into them. We appreciate your patience while we work to resolve this.”
Customers report charges without confirmations
A recurring complaint on social media involved customers saying they were charged for online pickup or drive-up orders but could not see any confirmation or order history in the app.
Some users said they were unsure whether their purchases would be fulfilled or refunded.
Social media erupts with frustration
Frustration over Target’s app outage spilled onto social media on Friday, with customers describing payment glitches, missing order confirmations and stalled pickup services.
One user said they placed a drive-up order and were charged, but never received a confirmation email. The app later showed an error message saying “something went wrong,” prompting the shopper to demand either a fix or a refund.
Another customer remarked that they could not tell whether a $125 order had gone through because the section of the app showing order details was not working.
A different user questioned how long Target would hold pickup orders if its systems were down, calling the disruption “a real inconvenience.”
One shopper said they placed an online pickup order but were unable to retrieve or even cancel it because the app was not functioning.
Another customer complained that Target had taken payment for an order, but no confirmation email arrived and the app would not display purchase history, leaving them unable to track the order.
Several users expressed general frustration, with one saying the app outage was “driving me crazy.”
In a sharper criticism, one user tagged Target’s customer service account and accused the retailer of allowing orders to go through despite knowing about the system issue, charging customers without providing proof of purchase or clarity on whether orders would be fulfilled.
Another shopper echoed that sentiment, saying Target’s systems had been down for hours but still processed their payment, offering no confirmation email, order history or support options.
