By: Amanda Anderson-Niles
Beyonce just made history considering her new album has sold over 800,000 copies worldwide since its release on Friday, but one major retailer says it won’t be helping her increase her album sales.
According to Billboard, Target is salty with the singer for exclusively releasing her album on iTunes on Friday, so they have decided to pull what many consider to be a petty move and not to sell the physical copy of the album. A spokesperson for the store says:
“At Target we focus on offering our guests a wide assortment of physical CDs, and when a new album is available digitally before it is available physically, it impacts demand and sales projections.
“While there are many aspects that contribute to our approach and we have appreciated partnering with Beyonce in the past, we are primarily focused on offering CDs that will be available in a physical format at the same time as all other formats. At this time, Target will not be carrying Beyonce’s new self-titled album ‘Beyonce.'”
Beyonce’s fans have been dragging the retailer on social media since the news was confirmed, but Walmart has already made it clear they will happily take the BeyHive’s money. Walmart’s spokesperson tells Billboard:
“Walmart is happy to be able to carry her album and support all physical music.”
Considering how many sales Beyonce has gotten on iTunes in just three days alone, we think Beyonce will be just fine without Target. However, Beyonce’s fans have already began working on boycotting the retailer.
Cool. They won’t get my money ever again. It’s that simple.
They are only doing this because they got the exclusive with her the last album and they are mad they didn’t get it this time. I will no longer shop at Target. I love the store but to do this to a black woman who is breaking history is beyond wrong to me. I will shop elsewhere.
Lame! Well I will just give my money to Walmart or BestBuy! #shrugs
Smh. This is so petty and unprofessional. I’m not shopping there anymore.
Welp. Time to look for a new favorite store.
Is this a joke? It has to be. Target is stupid as hell for this. It’s not that serious. This sounds like something a spoiled child would do if they don’t get their way.
Ok. There are other stores that will gladly sell the album. No big deal.
LOL I think she will survive without Target. She’s already sold close to a million already. Just saying.
Well I won’t be shopping at Target anymore. They did the same thing to Frank Ocean and that was wrong too. They need to take their emotions out of running their business.
I usually go to Target for my natural hair products but I will just shop online or go to Whole Foods and get them now. I’m done with Target.
Totally uncalled for.
Well I refuse to shop at Target. F-ck them.
Welp… that just made my list of stores to shop in shorter. Thanks Target…
Target is my favorite store but I think this is wrong on so many levels. She released the album last minute and couldn’t have the physical copies ready in time. I won’t be shopping at Target anymore either. I’m glad the other stores won’t be this petty!
Target is dumb! Do they not know they are going to lose customers because her loyal fans won’t support them anymore?! That’s like refusing to sell Rihanna’s CD! The Navy wouldn’t have it!
I don’t even like Beyonce like that but I think this is racist and sexist. They feel like they are supposed to own Beyonce? Really? Man f-ck Target! That’s what Kanye has been ranting about! These companies think they own these artists! Man GTFOH! I ain’t no damn fan but I ain’t shopping here no more either!
No more Target for me. Gotta stand for something or fall for anything. If they think they can do this to Beyonce, imagine who else they will do this too. These companies are getting out of pocket.
WOW. I am so done with Target!
My love affair with Target is officially over. I will pick up my physical copy of the album at Best Buy. Target will no longer be getting my money.
Goodbye Target!
I’m with all of you. I won’t be shopping at Target anymore.
Dumb move Target.
Smh. There are other stores I can give my money to.
Why would they be this stupid? BeyHive is going to act a fool. lol
Dammit Target! You were my favorite store but I’m going to have to boycott your azz!
Why would you burn bridges with a fan base like this? This was a terrible business move. I’m not giving them my money anymore.
So they’re mad they didn’t get an exclusive? Well I can guarantee they just made a move that will guarantee they will never get another exclusive with Beyonce again. They are stupid. Never shopping there again.
I’m so glad I don’t have to shop at Target. Not shopping there won’t be too much of a lifestyle change for me. I don’t go there like that anyway. #BoycottTarget
Don’t worry people! The album will still be available at Walmart, BestBuy and other major retailers. You can also order the physical CD online when it comes out on December 20!
I don’t even blame the Hive for being pissed! I’d boycott them too if they did Rih like this!
#BoycottTarget
Welp!!!!! She will still go platinum anyway!
Thank goodness there’s a Walmart and Best Buy by my house!
The devil stays busy. Target won’t get anymore money out of me. Smh.
This is why I bought her album twice on iTunes. This girl gets so much hate and faces so much adversity and she minds her own business and doesn’t deserve half the crap she gets. I will not be shopping at Target anymore.
They are going to wish they never did this. BeyHive is already getting their boycott together. They will Keri Hilson this store. You don’t do this to an artist that sold 800,000 copies in three days.
I really hope other artists are paying attention to how Target treats music artists that don’t do what they want them to do and give them exclusives.
This just makes me want to support Beyonce even more. #boycotttarget
F-ck em.
Bey doesn’t need them. She’s good. But I won’t shop there anymore. If they want to be douchebags, I can do the same and take my money elsewhere.
Target is probably the distributor that leaked her last album, 4, impacting sales making it her lowest selling album ever. By going digital and making the album immediately available, Beyonce completely guaranteed that there would be no leaks before the album dropped.
And now they mad. They’re probably livid because one of their employees couldn’t have leaked it and undermined all the hard work and reward that she deserves. Damn sexist and racist companies.
Target is only responsible for 5% of music sales, while iTunes is responsible for 41% and Walmart is responsible for 10%…. That being said, Beyonce will be just fine. She’s already broken the record for iTunes, so if this is only a “business move” for target, fine. Just like bey made a business move and released the album solely on iTunes and broke records.
That was childish and uncalled for. But Bey doesn’t need target…she never did
It’s a nice gesture, but I really doubt people will stop shopping at Target because of this
But it’s 2013. CD’s aren’t as popular as MP3s. In fact, I bet most of album sales will continue to come for iTunes even after the physical copies are available. Her album is going to sell well at the stores too. Whoever made this call is a certified idiot. Oh well.
Never shopping there again! I live in a big city anyway, so it won’t be hard to take my money elsewhere. #BoycottTarget
@King Bey Sweetie you’re obviously the one who’s upset, that’s why you felt the need to reply to my opinion! Perhaps you need the hug 🙂
You’re absolutely right sweetie and no one said you couldn’t shop where you wanted to shop but who are YOU to say what people OTHER than YOU would or would not do?! You didn’t see me say YOU or ANYONE else HAS to shop at one chain or the other. But that’s YOUR preference honey, not the MASSES if that’s what you choose to do. Just like Bey’s business/brand will continue to go on, so will Target’s and any of these other retailers. If you read my post I said PLENTY of people NOT YOU individually, so whatever young lady! Just like you have a right to do with your money as you please so do OTHER PEOPLE and there are some people out here who will feel as you do, some who won’t feel it’s that serious to them, and some who won’t care one way or the other and that was my point from the jump that’s why I referred to some not ALL people. Just because you have a celebrity preference doesn’t mean you have to get all self-righteous! I’m neither Navy nor BeyHive because I love them both as artists, but I bet if Target or some other retailer was refusing to sell Rihanna’s music in their stores you’d probably still shop there and wouldn’t care and she’s also considered “one of the only successful black singers out here” but then there’s some who may feel the way you are now about Bey’s music. So again, please!
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Whatever! There are plenty of people that will continue to shop at Target, Macy’s, Barney’s, Wal-Mart, and wherever else despite what’s sold and what’s not sold in their stores if they choose for whatever reasons. Some people like you just love to get on a soap box for just a while then go back to routine. Plenty of retailers including all the above have done all sorts of things many deem deplorable, petty, wrong or what have you yet plenty of people still shop at those places so please! Target is mad they couldn’t get the jump at all those album sales yes, but their decision won’t really stop people from going there altogether. Wal-Mart didn’t want to carry other artists stuff as well but people still go there to shop so whatever!
@ANONYMOUS
You wrote essays, for what exactly? I think it’s because you’re the most pressed about this situation. You got on here and didn’t like the fact that so many people wrote they would no longer shop at Target on here, so you came on here to make your comment and bring in your negativity. King Bey responded (and shouldn’t’ have because you’re trolling), and you have the nerve to pull the self righteous card because she wants to boycott for her fave. If they want to boycott, that’s their choice. I’d do it in a heartbeat for Rihanna. But you can’t tell people what they will or will not do. You’re not some all knowing being. That’s my issue. You on here acting like you know everything and what people will do. Stop it.
It’s really a non issue. Numbers don’t lie.
It never fails. King Bey shuts down all the threads on here. This post went from like 45 comments to almost 100. She is the most loyal stan on here. She knows how to get the passion out of people on here. lol