Target Dismisses Employees Over Alleged Breach Of Unwritten Rule Amid Growing Frenzy For Stanley Insulated Cups

In a recent development, several employees at Target Corp. have reportedly been let go for allegedly violating an unwritten rule that mandates a 15-minute waiting period before employees can purchase merchandise.

What Happened: The unwritten rule requires that merchandise be available for customers on the sales floor for at least 15 minutes before employees can purchase it. Troy Logan, one of the dismissed employees, stated that he was unaware of this rule when he bought a Stanley insulated cup that had been released from an online hold, reported Business Insider.

Logan, along with other terminated employees, expressed their ignorance of the rule and its severe consequences. “No one knew it was a thing,” Logan said. “Obviously if we knew the policy, we wouldn’t go against a policy.”

Although the Target employee handbook prohibits employees from using their status to gain an unfair advantage over customers when purchasing merchandise, it does not explicitly mention the 15-minute rule or the handling of merchandise, according to the report.

Akylah Martell, a former Target Starbucks team leader in Texas, was also fired after she allowed three employees to buy a Stanley cup and then purchased the last one in stock herself. Martell stated that she was not informed about the handling of the cups prior to her dismissal.

Seven employees confirmed to Business Insider that they were among several colleagues at their stores who were fired for purchasing the cups, but none were aware of any previous instances of Target firing an employee for violation of this rule.

As of the publication of this story, Target has not responded to Benzinga’s request for comment.

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Why It Matters: In recent days there has been a frenzy centered around a limited edition steel tumblers that has caused excitement at Target stores across the U.S., reported Time.

The Cosmo Pink and Target Red tumblers reportedly sold out online and also in brick-and-mortar stores. They went on sale on Dec. 31 as part of Target’s “Galentine’s Collection.”

A TikTok video emerged, first noted in the Time report, that showed people rushing to purchase the tumblers at a Target location. That video attracted more than 20 million views and over 1.8 million likes.

A Stanley cup was listed on sale on StockX, a re-sell website, for as much as $29,000, according to the report, which cited Vice for noting the item online.

The recent firings come at a time when Target Corp. TGT has been identified as a top retail idea for 2024 by Goldman Sachs, as per a Benzinga report. The retail giant’s prospects for the coming year are looking bright, with improving margins, a robust labor market, and healthier consumer finances expected to benefit the retail sector.

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