Target Looks for the Next Best Thing, By Asking

So we all know retailers have to evolve their selling experience—fast. The in-store experience has marred by m- and e-commerce, but where to begin? You could ask your in-house people for ideas, but these are people you hired on previous selling models. People whose natural agenda is to keep their own job and not suggest a project that gets them canned. If you want fresh, you need to look outside your comfort zone—the wild, worldwide web.

And Target is teaming up with Fast Company to do just that.

In their new challenge campaign, Co.Labs & Target Retail Accelerator, both companies are giving away $75,000 to the winner and $10,000 to seven other finalists who can come up with an awesome mobile shopping service that extends the Target customer experience in a useful, instructive or entertaining way. Emphasis is on the following: social, education, in-store, personalization, completeness, design, technical expertise, date and magic. Target will own the winning app and outstanding entries will be highlighted by Fast Company’s Co.Labs.

Salivating yet? You can find the contest rules here.

Submissions close April 30, 2013 and the Grand Prize Winner will be  announced July 1, 2013.