Inside these posts: Comparison shopping

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Target typically undercuts Wal-Mart on prices

Shoppers at a Target on Elston Ave. in December. (Phil Velasquez/Chicago Tribune)

Wal-Mart’s slogan may be “Save Money. Live Better,” but rival Target is challenging it by offering even lower prices on everyday products.

Two recent price comparisons of grocery and household goods revealed that Target’s prices are lower than at No. 1 retailer Wal-Mart.

Craig Johnson, president of retail consulting firm Customer Growth Partners, compared 35 brand-name items sold at Wal-Mart and Target stores in New York, Indiana and North Carolina. They consisted of 22 common grocery goods such as milk, cereal and rice; 10 general merchandise products such as clothing and home furnishings; and three health and beauty items. Get the full story »

Online holiday spending rises 12%

U.S. online sales are up 12 percent to $27.5 billion so far this holiday shopping season compared with a year ago, according to research firm comScore. Get the full story »

Investors pour $510K into start-up TransFS

TransFS, a Chicago-based start-up that helps small businesses compare credit-card processors, has raised $510,000 in its first round of funding.

TransFS was launched in the spring of 2009 by Sean Harper and Joshua Krall, classmates at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. The company provides a comparison shopping Web site for credit-card processors, including ratings, reviews and explanations of how contracts work. Get the full story »