Microsoft announced a major win today in retails sector. Target Corporation, the national's second-largest discount general merchandise retailer, is headed to adopt Microsoft® .NET Framework based technologies within its 1,400 stores in 47 U.S. states. Target will migrate its systems within each store to the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0, Windows Serveral 2003 and Microsoft SQL Server⢠2005, core technologies that deliver on the Microsoft Smarter Retailing strategy for connecting people, information, systems and devices.

According to Janet Schalk, chief information officer at Target Corporation, Microsoft technologies can help us drive down costs through a simplified architecture and easier-to-use development tools, These cost savings will enable us to invest in additional innovations that will enhance the store experience for our guests.

Microsoft provides technologies to Target in other key operational and customer-facing areas as well. This comes as a great example of Microsoft Smarter Retailing (http://www.microsoft.com/smartretail), an initiative designed to help retailers improve how they sell and operate. Read the full story here