<p> Target has cut 475 workers and eliminated 700 vacant positions over the last six months as the company undergoes a transformative period that will assist in growing its mobile and online operations in the future. Molly Snyder, company spokeswoman, said that the cuts are across the company’s operations, except that no workers in Canada are being cut, according to USA Today.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> The retail chain, which employs approximately 361,000 people, will provide the affected workers with at least 45 days severance, though longer-tenured workers may get more. Snyder noted that the company will continue to recruit in some areas, especially to support its online and mobile commerce initiatives.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Although Snyder declined to say which functions of Target took the cuts, local outlets in Minneapolis-Saint Paul claim that there were large cuts in marketing, finance, and technology services.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> The company said comparable store sales would decline about 2.5% for the fourth quarter, compared to the same period in 2012. Target expects fourth quarter earnings of $1.2 to $1.30 per share, compared with $1.50 to $1.60 before December.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> As Target undergoes this transformative period, how might we expect to see its e-commerce presence change in the future? </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href=" http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/01/22/target-layoffs/4778267" target="_new"> USA Today </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
