Target outsourcing mobile retailing biz to RadioShack

RadioShack is taking over Target's mobile retailing business, according to reports, in another sign that the company is looking to grow its position as a cell phone retailer.

RadioShack, through its subsidiary Kiosk Operations, took over the mobile retailing operations at 100 Target stores in Minnesota, California, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, Texas and Washington last month, according to the Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal. Additionally, the report said that Target plans to expand the outsourcing effort to all of its roughly 1,700 stores next year.

In recent months, RadioShack has moved aggressively to expand its presence in the mobile retail space, likely in an effort to counter increasing pressure from competitors Best Buy and Wal-Mart. During the summer, RadioShack inked a deal with T-Mobile USA to offer the carrier's wares in its company-owned stores, and in late September RadioShack added Verizon Wireless products to around 450 Sam's Club kiosks it operates. RadioShack sells service from AT&T Mobility, Sprint Nextel and Virgin Mobile USA.

Representatives from RadioShack and Target did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

For more:
- see this Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal article [1]
- see this Dow Jones Newswires article [2]

Related Articles:
T-Mobile, Verizon bolster RadioShack sales [3]
T-Mobile, RadioShack ink retail deal [4]
Best Buy to open 40 new stand-alone mobile stores [5]
Report: RadioShack to begin selling Verizon today [6]
Is RadioShack [7] trying to mimic Best Buy Mobile?