Target Aims to Win Back Shoppers After Bathroom Boycott

Target is moving quickly to win shoppers back in the wake of a recent poor earnings report. Overall sales fell 7.2 percent in the second quarter, but the company is not directly acknowledging if its transgender bathroom controversy played a role.

On Sunday, Target held a historic sale, offering a 10 percent discount in both stores and online.

Some analysts believe falling shopper traffic encouraged by a nationwide boycott led to the unprecedented move.

Business Insider noted "shopper traffic is falling amid a boycott over Target's new policy, announced earlier this year, that welcomes customers to use any bathroom or fitting room that matches their gender identity."

The American Family Association, which helped organize the boycott along with other conservative groups, says 1.4 million people signed a pledge to not shop at Target until the national chain reverses its bathroom policies.

Since then, Target has announced a $20 million effort to install single-occupancy bathrooms in each of its stores. But AFA is dismissing that move.

"The major concern was that Target's policy would grant voyeurs and sexual predators easier access to their victims by allowing men in women's restrooms and changing areas, which still endangers women and girls," AFA said in a recent statement.

AFA also noted that "the boycott does not come as a result of any threat the transgender community may pose but rather, because the misguided and reckless Target policy provides a gateway for predators."

AFA delivered 1 million petition signatures to Target headquarters in Minneapolis in May and met briefly with Target senior management.