Target's online president departs

Target
Target store in West St. Paul, Minn.
MPR Photo/Nikki Tundel

Another top Target executive as left the company.

The retailer announced late Thursday that Steve Eastman, president of Target.com, has left to pursue other opportunities, has left the company, The company remains quiet on the reason, but the departure follows another website crash the same day.

Target said the decision is unrelated to the performance of its online business. But the retailer faced tough criticism last month after it drummed up so much enthusiasm around its offerings from Italian designer Missoni that its website crashed and was down most of the day that it launched.

Advertising Age reported last week that Target's website has been plagued by glitches and friction between marketing and technology teams. Target said it has no comment on the report.

Eastman is the second key executive to the leave Target this month.

J.C. Penney Co. Inc. recently hired Target's top marketing executive Michael Francis as its new president.

Target, which is based in Minneapolis, operates 1,767 stores across the United States and its online business at Target.com.

Associated Press contributed to this report