Target Corporation
Company Background:
The first Target store was opened in Roseville, Minnesota in 1962. The company began its’ path towards development in 1902 by George Draper Dayton. Dayton was a partner in Goodfellow’s Dry goods Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He quickly bought out his partners and became the founder of Dayton Dry Goods Company. In 1968, Dayton acquired the JL Hudson department store thereby changing his founding name to Dayton Hudson Corporation.
The Dayton’s are credited with the operation of a variety of retail stores including; Marshall Fields, Mervyn’s and of course Target. The new millennium proved Target to be the leading runner in sales for the Dayton Corporation, accounting for roughly 80% of total company sales. It was in 2000 that Dayton Hudson renamed itself the Target Corporation, taking the name of it’s’ most prized possession. Today, Target Corporation is focused solely upon its Target stores.
Today, Target Corporation operates 1,755 stores in 49 states, including 22 Super Target locations. Target employs 355,000 individuals in diversified rolls and geographic locations. The company is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, following it’s origination in 1962. Target reported $67,390 billion in revenue for the year 2010.
Gregg Steinhafel became CEO of Target Co. in May 2008, replacing Robert Ulrich upon retirement. Steinhafel gained executive control of Target at a time of mass uncertainty and chaos. The recession was to be a major test for the mighty retailer that would rely on internal collaboration, extensive research, and undoubtedly chance.
Marketing
Target Market:
Target’s guests have a median age of forty and an average household income of approximately 64K. The majo...
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...uency identification tags (RFID). They first used them to test the effects of them on supply chain management in their distribution centers hoping to increase efficiency. Now at distribution centers they place the RFID on the barcode of all pallets and cartons to track the goods sent from the distribution center to the stores. Another tactic target uses to keep that edge is using off-shore sources as low-cost substitutes for specific products. They also use a just-in-time inventory management system to meet the demand of their customers as needed and don’t waist time and money on excess inventory. Target Corporation uses the AMC which is the Associated Merchandising Corporation as an outsourcing organization to source clothing and other goods for Target. All of the merchandise that Target sells is meant for quality designer brands that are still affordable.
As I have outlined in the charts below, there are various similarities and differences between Wal-Mart and Target. Wal-Mart is Target’s primary competitor, and vice versa. Wal-Mart has a strong market presence in its global markets and has a diverse range of products and services that are affordable and available in stock. Target, on the other hand, does not have a strong market presence or efficient product supply; however, Target’s physical environment and innovative products further the brand’s image and value. Unfortunately, Target and Wal-Mart are both e-commerce laggards with major competitors such as Amazon. Target faces complications with their pricing strategies and their product availability, which hinders their strength when competing
Target has many competitors in the market, and the level of competition is highly intense. Some of its main rivals are Wal-Mart stores, Home Depot and Costco Wholesale Corp. All of them produce similar products as well as offer almost the same services to their consumers. Naturally, the organization would need a strategy that helps it to stand out and to distinguish it from its competitors, thus, Target 's positioning was based on more than just pricing; it combined quality and style. This was the differentiation strategy that have always been applied since the launch of the organization.
For example in the economic forces they work to provide higher end discounted items to keep the profits up by allowing shoppers to have quality and cost savings. In the technological forces, Target has used the increase use of mobile platforms to allow their customers to shop online and pick up in the store by saving time. With the political-legal forces Target works to provide a safe and non-discriminating environment for all customers. Environmental forces are taken in to effect by looking at better waste recycling management to decrease their carbon footprint. Target works hard to represent the values and mores of their customer base, by being actively involved within the community and addressing current social
Target, the nation's #2 discount chain, now operates more than 1,500 Target and Super Target stores in 47 states, as well as an online business called Target.com. Target and its larger grocery-carrying stores, Super Target, have carved out a niche by offering more upscale, fashion-forward merchandise than rivals Wal-Mart and Kmart. After years of struggling to turn around its Marshall Fields and Mervyns departments stores divisions, the discounter sold them both in 2004. Target also owns apparel supplier The Associated Merchandising Corp. and issues Target Visa and its proprietary Target Card (www.Answers.com/topic/target-corporation).
According to www.targetcorp.com, Target is an upscale discount retail chain that sells quality products at attractive prices, and prides itself on clean, spacious, and guest-friendly stores. Target is the second largest "general merchandise" retailer (behind Wal-Mart); selling almost anything one would need to complete the "one stop shop", especially with the addition of the SuperTarget stores. The first Target opened in Roseville, Minnesota in 1962. Since then, 1,330 stores located in forty-seven different states, which includes the 141 SuperTarget stores, have opened nationwide. Target also has twenty-two distribution centers located in nineteen states. In addition to the vast number of store locations, Target also has other businesses that include: Target.com, Target Financial Services, Associated Merchandising Corporation, and Target commercial Interiors. Through all the key businesses, Target employs nearly 300,000 people from diverse backgrounds. The current Chairman and CEO of Target is Bob Ulrich.
In order for Target to have been successful, first and foremost, the retailer should have known that they would not be able to beat their competitor, Walmart, in a price war. That alone, is a losing battle. So, a higher quality of products, fewer locations, and a better understanding of Canadian tastes could have propelled the retailer into establishing, for the long term, a profitable global presence with our Canadian neighbors.
1. The Discount Department Store. Target prefers to be called as the latter instead of just department store. Expect more, pay less. With this tagline, the customers expect to purchase more items and pay the least amount possible. Not like other retail industries like its competitor Kmart and Wal-Mart, Target maintains retail value in terms of product offerings. They are known in their designer’s items in clothes, exclusive beauty products, categorized and functional goods, and seasonal offerings. It also sells the greatest number of gift cards among its rival business.
Target Corporation is the biggest discount retailing business in the US which comes just after Wal-Mart Stores Inc. The headquarters are located in Minneapolis in Minnesota in the USA. George Dayton founded it. It initially started as a family business with a regional retailer shop and later grew into a national full retailer store. The company’s main aim is to offer retail services at friendly rates and, its main attracting feature is discount rates offed on different products in the business. The company has indicated tremendous growth in the retail business. It has a target to outgrow its market and achieve competitive advantage over its competitors. This essay seeks to discuss the competitive analysis and
The Target corporations in plans to grow converted retail stores to retail super stores. In 2004 Target added 65 new merchandise stores and eighteen new Target Superstores all across the United States.
The Target Corporation formerly known as “The Dayton Dry Goods Company” is a major retailing company that was founded in 1902 in Minneapolis, Minnesota by George Draper Dayton. It is ranked the second largest discount retailer in the United States and ranked thirty- sixth on the Fortune 500 as of 2013. The Target Corporation has been serving this nation with the best price possible goods since their expansion from “Dayton” and is continuously winning the hearts of consumers with their dedication and service. A phenomenal merchandising strategy and cross channeling has enabled this upscale discounter to serve their purpose of customer loyalty and fulfill their promise of “Expect more and Pay less”.
As compared to its rivals, Target has presented its brand as a middle-class brand which assists in attracting customers that find other stores like Walmart unpleasant
In other words, it wants to offer lower prices than a competitor like Target in order to drive foot traffic and sales. Wal-Mart has been effective in its quest, but Target has an edge in one area, and it 's an area that has the potential to grow. Target 's secret weapon is its REDcard. For Target customers using the REDcard, Target is actually cheaper than Wal-Mart. This is because Target REDcard members save 5% on most purchases. Plus, Target REDcard members visit the store more often and buy more items. Target is also offering free online shipping for REDcard members, which has led to significant online penetration. Wal-Mart has the edge, but not when you include Target 's
Target Corporation being a retail industry, the structure by product grouped to a functional level practices works the best. This is necessary for the other functional levels to collaborate as a single team to produce a positive customer shopping experience. Target Corporation further divided the functional level into a geographic area to exercise management tasks effectively with the given authority. Each structure of the management at the geographic level has a strategy discussion, a line of communication, growth, and progress reporting according to the corporate reporting plan. Jana Potts who manages Target Corporation store has closer to 300, 000 employees working for her and the effective can be improved if the role is broken within domestic into channels, stores into broader segments and a separate global position. The rapidly growing online channel and global expansion are necessary to support Target Corporation's strategy of internal growth and sustain it for long term sustainability. These structural changes will allow Target Corporation to connect with its employee at a functional level and bring changes faster, track and monitor the
In December 2013, Target was attacked by a cyber-attack due to a data breach. Target is a widely known retailer that has millions of consumers flocking every day to the retailer to partake in the stores wonders. The Target Data Breach is now known as the largest data breach/attack surpassing the TJX data breach in 2007. “The second-biggest attack struck TJX Companies, the parent company of TJMaxx and Marshall’s, which said in 2007 that about 45 million credit cards and debit cards had been compromised.” (Timberg, Yang, & Tsukayama, 2013) The data breach occurred to Target was a strong swift kick to the guts to not only the retailer/corporation, but to employees and consumers. The December 2013 data breach, exposed Target in a way that many would not expect to see and happen to any major retailer/corporation.
1947: The first store opens in Västerås, Sweden, selling women’s clothing. The store is called Hennes