Archived Could Target Become An Amazon Asset????

[buliSBI]

https://www.bizjournals.com/bizwome...17/12/analyst-amazon-may-shop-for-target.html

Gene Munster, a former Apple Inc. analyst and Twin Cities venture capitalist, thinks that Target Corp. could be ripe for a buyout by Amazon.com Inc. in the coming year.

Munster made the comments during CNBC's Fast Money show this week (scroll down for the full video). He predicted that Amazon would buy Target for the same reason it acquired Whole Foods for $13.7 billion earlier this year: A larger brick-and-mortar presence with which to combat Walmart Inc.

A Target-Amazon team-up would meld two companies with similar customer demographics, specifically moms and new parents, Munster told the Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal. "Amazon wants to be something for everyone, but if they had to pick one segment they love the most, it’s moms," Munster said. "... And Target is still doing relatively well despite [competition from] Amazon. That’s a sign they’re retaining their customers."

 

[spotlife]

I saw this article. I thought it was crazy, how would Amazon acquire Target? Apparently, it's not impossible. Amazon(AMZN) has a market cap of 563 Billion while Target (TGT) has a market cap of 36 Billion. Essentially, Amazon could acquire Target and not miss a beat. I don't know how that would play out but buying Whole Foods could've been them dipping their toes in before going for a beast like Target. How does everyone feel about becoming an Amazon employee? Maybe if they bring all their infrastructure and technology it won't be such a bad thing haha

 

[HRZone]

I believe competition has made both companies better. Our free two day shipping and ship from store were developed due to Amazon's success.

As for joining forces it would be the death of us. Let's not forgot it's Amazon piloting the store where you can checkout from your smart phone. No need for cashier's or salesfloor folks. Unless you are a flow team member there wouldn't be room for any of us.

 

[can't touch this]

Fuuuuuuck that. Amazon needs to be divested not made bigger

 

[greg yarms]

I see target and Walmart merging before amazon taking us over

 

[BoxCutter]

I think it is a real possibility. For their shares, Target stock holders would get cash and amazon stock, and Brian Cornell seemingly goes out on top having "saved" Target (also with a crap load of cash, amazon stock, and possibly a seat on their board of directors).

 

[IWishIKnew]

Competition? We don't need no stinkin' competition!

 

[TTGOz]

Depends, I may or may not leave in the event that actually happens.

Something about working for a uber-mega gigantic corporation that owns every single major retailer and grocer and having an upwards of a trillion dollars doesn't make me feel very good... in the event Amazon does that, and buys Target, and other major companies. Yeah, it's probably the most American thing you can do... buy out your competition, but it's dirty as hell lol... but only dirty if our CEO sells Target, which I hope he doesn't.

I like my Target.

 

[Fyi]

I believe competition has made both companies better. Our free two day shipping and ship from store were developed due to Amazon's success.

As for joining forces it would be the death of us. Let's not forgot it's Amazon piloting the store where you can checkout from your smart phone. No need for cashier's or salesfloor folks. Unless you are a flow team member there wouldn't be room for any of us.

I had a buddy that had some meetings with amazon executives a few months back. When Walmart and target came up in conversation the execs laughed and said “we don’t even consider them competition” and “they are 5 years behind and will never catch up”

 

[TheBeastPMT]

I assume we should start looking for new jobs

 

[countingsheep]

Arent their legal safeguards in place to prevent a company becoming a monopoly like amazon is trying to do? I really dont see amazon being interested in purchasing target even if it was for sale. It would make more sense to start snatching up these empty store kmart and sears are leaving behind and create amazon stores for their targeted demographic. Thats the last thing amazon needs to finish cornering the market I think is actual stores in more locations I think.

 

[BoxCutter]

Arent their legal safeguards in place to prevent a company becoming a monopoly like amazon is trying to do? I really dont see amazon being interested in purchasing target even if it was for sale. It would make more sense to start snatching up these empty store kmart and sears are leaving behind and create amazon stores for their targeted demographic. Thats the last thing amazon needs to finish cornering the market I think is actual stores in more locations I think.

I think regulators would have more of a problem with Walmart acquiring Target than amazon getting Spot. But, like the one guy said in the video, Trump hates Bezos and would try to throw a wrench in it.

Also, Target still has a better rep than Kmart ever did. Kmart' old stores (in my opinion) are in less desirable areas than Target stores. Then there is the cost of renovating the old Kmart stores. Kmart stores looked like crap even when they were doing well and they really let them go to hell when things got bad.

 

[can't touch this]

My hopes are not high for regulators to recognize the threat that Amazon's consolidation poses to market competition for reasons other than the most obvious, which is that they've been lobbied into looking the other way. For some reason there is a tendency for some people (idiots) to get all awed and googly-eyed by companies that bring bleeding edge, "disruptive" tech into the arena which Amazon is doing. They're patenting or have patented designs for an automated fulfillment center that delivers shipments via drones, a plan that would accomplish two things: 1) boost those sweet, sweet margins by cutting out FedEx, UPS and USPS, and 2) cause a flurry of orgiastic cheering from millennials who are automatically mesmerized by anything containing a printed circuit board, especially if they can watch porn on it and/or stick it up their asses. Gizmodo will write a bunch of slobbery articles fawning over this DISRUPTIVE new tech taking the online shopping space by storm! and millennials will line up enthusiastically to fight over who will be the very first to slide their wallet into Jeff Bezos' pocket.

It's truly horrifying to contemplate what our world will look like once millennials have taken over the regulatory bodies. I'm picturing an orbital AMAZON.GOV dildo factory in the L1 and L2 points that automatically delivers the dildos, fired directly into the customer's ass from a MIRV rocket as soon as they click "Place Order"

 

[oath2order]

My hopes are not high for regulators to recognize the threat that Amazon's consolidation poses to market competition for reasons other than the most obvious, which is that they've been lobbied into looking the other way. For some reason there is a tendency for some people (idiots) to get all awed and googly-eyed by companies that bring bleeding edge, "disruptive" tech into the arena which Amazon is doing. They're patenting or have patented designs for an automated fulfillment center that delivers shipments via drones, a plan that would accomplish two things: 1) boost those sweet, sweet margins by cutting out FedEx, UPS and USPS, and 2) cause a flurry of orgiastic cheering from millennials who are automatically mesmerized by anything containing a printed circuit board, especially if they can watch porn on it and/or stick it up their asses. Gizmodo will write a bunch of slobbery articles fawning over this DISRUPTIVE new tech taking the online shopping space by storm! and millennials will line up enthusiastically to fight over who will be the very first to slide their wallet into Jeff Bezos' pocket.

It's truly horrifying to contemplate what our world will look like once millennials have taken over the regulatory bodies. I'm picturing an orbital AMAZON.GOV dildo factory in the L1 and L2 points that automatically delivers the dildos, fired directly into the customer's ass from a MIRV rocket as soon as they click "Place Order"

For those of you who don't want to read this wall of text, I can translate it:


MILLENIALS ARE EVIL I DON'T LIKE MILLENIALS DURR HBURR TECHNOLOGY IS BAD FIRE IS SCARY AND THOMAS EDISON WAS A WITCH

 

[Pale]

there wouldn't be room for any of us.

Doesnt matter how technological and easy shit is, there will always be lazy people that "need" retail workers to bend over backwards to do everything for them.

 

[SFSFun]

I feel like this was discussed in a thread here pretty extensively at the beginning of the year. It's not going to come as a big surprise when it happens.

Unless you are a flow team member there wouldn't be room for any of us.

If they have automated fulfillment centers, I bet they could figure out how to apply that technology to stock a Target.

 

[can't touch this]

Aight so before my last post causes any more befuddled fury, take note that my concerns are aimed at megacorporations that abuse technological innovation to shave off ever-increasing slices from their payroll, maxing out their margins and allowing them huge, unassailable market leverage all with the full approval of a generation that's immersed in consumerism from birth and thinks that one short paragraph and a two-line addendum is a "wall of text." I don't actually think that Amazon will be setting up dildo factories in space (funny tho) but it is quite telling how often benign statements like "Corporations marketing 'disruptive' tech are not to be trusted" get conflated with "UGH I hate indoor heating, lighting, penicillin and living to age 85" by the confused. Fortunately however, it's very easy to appreciate the positive side of tech innovation...like for example robots being put to work in dangerous/risky applications, while also keeping a critical eye on the motives of corporations who want to automate their entire supply chains to avoid paying wages, and the uncritical consumers who couldn't care less what happens as long as their packages show up. HTH fam

 

[buliSBI]

Target and Amazon were partnered years ago.

I could see more of an IKEA-like storefront at Amazon DCs with Target running it. Maybe Target @ Amazon.

But I believe Amazon would buy out Best Buy first.

 

[redeye58]

Target and Amazon were partnered years ago.

This.
I remember when Amazon ran Target.com; as well as the ensuing cluster when Target decided to run it on their own.

 

[Flow Warrior]

Really people sometimes don't actually understand the nuts and bolts of running a business. Amazon hasn't actually integrated Whole foods yet. All they have done is claimed they owned them. For Amazon to actually move into the sector we ocupy them need an actual presence. Not someone else. Whole Foods needed money to expand and Amazon offered.

Yes Target could be bought by Amazon but it would lead to serious indigestion to them. We aren't a tiny regional grocery chain that can be left alone and tweeted as needed. We are a behemoth. It could kill them.

We are successful because of the fact that we are different than walmart and we are a physical place for people to come and shop. Yes we have our failures and idiocy. Yet we exist in physical locations.

For all of Amazon's wonderment, they don't have a physical brick and mortar location save Seattle test store. They have no clue how to run one store let alone thousands. They do slave labor distribution. They have a toxic culture in other areas they handle.

Amazon is successful because it has no overhead save its facilities. Think about this. In a warehouse the only time something gets damaged is when its ran into (or molested). You dont have people ripping it open because they dont get you dont open things that aren't yours.

Amazon's CS people never actually to see a live person. The moment all this changes (and it is right now on a smaller scale) it gets really hard.

Bezos successed because he learned how to buy assets not how to manage them. He's basically a 21st century andrew carnagie. An evil fool who happens to be wealthy and savvy about buying but clueless about maintaining. He took an online book store and kept throwing items at it. They don't innovate. They follow.

Amazon won't buy Target. Target wont buy Amazon.

What will happen is either Amazon actually builds its own stores or the stagnate. We either move pass this e2e insanity, get the understanding that its either compartmentalized and etls are responsible for a fuckton more work (ie those who arent here) or e2e gets modernized into something more functional.

If we fail then we fail. And like compusa or circuit city or sears if we fail we die.

 

[Flow Warrior]

Aight so before my last post causes any more befuddled fury, take note that my concerns are aimed at megacorporations that abuse technological innovation to shave off ever-increasing slices from their payroll, maxing out their margins and allowing them huge, unassailable market leverage all with the full approval of a generation that's immersed in consumerism from birth and thinks that one short paragraph and a two-line addendum is a "wall of text." I don't actually think that Amazon will be setting up dildo factories in space (funny tho) but it is quite telling how often benign statements like "Corporations marketing 'disruptive' tech are not to be trusted" get conflated with "UGH I hate indoor heating, lighting, penicillin and living to age 85" by the confused. Fortunately however, it's very easy to appreciate the positive side of tech innovation...like for example robots being put to work in dangerous/risky applications, while also keeping a critical eye on the motives of corporations who want to automate their entire supply chains to avoid paying wages, and the uncritical consumers who couldn't care less what happens as long as their packages show up. HTH fam

its easy. The article writer doesnt know what the fuck he is talking about because he sits at a desk reading not actually working in retail. First rule of writing: write what you know.

 

[Flow Warrior]

One final thought:

Wal mart is not doing well. It is dying.

How is this possible? Its looks busy. They are everywhere. People buy from them.

I worked at one 60 miles from HQ. Walmart of Sam walton day when they cared is as dead as he is. Walmart of today is an unsustainable monstrosity. They do deep discounts because they cant afford to sell any other way. They wouldn't make money. I remember my shock when I started price change because one of things the PDA told us was what Wal marts cost was. Most were close to what the actual price was. Walmart is near unsustainable because they sell everything.

This is why walmart constantly pays poorly (so do we but our reasons are different if similar in style) and does the other things it does. Because Walmart is what Amazon looks like in Brick and mortar.

If Amazon wanted to actually complete they would buy them not us. However, they have personal problems of their own.

And to prove Gene is talking out of his ass, here is his qualifications. (i Have a linkedin because of past jobs)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gene-munster-0710439

Research Analyst
Piper Jaffray
July 1995 – December 2016 (21 years 6 months)

(until he founded his VC thats what he did. He studied in an office. He's never worked retail and it clueless of it)

Gene Munster, a 21-year veteran analyst at Piper Jaffray Cos., is leaving the firm to co-found a venture capital firm focusing on virtual reality and artificial intelligence.

Apple Analyst Gene Munster Leaving Piper to Start VC Firm - https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-12-08/apple-analyst-munster-said-leaving-piper-to-start-own-vc-firm

So why trust a man who knows nothing about retail, who left a senior analyst job to focus on Virtual reality and artificial intelligence?

Thats like believing trusting Katy Perry on cooking tiramisu or a gourmet chef on how to paint your house.

 

[Tired Grunt]

Wal-Mart is huge in comparison to Target, especially since they operate internationally as well. Hard to buy them out as they are well padded from any hostile bids, and still very profitable in their operations.

Retail will evolve, as consumer's preference has changed. Amazon dominance in E-Commerce will allow them to continue expanding. Investors have faith, as long as the growth is there.

I believe Target is just caught in the middle of two giants battling it out.

 

[On6]

Yes Target could be bought by Amazon but it would lead to serious indigestion to them. We aren't a tiny regional grocery chain that can be left alone and tweeted as needed. We are a behemoth. It could kill them.

I think you underestimate the size of Whole Foods. Nearly 500 locations and over 90,000 employees. They aren't some local mom and pop corner store.

We are successful because of the fact that we are different than walmart and we are a physical place for people to come and shop. Yes we have our failures and idiocy. Yet we exist in physical locations.

Are we really different than Walmart? Our stores may look better, but that's about it.

For all of Amazon's wonderment, they don't have a physical brick and mortar location save Seattle test store. They have no clue how to run one store let alone thousands. They do slave labor distribution. They have a toxic culture in other areas they handle.

Which is why they want to buy someone else that already has it figured out.

Bezos successed because he learned how to buy assets not how to manage them. He's basically a 21st century andrew carnagie. An evil fool who happens to be wealthy and savvy about buying but clueless about maintaining. He took an online book store and kept throwing items at it. They don't innovate. They follow.

20 years ago he was selling books out of his garage. Today he's the richest person in the world. I would argue that he's managing pretty well at this point.

Amazon won't buy Target. Target wont buy Amazon.

Target doesn't have the money to buy Amazon. So I agree with that statement. But Amazon does have the money to buy Target if they want to. The question is, do they want to buy them?

 

[Flow Warrior]

I think you underestimate the size of Whole Foods. Nearly 500 locations and over 90,000 employees. They aren't some local mom and pop corner store.
Are we really different than Walmart? Our stores may look better, but that's about it.


Which is why they want to buy someone else that already has it figured out.
20 years ago he was selling books out of his garage. Today he's the richest person in the world. I would argue that he's managing pretty well at this point.


Target doesn't have the money to buy Amazon. So I agree with that statement. But Amazon does have the money to buy Target if they want to. The question is, do they want to buy them?

Most people are unaware that how Bill gates launched Microsoft was Dos. However, DOS wasn't coded by any microsoft individual. It was bought for pennies of what it was worth and they orginal owner screwed out of his rights.

Bezos is no different. Research the history of Andrew Carnegie.

We a significantly different that Walmart. I have worked at both and from they way we offload to our inventory management to how we stock to how we handle cs and returns we are different.

Amazon is way overvalued. They actually have the same hard assets as us. Online value is way different. Until there are physical amazon birck and mortar stores dots the landscape they have a way over valued price.

And as Whole Foods is based in Austin I am well aware of its size. However, compared to Wal-mart, Kroger, us etc they are small potatoes.

As for Bezos being the richest man, that has a great deal to do with Amazon stock. Convince people to dump Amazon stock, his wealth will vanish.

Jeff Bezos was briefly the world’s richest person - https://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/27/jeff-bezos-is-set-to-become-the-worlds-richest-man.html


Jeff Bezos was briefly the world's richest person 9:25 AM ET Fri, 28 July 2017 | 00:47
Jeff Bezos was the richest man in the world for a time on Wednesday, with a fortune of over $90 billion.

According to Forbes and Bloomberg, the Amazon CEO had a net worth of over $89 billion as of the close of markets Wednesday, while Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates had a net worth of just over $90 billion.
Gates has been the richest man for 18 of the past 23 years. The only interlopers were Carlos Slim of Mexico, who was the richest man between 2010 and 2012, and Warren Buffett, who was the richest in 2008.

Indeed, with the exception of Slim and the occasional overseas billionaire, Gates and Buffett have been a duopoly at the top of the rich list. Their close friendship and partnering in philanthropy made them a potent symbol of the philanthropic side of wealth.

Bezos will be a different figurehead. Unlike Gates, he is still actively running and building a business. He is far more press-averse, rarely giving interviews or public addresses. He is hyper-competitive. And he is only moderately — some would say barely — philanthropic.