Archived Target Financials

[HRZone]

Target needs to work on those online orders being packaged correctly. Tired of returning items that are damaged because items are not packaged correctly. Putting a mirror in a box without packaging to keep it from breaking is stupid. Invest the time and money in correct packaging standards.

Ironically when I process ship to store orders from target.com there will be a bunch of bubble wrap in an order of socks and a tshirt. Utterly ridiculous

 

[Rock Lobster]

I think there's more than service to blame fore the decline in retail sales. Convenience definitely outweighs service to the average consumer and unless you need a product same-day, Amazon's got everyone else beat in convenience.

Correct, but Target doesn't need to compete with Amazon because its just not possible. Amazon is a marketplace or interface at this point. Many businesses are nothing more than specialized online order delivery models that fulfill the orders being placed THROUGH Amazon's websites. Amazon is fine with this model, as they don't really have to provide the labor, logistics, or resources to figure it out, they just charge because if you are on Amazon, you sell your crap.

At a certain point I look at Target and think, you have an interface of buildings with large assortments of products. You have a large selling floor that is slowly dying and a large network of supply chain (but small stockrooms). You have a chain of both RDC and FDC freight and coolers and freezers. If Target wanted to be a big dog and make a stamp in the future, they COULD swallow their pride and make a deal with Amazon to fulfill orders through them...

To make this happen though, they would have to cut out departments on our selling floor that are not providing enough margin for stockroom space (that through online orders could provide a larger return). They would have to develop a stronger supply chain model to allow for this system and improve upon the ship from store system to make it user friendly/scale with volume. They could provide grocery delivery and solve a large investment problem for Amazon in the perishables supply chain department (although the FDC issues would need addressed)....

If this were to happen the 30% growth in online sales would look like child's play... You would be quintupling the sales (although at a lower margin). But hey, when shareholders are noticing sales declines first, what are you going to do?

 

[HRZone]

While I agree online shopping will become more prevalent, people like to get out and look at stuff. Buy a Starbucks. A popcorn. Touch clothing.

That is why it's so important to provide a stellar shopping experience. Beginning at 8am.

Not have pallets of product clogging aisles. No help on the floor. No cashiers until 10am.

This won't cut it.

I think you nailed it. Men are going to shop online no matter what Target does but one advantage Target has over our competitors is that men never made up the core of our shoppers.

Now think about what a female shopper wants. (Not to over generalize) but a quality Starbucks, items in stock, a clean store, we'll zoned aisles, help finding items and a reasonably short checkout line.

This is not an end all solution but I think it could slow the bleeding

 

[redeye58]

Now think about what a female shopper wants. (Not to over generalize) but a quality Starbucks, items in stock, a clean store, we'll zoned aisles, help finding items and a reasonably short checkout line.

And to TRY ITEMS ON.
Women are more tactile shoppers: they want to feel the blouse material, look inside a purse, check the heft of a duffle, they want to see how the dress looks ON them, they want to smell the bodywash.
Men tend to check off needed features (size, color, use), click & go.
As suggested, certain departments (bulky items particularly) should simply have a display with a call button for assistance; this could reduce the size of the salesfloor & increase off-stage holding areas for said stock.
An added bonus is locking up high-dollar items as only one would be on display thus reducing push-outs.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Stupid question, why doesn't spot do online ordering for Starbucks?

 

[redeye58]

Software, maybe. Not having a way to bump in an online order during a long morning queue.
If we're in the middle of a long line & get a notice of an online order but we've already got a long row of cups there's no way for us to cut a line for someone who may walk in before it's ready or have the drink fixed & getting cold while they're looking for parking outside.
It's ideal for standalones that have more than one espresso machine or blender but, when you only have one each, we can only do them in the order received.

 

[glo]

If this were to happen the 30% growth in online sales would look like child's play... You would be quintupling the sales (although at a lower margin). But hey, when shareholders are noticing sales declines first, what are you going to do?

I did read some headline that made me think about this. It suggested that amazon may be looking to buy a large retailer.

 

[glo]

I noticed that Walmart is now offering free (w/$35 min purchase) two-day shipping on some items. That is probably where Target is heading next. They already have a pilot program where select stores stage local orders separate and a logistics company picks them up at 3:30am the next day and delivers them to the local post offices. The main problem seems to be that there are a lot more steps for SFS TMs and they need a TM and a keyholder in the building at 3am each day to prepare for pickup.

Iirc, Walmart corp. purchased amazon competitor jet.com sometime last year. I think within a few years we'll see major changes in their organization with a huge push to online shopping. I think we're ahead of them on the whole store as a warehouse thing, but that may not last long unless target pushes online shopping even more.

 

[signingminion]

Iirc, Walmart corp. purchased amazon competitor jet.com sometime last year. I think within a few years we'll see major changes in their organization with a huge push to online shopping. I think we're ahead of them on the whole store as a warehouse thing, but that may not last long unless target pushes online shopping even more.

Wal-Mart is definitely trying to catch up, but its a slow march not a sprint.

 

[Yetive]

Stupid question, why doesn't spot do online ordering for Starbucks?

I think that the mobile order also uses a sticker machine that automatically prints out the order to be made. I have had a couple of people call to place an order.

 

[Bosch]

I think that the mobile order also uses a sticker machine that automatically prints out the order to be made. I have had a couple of people call to place an order.

It would also mean staffing a damn Sbux with break and lunch coverage. We don't. So those stickers would just keep printing and no one to make them and you would have guests coming in to dark lights and no one to yell at.

 

[Yetive]

I hope the DM doesn't come in to dark lights.