This is not the first time Target has failed. Had they learned their lesson after failing to launch in Canada they would not be in this mess. They believe they can tell consumers what that need and want and that’s just not how it works. Value is such a subjective thing and Walmart and Costco have successfully tapped into this. I remember when I started 4 years ago and barely shopped at Target as a consumer because I was on a tight budget. Once I got my employee discount I figured it was worth it. I stuck to groceries and avoided the stuff I didn’t need. I told my senior director that Target may be off putting to people on a budget and maybe that should do a fun marketing campaign making fun of overspending and that you could grocery shopping on a budget. His response: we have teams that look into marketing and for me to essentially stay in my lane. This is why Target is failing. Leaders think they know better. I left a year ago and just shake my head at such an avoidable situation.
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@12y there is no way the surveys are anonymous. I noted a “not satisfied” on one that upset a VP. Almost every status I was asked if I was the one who gave that response. After about three months I said it was me. I told my manager these surveys are supposed to be confidential.
@17f therein lies the problem.
@176 if your reaction to someone elses opionion is to call them a cancer, you are the problem. I'm not required to shop at the store. If I'm unhappy with something, I'm allowed to voice that in a reasonable way. I think my opinion is reasonable, it doesn't attack anyone. Calling people a cancer over it is unreasonable and unnecessary.
@176 “see how diverse Target is”. Where exactly? Store staff doesn’t count. HQs are STILL heavily white, suburban and overwhelmingly female.
@11e DEI was not “removed”. Just look around and see how diverse Target is. If you truly are a team member you would know this, if you can’t take your blinders off then do the rest of us a favor and quit…you and others are just ruining the company from the inside out, a cancer. Target shouldn’t have to socialize and get credit for being inclusive, that’s not being authentic. We did DEI, and one could even say we went too far in…but we met our goals and no longer need training wheels to do what we have been doing going forward. Time to grow up, look around, and do your part to make Target succeed….or just leave please so someone who will can take your place.
@12y oh they most certainly are not. It's assigned under each manager. It's not hard for them to figure out who said what. It's creepy.
@11e I’m beginning to think those surveys are not truly anonymous and that they report back feedback to your manager. The moment I was a lot more super honest about how I’m feeling at work and that I was feeling super extended, I was pushed out.
@p8 same. After dei was removed I reduced purchases. After the layoffs even more. I am disappointed by the direction leadership has been going The last 2 years. I don't know fiddelke. So I don't have an opinion about him yet. I do appreciate that he's communicating a bit more. I just dont feel safe enough to express my opinions in those surveys.
@yx Say more. I just joined Prats org and it sure looks this way! Where should Prat focus or change?
Fiddelke is already cooked. Mostly by tech and product at corporate. They think that doing everything faster is the solution- it’s not. Stores know what needs to be done and how it needs to run, corporate can’t open their ears. Prat is so far underwater he doesn’t even know what air looks like.
I never bought at Target before joining. After the discount for some items it would make sense. After the layoff, of course my family and I won't buy at Target anymore.
Last holiday they told us all at the Target Center to be impressed all the ads this year were made by designers on the other side of the planet at the Bengaluru office.
Imagine an Indian company bragging that people in Minneapolis or Bentonville were designing ads to appeal to Indian mothers and young adults, while knowing none of those Minnesotan or Arkansas residents had ever been to India or know what Indian women or young adults want at stores.
These guys have lost all sense.
@a3 They didn’t say that they had the perfect idea. They just wanted leadership to listen to multiple stakeholders. Continue on with the failing marketing scheme. People aren’t stupid. Sounds like you were part of the problem too.
@av this was also posted by OP.
@a3 I used to shop at Target. I don't anymore.
The OP is right. Target USED to concentrate on value. No longer. They ceded that to Walmart, and no no longer care about prices.
And obviously whatever Target is doing with marketing ISN'T WORKING. They managed to anger both sides of the political aisle. That's something you don't stumble on, it takes real effort.
Oh... and funnily enough, this is the headline that came out when I searched:
"Target slashes prices on thousands of items in bid to revive slipping sales
Retail giant adds 20,000 new holiday gifts, lowers prices to reverse declining sales"
So I guess they finally figured it out, a full year after the OP did. Seems like the perfect example of the employee was onto something, (along with a LOT of people), but Target leadership just ignored the obvious.
It's funny, but you seem to be the one that's out to lunch.
Well, to be fair, your assessment is an oversimplification of the problem, which is why you were politely told to stay in your lane.
I used to work in marketing (have since transitioned to another role), but you would be amazed at how much thought goes into marketing campaigns.
You clearly have a very limited understanding of what the real problems are. So, you also seem to be guilty of exactly the type of mentality you describe leaders as having: thinking you know better.