Remember a few years ago when things were actually going well? How did we get from that to this so fast? Leadership failing this badly should be studied in schools.
14 replies (most recent on top)
but...balloons! ...balloons will save us!
@m2 Not to mention how often buyers and even PDD is so damn risk averse. I mean something in yellow doesn't sell, and that translates to "we are never ever doing anything in a yellow palette ever again". Never occurred to them to determine if it was the actual design or the item in question that was the problem? I am done.
There has been no strategy for a very very long time. The success during the pandemic literally was pure luck and not at all attributable to strategy. There was so much focus on non-core work like DEI and other non-core work and the leaders that were rewarded were not rewarded for driving core business like selling stuff. There are a fair number of leaders who's number one focus is getting promoted vs driving growth and profitability and if teams didn't support their pet project to get promoted they pushed them out. It really makes me literally ill but Target built that culture and has never valued people who did the right thing for the company and focused on the most important work to drive growth and profitability for the company.
@ey THIS! "...our home/apparel aren't differentiated enough to be sought out by large groups of consumers."
10 to 15 years ago, it was merely good enough to be "inspired by" our higher-end retailer competitors and replicating cheaper... that was our "democratizing design for all". Making good design or very attractive fashionable product for the home and apparel but affordable. Walmart wasn't ever known for home product. You only went to Walmart for groceries or some spray paint or last-minute DIY stuff. Now Walmart and Amazon have attractive AND affordable goods for the Home. Yet TGT is still chasing C&B, Pottery Barn, and all of the other aspirational sophisticated brands instead of leading on its own.
Interestingly, Design Leadership says "innovate, innovate, innovate" - never follow. But what do they continue prescribing as the solution? Promoting from within "designers" who have never designed hard product and who can't even sketch a stick figure on paper. We have relied so much over the years on letting our vendor partners design everything; and a TGT "Designer" just curates what comes back. That isn't design. Of course, this isn't accurate in all depts. at TGT (esp. not A&A) but elsewhere, it does seem to be the case. All you need to be a designer these days is to have a good eye for putting assortments together. We've even got TGT Guests under the impression that Joanna is sketching everything we sell under the H&H brand.
Everywhere else, these "designers" wouldn't have roles. We are so behind at TGT and everyone else is leading and dictating trends; and then TGT swoops in and replicates. Just my two cents.
PS: Of course, you can't verbally say that because you will end up on the chopping block; so you keep it to yourself.
@OP the comms failures alone will be fodder for “what not to do” communications courses for years to come. From the Pride bungling a few years back to repeating the same mistakes the following year and then the massive self-made nonsense we are all “enjoying” this year, what a legacy for that team and its retiring leader…so many self inflicted wounds. Guess even Al Sharpton couldn’t help?!?
@as that’s been the comms go-to “savior” for at least a decade now…things going down the toilet? Collabs! Massive layoffs? Design partnerships! It’s the same old song and dance but this time it’s not fooling anyone.
@ey but they can Starbucks at drive up 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Business model pre-covid was come for milk buy the new cute jeans for suburban mom while having an escape from the family. We have trained our customers for drive up/online sales so the impulse purchase is gone and the home/apparel doesn't get those extra sales. That and our home/apparel aren't differentiated enough to be sought out by large groups of consumers.
@bk there was a time where all in motion was nice when it first came out. Now it's the cheap garbage you'd expect from a third party seller on Amazon.
@as When the new CEO got on the stage and said his grand vision consisted of style and design I was immediately disappointed. My Champion collab hoodie is falling apart after two washes... can't wait for more. Oh well. At least floral sales are up double digits or whatever
Who thinks "fashion collabs" are going to help and or save this company? C'mon...that's just icing on the ever-rotting cake.
I think they mistook luck for successful strategy. It wasn’t very hard for Target to seize the pandemic opportunities, many of the capabilities were already in place.
In order to reach L7 or higher, you have to guzzle red kool aid. What that means is that you believe Target is special, and guests will choose to shop here because of how special we are. When the cultists at the top saw sales skyrocket during covid, they thought it proved how special Target is. The reality is our guests are not stupid or brainwashed. They have agency and choose to spend their money where they will get the best value (Walmart or Amazon). They are not fooled by the latest Tabitha Brown or Stranger Things collaborations. Now Brian is going to be the chairman of the board, and a bean counter of 20 years is the new CEO. What could go wrong?
The leadership failures and their inability, and unwillingness, to adapt in a post-pandemic world has been shocking.