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Retail industry monopolistic competition
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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. According to Kantar Retail, most of Target’s shoppers are younger on average than its rivals, and more educated. That means it has to consistently offer something different and appealing; it emphasizes more on the latest-trend apparel, eye-catching home décor and exclusive designer merchandise than its competitors. This results in a willingness to pay a bit more for items by customers who are willing to pay a bit more. Moreover, this successful …show more content…
From the employees’ perspective; they are managed someone with experience in their same specialty who can effectively understand and review their work. Furthermore, they can move up within organization, which gives a reason for them to be loyal to the job. They also have the opportunity to work with others in their field, which allows for knowledge sharing and learning new skills. From the managers’ perspectives; this would make their jobs easier and makes them able to supervise the individual’s performance of their team members to distribute recognition, rewards and punishments accordingly. This has created an environment that hugely corresponds with Target’s core strategy, differentiation. Many of the shoppers have expressed their satisfaction with the services that provided by Target and more specifically with how friendly the staff
Target and Nordstrom’s are set up mainly as department stores in which product lines are organized in departments to be occupied by specific buyers and sellers. While Nordstrom is arguably the premier retailer of a wide variety of clothing, shoes, and accessories that land on the high end of what most would call “affordable,” Target would be considered the store for people who are middle class. The legendary “half-yearly” sales for men, and the additional markdowns that usually follow a sale section that is usually decently well stocked. The designer brand list has wild range in-house brands like Gucci, Prada, and the plain old Nordstrom line offer more than a few items with incredible looks and high quality for very reasonable prices. Its website is clean and easy
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
Target must compete vigorously and fairly in the marketplace using our independent judgment to make the best decisions for the Company.
As a result, they are able to cater to and target a larger demographic market. While their standard Nordstrom products provide a higher-end quality, focusing on upscale shoppers who are high class, Nordstrom Rack targets the middle-class, mid-scale shoppers who may not be able to afford Nordstrom products on a regular day. This price decision allows them to target a completely different market segment of customers who are typically younger and focus on value. Much of their target market is also the young millennial generation. Many other similar retail stores, like Macy’s or Sears, have difficulty attracting this market. Because millenials are younger, Nordstrom aims to build strong relationships with these individuals, as then they will continue shopping at Nordstrom as they get older, increasing the customer lifetime value. Through being able to target two major market segments, Nordstrom holds a competitive advantage over store like Target, who target one market of middle-class
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).
Each company has its own culture that is unique to them. For Target, teamwork is key in order to ensure a fast, fun, and friendly work environment. Target prides itself on creating endless opportunities for its employees to further enhance their professional skills and professional growth. Target recognizes that people are unique and have different views which is why Target creates an inclusive environment for all of its team members. This makes everyone feel valued and overall respected. Everyone feels as though they
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
Offensive and Defensively Strategic Position: Target initiated many strategic moves to build a better market position. Target 's defensive strategy is to leverage the strength in the technology and the physical store to its advantage, pre-empt its rival in the order online, and store picks up a business model. Target 's defensive strategy to counter Amazon is, to abandon the minimum purchase for free shipping qualification to boost traffic to its online portal.
In general merchandise retailing, Wal-Mart’s primary competitors are Target and Kmart. Retail superstores such as Circuit City and Bed, Bath, and Beyond, also provide retail competition. A survey found that the majority of respondents favored Wal-Mart over stores like Target and Kmart. Respondents claimed Wal-Mart offered lower prices, better variety and selection, and good quality. The needs of consumers is an important economic feature in all competitive environments. What attributes (price, variety, quality, etc.) prompt buyers to choose one retailer over another is very important in the competitive landscape.
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 is one of the America’s top retailers, but still has a few things that can be improved upon before it can overtake its top competitor. Although Target may not be the top ranked retailer at the moment, it’s not hard to see why this company has stood the tests of time and continues to thrive today.
Over the years Target has retailed a large variety of products but has differentiated itself by marketing itself as “cheap chic”. This communications strategy targeted an up-market cachet with quality merchandise at affordable prices. They bring new trends to shelves faster than other discount retailers and integrated “fast fashion” to result in more frequent shopper visits. Advertising campaigns such as “Expect More, Pay Less” work to communicate their target audience of younger, more affluent, and educated market. They have appealed to their markets “category need, brand awareness, brand attitude, and brand purchase intention” with its IMC strategies [482]. Walmart has conveyed a brand as a discount superstore, which consumers perceive
Professor David Soberman describes his disappointing experience, “I have gone into Target stores looking for things, and the product line is not where it needs to be. You want certain things, but you can’t find them. You can find them at Wal-Mart. I just took my child down to school at Queen’s, and I was trying to buy things. I got 95 per cent of what I wanted at Wal-Mart. The other five per cent I got at Canadian Tire. I did go into Target, but I couldn’t find what I needed”
In order to develop a strong strategy to position Target Corporation competitively, it should understand the current environment, its competitor and their strengths and weaknesses, and any of their planned moves (CEA, n, d). Target Corporation needs to take its retail trade strategy into consideration of the external environment and to establish long term market needs. Further, it can take advantage of its strength such as high product differentiation, quality supply chain, technology used for automation, quality product, clean and spacious friendly stores to develop its retail sales to the future consumer and market need that will
As stated earlier, the employees are a key to the success of an organization and play a vital role whilst providing service to the consumer. Masters has already provided a pleasant shopping experience through its welcome environment. An employee who is able to get the consumer exactly what they want in a timely manner and the most efficient way would enable the consumer to have a perfectly satisfying experience at Masters and this would encourage brand loyalty as well as do good for the reputation of Masters.