Retail Watchers

ClownLoach wrote: ↑October 10th, 2023, 2:21 pm

I'm not seeing the food SKU reduction in the Super locations here, only regular locations. Definitely not seeing the multiple facings issue either, but I do understand how that happens at Target (clearance items sell out well before a POG reset, so they flex to fill before the next set which can be months out). Bad execution can cause this as well, if the shelf label disappears the item likely won't get reordered. Target seems to have moved away from preprinted shelf strips with labels, and the constant price changes turn into opportunities for bad execution. I've also seen where their c-channel non-adhesive labels are pulled right off the shelf by a customer who takes the label to a employee asking for a stock check. If that label doesn't get replaced there's a good chance that item is going to go missing for a long time unless found on an exception report.

I am noticing that the regular stores are drastically expanding snack items like granola bars and such, more than doubling their space at the expense of other food SKUs. That is a trend elsewhere too, noticing Albertsons is making similar changes reducing SKUs in pasta, rice, etc. "carbs" and canned goods, and shuffling space around the aisles to expand the same bars and such.

The backroom program is not a simplification, quite the opposite. The stores receiving backroom remodels get it for two reasons. First, nearly every Target break room and office area was located at the front end behind the registers. In most locations that has become the Drive Up storage and thus requires them to relocate offices/break room to the back which means they have to rearrange the stockroom to fit it in (employees hate this because they lost their employee "express entrance" and have to use the front doors then walk all the way to the back to put away their stuff, then all the way back up front to clock in and get their assignments). Second, they need more room for shipping e-commerce orders since they've followed the same trend as other retailers and eliminated e-commerce warehouses, instead shipping from store locations. So they have to install the moving racks and different configurations for the backroom to add these two large areas to existing space. Ultimately the backroom is not simplified but made more complex due to the new specialized shelving/racking and fixtures.

I do have an observation that may explain some of the issues being reported here with Target and wildly inconsistent in-stocks. Many stores still do not have "full capacity" e-commerce shipping until they receive backroom remodels that create the staging and packing space. Orders are apparently prioritized by distance; closest store gets the order first if they have all the items available to ship it. Problem is three fold - busier urban stores are more likely to be out of an item, slower rural stores are more likely to be able to fill the orders, and those rural stores will likely ship to a larger territory. So the smaller markets or one store markets likely get far more e-commerce shipping orders than an urban area. So the in-store inventory gets decimated as it's all stocked then immediately picked off the shelves, packed and sent away. And since they are lower volume units they are left with few/no items for the in-store customer. The company doesn't immediately see the issue since a sale is a sale, in fact the rural or small market store could ultimately be seeing sales increases overall even though the in-store experience is being destroyed. My last two orders here in SoCal mysteriously were fulfilled in Flagstaff AZ, Reno, and Sparks, NV (one order from Reno, other order split into two shipments from Flagstaff and Sparks)

Romr123 wrote: ↑October 13th, 2023, 9:54 am A couple nights ago we popped into the Moreno East Super Target--not impressed. Banners all over saying "remodeled". Parking lot had scads of carts left all over the place. Walked in...acres and acres of polished concrete. They did do some interesting stencilled patterns on the floor area near food/Ulta...seemed smooth so not sure if it was to camouflage something or just for style.

We were there after 8, so no apparent staffing of the deli/bakery. The open cases in deli seemed about half commissary items, half store-prepared/packaged (snack size cheese cubes in-store packaged, pre-made sandwiches that were likely in-store made, some take and bake pizzas (some appeared to be in-store topped/assembled, others thaw-and-sell). Bakery was entirely thaw and sell--a few clamshelled almond croissants in the donut case. Pharmacy closed, lots and lots of closed cases including some of what we needed to get. A couple minute wait to unlock the case.

Most irritating thing was the checkout--there was a green light above the far (nonfood) self-checkouts, a short line in the food self-checkouts, and a couple of manned lines. We trudged back to the far checkout (seeing the green light) to find that handwritten sign that they were closed, then had to retrace our steps and get in line. I complained to the service desk as I was picking up my .com order and he said "theres an error on the machine"...which doesn't really address the problem (cover up the da** green light if you're closing the bank of registers).

We didn't delve too deeply into the rest of the store, but as mentioned above, it gave off late Super Kmart vibes (up until 2012 or so Super KMart wasn't too bad an alternative). of unseriousness about food. I'm a pFresh defender, but it felt like a bloated, un-edited pFresh.

Romr123 wrote: ↑October 13th, 2023, 9:54 am A couple nights ago we popped into the Moreno East Super Target--not impressed. Banners all over saying "remodeled". Parking lot had scads of carts left all over the place. Walked in...acres and acres of polished concrete. They did do some interesting stencilled patterns on the floor area near food/Ulta...seemed smooth so not sure if it was to camouflage something or just for style.

We were there after 8, so no apparent staffing of the deli/bakery. The open cases in deli seemed about half commissary items, half store-prepared/packaged (snack size cheese cubes in-store packaged, pre-made sandwiches that were likely in-store made, some take and bake pizzas (some appeared to be in-store topped/assembled, others thaw-and-sell). Bakery was entirely thaw and sell--a few clamshelled almond croissants in the donut case. Pharmacy closed, lots and lots of closed cases including some of what we needed to get. A couple minute wait to unlock the case.

Most irritating thing was the checkout--there was a green light above the far (nonfood) self-checkouts, a short line in the food self-checkouts, and a couple of manned lines. We trudged back to the far checkout (seeing the green light) to find that handwritten sign that they were closed, then had to retrace our steps and get in line. I complained to the service desk as I was picking up my .com order and he said "theres an error on the machine"...which doesn't really address the problem (cover up the da** green light if you're closing the bank of registers).

We didn't delve too deeply into the rest of the store, but as mentioned above, it gave off late Super Kmart vibes (up until 2012 or so Super KMart wasn't too bad an alternative). of unseriousness about food. I'm a pFresh defender, but it felt like a bloated, un-edited pFresh.

storewanderer wrote: ↑October 14th, 2023, 12:05 am

Romr123 wrote: ↑October 13th, 2023, 9:54 am A couple nights ago we popped into the Moreno East Super Target--not impressed. Banners all over saying "remodeled". Parking lot had scads of carts left all over the place. Walked in...acres and acres of polished concrete. They did do some interesting stencilled patterns on the floor area near food/Ulta...seemed smooth so not sure if it was to camouflage something or just for style.

We were there after 8, so no apparent staffing of the deli/bakery. The open cases in deli seemed about half commissary items, half store-prepared/packaged (snack size cheese cubes in-store packaged, pre-made sandwiches that were likely in-store made, some take and bake pizzas (some appeared to be in-store topped/assembled, others thaw-and-sell). Bakery was entirely thaw and sell--a few clamshelled almond croissants in the donut case. Pharmacy closed, lots and lots of closed cases including some of what we needed to get. A couple minute wait to unlock the case.

Most irritating thing was the checkout--there was a green light above the far (nonfood) self-checkouts, a short line in the food self-checkouts, and a couple of manned lines. We trudged back to the far checkout (seeing the green light) to find that handwritten sign that they were closed, then had to retrace our steps and get in line. I complained to the service desk as I was picking up my .com order and he said "theres an error on the machine"...which doesn't really address the problem (cover up the da** green light if you're closing the bank of registers).

We didn't delve too deeply into the rest of the store, but as mentioned above, it gave off late Super Kmart vibes (up until 2012 or so Super KMart wasn't too bad an alternative). of unseriousness about food. I'm a pFresh defender, but it felt like a bloated, un-edited pFresh.

The remodel Target just did to Sparks has not been particularly well received by customers I've asked what they think of it, but the store is still as busy as ever.

I have had the same green light thing happen at the Reno Target with the grocery side self checkouts being with the green lights, and closed but just blocked off by carts. The grocery side self checkout is the larger bank, the bank down by customer service only has like 4 units and a line up. I don't understand if they have to keep one bank closed why they don't close the small bank by customer service. I think it is because the employees like to congregate around customer service and screw around/talk, but if you move 1-2 employees down to grocery side self checkout it in effect breaks up the social time the Reno Target employees engage in rather than actually working. The snack bar self checkout (also on that side of the store) is open though, but it never has any bags. I've never tried to use it.

I'm not sure there is a more pointless thing to do than voice a complaint to the Target Service Desk. I'd say voice a complaint to the Wal Mart Service Desk, but there wouldn't even be anyone at the Wal Mart Service Desk in the evening to hear a complaint, so that isn't even an option. Given how poor the service at Target has become, they may as well not have anyone at their Service Desk either.

I cannot emphasize how BAD the in-store experience is with the Target units I go to in Reno and Sparks. These stores are BAD. The employees are disinterested. The stores are a giant mess. The stores are dirty, cluttered, and have numerous out of stocks. The prices are well above Wal Mart. The conditions of these stores is unbelievable to me. These are some of the worst retail stores I've ever dealt with.

storewanderer wrote: ↑October 14th, 2023, 10:40 pm After my harsh post I figured I should check on the Reno Target. Pure trash. Still after months they have never cleaned up the graffiti on the hardware aisle. Clothing area a total nightmare with stuff all over the floor everywhere.

They had two checkouts open plus some self checkouts (quite a few were broken) and a major line problem.

Amazing this is accepted by Target. It says a lot.
Tgtrenoct1.jpg
Tgtrenoct0.jpg

storewanderer wrote: ↑October 14th, 2023, 10:40 pm After my harsh post I figured I should check on the Reno Target. Pure trash. Still after months they have never cleaned up the graffiti on the hardware aisle. Clothing area a total nightmare with stuff all over the floor everywhere.

They had two checkouts open plus some self checkouts (quite a few were broken) and a major line problem.

Amazing this is accepted by Target. It says a lot.
Tgtrenoct1.jpg
Tgtrenoct0.jpg

ClownLoach wrote: ↑October 15th, 2023, 9:03 am

storewanderer wrote: ↑October 14th, 2023, 10:40 pm After my harsh post I figured I should check on the Reno Target. Pure trash. Still after months they have never cleaned up the graffiti on the hardware aisle. Clothing area a total nightmare with stuff all over the floor everywhere.

They had two checkouts open plus some self checkouts (quite a few were broken) and a major line problem.

Amazing this is accepted by Target. It says a lot.
Tgtrenoct1.jpg
Tgtrenoct0.jpg

Those must be the worst stores in the Target chain. The District Manager and Group Manager should both be fired. This isn't accepted even at the most rough areas, Inglewood or Compton stores don't look like that ever.

storewanderer wrote: ↑October 15th, 2023, 8:40 pm

ClownLoach wrote: ↑October 15th, 2023, 9:03 am

storewanderer wrote: ↑October 14th, 2023, 10:40 pm After my harsh post I figured I should check on the Reno Target. Pure trash. Still after months they have never cleaned up the graffiti on the hardware aisle. Clothing area a total nightmare with stuff all over the floor everywhere.

They had two checkouts open plus some self checkouts (quite a few were broken) and a major line problem.

Amazing this is accepted by Target. It says a lot.
Tgtrenoct1.jpg
Tgtrenoct0.jpg

Those must be the worst stores in the Target chain. The District Manager and Group Manager should both be fired. This isn't accepted even at the most rough areas, Inglewood or Compton stores don't look like that ever.

Clearly the Sacramento based management of Target simply does not care.

Maybe they will get more interested in what is going on around here once South Lake Tahoe opens. Or they'll get even less interested as their indifference toward this area will now be divided even more thinly between more stores.