Article: 'Target has a plan to take down Dollar General and Walmart'

[mbz321]

TL;DR: A new low cost private label brand ('Deal Worthy'. I guess they forgot about 'Smartly') and more $1 items.

Target has a plan to take down Dollar General and Walmart By Daniel Kline TheStreet Updated February 17, 2024 8:29 AM Target and its customers have always sort of held their noses up when it comes to other discount retailers. The chain has never been all about value even though offering good prices has been a key part of its business model. It's a very conscious decision by the chain. Target wants to be a place where everyone shops.

That means maintaining a level of merchandise and in-store experience that's superior to rivals like Walmart and Dollar General. Doing that costs more. It means that Target (TGT) generally does not have the lowest prices amongst its direct competitors, but it's striving to deliver value and the best overall experience. That's why the chain has partnered with Starbucks, Walt Disney, Apple, and Ulta Beauty while also hav affordable takes on luxury brands like its Kendra Scott and Chip and Joanna Gaines merchandise lines. CEO Brian Cornell has been very careful about cultivating the "Tar-Jay" feeling which makes the brand a destination.

People shop at Walmart and Dollar General because they're convenient and cheap. Customers visit Target because it's the new mall, a store packed with interesting merchandise, experiences, and decent pricing. The retail chain, however, has also kept its costs down by filling its stores with high-quality house brands. That's an area where the company has been expanding quickly and its latest move in the O&O space will have it directly taking on Dollar General, Walmart, Dollar Tree, and other stores built around low price points.

Read more at: https://www.fresnobee.com/news/business ... rylink=cpy

[veteran+]

TL;DR: A new low cost private label brand ('Deal Worthy'. I guess they forgot about 'Smartly') and more $1 items.

Target has a plan to take down Dollar General and Walmart By Daniel Kline TheStreet Updated February 17, 2024 8:29 AM Target and its customers have always sort of held their noses up when it comes to other discount retailers. The chain has never been all about value even though offering good prices has been a key part of its business model. It's a very conscious decision by the chain. Target wants to be a place where everyone shops.

That means maintaining a level of merchandise and in-store experience that's superior to rivals like Walmart and Dollar General. Doing that costs more. It means that Target (TGT) generally does not have the lowest prices amongst its direct competitors, but it's striving to deliver value and the best overall experience. That's why the chain has partnered with Starbucks, Walt Disney, Apple, and Ulta Beauty while also hav affordable takes on luxury brands like its Kendra Scott and Chip and Joanna Gaines merchandise lines. CEO Brian Cornell has been very careful about cultivating the "Tar-Jay" feeling which makes the brand a destination.

People shop at Walmart and Dollar General because they're convenient and cheap. Customers visit Target because it's the new mall, a store packed with interesting merchandise, experiences, and decent pricing. The retail chain, however, has also kept its costs down by filling its stores with high-quality house brands. That's an area where the company has been expanding quickly and its latest move in the O&O space will have it directly taking on Dollar General, Walmart, Dollar Tree, and other stores built around low price points.

Read more at: https://www.fresnobee.com/news/business ... rylink=cpy

"Customers visit Target because it's the new mall, a store packed with interesting merchandise, experiences, and decent pricing. The retail chain, however, has also kept its costs down by filling its stores with high-quality house brands. That's an area where the company has been expanding quickly..........."

That's rich!

Quality where? Interesting what? Packed? Experiences? HUH?

[pseudo3d]

Dollar General is convenient because stores are plentiful (especially in suburban and rural areas) and they are extremely quick to get in and out of. (Target stores are usually located in large power centers and substantially more difficult).

Walmart is convenient because they stock a very broad line of merchandise in all categories. If I need a carton of orange juice, new windshield wipers, and a pack of googly eyes, I can find those reliably at Walmart. Target's GM section, particularly in hard goods, has been gutted over the years.

[ClownLoach]

TL;DR: A new low cost private label brand ('Deal Worthy'. I guess they forgot about 'Smartly') and more $1 items.

Target has a plan to take down Dollar General and Walmart By Daniel Kline TheStreet Updated February 17, 2024 8:29 AM Target and its customers have always sort of held their noses up when it comes to other discount retailers. The chain has never been all about value even though offering good prices has been a key part of its business model. It's a very conscious decision by the chain. Target wants to be a place where everyone shops.

That means maintaining a level of merchandise and in-store experience that's superior to rivals like Walmart and Dollar General. Doing that costs more. It means that Target (TGT) generally does not have the lowest prices amongst its direct competitors, but it's striving to deliver value and the best overall experience. That's why the chain has partnered with Starbucks, Walt Disney, Apple, and Ulta Beauty while also hav affordable takes on luxury brands like its Kendra Scott and Chip and Joanna Gaines merchandise lines. CEO Brian Cornell has been very careful about cultivating the "Tar-Jay" feeling which makes the brand a destination.

People shop at Walmart and Dollar General because they're convenient and cheap. Customers visit Target because it's the new mall, a store packed with interesting merchandise, experiences, and decent pricing. The retail chain, however, has also kept its costs down by filling its stores with high-quality house brands. That's an area where the company has been expanding quickly and its latest move in the O&O space will have it directly taking on Dollar General, Walmart, Dollar Tree, and other stores built around low price points.

Read more at: https://www.fresnobee.com/news/business ... rylink=cpy

Even Target PR wouldn't write this drivel. Can't believe the Fresno Bee is printing stock manipulation propaganda from The Street. Those clowns would be singing the praises of drinking cyanide if they had stock in the manufacturer.

This is a non event. The name Smartly didn't hit. Names are hard to come across these days because of the need to own all the related IP such as social media handle and URL. They found a name that better represents the intent of the current product. If I read correctly they're going to have Smartly labeled items on the shelves for months or years as they sell through the old packaging. Not exactly how you handle things if you think you've suddenly acquired the sword that will slay the almighty Walmart.

[storewanderer]

This is the type of crap I was seeing written about Target in 2020. It is the new mall... total complete bull...

This new generic is meaningless. If anything they shouldn't even have a low end generic like this. Get generics that are as good or better than name brand as a starting point.

[Brian Lutz]

Given the fact that a good chunk of Target's demographic is "people who wouldn't want to be caught shopping at Walmart" I can't imagine something like this is going to move the needle much.

[veteran+]

Given the fact that a good chunk of Target's demographic is "people who wouldn't want to be caught shopping at Walmart" I can't imagine something like this is going to move the needle much.

Exactly!

[ClownLoach]

This is the type of crap I was seeing written about Target in 2020. It is the new mall... total complete bull...

This new generic is meaningless. If anything they shouldn't even have a low end generic like this. Get generics that are as good or better than name brand as a starting point.

I wouldn't be surprised if the article was written with AI. Other articles from them are. Target PR would vomit if they saw themselves being referred to as "the new mall." Sounds like recycled articles about Ron Johnson JCPenney that AI learned from.

This is not a priority launch for Target. When it's an actual priority, like a new clothing line they announced today with some big celebrity I haven't heard of, their PR engine works overtime and they slam social media with it.

When they don't care, like Dealworthy or Good and Gather, they phone it in. They still have outdated Market Pantry packaging all over as of yesterday, that shows you how much they care about these generic brands. If I looked further I'll bet there's still some Archer Farms too. I didn't see any Dealworthy on the shelf yesterday although I didn't look too hard.

[Romr123]

Some of the Smartly stuff is pretty good (dishwashing liquid in a nice discreet compact/short industrial-type (rather than stylized) 8 oz container sourced in Canada; bar soap), some is about what you'd expect (99 cent toilet tissue--quite thin and loosely-rolled). I actually refill the dishwashing liquid bottle from a big Ajax bottle. Both are more trustworthy than rando stuff from 99 Cent/Dollar Tree.

[ClownLoach]

Some of the Smartly stuff is pretty good (dishwashing liquid in a nice discreet compact/short industrial-type (rather than stylized) 8 oz container sourced in Canada; bar soap), some is about what you'd expect (99 cent toilet tissue--quite thin and loosely-rolled). I actually refill the dishwashing liquid bottle from a big Ajax bottle. Both are more trustworthy than rando stuff from 99 Cent/Dollar Tree.

I'm sure it's good stuff. Probably the same generic manufacturers that more reliable house brands like Kirkland Signature and Members Mark use. Target house brands are generally good quality. This is just a new label.

Hardly worth writing a PR puff piece with narrative AI over especially one with comical claims of taking Walmart off its throne; Target is a tiny company by comparison. Even Kroger is a larger organization. Target and Walmart increasingly are in two different universes as Target keeps dabbling in fashion and fluff home decor, while Walmart gets deeper into their hardlines and has greatly improved their assortment of General Merchandise over the years to the point where I usually find something there that's "good enough" to remove another store from the days shopping list. That doesn't happen at Target. And Target doesn't want the dollar store customers, they just don't want to lose their own customers to the dollar store. That's the difference here.