When it comes to big box retailers, there are two big names: Wal-mart and Target. Think about those two stores for a moment. They both have very different feels, don’t they? As far as quality goes, Wal-mart is often considered to be much more on the lower-end. Target feels high-end. Both are considered great places to save.
Why does Target, which is technically quite similar to Wal-mart, make us feel so fancy? Target has been embraced by the masses, and many people consider a much more acceptable place to be seen shopping in than Wal-mart. While Wal-mart is still a great place, it’s easy to see how its marketing strategy has paled in comparison to the success of Target’s.
Designer Labels
Many people who shop at Wal-Mart do so for the household items, beauty products, toys, and other items. While there are many people who buy clothing from Wal-mart, it is not their most successful type of merchandise. Target, on the other hand, is considered a fashionable and reasonably-priced place to buy great clothing. Why? It has designer labels.
Target did something no other store like it had done before – it focused on making a name for itself in fashion. It began by getting famous designer Isaac Mizrahi to create a line exclusively sold at Target. People in the fashion industry scoffed, but Isaac Mizrahi’s Target line became extremely popular and was even displayed in fashion shows right alongside his clothing that costs thousands of dollars and was popular with celebrities.
Upscale Clothing Lines
Target didn’t stop with Isaac Mizrahi, and it now has partnered with numerous big names in fashion, all while still offering clothes at very inexpensive prices, especially compared to big department stores. Now Target is partnering with Neiman Marcus to offer clothing from designers like Jason Wu, Diane Von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs, and more. These upscale lines allow us to shop at Target and forget how much money we’re saving. We don’t think we’re buying cheap clothes at all. They may be inexpensive, but they’re fashionable and from names we recognize, not an off-label brand like Wal-mart.
Advertising
Target’s advertising has also worked to make us feel more at home in the store. We recognize its red bulls-eye logo, the cute dog used in its commercials, and the fun, youthful ads. The audience Target tries to reach is the same as Wal-mart’s, except of an income bracket that’s $10,000 higher. The difference is relatively nominal, but it helps Target reach a wider audience. In these tough economic times, many people have significantly reduced incomes. Target works because it’s a middle ground between higher-end department stores and lower-end discount stores.
In-Store
One of the other very important things about Target is the emphasis it puts on maintaining its stores by keeping them cleanly and distinct. Stores like Wal-mart do not put so much effort into the interiors of their stores, which can make them feel a little cheap. The inside atmosphere of Target is carefully crafted to make us feel like we’re shopping in any other high-end department store.
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