A hit or miss on Target
Becky Boswell Smith -- Home Accents Today, 2/1/2005
Frequently recognized as the store that brought class to the mass, Target has done it again — with mixed results, in my opinion. First, the national TV campaign got my attention. Elephants and other exotic animals walking out of a big crate with the Target on its side. Global Bazaar is the name of the promotion and the ad is intriguing. A hit for Target.
When I got to the store (purely for the purpose of checking out the promotion), things didn't go so well. In the two stores I checked, there was no in-store signage for Global Bazaar. Because the display occupies the floor space for seasonal merchandise, it's way back in a corner (at least in both these stores).
I call that a miss for Target.
When you find it, it's eye-catching. Anchored by a metal gazebo, the product is displayed in a vignette, then in rows by country of origin. The product is good-looking and attractively priced. There's a wonderful bazaar-like feeling, reminiscent of ABC Home in New York — until you turn a corner and you're in children's swimwear.
A hit and a miss for Target.
The promotion will last only six weeks, but it certainly is an innovative idea from Target. Because the merchandise mix ranges from tables and chairs to decorative pillows and tabletop, it's another example of how furniture stores and home accent stores need to stay on their toes in the face of this level of competition.
A quick reminder: check out page 74 in this issue for a feature we're introducing called Product News. We wanted a way to tell you about new product in addition to our many themed pages and our Market Sketchbooks. As space permits, you'll see this feature every non-market issue.
