Target's remake is accelerating, at a cost

[Sherman A1]

http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/target-raising-minimum-wage-to-an-hour-plans-to-raise/article_67a8084d-763d-5c95-9ea5-4d8bd24a8c81.html

Target is increasing the minimum hourly pay to $12 starting this spring, the second increase in a matter of months, while accelerating its reinvention plan to make the discounter more competitive in the age of Amazon.

The discounter’s moves, announced at its annual investor meeting in Minneapolis where the company is based, come as its ambitious plan to make itself over is driving more people to its stores and its website. But the cost of such a massive overhaul, along with its pay increases, squeezed its fourth-quarter profits, and it took some shine off overall strong quarterly sales. The company also offered a muted profit outlook.

Last fall, Target increased its hourly wage to $11 from $10. Brian Cornell, CEO of Target, told analysts Tuesday the company saw a better applicant pool and a 60 percent spike in the number of applicants in the days after the announcement. Cornell reiterated Tuesday its promise to increase the minimum pay to $15 by the end of 2020.

Target also announced other initiatives to help it speed up deliveries and make shopping in its stores easier. The company is rolling out free, two-day shipping for hundreds of thousands of items on Target.com. Except for holders of its branded credit card, shoppers previously needed to spend at least $35 to get free shipping. And its same-day delivery service, which was tested in New York City, is being rolled out to key cities in the U.S. such as Boston and Chicago. Target, which was testing curbside pickup at 50 stores, said it also plans to expand to 1,000 locations nationwide.

[FarCenter]

1. Target's sales are 13% of Amazon's

[packman]

2. Target is an excellent alternative to Wal-mart shopping

Clean stores, nicely stocked, good employees who know their merchandise. My choice along with Publix

[Lithos]

3. Target also has the big box blues

There is a culture of associate shaming...

http://www.businessinsider.com/target-workers-claim-walk-of-shame-is-widespread-2015-2

[chia]

7. Wow. I had not heard of this about Target

Thanks for posting the link.


There are good reasons to avoid War-Mart, Amazon, and now Target.

Suggestions for where to shop? I try to support local whenever I can, but it's not always possible, especially since the big box stores shut down so many of the mom and pop stores over the years.

[Lithos]

10. Depends on what you're wanting to buy

Sometimes you are forced (availability, price, time, etc.) to shop from places which are not ideal.

That said, the more time I have, the more I look around. For clothing, there are many small companies where you can buy online. Swap.com is good when buying for our kids.

For food, you can get good food from local businesses and/or farmer's markets.

For bulk and dry goods - Costco is a good generic company. I also buy a lot from H.E.B. which has a very good history (not perfect, but still good.)

L-

[askyagerz]

11. What is wrong with handcuffing accused employees?

It was the police that did it. Their policies. I doubt any of the managers said we want this guy walked out from the back to the front. They handcuff any accused person wherever they find them and then lead them to the car. Human resources is usually in the back. Plus don't know many cops that follow a citizen's orders.
Stealing is stealing whether it be a person off the street or an employee. Honestly sounds like some sour fired people that didnt like they were treated like any other shoplifter. These are a few incidents from a huge chain with thousands of employees and I'm sure a few dipshit managers that have messed up like any other human.
Until I see corporate memo that went to the managers demanding these actions, I definitely don't have any problem shopping there

[askyagerz]

15. Innocent people are handcuffed everyday

and dont sue or kill themselves. It's just a fact of life in america. These people just sound like they got a score to settle...
How dare they embarrass me for stealing...

[niyad]

8. well, adding target to my list of places to ignore.

[Mosby]

12. 4-5 incidents claimed by people suing target

Hardly qualifies as a "culture" of shaming considering they have almost 350,000 employees nationwide.

[askyagerz]

14. Might as well start

Churning their own butter and making their own clothes if theyre gonna boycott any stores that has had any kind of conflict whatsoever.

[Lithos]

19. Target is just a big box

I'm not picking on them - just noting they are almost identical in other companies such as Wal-mart with how they view their associates. This is why examples such as CostCo should be cherished. They are not the norm.

Old - but fairly correct assessment which still holds true today. Target is essentially using the same business model as WalMart. The article below shows this equivalence as well as how firms such as The Container Store and CostCo differ.

https://www.alternet.org/story/35610/target_as_bad_as_wal-mart_you_decide

Another aspect of Target:

https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/8-24-15.cfm

[Victor_c3]

4. I hate going to walmart

there is always a cop standing right at the front door, they never have enough checkout lanes open, and it just feels depressing to go into one of their stores.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

5. I am always happy when I leave a Target store...

... because of what you mentioned. Along with neater customers, at least aesthetically and fashionwise. OK, call me a snob.

PS: I am only happy to leave a Walmart (or Sam's) so as to escape the, "once a week shower, whether I need it or not", appearing crowd.

[Merlot]

6. I don't shop at target becasue of their anti-choice politics

From what I remember, they have a habit of supporting candidates that are conservative and anti-choice/women. Unless that's changed, I won't be going there any time soon.

I also no longer shop at whole foods now that it's owned by amazon.

[Sucha NastyWoman]

9. I hate that they call their customers guests

And when they charge you more than the price listed on the shelf, They blame it on the fact that their ”guests” Must have put the item back in the wrong place.

When I am someone’s guest, I don’t expect them to charge me

[marlakay]

16. Interesting since they use less employees

I was talking to a employee one day when some shelves were bare, where something I wanted was. He said we don’t have enough people working to keep them full.

So I wonder if they raised wages and have less working.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

17. Must have been a year or two ago...

... as I recall mention of that, keeping what is on the shelves in line with projections. Last week the place was jam packed with kitchen wares, the department I spent time browsing in. Wide selection of coffee makers, too, several brands, not just B&D and Mr Coffee/Sunbeam variations. Shop where you want. Even though it may make you feel cruddy leaving the store. But like I said, call me a snob.

[marlakay]

18. It was sometime last year

In Santa Rosa CA store, I was visiting family. My store here in Oregon hasn’t had shelving problems but I always have to wait for cashier never enough working.