There is a certain magic to retail done well.
Because whether it’s a small shop, a major department store, or a multi-category big box, a great retail experience doesn’t just inspire you to buy, it invites you to feel something.
I remember that growing up outside of Chicago, when my mom and I would head into the city to visit stores along State Street and the Magnificent Mile. I can still feel the excitement of riding the escalators at Marshall Field’s, seeing the larger-than-life Christmas tree, being a part of the crowds, and hoping the day would never end.
Yes, these trips were about finding gifts for our family and friends, but they were much more than shopping. These were powerful experiences that created some of my favorite holiday memories.
Shopping has changed a lot since I was a kid in the 1980s. But what hasn’t changed is the feeling that retail can spark.
Today, in this omnichannel world, some retailers run their digital businesses to deliver ease and their stores to provide something more tangible. At Target, we don’t make a distinction. Regardless of whether you’re scrolling on our app while binge watching your favorite show, browsing our aisles, or waiting in the parking lot for your Drive Up order, our goal doesn’t change: to create an experience that’s joyful and memorable.
Our incoming CEO, Michael Fiddelke, has outlined three priorities that taken together will drive our next chapter of growth and fuel a new era of love for the Target brand: leading with our merchandising authority, delivering consistently elevated experiences, and accelerating technology to power our business and team.
If you want a glimpse into where Target is going, look no further than what we’ve created for this holiday season.
Our merchants have curated an assortment that includes more than 20,000 new items, nearly half of which are available only at Target. And with consumers seeking out value, our great deals started weeks before Black Friday and run through the entire season.
And the Guest Experience team I’m a part of started planning the 2025 season before most people had finished celebrating in 2024.
It began with the idea of a cozy winter village. Then came a wild thought that ultimately brought it all together: what about a yeti?
From there it snowballed into an Alpine Village winter wonderland and a loveable cast of characters – including the 8-feet tall Get-Ready Yeti, who’s the ambassador for the entire experience. He’s leading the way in our marketing, in our stores, and he’s even there to greet you on our app when you collect a Drive Up order.
If your goal is joyful and memorable, every detail matters.
In our marketing, the Get-Ready Yeti and the gifting mice Lenny, Berry, and Merry have become breakout stars. And Kris K., who went viral as “Hot Santa” last year, is back to guide us through the season.
In our stores, you’ll notice immediately the smell of fresh-baked cookies and hear the holiday music as you enter our Alpine Village, complete with a moving gondola and stylish, specialty shop-like displays inspired by the holiday markets of the Alps.
We’ve rolled out new digital tools to make our experience more connected, personal, and intuitive, regardless of how you’re shopping. That includes our AI-powered Target Gift Finder, list-to-cart scanning, and store navigation assistance.
And for the first time, we’ll have weekly events in our stores all season. We’re also hosting Target’s Wonder Drop from Dec. 5-7 in New York City’s Domino Park – watch out for a Get-Ready Yeti appearance. Then, for Black Friday, we’re building on the anticipation of 6 a.m. openings with giveaways for the first 100 shoppers at all 2,000 of our stores.
What Target’s offering for the holidays is an experience that’s immersive, generous, joyful – and unlike anything we’ve ever done and anything you’ll find at another mass retailer.
A few weeks ago, I took my daughter, Mia, to a toy demonstration event at one of our stores near Minneapolis. Seeing families together, enjoying hot chocolate and getting a look at some of our top toys, was such a powerful reminder of everything retail can do.
In a world that can be stressful and chaotic, the experiences we create have the power to bring people together around a simple and much-needed emotion: joy.
And as we move toward what’s next for Target, I’m excited about the potential in front of us and the opportunity we have to help families everywhere create memories that’ll last a lifetime.
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