Thanks to social media, Target has become extremely popular, with many saying it’s their favorite store. This business promises excellent service and quality products. People consider it to be a more upscale store and love shopping there. But we know things about Target that would surprise you. Check out our list to see what you never knew!
Household Medium
Target shoppers typically have a medium income of around $60,000. According to Good Housekeeping, the average person is around 40 years old. Most shoppers are said to be female and have children in the home. However, if you watch social media, you’ll see young people spending massive amounts of money in Target now, particularly influencers.
First Class
The lovable dog that is Target’s mascot has been in all Target ads. This dog lives the good life. She travels first class and has a rider who states how long she works when she appears. Her dye is vegetable-based, so it doesn’t hurt her, and she always makes events more fun.
Red Balls
The red balls you see outside the store aren’t just for looks. They’re to keep cars from hitting the door. The balls are not for fun, but people play with them as if they were. For instance, parents worry their children will kick them. There was a married couple who had fun with them too—they took pictures with them for an entire year.
Breastfeeding
Target doesn’t care if you breastfeed in the store. No matter where the mother needs to feed, you don’t have to run to the bathroom—you can do it in the store. This policy was put in place after one mother experienced issues, and there were throngs of women who went to nurse in protest of the treatment. Now, you can feed your child in peace.
Offensive Dress
A woman shopping online was hurt when she noticed that a line of kimono dresses was labeled one color, but when she went into plus sizes, it said “manatee.” She found this offensive and immediately reported her feelings to the company. Target explained that it was a real color and that regulating to a single size was an error they intended to rectify.
Washington Monument
In the late 1990s, Target raised $4 million and funded another million to help restore the Washington Monument. Companies have often donated a lot to the causes they believe in, but Target went further and enlisted the additional help of Mr. Graves, who later became a designer for the company with his brand of products.
They Don’t Sell Certain Items
In the 1990s, Target decided to stop selling tobacco, and they don’t sell guns either. Because they want to prioritize the safety of all customers, they’ve implemented a no-carrying policy for all stores. They ask that you follow their policy even if you live in an open carry state and want to ensure that no one is in danger.
CVS
Initially, Target filled its prescriptions, but now it doesn’t. CVS has been buying its dispensaries for almost 2 billion dollars over the last ten years. Target had attempted to expand its stores in Canada and decided to sell after it didn’t work out as planned. This deal seems to have worked out well.
Cold Chips
You may not know this, but Target used to keep bags of chips in the cold section. We don’t know why they did this, but maybe they kept them fresher. The truth, however, was that they were trying to promote a recipe. With the chips, you were supposed to get sour cream, cheese, and meat inside the chip bag.
Pregnancy
You may be pregnant and not know it. Believe it or not, Target does. The data analytics obtained from people shopping can show if you’re pregnant. For instance, if you buy unscented lotions and supplements, your shopping habits would indicate that you’re pregnant. Unfortunately, one mother was a teenager, and her father called them to complain because she got baby coupons in the mail.
Bad Sounds
One store was cleared entirely of customers when a guest managed to hijack the entire PA system and piped inappropriate sounds throughout the whole store. Management eventually stopped the sounds after the evacuation, but the prank continued when the same perpetrators did the same thing to another store. The worst part? They did it during Mommy Day.
Church Fire
Unfortunately, Target started with a church burning down. The real estate developer Mr. Dayton decided to buy a stretch of property right after it burned. He used the grounds to build a six-story building. He was able to convince Goodfellows to relocate there, and Target was able to start its franchise afterward, though it took quite a while.
Alex
The employee who went viral began having menacing issues. His family’s private information, including their social security numbers, was leaked. He suffered harassment—and so did his family—for a while after this. After he left Target, he began pursuing other opportunities, including touring with different personalities who had gone viral.
Downsizing
Some stores will be downsizing to give customers a more “on the go” experience. Suited to college students and customers who rely heavily on transportation and can only get a handful of things at once, Target has made about one hundred stores and plans to add more because of their popularity.
New Shopping Carts
Target is considered to be a store that reinvented the shopping cart. They hired a special designer to reverse-engineer a cart that would be better for maneuvering and would age more gracefully than their metal counterparts—no rust or breaking apart. These carts are twenty pounds lighter and less likely to damage shelves.
Always Changing
Target is a store that changes with the times. With our list of 15 surprising facts, you’ve seen where Target came from and where it can go in the future. Find what you need here and enjoy the convenience of using their on-the-go stores or the mega stores. No matter what you choose, you’ll have a fantastic experience.
