Marketing Plan For A Marketing Strategy

PetSmart is one of the largest specialty pet retailers of service and solutions for the lifetime of pets. More than 1008 stores are open in the United States and Canada that provide pet foods and supplies that are priced reasonably. PetSmart provides all types of services for pets including pet training, pet grooming, pet boarding and adoption services. In addition to providing impressive value PetSmart has the broadest, deepest product range in the industry, including thousands of products exclusive only to PetSmart. Every year PetSmart takes care of the grooming for hundreds of thousands of pets in what PetSmart calls its PetSmart Salons. These animals are groomed and pampered by stylist who have

Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) is the leading large-format general merchandise and discount retailer in the U.S., challenging Wal-Mart in electronics, toys and apparel while also seeking to differentiate with higher-end fashions and products for an upscale audience. As of the close of their latest fiscal year (FY2011), Target operated approximately 1,760 stores encompassing 233,000 square feet in 49 states and the District of Columbia. The company is divided into the retail and credit card divisions and moves the majority of its products through a highly integrated network of 37 different distribution centers, which include four food distribution centers. Target is one of the most well-entrenched large format retailers in the U.S., has the ability to manage their pricing strategies at a level of accuracy and precision that is comparable to Wal-Mart (Henderson, 2001). Unlike Wal-Mart, Target concentrates on a value-based message that concentrates on quality and price differentiation to sustain their gross margins while Wal-Mart concentrates on supply chain efficiency and a continual reduction of supplier and transaction costs (Krishnamurthi, 2001).

After the recession, Target’s value proposition shifted to simply offer affordable options in a wide array of product areas. However, now with better economic conditions and without the ability to offer lower prices than its affordable retail competitors, such as Walmart, and in order to stay relevant and refresh the company, Target needs to reposition itself as the high-quality concept and style-oriented retail store it was once known for.

Target’s business-level strategy is one that does not strictly focus entirely on one plan to gain a competitive advantage over competition. It encompasses various strategic and meticulous planning and decision making that is implemented in order to position the company at the top of the retail industry. With competition from the likes of Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, and Costco, Target uses several clever and “out-of-the-box” ideas to attract consumer attention and ultimately increase market share within the industry. Most of the company’s ideas centered more on the differentiation of products and services provided to customers than lowering prices. For quite some time, the company’s plan was to not compete head-to-head with Wal-Mart in terms of lowering prices but instead to provide their customers, who they identify as “guests”, with a special experience every time they visited a Target location. One idea that was implemented was to market and sell upscale, trendy clothing and unique merchandise at discounted prices.1 This strategy, known as the “cheap-chic” strategy, focused on providing good quality clothing from various well known designers and fancy products from high-profile manufacturers for prices lower than their competition. This plan was vital because it began essentially began the concept of customers referring to Target as “Tar-zhay” which according to Patrick Barwise and Sean Meehan, who are university professors, as a “connote its trendy sensibility”. Target

Target achieved its differentiation in the marketplace by positioning its products and store experience as higher quality than its main discount competitors Wal-Mart, with lower prices than department stores. Target’s main focus is QUALITY product and at a LOW PRICE. It all began with the idea of, “fashionable, smart design…delivered at a competitive discount prices.” Target strives to deliver to customers a unique shopping experience. Target grabs customer’s attention by their big red bulls eye and customers keep going to target. But at the same time Target need to make sure that their shelves are stocked, they gave good customer service,

Target Corporation is a retail chain specializing in household goods, clothing, food, and accessories at discounted prices. The retail chain’s history started back in 1902 as Goodfellows and in 1910 as The Dayton Company. Initially, the chain specialized in “furnishings, fabrics and decorations for business and other public institutions” (“Target Corporation,” 2016, p. 5). Eventually, Target went public in 1967 and on to acquire Mervyn’s in the 1970s where they became the seventh largest retailer in the United States. Target operates in the United States, where it is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota and as of January 31, 2015 Target employs over 300,000 people. “The company recorded revenues of $72,618 million in the financial year ended January 2015, the operating profit of the company was $4,535 million, [and] the net profit was $2,449 million” (“Target

Given that Target Corporation prides itself on being a discount retailer, it is inherit that there are certain built-in advantages over other retailers. This is especially true during challenging economic times. Target Corporation’s main goal is to provide higher quality products under their brand name at a discounted price. In comparison, Target’s two closest competitors, Wal-Mart and Costco, carry lower quality products as their brand name. Therefore, consumers who desire discount prices, but higher quality merchandise knows that Target is

Ask just about anyone on the street what company boast a large red bulls-eye on its stores, and surely it would be difficult to find anyone who doesn’t immediately respond, “Target.” Target Corporation’s roots stem all the way back to 1902, and in the years since, the corporation has grown into a common household name. With 1,790 (2014) stores nationwide, Target is currently ranked as 4th largest retailer in the United States (Press). The corporation has achieved this status through hard work, brilliant ideas, and dedicated leadership. However this is just the brief on their success.

Target Corporation is the 6th largest American retailer and mass merchandiser offering every day essentials, fashionable merchandise, and supermarket necessities at discounted prices. As the company is one of the largest retail industry leaders it faces many industry trends such as competition, economics, and community and government requirements. Within Target locations, they provide licensed departments such as Target Optical, Pizza Hut, Portrait Studio, and the major license of Starbucks. Dayton was not the only realizing the opportunity for growth in the discount retail industry, in that same year, Target’s biggest competitor, Sam Walton found Walmart. This right away creates the vision of Targets growth path. Target expanded from the Midwest. Opening in urban markets, Target placed itself as an upscale discounter offering a wider selection of higher quality designer products and as well as a better shopping experience. In 1995, Target enters the grocery business launching the first Super Target location (Yue, Qingyuan, Rao, and Ingram). The idea of Super Target was modeled after the Walmart supercenters with a slightly different aspect of actual locations providing grocery products. By 2002, Target jumped to the second largest discount retail in the

Over the years Target has established itself as the second largest discount store in America. Falling behind Walmart, Target has experienced periods of strong growth but has recently encountered problems that have caused concern with those within the organization as well as external analysts. One of the biggest problems Target is facing currently is generating consistent customer traffic into its stores as many of their major departments are continuously loosing money and causing customers seek out other product alternatives. A major contributor to this problem is that it is spreading itself thin by offering too much without establishing a competitive advantage and not firmly establishing itself in denser city locations.

Associated with its goal to fabricate a brand around the Target name backed the company steady growth, the corporation’s vice chairman, explained that firm has faced three strategic choices to deal with the increased competition in the retail market in the United and Canada (Barwise & Meehan, 2004). The three choices have been to specialize to be a low-cost producer and to differentiate. Evidently the corporation’s future growth following the first choice would have been frustrated why giants such as Wal-Mart, which has been a low-cost producer. In this line, Target has selected to pursue the third option and chose to reposition itself as a mass merchandiser of inexpensive, stylish goods. In this way, the corporation has been able to avoid direct competition from Wal-Mart and sought to outperform it rivals though key dimensions such as providing good shopping environment, shorter waiting time to pay and cleanliness of stores (Barwise & Meehan,

Target Corporation has recognized itself as one of the top retailers in the United States market on the basis of excellent service quality, customer experiences, operational excellence, strong financial position, and a wide array of product offerings. Through its high degree of service orientation at physical outlets and adoption of fair business practices, Target Corporation has become the most distinctive retailer in the eyes of its potential customers. Being one of the top-notch retailers in the United States, Target Corporation has to carefully strategize on its business operations and marketing tactics so as to keep itself in the row of competitive brands of the industry.

In my personal opinion, Target should continue to develop a specific portfolio that is specifically targeted to its customer’s needs and likes, while focusing on maintaining the same product quality and variety for each store brand. Through its marketing strategy, the retailer has to assure the consumer they are purchasing the same quality product as if they were buying a national brand at a more affordable price; which at the end is more convenient for the consumer and does not have to sacrifice quality. Target should also expand to the South and Northeast where there are still plenty of attractive locations with no Target presence. This will attract more customers and consequently strengthen its store brands.

Target Inc. is an award-winning retail firm that was established in 1902 as a subsidiary of the Dayton Company in Minneapolis (“Company Background”, n.d.). Upon inception, the company rapidly became the most profitable retail chain in its parent company holdings. This rapid profitability was achieved because Target Inc. differentiated itself from its business rivals through the creation of an upscale discount market niche. The growth of the company in its initial years can be attributed

There are over 1.1 million men and woman amateur and pro bodybuilders alone in the United States. The IFBB has competitors age ranges from as young as 16 years to as old as 83 within a range categories for competition, The NutiBullet Pro is a necessary tool to assist the competitors in preparing for competitions fulfilling a need for a quick, convenient and easy way for bodybuilders to create their protein shakes, whey smoothies or one of their required 6 to 7 meals a day.