Target shutting down in Canada

[Burke Salad]

I liked the Beaver Canoe line, but other than that - meh. It's too bad they couldnt bring in the U.S. products not available otherwise here. I miss the glory days of Woodwards,Eatons and Woolco alongside of the Bay.

[calgarygeologist]

I only ever shopped at Target when I heard that they were having a clearance on something that I might need. They had some really good 60%-70% clearance sales. Hopefully they have some decent stuff on clearance now.

[fulham]

This will be a case study for how to lose money when entering a new market. They over promised and under delivered, People are comparing them to walmart, when in canada they were more of a bloated London drugs.

[Tyler]

I love Walmart

[cDnStealth]

It was exactly like Zellers and nobody shopped at Zellers.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by cDnStealth

It was exactly like Zellers and nobody shopped at Zellers.

Stores were much cleaner than Zellers. The shopping experience at Target was much better than Zellers or Walmart.

[Biff]

Yet another example of the importance of not over-promising and under-delivering. Oh...I'm sorry, I thought this was the Edmonton is No Good thread. My bad.

[Wood]

Originally Posted by Tyler

I love Walmart

I get groceries at Wal-Mart and I prefer it over any of the other options we have

I deal with target mobile all the time for work and everytime I go there (in Chinook Centre) it's dead. Everyone's right about the empty shelves. Can't speak on the clothes but I'm sure it's what you pay for there and at Wal-Mart

I did notice target seemed to have nice deals on video games and consoles. It's too bad to lose a competitor in Canada but man was it ever a poor effort

[Daradon]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Stores were much cleaner than Zellers. The shopping experience at Target was much better than Zellers or Walmart.

Well, it still smelt like a Zellers. Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about.

Gotta agree with cdnstealth.

Beside the layoffs which is sad, and the slightly interesting business study slant to it, I really fail to see what the big news it. Was there really room for another discount store? Zellers couldn't handle it, it was silly to think Target would. KMart hasn't been here in what, 18 years? Not to mention the writing was on the wall after Targets first quarter.

Between Wal-Mart and Superstore (and to a much lesser extent the drug stores like London Drugs) is there really room for another big box discount store?

[DOOM]

I enjoy shopping at target. I've bought some clothes that I really like there.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Target stores are no good.

[red sky]

Good place to take a 3 year old in the middle of winter to run down the aisles, play with toys, and then pick up a Starbucks. The place was a ghost town so I am not surprised they are pulling out.

[lazypucker]

The only fun part of Target is the shopping cart escalator...

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by lazypucker

The only fun part of Target is the shopping cart escalator...

Random story: I was in a Target in Chicago and they didn't have the barriers around the "regular" escalator (i.e. to block out the carts). Somebody on the second floor accidentally pushed a shopping cart full of plastic bins down the "regular" escalator (instead of the shopping cart escalator), which proceeded to go crashing down to the bottom (with bins and lids flying everywhere). Fortunately there was nobody else on the escalator at the time or else they would have been pretty seriously injured by this 40 pound shopping cart barreling down from 25 feet above...

[PIMking]

Originally Posted by Calgary14

Targets main issue was that they couldn't compete with wal marts rock bottom prices on most items

meh, but shopping at target stops me from shopping at wal-mart. I'll pay the extra couple dollars everytime I go just so I don't have to go to wal mart

[oilyfan]

Amazon.ca subscribe and save is the bomb.

[BlAcKNoVa]

I know people that worked for Zellers for many many years (some 20+ years). They get laid off, had to re-apply for a job with Target (many not getting hired), then barely 2 years in are about to be laid off again. That's rough.

[PIMking]

oh and you can get the red card which takes off 5% and with the fiance working there I get her 10% off too. So it's tax free -1% and another -5% to that.

[automaton 3]

Originally Posted by PIMking

meh, but shopping at target stops me from shopping at wal-mart. I'll pay the extra couple dollars everytime I go just so I don't have to go to wal mart

Ditto. I avoid Walmart like the plague.

[Teh_Bandwagoner]

I think people in Canada don't hate Walmart as much as Americans do. Not enough for Target to swoop up the Walmart demographic anyway. Walmarts in Canada are generally decent. In the US, Walmarts are pretty trashy, and Target is a clear step above them. Here in Canada, it was pretty much the opposite.