Wednesday, August 31, 2016

The Look for Less: Alexander Wang vs. A+ by Aldo

Have you seen the budget line by Aldo at Target yet? It's called A+ by Aldo, and you can check it out here on Target.com. One item in particular struck me as a stand-in for this super-spendy Alexander Wang 'Kori' studded bootie (far left) that will set you back $695. Or you could pick the A+ by Aldo 'Shanel' bootie and get the look for MUCH less - just $44.99.

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Fab Find: Dollar Aisle Halloween Decor

It's that time of year, people! Retailers are starting to rollout their Halloween merchandise, including Target. The other day in the Dollar Aisle I saw this cute "hocus pocus" pillow for just $5. It's actually two pillows attached together at the corners. They also had a 3-pillow set with "trick-or-treat" printed on it.

Monday, August 29, 2016

New at Target: Sonia Kashuk Soft Focus Matte Foundation

Sonia Kashuk has a new Fall Collection at Target. For the most part, it's the standard selection of brush sets, makeup bags and special edition color kits. To be honest, I don't care for the Fall eyeshadow palette, and the new makeup bag patterns are too wild for my tastes. I am interested, however, in trying her new foundation.

Hyped as a BB cream, CC, primer and cover up all-in-one, Sonia’s new Soft Focus Matte Foundation is supposed to provide flawless-looking skin. The shine-free formula provides medium-to-full coverage with a light matte finish. Infused with blue lotus, daisy flower and mallow extracts, this foundation promises healthy, radiant skin even after you wash it off.

Although this product just launched last week, it's already 'sold out' at almost all my local stores, so I had to order it online. Once I've had a chance to try it, I'll post a review here on my blog.

Saturday, August 27, 2016

#TargetRunDay: 10% off everything this Sunday

By now you've probably already heard the news (broadcast over all the major TV networks + websites like Business Insider) that Target is launching a first-of-its-kind, one-day sale to try and boost consumer traffic. The retailer is offering a 10% discount on everything in its stores and online on Sunday. Target is calling the event #TargetRunDay. This is the first time Target has ever offered a 10% discount both in stores and online.

The sale comes after Target last week reported its first quarterly traffic decline in more than two years. Target's same-store transactions also fell 2.2% in the second quarter. Overall, sales fell 7.2%. Shopper traffic is falling amid a boycott over Target's new policy that welcomes customers to use any bathroom or fitting room that matches their gender identity.

The announcement triggered an immediate backlash. Critics said the policy opened the door for sexual predators to victimize women and children inside the retailer's bathrooms , and more than 1.4 million people signed a pledge to stop shopping at Target unless it reversed the policy. Target is now installing single-occupancy bathrooms in all of its stores to give critics of the policy more privacy. The new bathrooms, which already exist in a majority of Target stores, are costing Target $20 million to install.

To take advantage of Target's sale on Sunday, shoppers can cut out the coupon from Sunday’s weekly and take it to Target's stores, or text "RUN" to 827438. The discount will automatically apply to any purchases made online.

Friday, August 26, 2016

Target jumps on the Pokémon Go craze...

Giant Poké Balls are appearing outside select Target stores. OK, they’re not actual Poké Balls... they’ve painted the bollards - those big red balls outside of store entrances - at more than 400 Target locations across the country. Pokémon fans won’t want to miss this fun photo op.

“We wanted to create an extra special experience for our biggest Pokémon fans, and landed on this idea that we think they’ll love,” says Rick Gomez, senior vice president, marketing, Target. “Our creative team—many of whom are Pokémon fans themselves—designed the Poké Balls, and we worked quickly to get them up across the country. We hope our guests have as much fun with them as we do.”

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

New at Target: Momofuku Milk Bar Mixes

Thank you to faithful reader Cotton Candy for this tip! Target is now carrying baking mixes from the famous NY-based bakery Momofuku Milk Bar. Varieties include Confetti Cookie Mix (shown here), B'Day Truffle Mix, Corn Chip/Chocolate Chip/Marshmallow Cookie Mix and Compost Cookie Mix. Available on Target.com and in stores, they're just $4.99 a box.

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

CVS pharmacy takeover not going smoothly for Target...

Reader "R." recently complained to me on a different thread about Target's pharmacies moving to CVS management. Well R, you're not alone, as Consumerist just posted a report about the CVS takeover erasing everything that used to be good about Target pharmacies. Cited as the primary gripes were the elimination of the ClearRX bottle system, increased drug costs, and the poor data migration (which interrupted auto-refill prescriptions).

Unfortunately for them, Target seems to be paying the price for these decisions. During a recent earnings call, Target tied its poor performance to the fact that stores have lost some foot traffic because of “some disruptions” when the discount store sold its pharmacy business to CVS.

Monday, August 22, 2016

Fab Find: Dollar Aisle Notepads

Yesterday in Target's Dollar Aisle I found these cute ruled notepads in bright colors and prints (shown) with fun sayings like "jot it down" and "make it  happen". About the size of a passport - and at only $1 each - these would be great to stuff in your purse to have on hand when you need to make a list or a note to yourself.

Saturday, August 20, 2016

Target issues refunds on select Fieldcrest sheets...

Target is breaking up with one of the world’s biggest textile manufacturers, claiming that the company was supplying them with sheets labeled as “Egyptian cotton” that were actually made with cotton of the non-Egyptian sort. That means refunds for customers who bought the bedding in question.

Consumerist reports that last month Target learned that 750,000 sheets and pillowcases supplied by Welspun India were labeled as Egyptian cotton - but were actually made from some other type - and pulled the items from its stores. Egyptian cotton has extra-long fibers that are associated with high quality products, which means some shoppers are willing to pay a premium for those items.

Starting today, Target has started notifying customers that they’ll get a refund on certain products under the Fieldcrest label that sold for as much as $75. The withdrawal only includes two lines of Egyptian cotton bedding, and not all Egyptian cotton sheets sold by Target are affected. Anyone who purchased the products from Target during that timeframe can submit a web form to request a full refund in the form of a gift card.

Target used to be Welspun’s second-biggest customer (Bed Bath & Beyond is its first), but those days are over: the retailer says it will phase out all of its products from Welspun, though that process will take some time.

Friday, August 19, 2016

The Look for Less: Restoration Hardware vs. Target.com

Old-timey wall clocks are always in style, and here we have two prime examples. Both have a 19th century vintage vibe, but the one on the left is from Restoration Hardware and will set you back a whopping $1,695, whereas the one on the right is from Target.com and costs only $236.

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Trophy heads for kids? No thanks...

The Pillowfort line at Target recently rolled out some new wall decor, including "stuffed animal trophy heads" like this zebra (shown). It also comes in lion, giraffe, dog, cat, shark and unicorn options. I don't know about you, but as an animal lover, I find this offensive. Not to mention that it also would probably give my kids nightmares! I realize it's supposed to be cute and tongue-in-cheek, but I'm not buying it.

Target has actually been peddling all kinds of 'trophy heads' for a while now. I did a 'look for less' post on one last Fall, and in stores I keep seeing this cow head. While it's better than actual taxidermy, I'm still not a fan. How about you, readers?  Are faux animal trophies cool, or callous?

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Target having trouble selling groceries...

Consumerist reports that Target is having trouble in the grocery department. Despite the fact that Target sells around $18.5 billion in groceries a year, that's only around one-fifth of the company’s total annual revenue. Meanwhile, more than half of Walmart’s yearly revenue comes from groceries.

The Wall Street Journal recently took a look at Target’s fresh food woes and its efforts to course correct. The biggest reason for the grocery sales slump seems to be because shoppers just don't visit that frequently. Meaning: while Target has many regular shoppers, they may not be regular enough to keep fresh meat and vegetables from spoiling.One Target customer explains to the Journal that she shops at the store once or twice a month to purchase things like cleaning supplies and home décor, and she may pick up an odd food item here or there, but adds that “I don’t go out of my way to do grocery shopping at Target because there are so many other specialty stores.”

Data from Nielsen shows that shoppers favor traditional groceries over big box retailers regardless of whether they are buying a week’s worth of groceries or just doing some quick shopping to fill in the gaps. Meanwhile, it appears that Costco and other wholesale clubs are increasingly becoming a destination for shoppers looking to stock up their pantry, fridge, and freezer with food.

In 2015, Target’s chief operating officer acknowledged this outsider status: “We’re not really special and we’re not a full grocery. And so we’re sitting in the middle of no man’s land.”

Sunday, August 14, 2016

Sale Alert: 40% All Jeans at Target

Target has all jeans on sale this week for 40% off. This sale extends to the whole family, so kids jeans from the new Cat & Jack line are included, as are these on-trend cropped flares from Who What Wear (regularly $34.99, now just $20.99).

Thursday, August 11, 2016

New at Target: Harry's

Harry’s - the popular men’s grooming brand with the tagline “a great shave at a fair price” - has landed at Target. The retailer will carry a selection of Harry’s most popular items, and guys who are new to the brand can try it out using the exclusive, limited-edition starter shave set (shown here) featuring a Target-red razor and a sampling of skincare products for just $5. And for those of you who can never remember when it’s time to replenish your shave supplies, you can sign up for a subscription on Target.com and save some cash, as guests receive 5% off and free shipping on any Target Subscriptions order (and that’s on top of the 5 percent guests already save when using their Target REDcard). Check out the full selection of Harry's products here on Target.com.

Monday, August 8, 2016

Fab Find: Sugar Paper Magazine Rack

The other day at Target I spied this fab magazine rack from Sugar Paper and immediately fell in love. Although online it is described as made of "cloth", it's actually constructed of sturdy goldtone metal and faux white leather. While you can use it as a traditional magazine rack, you can also perch it on your desk as a file folder/organizer. And at just $19.99, it looks far more luxe than it's pricetag.

Saturday, August 6, 2016

Clearance Alert: Who What Wear Saddle Bag

I've seen several bloggers post about this small, stylish saddle bag from Who What Wear at Target. The Budget Babe even picked the blush version as a dupe for the Chloe "Drew" bag at a fraction of the cost. Well now this bag is even cheaper as it just went on clearance for $19.99 (regularly $29.99). Unfortunately this markdown seems limited to stores (and not online) but as you can see here, my store had plenty of them on the clearance rack to choose from.

Friday, August 5, 2016

Target to Sell Amazon Devices Again...

Consumerist reports that Target will again be selling Amazon devices. See, you used to be able to go into a Target store and purchase an Amazon Kindle or a Fire tablet. Then a spat between the two companies led to Amazon products vanishing from Target shelves and its website. But it looks like the two have kissed and made up, with Amazon items making their return after four years away.

Back in 2012, Target was one of the first big box retailers to ban the sale of Amazon devices in its stores. Walmart soon followed suit. The devices, which often make it easier to shop the e-commerce site, were seen as a means of taking customers away from the retailer. But times — and attitudes — have apparently changed, with Target now believing that adding the devices to its shelves will drive traffic to stores. Target began selling the devices online this week, and will bring them to actual stores starting in October.

Thursday, August 4, 2016

Just Out: Target's August Beauty Box

Beauty Box fans, take note! Target's August Beauty Box is now available to order on Target.com. Now I'll fess up: I was never a huge fan of these things, and a quick perusal of my blog archives shows that I've never even blogged about them before. Oops! But the boxes seem to have a lot of fans out there, especially if you read the rants on Target's Facebook page once the boxes sell out.

Here's the thing: the boxes used to be offered seasonally, and were free. Obviously, they would run out quickly, and customers got frustrated over not being able to get their hands on one. Now Target rolls them out monthly (usually on the first of each month) PLUS they charge for them (around $7-10). This month's box costs $7 and is claimed to be a $32 value, and contains the following:
  • up & up™ Women's 5-Blade Razor
  • Juice Organics Repairing Shampoo & Conditioner – Coconut
  • Laneige Water Sleeping Mask
  • NYC Color Get It All Lip Color in PINKdigious
  • Olay Make-up Remover Wipes
  • Secret Clinical Strength Invisible Solid Antiperspirant/Deodorant
  • CoverGirl Katy Kat Eye Mascara – Black
  • Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

The Look for Less: Banana Republic vs. Merona

Cropped pants are a wardrobe staple these days. Every retailer seems to have their own version of them - often in similar colors - but that doesn't mean you have to spend a fortune on them. Case in point: the coral cropped pants on the left are from Banana Republic, and will set you back $88. Or you could save some dough and buy the Merona ones (at Target) on the right for just $27.99.

Target's School List Assist

With Target’s School List Assist online shopping tool, back-to-school supply shopping is easier, more efficient and quicker than ever.

Launched last year, School List Assist is an online hub featuring the most common K-8 school supplies found on school lists across the country. And this year, Target has partnered with TeacherLists.com to give guests access to the actual lists compiled by their kids’ very own teachers. They’ve partnered with hundreds of thousands of classes so far, and all it takes is a quick zip code search to find them.

The process is simple: search your zip code, select your school and class, opt for order pickup or delivery, add the listed items to your cart and proceed to checkout. And the app adapts to any device you’re using, allowing guests to easily shop from their desktop, phone or tablet. Check out School List Assist here on Target.com.

Monday, August 1, 2016

Fab Find: Bedding & Towel Set

While searching for new bedding for our guest room, I came across this neat bedding set from Room Essentials at Target. In addition to a complete bed ensemble - sheets, pillow case, pillow sham and coordinating comforter - it also comes with 2 cotton towels, making it the perfect "starter set" for someone heading off to college.

For me, the neutral gray combo (shown here) was a great match for our guest bed. It also comes in a classic navy plaid, a teal/white geometric design and a pretty pastel coral print. Each set comes in twin extra long, full and queen sizes, and best of all, this week they're on sale for 25% off.