Target opened one of its new smaller-concept stores in Herald Square in Midtown Manhattan on Oct. 20. It was one of 12 smaller-format stores the retailer unveiled across the country last week; others opened in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Minneapolis. Target now operates 55 small-format stores.
One of the highlights of the new New York City store is same-day delivery. Guests can have their purchases delivered later that day to anywhere in Manhattan and parts of Queens and Brooklyn in a two-hour window.
Target is accelerating the pace of opening new small-format stores to serve new guests in dense urban and suburban areas and on college campuses. By the end of 2019, Target plans to operate more than 130 small-format locations nationwide including its first Vermont location in South Burlington slated to open in fall 2018.
Target also has announced plans to accelerate the number of store remodels to more than 1,000 by the end of 2020. In addition to the 110 stores remodeled in 2017, Target plans to fully renovate more than 325 in 2018; 350 in 2019; and 325 in 2020.
The Minneapolis-based retailer also plans to open 35 new stores in 2018.
Next-day ‘essentials’ delivery, other services expanding
Beginning later this month, Target guests will have until 7 p.m. to place their “Restock” order for next-day delivery service of essentials, a service that currently is available in 11 markets including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, St. Louis and Washington, D.C./Baltimore. Restock will expand to more major markets early in 2018 and nationwide by the end of the year, Target said.
Earlier this year, Target began testing a fulfillment option called Drive Up, a new service through the Target app that enables guests to have their digital orders brought out to their cars by a store team member. Guests can shop via the Target app and access nearly 100,000 eligible items, including home furnishings, toys, electronics, household essentials, non-perishable food and baby care items. The service started in the Twin Cities area in October and will be expanded nationally.
During the holidays, team members devices will be equipped to place customer orders online right from the sales floor and have purchases shipped to their homes.
