Target Canada.............possibly closing?????

[thriftygranny]

Thriftygranny, I think the reason you are finding Target stores "spotless and there isn't a frenzy of rude people I have to navigate around" is because no one really shops there. I have a Walmart and a Target both 2 minutes away from me. They are "almost" across the street from each other. I can honestly say I just walked in to the Target two weeks ago for the first time at lunch time and there were literally, what appeared to be, 5 people in the entire store. It was empty. Yes, you are right, it was spotless and I can see why (no one shops there). Walmart, on the other hand, is completely packed. This is where I normally shop. I remember when I initially heard that Target was coming to Canada, I was ecstatic. I figured "Great, some competition for Walmart". Not even close. Their prices do not even compare. Target's prices are definitely higher than Walmart's and when I am trying to save every penny I have, Walmart will continue to get my business and I am extremely happy with the service I receive.

I stated in my post that my great experience at Target was probably due to it being so quiet . I shop targets clearance and sales and I can use manufacturers coupons with a Target coupon and they pricematch so I feel I am not spending more money by shopping there.

[SassyAshley]

Target really needs to look at the Canadian market. No Target Canada cannot be compared to Target US and yes everyone needed to get over that but I think now that people have they need to find a way to fit in the Canadian market. They are not at all competitive and personally I have yet to hear one person say how much they enjoyed a shopping trip to Target. I have a co worker who shops there regularly as it is the only option within a reasonable drive but every week they end up at customer service getting their bill fixed, they are constantly out of stock, have expired food on the floor (mostly milk).

They need to learn to compete, locally Target and Sobey's are in the same plaza now Sobey's is a higher end grocery store yet they still have better prices on food and pharmacy items vs Target. This is Target's issue in my opinion, I should not be able to walk into Sobey's and buy something not on sale cheaper.

[Midnightly]

i think target is still adjusting to the growing pains of being in a new market.. the stores are still opening ( a second one opened here a little over a month ago) they are still figuring out the supply/demand stock aspect of it (what sells and what doesn't and how much what area will buy of what product)

they have clearance that can't be beat (target selling easter stuff at 90's off while walmart is still at 50% off) many of the sales are comparable, the product is much higher quality on clothing styles and fit their toy department actually has changeover where walmart has the same toys they had 3 years ago for the same price stock in general has a much higher changeover (sales, then clearance)

they have been hit with a bit of bad press from the beginning (the negativity because zellers stores closed and all the staff was laid off-but that was not target's fault) and the credit card issue

i think they need a few more years to get the groove but they will be here long term(they had to expect a loss for the first year or two) they need to get out into the community and do promotion and make their name more well known

i will still shop target, i like target, they have more staff on the floor then walmart, they are helpful and willing to make an effort, they always have tills open and if the line gets a tad long they will open up another till they also provide incentives walmart doesn't (instore coupons, instore discount card)

[Lynn49]

I feel Target's only comparable competition is Walmart for me personally. I have hardly been to Walmart since Target opened. I find the Walmart's in my city to be a horrible shopping experience, stores are messy, staff is rude, very few cash registers open, and I always seem to encounter some rude individuals butting in line or just being rude or disrespectful in general.
I walk in to Target, the store is spotless, there isn't a frenzy of rude people I have to navigate around, I am greeted with a genuine smile, I have never gone when I haven't been asked if I need assistance in a department and their customer service is top notch, they always have ample cash registers open and I like the products they carry. Perhaps because the store is very quiet that I am having such a great experience, I can't figure out why they just haven't seem to have caught on yet other than the security breach issue and really I don't think they are going to let that happen again, we are probably safer with our identity there now than anywhere else. I'll give Walmart.ca a bit of my money with clearance items and free shipping but if I don't have to darken Walmart's doors again I would be okay with that.

Could not agree more, TG! I loved Target in the US whenever we went over, and for the reasons you stated, really enjoy my shopping experience there, too. I really hate going into WM...I don't know why, exactly.....I just never seem to find what I'm looking for there except for cosmetics, which are usually nicely priced. But for homegoods....I find it all to be lower quality than what's offered at Target; yes, they may be a tich pricier, but I'd rather that than shoddy goods.
I'd really be disappointed if our Target leaves and I'm forced back to WM...guess I'll go back to my old ways and wait until we get to the 'big city' to shop at the Bay...their sales are great, as is the quality.
I can't imagine WM with no competition...heaven help us!! They'll be able to raise prices, cut staff (most of whom are rusted out anyway) and what recourse would we have?
Sad, sad.......

[Lynn49]

I stated in my post that my great experience at Target was probably due to it being so quiet . I shop targets clearance and sales and I can use manufacturers coupons with a Target coupon and they pricematch so I feel I am not spending more money by shopping there.

Absolutely, TG! And with their deep discounts I run into while shopping there, I don't feel I pay more at all. And like you, I enjoy my experiences there, love the attentiveness of the staff (They actually ASK if I need help!! CAN one imagine that in a WM?!), the coupons, price-matching...everything. I hope they stick around...!!!

Oh. And I can grab a skinny vanilla late with a splash of mint at Starbucks on the way out!

[Shwa Girl]

Walmart, on the other hand, is completely packed. This is where I normally shop.

welcome to smart canucks.

[thriftygranny]

I ran in to Target this morning to see if they still had some clearance Ziploc snack bags.I went to where they were last week and they were gone. A clerk asked me if I needed help finding something and I told her I had picked up some of the ziplocs last week and was kicking myself for not buying more. She said it was my lucky day, they had just moved the last few boxes to the grocery clearance shelf!! I thanked her and grabbed a couple, I also had a coupon for the 3.00 off bread wub any ziploc so grabbed a loaf of bread to make the deal sweeter!! At the til the bread scanned at regular price and it was on sale so I told the cashier the bread was 2.50, she didn't even question me she just reduced the price and adjusted the coupon to 2.50. She then thanked me for my patience. If this had happened at Walmart I would still be there waiting for a CS to get a price check for me, and suffered the eyerolling of customers behind me!!!

And the Starbucks doesn't hurt either Lynn when i feel like a splurge!!!

[toronto166]

Thank you Shwa Girl!!

[Poirot]

Target Canada president Tony Fisher fired.Good news.

[toban]

I have bought a few things at Target including grocery items that were on sale. The only thing I found they were out of stock on several items (not necessarily sale items). I don't love it but don't hate it either. The stores are clean and the staff was friendly.

[CrazyQT]

I've only shopped at Target a handful of times and usually come out with something. Each time the store was pretty much emtpy - customer wise. The store has no background noise or satellite radio playing so it just feel eerily quiet to me.

Out of the handful of times I've shopped there I was one of the 40 million who was potentially affected by the data breach and I now have a year of free credit monitoring. So far so good. Its actually quite interesting to be notified of the changes in my credit report from month to month. (Using and paying off credit cards)

[annedougherty]

I've only shopped at Target a handful of times and usually come out with something. Each time the store was pretty much emtpy - customer wise. The store has no background noise or satellite radio playing so it just feel eerily quiet to me.

Out of the handful of times I've shopped there I was one of the 40 million who was potentially affected by the data breach and I now have a year of free credit monitoring. So far so good. Its actually quite interesting to be notified of the changes in my credit report from month to month. (Using and paying off credit cards)

You shopped in the States then? Because the data breach had absolutely nothing to do with Canada.

[CrazyQT]

You shopped in the States then? Because the data breach had absolutely nothing to do with Canada.

No. I shopped at the Target in Waterdown only.

It extends to some Canadians as well.

[annedougherty]

No. I shopped at the Target in Waterdown only.

It extends to some Canadians as well.

"Target said its investigation found that personal information — like the names, addresses, emails and phone numbers of some Canadians — may have been stolen.

The breach does not extend to payment data for the debit and credit cards of Canadians, which is what was taken from U.S. customers, it said."

[CrazyQT]

I can promise you I did not shop at a US Target location. I don't know exactly how my information was compromised but I do know I have 1 year free credit monitoring