Target leaving Canada!

[sweet sparrow]

? High prices is one of the biggest complaints.

Then it has to be some rumour that Target somehow couldn't shake off.

A popular financial blogger (you probably all know who) did a price comparison between Walmart and Target with 30 *regular priced* common household items (eggs, milk, bread, etc.) and she found that Walmart was cheaper by $1.35. $0.92 of that $1.35 was a bottle of Kraft vinaigrette. We don't buy that, so if I bought the other staples (oatmeal, coffee, etc.) my savings on a basket of 30 items would be a grand total of $0.42.

Target would have been cheaper had the shopper used a RedCard and her own bags.

Target was cheaper on the regularly priced personal care items, and then more savings with the RedCard and bags again.

Walmart was cheaper if you buy diapers and baby cereal, but then I don't shop at Walmart for those.

Could it be that gossips and rumours took down Target?

Oh, it's so not fair. I just found out that Australia has Target. Target lives in Australia and not here. Un-bohlievable.... (Insert facepalm smiley which I can't find at the moment.)

[Decaf]

I find pricing on some items that I usually buy are cheaper than WM. For instance Roman Lasagna is $5.74 reg price at Target vs. $5.98 reg at WM. I also save additional 5% at Target that's over 50 cents difference in price. Target also has cheaper regular price on box chicken wings. eg) $8-9 for Schneider Country Natural wings vs $11($12?) at WM.

[annedougherty]

Exactly, let's face it...if walmart has the cheapest prices on everything then why is everyone price matching there?

[colourcube]

so sad to see target go competition is good and target leaving is bad for all of us

[TargetMama]

I found that most of the "over priced and under stocked" comments came from people who went once when they first opened, or never went at all and took the rumours at face value. Those of us who shopped there on a regular basis knew both of those were untrue.

[Dinobuzz]

Has anyone tried calling their Target (for whatever reason)? Nobody is answering....I tried a couple of times & let it ring for a long time in case they were tied up & nothing.....

[sweet sparrow]

Exactly, let's face it...if walmart has the cheapest prices on everything then why is everyone price matching there?

Walmart does not have the cheapest price on anything except milk, for our family, and then not when Shoppers has a points promotion in effect. Years ago, we moved across the street from a Walmart Supercentre. Back then, they had "rollback pricing" and advertised "every day low prices". Their marketing people must be amazing because this seems to have stuck in the general public's mind. Besides milk, I rarely buy anything at Walmart's prices because I can find a lower price elsewhere. I'm in a busy city, so any decent deals are swarmed by shelf-clearers with no rain cheques.

Side note: I really liked Target's rain cheques....

I don't notice much advertising for low prices at WM anymore. If they do have it, it's a lot less showy than it used to be. Most days, I have no idea why people shop at WM during the middle of the day on a weekend, unless it's the only option they have or they truly enjoy waiting in line. As a baby, LO lost her patience many times in the WM line. She preferred Target where they didn't have the loudspeakers to wake her and they all carried walkie-talkies. So did I. Sleeping baby = happy mummy.

I would really love to see Target come back as an online option, maybe through Amazon or Indigo. They could have distribution centres across Canada and hire back some of their employees for call centres and warehousing.

[peachies]

I dislike Walmart and rarely shop there. Unfortunately we don't have a Target here but everytime I went to Kingston I made sure to make a visit. I loved my experiences. Walmart is terrible for prices, its very hard to make a comparison to Walmart as their prices fluctuate so much. 1 day you could go there and pay 3.33 for a case of pop (not on sale or rollback) and the next day its up to 6.79. When they rollback something they raise the price of something else. Thats why I can't stand Walmart. Its nice to know when you go to a store what the "regular" price of an item is when not on sale.

[toronto166]

Exactly, let's face it...if walmart has the cheapest prices on everything then why is everyone price matching there?

I do all my price matching there for fruits and veggies because the Asian markets tend to sell them at cheaper prices and since I can't go to 5 or 6 different stores, I take all my flyers in there and do my PM'ing. Walmart doesn't have the cheapest prices on everything, I agree there, but for me it's the convenience of doing all my shopping in one store (closest store to me).

[barbis9]

I was at my local Target and they are only accepting returns with a receipt now.

The food section is gone. I went to price match Neo Citran and it was cheaper than Walmart's advertised roll-back. I will continue to shop at Target till it closes and than....? I hate Walmart. The customer service at Target continues to be exceptional. Sad to see them go.

[FallenPixels]

I found that most of the "over priced and under stocked" comments came from people who went once when they first opened, or never went at all and took the rumours at face value. Those of us who shopped there on a regular basis knew both of those "facts" were completely untrue.

Exactly, loads of people said it was overpriced and many had never stepped foot in the store. Although, it is not completely to blame, people say SDM is too expensive and it does well.

Stock issues were definitely an issue at the ones near me. It is not so much that they don't have a specific product you are looking for as much as they have large spaces on shelves where something should be and it makes it look understocked. I can't think of a specific product they didn't have where they didn't offer me an alternative for the same price if I asked - but it takes asking and being wiling to accept the alternative brand.

[FallenPixels]

I do all my price matching there for fruits and veggies because the Asian markets tend to sell them at cheaper prices and since I can't go to 5 or 6 different stores, I take all my flyers in there and do my PM'ing. Walmart doesn't have the cheapest prices on everything, I agree there, but for me it's the convenience of doing all my shopping in one store (closest store to me).

I think this may have been part of Target's issue, without the full grocery sections people have come to expect in Walmart, Target seemed lacking. I know they are not made with groceries in mind, but if it is what people want. Maybe fresh groceries would have got more people in the door?

[salady]

Exactly, let's face it...if walmart has the cheapest prices on everything then why is everyone price matching there?

Because Target may have been out of stock on the items they wanted to buy perhaps? I know at my local Target, they were ALWAYS out of stock...after giving them so many chances to get sufficient stock in or to impose buying limits, I gave up going there. Waste of my time and gas. I have stopped shopping at places that simply don't meet my needs...this isn't just some anti-Target thing.

Also, Walmart is everywhere. You will easily find a Walmart store in every square inch of Canada (ok, bit of an exaggeration there but you know what I mean!) unlike Target so WM is just more accessible to people who don't want to go to 3-4 different stores to get their shopping done.

I found that most of the "over priced and under stocked" comments came from people who went once when they first opened, or never went at all and took the rumours at face value. Those of us who shopped there on a regular basis knew both of those "facts" were completely untrue.

Really? And yet you state this as a fact. How do you know about the shopping habits of others? Goodness...could you sound any more condescending?

Way too much messiah complex in this thread. Thought we were here to discuss Target shutting down, not berate others for why they did or didn't shop somewhere.

[seylz_gurl]

you'd think that an experience like this would make people cynical and bitter but the Target staff I encountered yesterday were classy and friendly. Thnx for making Target such a pleasant place to shop and good luck in your job search.

[Decaf]

I think this may have been part of Target's issue, without the full grocery sections people have come to expect in Walmart, Target seemed lacking. I know they are not made with groceries in mind, but if it is what people want. Maybe fresh groceries would have got more people in the door?

I agreed! I mean same with SDM, I'd prefer to shop at the larger store that carry more grocery with freezer section. I find it's a lot easier to spend $50 when grocery is added to the bill. It's hard to spend $50 or more when all you get is personal care items, OTC meds, a little bit of cleaning supply, and packaged / can food. With a decent sale and large grocery section I sometimes forgot that I am actually shopping at a drugstore. I hope SDM would consider a Mega SDM, I mean with Loblaw behinds them I don't see why they can't expand to add fresh produce and more grocery selection.