Target Using California Stores As Retail Labs To Test “Enhancements”
Retailers tend to be cautious about rolling out changes nationwide, instead testing out a couple tweaks here and few updates there. Target, however, is using entire stores in California as testing grounds for dozens of new in-store “enhancements.”
The Street [WARNING: Obnoxiously loud auto-play video] reports that as part of a $1 billion initiative to remodel stores, Target has overhauled the look of several departments to create what could be a glimpse into the retailer’s future.
In all, 25 revamped stores in the Los Angeles area put many of the retailer’s top enhancement tests under one roof.
Each location features 35 enhancements that include, among other things, stylish apparel fixtures, better-lit fresh produce sections, an emphasis on organic products, service stations expedited online order pick ups, and department specialists.
A before and after shot of Target’s produce section, complete with new LED lights.
The stores will also feature an expanded focus on in-store cafes and restaurants. For example, Starbucks locations will have more floor space, and “healthy” fast-casual restaurant concepts will be added, The Street reports.
“What we are doing with LA25 will influence our next-generation store experience that we are working on — there may also be specific sections from these stores that may help influence the chain quicker,” Mark Schindele, a senior vice president at Target who’s leading LA25, tells The Street.
Here’s a look at Target’s updated customer service area, which focuses on online order pick ups.
Target also revamped its Active Wear section with new displays and racks.
First Look: Target’s ‘Store of the Future’ Launches in California [The Street]
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