If you’re in love with Target as much as I am, I’m 99.9% sure you’ve been keeping up with news about the store. In other words, I’m sure your TikTok FYP is always swarmed with the store’s latest collection drops, discounts, and viral finds. Target is not just a store where I go to purchase my favorite candles — it’s an entire transformative experience. It’s a place where students can go to escape the stresses of their busy college lives, a place to indulge in spending that just feels so right. Or… is it? Consumers have been upset with the brand as of late due to some design updates, and many believe that Target is losing its quintessential spark. Her Campus reached out to Target for comment, but did not hear back by the time of publication.
So, what is happening with Target’s new store design and layout? In November 2022, Target announced that they had plans to make some *major* enhancements to their existing and incoming stores. Essentially, each store would now sport an “optimized” store layout to accommodate both in-person and virtual customers.
With this reimagined design plan, Target began opening up brand-new stores that were noticeably larger in size than previous models. The 150,000-sq-ft. store that was opened in Katy, Texas is about 20% larger than the Target stores we once knew (and loved). But, why? Well, to adhere to the online market, that’s why. This store in particular has a storage area that is reportedly five times larger than stores of the same size — all to provide space for online order goods.
Professional organizer Leslie Gail put it best in a TikTok video (above) when she questioned how the design modifications to a larger, more open space would make customers spend more money, “because, obviously, that’s why they’re doing it.” Gail went on to point out that her Target now resembles that of a mini-mall, claiming that each different section now gives off its own personality. Gail, too, highlighted that the plans for these modifications clearly were done to bind to the evergrowing virtual market. “They also leaned in hard to an intentional design for the curbside, same-day pickup,” she shared.
Apart from their redesign, Target did reveal that additional backroom space was at the forefront of their mission. As they reported that over 10% of the brands overall sales can be attributed to digital orders and same-day services, extra space for additional storage was needed to grow these markets.
Have these changes been successful for the Target brand? The jury’s still out, but as remodels have begun being debuted in plenty of stores, it’s clear that some consumers are not happy about the changes made to their beloved Targets. Users on TikTok have discussed these noticeable adjustments to their own stores, with many people not responding well to the shifts.
Really, some consumers are outraged by the adjustments to their cherished Target stores. One TikToker made a video as a message to Target that read, “You’ve taken a place that millions of women (and men) loved and felt at home in, and you’ve turned it into something almost unrecognizable. Give me back the old Target and get rid of this bizarre failed experiment.” Yikes.
It’s clear the people agreed with the video, or at least cared enough to learn more about the modifications, as it racked up over 3 million views and over 320,000 likes. Other users showed their disdain with the revamps when commenting on the video, stating that they really just “miss the old Target.”
Many are labeling the brands attempt to give off a more modern feel as dreary and sad, resembling that of a warehouse. Others have even criticized the placement of different sections throughout the store, with many upset that Target has forgone an aisle layout. “I miss the aisles,” one user stated. “I need my privacy trying to pick out gold plated earrings.” Honestly, same girl.
More videos showing off the more open layout of Targets around the nation have left even more users disappointed. One video that gave a “glimpse of Target’s ‘new concept’” has users believing the design resembles that of a Walmart, due to the grab-and-go-style produce section, or Kohl’s store with a more open, spacious layout. However, many have also pointed out that their Target stores have “looked like this” for quite some time, so what’s the deal?
Really, it’s a little uncertain why there have been so many discrepancies in the new (or old) design formatting of Target. While it was announced in late 2022 that modifications were underway in stores all over the United States, it’s safe to say that some stores have already gone through some changes. If your local store still looks like the “old Target” that TikTok cannot stop reminiscing about, soak it up, because it looks like change is inevitably coming.