Target Canada Talk

[Wqlk]

Hey everyone,
You know… recently I’ve actually been getting pretty sad about Target leaving Canada back in 2015. I’m 18 now, but when I was younger I really REALLY wanted to work at Target in electronics… or be a cashier… or literally ANYTHING. I just love the Target atmosphere so much.
Before COVID, I would frequently travel to the US wishing I could work there, and I still do.

I currently work in a drug store (in electronics) in Canada, and I’m loving it. But there’s something about Target that I just love so much… Target seems like such a “techy” store, and even more recently, seeing all the store renovations/remodeling and the website, and everything, I just wish there was still Target in Canada. I thrive in large team environments, and really enjoy communication with customers.
To work at Target was such a dream of mine, and honestly it still is. I doubt Target will come back to Canada, but if they do, 100% I will apply for a position.
Anyone here have any stories about Target Canada you’d like to share?

 

[RicketyCricket]

The shelves were always empty.

 

[Wqlk]

The shelves were always empty.

Everyone always says this but my local store was always packed full.

 

[DBZ]

Well, if you ever move to the US, you could work for target.

 

[Guessed Service]

If you have a morbid curiosity about how bad things got at Target Canada before they pulled the plug, you can read this article.

 

[Planosss]

Everyone always says this but my local store was always packed full.

You were 7 years old

 

[Tessa120]

You dream of working in retail? May I suggest therapy?

 

[james0707]

You need to set higher goals for yourself.

Target is a horrible company. Unless you have a specific reason, no one should want to work there.

 

[Wqlk]

You dream of working in retail? May I suggest therapy?

I work in retail right now and I love it 😂

 

[Wqlk]

You need to set higher goals for yourself.

Target is a horrible company. Unless you have a specific reason, no one should want to work there.

It's not like I'd be working there forever... moreso something I wanted to "experience" for a while.

 

[Rastaman]

If you have a morbid curiosity about how bad things got at Target Canada before they pulled the plug, you can read this article.

Thanks for the link. Very Interesting article!! I remember when it happened. I knew it was an absolute train wreck and now I know why. Lots of people got the axe after that clusterf*ck.

 

[dannyy315]

I think they're try to branch out again someday, but they're obviously going to be more careful with the planning.

 

[Wqlk]

I think they're try to branch out again someday, but they're obviously going to be more careful with the planning.

I think if they open smaller stores and it’s actually planned properly that would be good.

 

[Greenandred]

I mentioned this in a previous thread but there were numerous reasons. They shouldn’t have bought existing leases from a chain without doing their research to see if the locations were good ones. They also assumed that it would be easy to set up a distribution network just like in the states Which led to empty shelves. If they are going to attempt foreign expansion again they have to be more careful at doing the necessary research.

 

[Wqlk]

I mentioned this in a previous thread but there were numerous reasons. They shouldn’t have bought existing leases from a chain without doing their research to see if the locations were good ones. They also assumed that it would be easy to set up a distribution network just like in the states Which led to empty shelves.

The other problem was that they were kinda pressured into it. Despite Walmart passing on the Zellers leases I’m sure after if they were to hear that Target passed as well they would have just taken the Cohan exam to expand even more and continue to have greater retail success…
What I’m trying to says is if Target didn’t take the leases Walmart might have.

 

[Ashfromoldsite]

Hey everyone,
You know… recently I’ve actually been getting pretty sad about Target leaving Canada back in 2015. I’m 18 now, but when I was younger I really REALLY wanted to work at Target in electronics… or be a cashier… or literally ANYTHING. I just love the Target atmosphere so much.
Before COVID, I would frequently travel to the US wishing I could work there, and I still do.

I currently work in a drug store (in electronics) in Canada, and I’m loving it. But there’s something about Target that I just love so much… Target seems like such a “techy” store, and even more recently, seeing all the store renovations/remodeling and the website, and everything, I just wish there was still Target in Canada. I thrive in large team environments, and really enjoy communication with customers.
To work at Target was such a dream of mine, and honestly it still is. I doubt Target will come back to Canada, but if they do, 100% I will apply for a position.
Anyone here have any stories about Target Canada you’d like to share?

Stories? It was a complete and utter disaster. Enough said.

 

[RandomRedShirt]

To this day none of us know why Target jumped at buying the Zellers leases like they did. You don't start with 130 something stores, you start with 5 and you make it work. By now they probably would have been profitable but having that baggage off our shoulders for years kept Target heading in a good direction. I can't blame Brian Cornell for dumping the entire thing. He saw it as a money pit, most of us did. I will say this though, it was sad seeing merchandise show up in the states that was destined for Target Canada, we knew what was what. Bounty paper towel that had French and English writing on it was a big one, certain other merchandise I can't remember since it's been years. It flowed through our stores with no problems because our system was set up. Reading the articles I still don't know why they weren't able to just bring over what we had here in the US and implement it over there. I understand there is probably different rules for different countries but we're not that dissimilar that we needed a completely different retail system just over the border. But alas, I'm only a lowly DBO that's been with the company since Bob Ulrich was CEO.

 

[Tessa120]

I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry over this statement in the article.

“You had these people we hired, straight out of school, pressured to do this insane amount of data entry, and nobody told them it had to be right.”

So someone has to be told that data entry has to be entered accurately? Someone thought it fine to enter whatever the hell they wanted?

 

[Wqlk]

I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry over this statement in the article.

“You had these people we hired, straight out of school, pressured to do this insane amount of data entry, and nobody told them it had to be right.”

So someone has to be told that data entry has to be entered accurately? Someone thought it fine to enter whatever the hell they wanted?

As stated above, if they were to just integrate the USA database(s) for Target Canada it probably would have worked out better.

 

[Tessa120]

Doesn't change the base fact that data entry is supposed to have 100% accuracy as the goal, and that any data entry clerk should know that from Hour 1 of their first data entry position.

 

[Wqlk]

Doesn't change the base fact that data entry is supposed to have 100% accuracy as the goal, and that any data entry clerk should know that from Hour 1 of their first data entry position.

Honestly, it would have been a WAY better decision to just take the US systems and adapt them to fit the Canadian market... Sure you would need to add support for the French language ( Spanish has special characters too) and $CAD, but is it that big of a deal?
OR! Delay the opening of the stores to ensure they were ready...

 

[Tessa120]

Delay would be better. There would need to be currency, language and units of measurements -and- any team members brought in the from the US would need to be drilled hard on units of measurements.

It's building a house. First you prepare the ground for the foundation, then you pour the foundation, then you frame the structure, and only then do you start making it look and function like a house. Part of the foundation and framing is the electronic infrastructure that's going to be required from initial purchase from the vendors to the moment when a guest walks out the door with it.

 

[dcworker]

Shit CEO back then.

 

[The Dude Abides]

As someone who lives very close to the US/Canada border, I knew Target Canada was going to be a disaster as soon as I heard about it. Target had no clue how different the Canadian retail market is from the US and seemingly did not have any foresight into the difficulties of establishing a foothold in that country. Unfortunately, the best DTL my district ever had took a position with Target Canada and ended up losing his job when it went under.

 

[Avocadioo]

Hey everyone,
You know… recently I’ve actually been getting pretty sad about Target leaving Canada back in 2015. I’m 18 now, but when I was younger I really REALLY wanted to work at Target in electronics… or be a cashier… or literally ANYTHING. I just love the Target atmosphere so much.
Before COVID, I would frequently travel to the US wishing I could work there, and I still do.

I currently work in a drug store (in electronics) in Canada, and I’m loving it. But there’s something about Target that I just love so much… Target seems like such a “techy” store, and even more recently, seeing all the store renovations/remodeling and the website, and everything, I just wish there was still Target in Canada. I thrive in large team environments, and really enjoy communication with customers.
To work at Target was such a dream of mine, and honestly it still is. I doubt Target will come back to Canada, but if they do, 100% I will apply for a position.
Anyone here have any stories about Target Canada you’d like to share?

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