Guests visiting Target's electronics department will soon be able to... "expect more" (from Apple's in-store gadgets).
Target, a Minneapolis, Minnesota-based retailer with over 1,900 stores throughout the United States, announced a new retail partnership with Apple earlier this year, describing it as an "Apple shopping destination" with enhanced in-store services.
According to one of the press releases on Target's corporate website, the strategic alliance, which will be available in stores nationwide, builds on the two companies' 15-year relationship.
Christina Hennington, chief growth officer and executive vice president at Target, said in a press release about the launch that further rollouts of this new retail relationship between the two companies are scheduled later this year.
Get More by Paying Less
According to Hennington, the Apple shopping destination was designed specifically with Target customers in mind.
Apple's footprint was doubled within the electronics department in order to add a room devoted to displaying Apple products and accessories to match this updated model within its stores.
Guests will be able to access samples of the merchandise on show from Target's experienced engineering experts who have obtained official product training from the Cupertino, California-based organization as part of the enhanced services in-store.
Guests will also have access to a larger selection of Apple products and accessories while shopping on Target.com or via the Target app.
As a bonus, how about this? Cardholders can save 5% on Apple goods and accessories when they use their Target RedCard (as the company's tagline suggests, "Expect More. Pay Less.")
A Carefully Planned Rollout
These shopping destinations with Apple products and accessories, first launched in February, were initially rolled out to 17 Target store locations in a limited range of cities and states throughout the United States:
- five stores in Texas in the cities of Allen (T2516), Austin (T1797), Hurst (T1766), Irving (T1032), and San Antonio (T1354);
- four stores in Florida in the cities of Clearwater (T1820), Gainesville (T0687), Miami (T2848), and Orlando (T1790); and
- one store each in California and Delaware in the cities of San Jose (T0324); and Massachusetts in the city of Newark (T2764); and Massachusetts in (T1159)
Now, Target Aims To Expand 'Apple Shopping Destination' To More Stores Across United States.
'The Apple Of Its Aisles'
Best Buy, the nation's largest consumer electronics retailer (with over 1,030 stores in the United States), has a similar arrangement with Apple, with an in-store setup (similar to Target's shopping destinations) dedicated to showcasing Apple products and accessories- such as the Apple iWatch.
According to Forbes, the Richfield, Minnesota-based retailer's attempts to establish mutually advantageous partnerships with its vendor partners-"flow both ways," making these agreements beneficial to both parties.
Although Apple and Samsung gain more exposure (the Galaxy smartphone maker gains visibility through Best Buy's "Samsung Experience Shops" staffed by Samsung's own tech consultants, allowing the Seoul, South Korea-based business to directly engage with customers in-store), Best Buy gains as well.
Furthermore, some vendors compete with their retail partners not just in terms of size but also in terms of service. According to the publication, the secret to gaining a competitive edge is finding ways to match the same consumer experience experienced in their retail stores (e.g., the Apple Store).
What does Hennington have to say about it? Target's strength as "a go-to destination" for consumer electronics is bolstered by the latest Apple shopping destination, which provides customers a customer experience through improved in-store offerings, according to Target's executive vice president and chief growth officer.
