EXCLUSIVE BRANDS: After Target previously said it would update its brand portfolio with the introduction of over 12 new exclusive brands by the end of 2018, the company announced eight of those brands will be available for the holiday season. Target has introduced Project 62, A New Day, Goodfellow and JoyLab, and, on November 5, will unveil Hearth & Hand with Magnolia, which is co-designed with Chip and Joanna Gaines and features 300 products, most for under $30. The company also announced that it will introduce four special collections featuring nearly 1,700 items, most of which are exclusive to Target and under $15. These holiday collections will be prominently displayed in the main aisles and key departments of Target store and on Target.com, the company said in a statement. In addition, the company is adding new items across its multi-category assortment including over 1,400 new and exclusive toys from national, specialty and owned brands, including Hatchimals Surprise and L.O.L. Surprise! Big Surprise. OTHER HOLIDAY INITIATIVES: Target is also launching GiftNow on Target.com enabling givers to click the GiftNow button on Target.com and send an e-gift box, which allows the recipient to accept the gift, change the color or size, or choose something different before anything ships. Additionally, Target is expanding its Wondershop seasonal brand, which features items “guests need to trim their tree and more,” to include specialty food gifts and snacks. The company is also allowing customers to receive their orders in several ways, including visiting one of its 1,800 stores, ordering online for delivery from Target.com, using Order Pickup or using Target Restock. The retailer will also increase the number of stores that ship online orders to guests’ homes to over 1,400 in an effort to increase efficiency. In addition, Target.com will offer Free Ship to all guests beginning November 1, with no minimum purchase required. WHAT’S NOTABLE: Last month Target said it planned to hire about 100,000 team members across the country for the upcoming holiday season, up from the 70,000 employees it hired last year, and said it would hire 4,500 team members at the company’s distribution and fulfillment centers to replenish products to stores and fulfill digital sales throughout the season. Earlier this month, Target announced its nationwide expansion on Google Express (GOOG, GOOGL), including voice- activated shopping, as well as the addition of Target REDcard as a payment option in 2018. Target and Google also have partnered to explore and develop future digital experiences focused on Target’s signature style categories. The expansion allows guests to shop Target’s assortment using Google Express, via the Google Assistant on Google Home and Android TV, and will soon be available on eligible Android phones and iPhones. PEERS: Wal-Mart announced on September 20 that it would not hire thousands of seasonal workers for the upcoming critical holiday season and will instead offer the additional hours to its current associates. The company did say it would bring back its Holiday Helper program and will increase the number of Helpers it has in stores this season. Amazon (AMZN) announced it would create over 120,000 positions this season across its U.S. network of fulfillment centers, sortation centers and customer service sites. The company also launched the Amazon Handmade Gift Shop on Monday. PRICE ACTION: Target rose 2.2% to $63.11 in morning trading, though shares are down over 12% year-to-date.
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