Target Says NYC Small-Format Store Aims at More Purchase Options, Not Display
Target did “extensive research” to understand the neighborhood and store assortment before opening its newest small-format store in Manhattan Saturday, a company spokeswoman emailed us after our visit Tuesday (see 1807240030). We found tech items shown in their boxes,…
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but mostly not available for demo and all requiring a salesperson to unlock security mechanisms to remove an item for purchase. Cameras, headphones and Bluetooth speakers were among the products stored behind locked glass doors near the floor. Only a half dozen JBL and Ultimate Ears Bluetooth speakers were available for comparison demos, and of the smattering of Apple mobile devices on end caps, only an iPad was in working order as employees were still sorting products and filling shelves. TVs were stacked in their boxes on shelves behind a cart of coolers, not along the wall for demo. The store “is designed to give guests more options for purchase, rather than use the space for display-only examples,” the spokeswoman said, in response to whether TVs will be powered on. The 26,000-square-foot East Village store is typical of other small-format stores where the merchandise selection is designed to “fill a need in the community and offer guests choices we think they’ll love,” she said. In small-format stores, the retailer tries to make shopping “easy and inspiring,” considering store size and how customers are shopping. That includes whether they plan to carry home their order or have it delivered, and Target’s same-day delivery service, Shopped by Shipt, is available to store customers for electronics, groceries, essentials, home and other products, she said. Target was the subject of a Twitterstorm of criticism last weekend from residents who objected to the chain store’s grand opening props -- including a mock entrance to a club designed to look like punk rock club CBGB and a vinyl wrap showing tenement buildings -- saying the chain store didn't fit with the punk and Bohemian history of the neighborhood. “When Target opens a new store, we often host a one-day celebration," the spokeswoman said. "Our goal is to connect with our newest guests and, in this case, celebrate the heritage of the East Village. We sincerely apologize if some event-goers felt it was not the best way to capture the spirit of the neighborhood. We always appreciate guest feedback and will take it into consideration as we plan for future opening events.”