Target Tests Out New Concepts In Minneapolis Store
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- When you walk inside the Target store in northeast Minneapolis, the changes appear immediately.
Customers are greeted with a seasonal, all-American theme, and eventually a department store-like display.
"Take all different enhancements that we've put all across the country every day in stores, and put them in a single environment," said Erika Winkels, Target's public relations manager. "We want to understand what our guests think, what their experience is like, and ultimately what we learn will help inform what future stores look like."
LED lights have replaced the fluorescent lights, making the store brighter and hopefully more inviting.
The walls are no longer red. Gray now gives them a more modern look.
You will also notice more mannequins and high-end shelving, as well as upgrades in the grocery department.
But the makeover is not just about aesthetics. They have also added service advisers who roam the store, helping customers.
One of the biggest changes is at "Order Pickup," where customers can come in quickly and grab everything they have already ordered online. It is all about bridging the digital with the physical.
"We know that today, more and more guests are shopping online and shopping in stores, so the idea is we're helping make it easier for them to have that seamless experience," Winkels said.
It is a way for Target to step up its game in the growing world of online shopping. And that is not the only digital upgrade.
Furniture that is only available on Target's website is now on display in stores.
"Our guests can really see what that bed might look like actually set up and really envision it in their own home," she said.
You can then find the item on the iPad next to it, and send a link to your phone via text.
"I can click the link, it will bring me right to target.com and I can add it to my cart," Winkels said.
They have also added self-checkout lines and replaced "Target Cafe" with "Freshii," offering healthy salads, bowls and fresh juices.
The northeast Minneapolis store is a place to test concepts, so you will not necessarily see these upgrades in other Targets anytime soon.
