留言内容: |
Targetisintrouble.Andwhileit’seasytogetlostinthecompany’srecent(poor)handlingofAmericanculturewarnarrativesthatcastitastoo“woke”ortoowillingtocavetoonlinefascists,therootofTarget’sproblemsrunsdeep.tripscanвойтиDon’tgetmewrongthemassiveconsumerboycottsfromBlackorganizershavedonedamage.AndthereareprobablyfolksonthefarrightwhothinkevenTarget’stoned-down,overwhelminglybeigePridemerchthisyearwasstilltooloud.https://tripsca43.winтрипсканButitsstockisinthegutterandsaleshavebeenfallingfortwoyearsbecauseofgoodol’businessfundamentals.Itoverstocked.Itlostthepulseofitscustomers.ItwentupagainstAmazonPrimewith…actually,doesanyoneknowwhatTarget’sAmazonPrimecompetitoriscalled?ThebrandwepetitebourgeoisieonceplayfullyreferredtoasTar-zhayhaslostitsspark.Thecompanyreportedadeclineinsalesforathird-straightquarter,partofabroadertrendoffallingorflatsalesfortwoyears.Employeeshavelostconfidenceinthecompany’sdirection.And2025hasbeenaparticularlyroughfinancially,asBlackshoppersorganizedaboycottoverTarget’sdecisiontocavetoright-wingpressureondiversehiringgoals.Sharesweredown10%Wednesday.It’snottosaythenewguy,MichaelFiddelke,isunqualified.He’sbeenatTargetsincehestartedasaninternmorethan20yearsago,afterall.ButWallStreetisclearlyconcernedthatTarget’sleadershipisunderestimatingtheseverityoftheneedforasignificantchangejustasPresidentDonaldTrump’stariffsonimportedgoodsthreatentheentireretailindustry.Appointingacompanylifer“doesnotnecessarilyremedytheproblemsofentrenchedgroupthinkandtheinward-lookingmindsetthathaveplaguedTargetforyears,”NeilSaunders,ananalystatGlobalDataRetail,saidinanotetoclientsWednesday.MissingthemarkInits2010sheyday,Targetbecameago-toforconsumerswholikedabargainbutdidn’tnecessarilylikebargain-hunting.Theshelvesfeltwell-curated.You’dgotoTargetbecauseithadonethingyouneededand12thingsyoudidn’tknowyouneeded.ItwasstockedwithMillennialcringelongbeforeGenZgaveusthetermMillennialcringe.Target’ssalesheldstrongthroughthepandemicasremoteworkerssetuphomeofficesandstockeduponessentials.Monthsoflockdownalsobenefitedthestoreaspeoplebeganrefreshingtheirspacesbecausetheydidn’treallyhavemuchelsetodoandtheywerestaringatthesamewallsallthetime. |