#covid19

Aug 2, 2021
1 min

Target Statement on Face Coverings for Guests and Team Members Following CDC’s Guidance

A Bullseye View | August 2, 2021 Based on the CDC’s guidance on July 27th, Target requires face coverings for team members and strongly recommend face coverings for all guests in areas with substantial or high risk of transmission, as defined by the CDC. Target will continue to recommend face coverings for unvaccinated team members and guests at all stores across the country. Target encourages team members and guests to get the COVID-19 vaccine by offering vaccine appointment

May 6, 2021
1 min

Retail’s Rebound Sustained Through April

WWD | May 6, 2021 Retail's rebound continues. U.S. retail sales rose 23% April 2021 from April last year, and nearly 11% compared to April 2019, gearing towards restaurants, e-commerce and department stores, according to Mastercard. Online sales grew nearly 20% in April compared to April 2020. Department stores rose 202% in April last year. Spending at restaurants grew 118% last month compared to April 2020. (Mastercard SpendingPulse data) “Restaurants have turned a corner,”

Apr 11, 2021
2 min

How Consumer Spending Will Change With More People Vaccinated

CNBC | April 11, 2021 As airport and store traffic pick up again, companies are trying to predict consumers’ mindset and spending patterns after they get vaccinated for Covid-19. Here are 4 predictions of post-pandemic trends: Safety protocols are here to stay - In the U.S., nearly one in three consumers reported being extremely/very concerned about physical health, and roughly one in four said they were extremely/very concerned about mental health, according to the report f

Mar 10, 2021
1 min

Target’s Partnering with CVS Pharmacy to Bring COVID-19 Vaccines to 600+ Stores Nationwide

A Bullseye View | March 10, 2021 Target's top priority since the onset of the pandemic has been the health and safety of team members, guests and communities. Now, with COVID-19 vaccines becoming more widely available, Target's continuing to support its team and communities during the pandemic by partnering with 600+ CVS locations within Target stores to offer vaccines to eligible guests and team members. Target already supports CVS-administered vaccinations each year for the

Feb 23, 2021
1 min

Instacart is Moving Beyond the Grocery Store

CNN | Februrary 23, 2021 Instacart recently announced a partnership with Walgreens for same-day delivery on various products. Starting as a grocery delivery service, Instacart expands to delivering office supplies, sporting goods, makeup and other drug store essentials. Starting in Illinois, the partnership plans to expand to nearly 8,000 Walgreens stores. As online shopping shows no signs of stopping, both Instacart and Walgreens are looking for ways to reach new customers.

Feb 22, 2021
1 min

More Americans Looking to Move as Remote Work Gains Acceptance During Covid Pandemic

CNBC | February 22, 2021 Covid-19 has prompted more people to move this year due to the flexible work from home lifestyle, shared NPD Group. People are getting more comfortable with the flexibility to work from anywhere. They are realizing they could live in areas with lower cost of living or that are closer to family. Nearly 20% of people in the country are working from home full time as of December, NPD said. In addition, 20% more consumers are planning to move this year co

Feb 3, 2021
1 min

3 Ways COVID-19 is Changing Valentine’s Day Plans this Year

National Retail Federation | February 3, 2021 As shoppers have adapted to pandemic lifestyles, consumers are changing how they spend on Valentine’s Day this year. According to NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics, consumers plan to spend an average $165 on Valentine’s Day gifts and celebrations — $32 less than they budgeted last year. Despite this drop, it's still the second highest Valentine’s Day in terms of expected spending. Here are 3 ways consumers are celebrating diff

Jan 22, 2021
2 min

Shopping in a COVID-19 Hot Spot: Los Angeles

WWD | January 22, 2021 If you were to wake up today from a yearlong sleep, get up, and decide to go out and do some shopping in Los Angeles, it would probably take a minute to catch on that something is different. Given the statistics around the virus in L.A., one of the country’s most densely populated cities and the one with the highest case-counts in the country for many weeks now. Los Angeles County is recording around 10,000 new confirmed cases of the virus every day. Al

Jan 12, 2021
1 min

Best Buy CEO Talks Pandemic, Importance Of Diversity At CES

Best Buy Blog | January 12, 2021 No one could have imagined that webcams would be among the hottest tech products of 2020, but that’s exactly what happened in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic — and Best Buy had to act quickly to serve consumers’ shifting needs. Best Buy’s primary focus throughout the pandemic was on keeping everyone safe while continuing to meet customers’ essential needs. For example, accelerating its planned launches of contactless curbside pickup an

Jan 12, 2021
1 min

The Pandemic’s Impact on the Walmart Shopper

National Retail Federation | January 12, 2021 Ira Kalish, Deloitte’s chief global economist, and Janey Whiteside, chief customer officer at Walmart, discussed the effects of the continuing pandemic on consumer behavior, retailers and the overall economy. Deloitte’s point of view is that the economy will grow slowly in 2021, and that there will continue to be disruption in the consumer market. Looking at Walmart, “We saw five years of projected growth in pickup and delivery in

Jan 12, 2021
1 min

Exploring How the Pandemic is Pushing us to Cope with the Uncertainty of our Future

National Retail Federation | January 12, 2021 Andrea Bell, WGSN director of insight, presented “Consumer Behavior: Making Sense of the Aftermath of Uncertainty” as part of NRF 2021: Retail's Big Show – Chapter 1. Discussion of time perception and numbness and what it means for consumers. Time perception is the idea that pandemic-induced uncertainty has altered our grasp of time, changing memories and giving rise to a renewed focus on an idealized past. In 2020, “days seemed t

Jan 4, 2021
1 min

How Team Target Learned, Grew and Persevered Through 2020

A Bullseye View | January 4, 2021 Through incredible uncertainty and challenge after challenge throughout the past year, Target's team rose up together—while remaining six feet apart—to take care of guests, communities and one another. Safety first. In the pandemic, Target knew guests would turn to them more than ever. Target committed to safety, including rolling out various safety measures, contactless fulfillment, investing in their team’s well-being and more. Weathering t

Dec 27, 2020
2 min

For Most Retailers, a Holiday Performance That Transcends the COVID-19 Crisis

WWD | December 27, 2020 While digital sales have skyrocketed during the pandemic, foot traffic at mass chains, big-box retailers, warehouse clubs, groceries and pharmacies was strong during the holidays. It was a hardlines Christmas with home, electronics and appliances outperforming soft goods, with exceptions in activewear, sneakers and cozy apparel. Amazon said this holiday was “record breaking,” as was last year. Amazon said it delivered this year 1.5 billion products in

Dec 7, 2020
1 min

Here’s How You Can Make Your Target Run Even Safer

A Bullseye View | December 7, 2020 Since the pandemic first began, guests have turned to Target for essentials including groceries, medicine, cleaning supplies and work-and-learn-from home gear. Target's goal is to create a convenient, flexible shopping experience for guests and team members. While Target does their part, they encourages guests to follow these tips to make everyone's shopping experience even safer. Make a list and check it twice. With a shopping list you are

Dec 2, 2020
2 min

Retail in 2021: What will endure and what’s going to change?

National Retail Federation | December 2, 2020 Looking ahead to 2021, the U.S. can expect the long tail impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to be felt in the retail industry. National Retail Federation has 10 predictions for 2021, here are some highlights you can't miss: Direct-to-consumer brands with partnerships to differentiate will see disruptive growth and profitability. It appears the future is multichannel as brands such as Everlane and Birdies link up with Nordstrom, Heads

Dec 2, 2020
1 min

More Personal Than a Text: Holiday Cards See Increase as the Pandemic Continues into the Holidays

NY Times | December 2, 2020 In a year marked by distance, loss and virtual events, physical greeting cards are a proving to be a meaningful alternative. Megan Sim, who owns an online greeting card shop called Saucy Avocado, reported her coronavirus-themed greetings — featuring hazmat suits, Zoom references and wishful lines about vaccines — have been selling in bulk. A survey by Enksy, an online crafts marketplace, found that 46 percent of respondents planned to send physical

Nov 25, 2020
2 min

11/25 Update: The Impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on Consumer Behavior

Numerator | November 25, 2020 As Americans head into the holiday season, COVID-19 cases are rising across the country, bringing increased concerns about contracting the virus and reinstated lockdown measures. COVID’s overall impact on shopping behavior this past month rose significantly, though specific behaviors like stocking upheld relatively steady. Below are the key findings of Numerator's latest survey fielded through November 23, 2020. COVID-19 has changed consumer be

Nov 23, 2020
2 min

Beauty and the Pandemic

Numerator | November 23, 2020 Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but even during a pandemic, people want to put their best face forward and maintain a level of self-care. However, the Beauty channel has experienced a dramatic downturn during the COVID-19 crisis. Almost across the board, beauty retailers saw a significant drop in household penetration and spending. Where did shoppers go for beauty supplies when specialty stores had to close during the shutdown? How ha

Nov 18, 2020
2 min

The $53 Billion Pet Care Industry is Preparing to Surge as Pandemic Puppies Grow Up

Business Insider | November 18, 2020 The upcoming holiday season is different this year, but dogs and cats, along with the retailers who sell pet merchandise, will come out ahead. Consulting firm, Deloitte, found that the average consumer will spend $922 on holiday shopping this year. Pet items ranked among the top categories respondents wanted to gift and receive this year. Half of the consumers surveyed plan to buy pet supplies or food while shopping for the holidays this y

Nov 18, 2020
1 min

Walmart Announces Live Christmas Tree Delivery and Light Service

Walmart Corporate News | November 18, 2020 Walmart is making it even easier for customers to bring traditional holiday figures into their homes – without ever having to leave. This holiday season, Walmart will hang your lights, or deliver a live Christmas tree right to your doorstep. What else can you have delivered? Think holiday cheer and plants! Greenery, poinsettias, Amaryllis, the Norfolk Island Pine - have it delivered. Customers can select whether they’d like a fresh-c