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http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-targets-web
Target Corp. succumbed to its own marketing power Tuesday when the much-anticipated Missoni clothing and home goods line -- the discount chain's biggest limited-designer collection to date -- sold out at most Target stores and online in less than a day, far short of the six weeks planned for the promotion.
The Missoni for Target collection, made up of 400 items with the Italian design house's hallmark zig-zag patterns, was slated to run from Sept. 13 through Oct. 22 at 1,762 Target stores in the U.S. and online. But the buzz in the fashion blogosphere leading up to the opening, stoked by Target's own advertising campaign, created what Target officials described as "unprecedented" demand.
Shoppers lined up outside the stores before openings, as many as 100 deep at some stores, and blew through with shopping carts, loading up on everything from Missoni boots to bedding to bikes. Most stores opened at 7 a.m. or 8 a.m., and within the hour, much of the merchandise was gone. The Target.com web site also crashed for part of the morning.
The day was akin to Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, that typically ranks as the retail industry's biggest shopping day of the year, said Joshua Thomas, a spokesman for the Minneapolis-based retailer.
"Many of our stores are sold out or close to sold out of the collection," said Thomas. "We've never seen anything like this before."
Target isn't expected to receive any more shipments of the line beyond what Target stores received for the opening, he said.
The purveyor of cheap-chic had been working with Italian luxury knitwear design house Missoni for the past year to develop the line of 400 items. Missoni's hallmark colorful zig-zag stripes appeared on everything from Melamine appetizer plates (starting at $2.99) to a four-piece sectional furniture set ($599.99.)
Most items were less than $40 and included knit dresses, tights, cardigans, rain boots, bedding, luggage, dinner ware, and even iPad and iPod covers.
The retailer apologized on its Twitter account for more than three hours for the difficulties with its website.
"We are suddenly extremely popular. You may not be able to access our site momentarily due to unusually high traffic. Please stay here and we'll try to get you in as soon as we can," said a greeting for Target website customers Tuesday afternoon.
At a Target store in Glenview, shoppers lined up outside the building by 7:30 a.m. Tuesday waiting for the 8 a.m. opening. Most of the merchandise was sold out by 9 a.m.
Shoppers arriving in Glenview at their noon lunch hour were stunned to see colorful Missoni signs above empty shoe shelves and bare clothing racks. All that was left at noon was an assortment of cosmetics bags, one small children's floral trench coat for $39.99 and one pair of children's rain boots for $29.99.
"I am surprised it is all gone by noon," said Maureen Rubenstein of Glencoe, who had come to buy Missoni clothing for her daughter. "It's not usually like this."
Another fashionable shopper dressed in black jeans and high heels chatted into her cell phone as she walked among the empty clothing racks, telling the listener with dismay that there was nothing left.
As the lunch hour ended, Target workers in red shirts were rolling out racks of Target's in-house clothing brands to fill the empty Mossimo racks.
"It took us longer to put the merchandise out then it did to sell it," said one Target sales associate who asked not to be named, citing company policy.
Target previewed the line last week with a pop-up store in Manhattan that was scheduled to be open three days, but shut down after one day when it ran out of inventory.
The discount retailer promoted the collection with inserts in Vogue and other fashion magazines, a blog, and TV ads spoofing 1960s caper movies. The Missoni brand, founded in 1953, rose to popularity in the 1960s
Even TV news host Katie Couric chimed in on the pre-opening buzz Monday on Twitter, exclaiming, "A little retail therapy, anyone? #Missoni comes to @target tomorrow!"
Target pioneered sophisticated design at a mass market price more than a decade ago, when the Minneapolis-based retailer hired architect Michael Graves to bring some flair to teapots and toasters. But it has faced increased competition.
Rival mass market retailers have moved into Target's cheap-chic territory in recent years. Kohl's Corp. partnered with designer Vera Wang, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. did a deal with Norma Kamali, and H&M has offered limited editions from Roberto Cavalli and Karl Lagerfeld.
The biggest competition of all is coming from eBay. Within hours of Target's Missoni opening on Tuesday, eBay sellers began posting Target's Missoni merchandise online at inflated prices.
The chevron zig-zag tote bag, originally $34.99, was listed for more than $100 on eBay, and bids were starting at $50.
Target Corp. succumbed to its own marketing power Tuesday when the much-anticipated Missoni clothing and home goods line -- the discount chain's biggest limited-designer collection to date -- sold out at most Target stores and online in less than a day, far short of the six weeks planned for the promotion.
The Missoni for Target collection, made up of 400 items with the Italian design house's hallmark zig-zag patterns, was slated to run from Sept. 13 through Oct. 22 at 1,762 Target stores in the U.S. and online. But the buzz in the fashion blogosphere leading up to the opening, stoked by Target's own advertising campaign, created what Target officials described as "unprecedented" demand.
Shoppers lined up outside the stores before openings, as many as 100 deep at some stores, and blew through with shopping carts, loading up on everything from Missoni boots to bedding to bikes. Most stores opened at 7 a.m. or 8 a.m., and within the hour, much of the merchandise was gone. The Target.com web site also crashed for part of the morning.
The day was akin to Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, that typically ranks as the retail industry's biggest shopping day of the year, said Joshua Thomas, a spokesman for the Minneapolis-based retailer.
"Many of our stores are sold out or close to sold out of the collection," said Thomas. "We've never seen anything like this before."
Target isn't expected to receive any more shipments of the line beyond what Target stores received for the opening, he said.
The purveyor of cheap-chic had been working with Italian luxury knitwear design house Missoni for the past year to develop the line of 400 items. Missoni's hallmark colorful zig-zag stripes appeared on everything from Melamine appetizer plates (starting at $2.99) to a four-piece sectional furniture set ($599.99.)
Most items were less than $40 and included knit dresses, tights, cardigans, rain boots, bedding, luggage, dinner ware, and even iPad and iPod covers.
The retailer apologized on its Twitter account for more than three hours for the difficulties with its website.
"We are suddenly extremely popular. You may not be able to access our site momentarily due to unusually high traffic. Please stay here and we'll try to get you in as soon as we can," said a greeting for Target website customers Tuesday afternoon.
At a Target store in Glenview, shoppers lined up outside the building by 7:30 a.m. Tuesday waiting for the 8 a.m. opening. Most of the merchandise was sold out by 9 a.m.
Shoppers arriving in Glenview at their noon lunch hour were stunned to see colorful Missoni signs above empty shoe shelves and bare clothing racks. All that was left at noon was an assortment of cosmetics bags, one small children's floral trench coat for $39.99 and one pair of children's rain boots for $29.99.
"I am surprised it is all gone by noon," said Maureen Rubenstein of Glencoe, who had come to buy Missoni clothing for her daughter. "It's not usually like this."
Another fashionable shopper dressed in black jeans and high heels chatted into her cell phone as she walked among the empty clothing racks, telling the listener with dismay that there was nothing left.
As the lunch hour ended, Target workers in red shirts were rolling out racks of Target's in-house clothing brands to fill the empty Mossimo racks.
"It took us longer to put the merchandise out then it did to sell it," said one Target sales associate who asked not to be named, citing company policy.
Target previewed the line last week with a pop-up store in Manhattan that was scheduled to be open three days, but shut down after one day when it ran out of inventory.
The discount retailer promoted the collection with inserts in Vogue and other fashion magazines, a blog, and TV ads spoofing 1960s caper movies. The Missoni brand, founded in 1953, rose to popularity in the 1960s
Even TV news host Katie Couric chimed in on the pre-opening buzz Monday on Twitter, exclaiming, "A little retail therapy, anyone? #Missoni comes to @target tomorrow!"
Target pioneered sophisticated design at a mass market price more than a decade ago, when the Minneapolis-based retailer hired architect Michael Graves to bring some flair to teapots and toasters. But it has faced increased competition.
Rival mass market retailers have moved into Target's cheap-chic territory in recent years. Kohl's Corp. partnered with designer Vera Wang, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. did a deal with Norma Kamali, and H&M has offered limited editions from Roberto Cavalli and Karl Lagerfeld.
The biggest competition of all is coming from eBay. Within hours of Target's Missoni opening on Tuesday, eBay sellers began posting Target's Missoni merchandise online at inflated prices.
The chevron zig-zag tote bag, originally $34.99, was listed for more than $100 on eBay, and bids were starting at $50.