THE COVETED TARGET PLUS MARKETPLACE: HOW TO PREPARE FOR AN INVITE

The benefits of the exclusive Target Plus program, and how to increase your chances for an invite.Retail giant Target is known for shelving trendy, high-quality products at reasonable prices in its stores and online. But did you know it also hosts a market for exclusive, online-only sellers?Launched in 2019, Target + is an online marketplace for third-party sellers. A Target Plus partner is one that sells and ships items directly to customers from Target.com and Target apps. At the time of this writing, there is no application process to join the marketplace; the suppliers are hand-picked by Target to participate, ensuring quality products and partners.But according to the company's website that could change in the future: “… Target Plus is an invite-only program, but we do plan to accept partner applications in the future.”

BENEFITS OF TARGET +

1. Suppliers gain valuable exposure as items are blended seamlessly into the Target brand.
2. Target process the payments and customers see their order status just as they would with any other item bought from Target.
3. Suppliers don't need to create their own online store.
4. Partners gain access to a huge online audience.
5. Because the vendors are curated by Target, the marketplace isn't as saturated as it is on other channels such as Amazon's and Wal-Mart's third-party markets.
6. Customers have the option to return in-store.
7. The marketplace offers SKU exclusivity to its partners.
8. Target + works closely with its vendors to discern the best assortment strategy.
9. Target + vendors gain access to shoppers who take advantage of Target's REDcard. The brand's credit card offers users 5% off all items and free shipping.
10. Guilty by association. In this case, that's a good thing. Just by being under the Target brand umbrella, you are associated with a top-10 American retailer, a household name that many shoppers already know and trust.

If you've been eying Target +, but haven't received the call yet, keep at it.

INCREASE YOUR BRAND EXPOSURE

The key thing to work on is your brand exposure across all of your sales channels. Target looks for proven U.S. businesses that have quality products and superb customer service. Keep adapting, improving, and growing your business through every sales channel you can manage.

FULFILLMENT: A CHANCE TO SHINE

Target Plus requires orders to be received by the customer within five days.This makes me think about all of the items I've received from Amazon within 24 hours of ordering. (A familiar scenario that plays out frequently in my house: I look at the calendar and realize my son has a birthday party to go to in a couple of days, and I don't have time to run to a store. I turn to Amazon. A few clicks and a Lego set will arrive the next day. Whew — crisis averted.)Quick order fulfillment is where you can add value and become an attractive vendor to Target +. Aim to have all of your orders delivered within two days or — even better — the next day. This level of service will boost your business in the eyes of those working hard to find quality vendors for the Target Plus marketplace.

BOLD VAN's SHIPPING MODULE IS TARGET-COMPATIBLE

We can help you achieve faster shipping speeds through our distribution enablement system (DES), an EDI-compliant shipping module that follows all of Target's requirements. DES stands for distribution enablement system, an application that allows vendors to manage the entire pick-and-ship process from one place for many types of shipments. DES ships with all major carriers and is a Target-approved vendor. (We're compatible with other major retailers, as well.)

GET IN TOUCH

If you'd like to learn more about how DES makes it easy to comply with Target's requirements, contact us: call 844-265-3777 or email info@boldvan.com.