Thursday, March 7, 2013

Target audience for Target is size 10

As a plus sized woman (wearing a size 18), its a big fat pain in the you know what to buy clothes that fit right, look nice, and aren't too expensive.  Walmart seems to think that i want to wear polyester flower pants and giant print tshirts or shirts that barely cover my navel.  I don't want to be seen like that, and i'm sure the general public doesn't want to see that either. Now having said that, its fine if you like that sort of thing, but that can't be all there is.

i ventured to Target to try to find something else.  What i found after visiting 4 of my local Target stores is that they don't want my business if i'm taking my teen to their stores.  Rows and Rows of clothes for the teen girls, nearly the length of the store.  Oh sure they do have clothing for plus sized women.  In the corner, 5 racks, not a big selection of pants and shirts, and empty shelves filled with 'Boyfriend Tees' made by Mossimo. 

What i noticed more often than not at these Target stores, was the Plus size department was shoved in the corner, near the dressing rooms. What also was back there was items that were being prepared to go back on the floor (of the entire Target store).  I basically was made to feel like i was looking for clothes in a Thrift Store. So i wrote a letter to Target Corporated.  I don't plan on it going anywhere, but it sure made me feel good to vent.

Here it is!


     I am writing this letter to voice my opinion about shopping for Plus sized clothing in the Target stores in my area in San Diego county.  I will include their addresses at the end of this correspondence.
     Recently I decided to buy myself some new clothes as a sort of congratulations to myself for losing weight.  I am usually a Walmart shopper when it comes to clothes for myself, but when my daughter suggested that I try to wear something not so ‘dated’ I figured I would try Target. I’ve taken my daughter there for years, so I thought whats good for her, is good for me.
     The first Target I visited was the Target in Santee.  They had mostly empty racks and shelves.  It was messy, presumably because it was by the dressing rooms.  I did find a pair of pants that I liked.  They only had 2 pair and neither pair fit. I did purchase a couple of Mossimo Boyfriend tshirts for 10 dollars a piece. The quanity of these shirts was almost non existant.  Again with the empty shelves.
     I find it kind of strange that you can offer ROWS AND ROWS of clothing for teens alone but for the women that bring these teens to your stores, there is just a small sample, and we’re shoved into a corner near the dressing rooms (that was something I noticed was the case in 3 of the 4 Targets I went to)
     Then I went to the Target in La Mesa CA.  Once again I was greeted with 4 or so racks, and a LOT of empty shelf space.  I bought another Mossimo Boyfriend Tshirt.
     At your Target store in Plaza Bonita in National City I found that once again I was shoved in a corner past rows and rows of girls and teens clothing.  I did find 2 pair of pants (jeans).   There was only 5 or 6 racks of clothes and it wasn’t because there wasn’t room.  There was a wide open space where carts of  ‘go backs’ were.
     As a last resort I tried your Target store on Broadway in El Cajon, Ca.  This was the worst of all of the plus departments that I visited.  The clothes were a mess. Trash on the ground, clothing on the ground. NO organization to the racks at all. There was nothing there worth giving a 2nd look. It truly resembled a Thrift Shop. I purchased nothing there.
     I know that nothing will change, but I can bet you that there are thousands of women that are just like me.  I’m 56 years old, and I would like to wear something besides sweats and a polyester flowered shirt.  For the most part, women my size (18) don’t want to wear short shirts.  We like shirts that cover our bellies. 
     You go out of your way to make sure that the teens and boys have nice clothes to choose from.  You do know that parents are the ones that take those same kids shopping.  I feel insulted as a consumer that  you are ignoring a big part of your target audience by not having anything for women to buy. 
     As it was those few days, I brought $200.00 to spend in your store, and was pretty disgusted after a trip to FOUR DIFFERENT TARGET STORES, and it was nothing more than a big fail on your part AND my part.  It did teach me a lesson.  If Target doesn’t want my business, I can most certainly take it elsewhere. Or, is that Target would love my business, but only when I lose more weight?


The Stores that I ‘shopped’ at were
9846 Mission Gorge Rd. Santee, CA
250 Broadway, El Cajon, CA
5500 Grossmont Center Dr. La Mesa, CA 91942
3060 Plaza Bonita Rd National City, CA 91950

3 comments:

joanne said...

it's the same at our Target stores. I guess I'm not on their 'target' list as I'm also an 18!

Debbie said...

Same here Deb, in the corner of the store, by the fitting rooms, with a couple of racks and it's a mess back there with all the put aways. Good for you!! I hope they listen!!!

Just Deb said...

I got a letter from Target saying 'Thanks for the info we'll pass along the info to our buyers"

yeah, i'm sure that will change things