Target's Marketplace Ambitions: A Plan to Expand Its Third-Party Offerings

Table of Contents

1. Key Highlights
2. Introduction
3. The Promise of Target Plus
4. A Marketplace Built on Trust
5. Strategic Collaborations
6. Competing with Giants
7. The Path to Retail Integration
8. Challenges Ahead
9. Looking Ahead: The Future of Target Plus
10. FAQ

Key Highlights

• Growth Target: Target plans to increase its third-party marketplace, Target Plus, from over $1 billion to $5 billion in gross merchandise value over the next five years.
• Selective Approach: The retailer is adhering to an invitation-only model for sellers, aiming to enhance customer experience by carefully curating its offerings.
• Partnership Strategy: Collaborations with Shopify and other brands are pivotal in onboarding new products, particularly in categories like home essentials and apparel.
• Analyst Perspectives: While there are opportunities for new brands, challenges remain, particularly concerning data capabilities and speed of shipping.

Introduction

As e-commerce continues to reshape the retail landscape, Target is preparing to significantly ramp up its third-party marketplace, Target Plus. According to the company's earnings call on March 4, 2025, Target executives announced a bold plan to propel the marketplace's gross merchandise value from over $1 billion to more than $5 billion in the next five years. This ambitious strategy comes at a time when competition from giants like Amazon and Walmart looms large, underscoring the fundamental question for many retailers: how do you stand out in a crowded marketplace?

At first glance, Target's marketplace vision sounds promising, especially when viewed alongside the staggering $156 billion in net sales reported by Amazon's third-party seller services last year. However, Target is taking a distinctly different route to growth—one that prioritizes customer experience over sheer numerical gains. This article will explore Target's strategy, its implications for e-commerce, and the challenges that lie ahead in a rapidly evolving marketplace.

The Promise of Target Plus

Target's marketplace strategy stands out for its carefully selective approach to onboarding sellers. Unlike Amazon and Walmart, which have practically opened their digital doors to countless sellers, Target's invitation-only model aims to partner with brands that complement its existing product lines. Executives emphasize their focus on enhancing customer experience rather than simply maximizing advertising revenues.

Retail consultant Bryan Gildenberg from Confluencer Commerce articulates this philosophy, stating that "Target’s taking what I would call a shopper- and guest-centric view of this." This suggests that Target is not merely seeking quantity in terms of offerings but is striving to build a cohesive shopping experience that resonates with its customers' expectations.

By concentrating its efforts on higher-quality partnerships and curated selections, Target hopes to carve out a more personalized shopping experience that distinguishes it from more mass-market-oriented platforms like Amazon and Walmart.

A Marketplace Built on Trust

Rick Gomez, Target's executive vice president and chief commercial officer, reiterated the retailer's commitment to building "relevance and trust." He pointed out that the strategy is similar to that of Best Buy's new marketplace, which is built on offering complementary products in the same categories already popular with consumers.

This focus on trust is essential in today's market environment, where consumers are increasingly discerning about the platforms they choose for shopping. The better offerings that Target provides, particularly in the home category where it aims to sell bulkier items, could convince shoppers to make the leap from online browsing to purchasing.

Growth by the Numbers

Throughout the earnings call, Target executives highlighted impressive growth figures in key categories:

• Food: More than 170% growth in gross merchandise value.
• Essentials: Over 60% growth.
• Home: Exceeding 40% growth.

This growth signals not just robust market demand for these categories but also denotes Target's effectiveness in adapting its offerings to suit evolving customer preferences.

Strategic Collaborations

The boost in Target Plus has been partially propelled by strategic partnerships, notably with Shopify. This collaboration has streamlined the onboarding process for new brands, making it easier and faster to integrate popular items into the marketplace.

For example, brands like Caden Lane, specializing in newborn apparel, and True Classic, known for affordable yet stylish tees, have found a home on Target Plus. The partnership with Shopify has enabled Target to identify emerging brands and trends more swiftly, fostering a marketplace rich in diversity and appeal.

Competing with Giants

The overarching challenge for Target is to effectively compete against well-established e-commerce marketplaces. Amazon and Walmart have not only secured vast numbers of sellers but have also built sophisticated data infrastructure that helps optimize seller visibility and performance. This reality presents both opportunities and challenges for Target as it scales up its third-party offerings.

Insights from Industry Experts

Megan Potts, founder of Triforce Digital Partners, a consultancy geared toward helping brands gain ground in non-Amazon marketplaces, emphasized the allure of Target for many brands. "I don’t think we’ve seen any brands that we’ve talked to that say they are not interested in Target,” Potts noted.

However, the brands looking to enter Target Plus must carefully consider their unique value propositions. According to Potts, apparel and home brands, as well as suppliers in personal care, are particularly keen on making the leap into Target’s marketplace. Yet, the need for differentiation is paramount. For example, if a furniture brand does not showcase attributes that set it apart from Costway or Target’s existing private labels, prospects for onboarding become grim.

The Path to Retail Integration

A noteworthy aspect of Target's marketplace strategy is its role as a potential entry point for brands aiming for retail partnerships. Success in the online marketplace can lead to physical store placements, as seen with True Classic's expansion to 460 locations following its initial foray into Target Plus.

However, this pathway to brick-and-mortar success is not instantaneous. Potts points out that retailers are increasingly looking for "digital proof” to validate the attractiveness of products in a physical format. Brands must demonstrate strong online sales before gaining the opportunity to sell in-store, a requirement that presents both an opportunity and a hurdle for emerging companies.

Challenges Ahead

Despite promising strategies and growth, Target still faces considerable hurdles. Some industry analysts have highlighted the retailer's current limitations in data management and logistics, especially when compared to competitors. Owen Carr, chief merchandising officer for Spreetail, voiced his concerns: "Target is behind in its ability to ingest shipping information from sellers," he said.

This shortfall may lead to discrepancies in shipping times, causing frustration for both sellers and consumers. Target's inability to provide clear visibility over item availability and shipping timelines could hinder its long-term marketplace performance.

Seller Transparency Issues

One of the key challenges for sellers on Target Plus lies in the opacity of the platform's data. Carr noted that compared to Amazon, Target's marketplace lacks comprehensive data around traffic metrics and item conversion rates. “On Target, that data is hidden and not exposed,” he observed. This lack of transparency can complicate sellers' efforts to optimize their listings and improve sales performance.

As Target expands its marketplace, bridging these gaps becomes increasingly critical. Enhanced data capabilities could not only assist sellers in managing their listings effectively but also improve customer experience—both crucial for long-term success.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Target Plus

Target’s aspirations for its third-party marketplace are ambitious but feasible if executed correctly. As digital sales for the retailer have tripled over the past five years, the momentum carried into its marketplace initiatives offers a platform for sustained growth.

If Target successfully scales its third-party offerings while implementing improvements in data transparency and logistics, it could indeed establish itself as a significant competitor in the e-commerce arena. With its selective onboarding strategy, Target stands in stark contrast to the more crowded and often less curated approaches of Amazon and Walmart.

The Importance of Customer-Centricity

Ultimately, the core of Target’s strategy is to remain customer-centric. By placing a premium on the shopping experience and maintaining control over selection, Target has the chance to foster a unique marketplace that meets the specific needs of its shoppers.

The success of Target Plus will hinge on its ability to execute this model effectively, reinforcing its commitment to quality and relevance while navigating the competitive landscape of e-commerce. As we move further into 2025, observers will be keen to watch how Target implements this vision and whether its differentiated approach to marketplace growth can pay off in a highly contested retail environment.

FAQ

Q: How does Target plan to grow its third-party marketplace?

A: Target plans to grow its third-party marketplace, Target Plus, from over $1 billion to more than $5 billion in gross merchandise value over the next five years by focusing on selective partnerships and enhancing customer experience.

Q: What types of brands can join Target Plus?

A: Target Plus operates on an invitation-only model, focusing on brands that complement its existing offerings, especially in categories like home essentials and apparel.

Q: How does Target's marketplace strategy differ from Amazon's?

A: Unlike Amazon, which has an open marketplace for numerous sellers, Target employs a more cautious, curated approach, seeking brands that enhance customer experience rather than maximizing the number of sellers.

Q: What challenges does Target face in expanding its marketplace?

A: Challenges include data transparency, shipping logistics, and competition with more established e-commerce platforms that provide robust data capabilities to their sellers.

Q: What is the significance of partnerships like Target's with Shopify?

A: Target's partnership with Shopify helps facilitate the onboarding of new brands, making the integration process easier and faster, which is vital for increasing the diversity of products available to consumers.