TORONTO — Target generated big buzz north of the border with a Jason Wu pop-up shop, splashy presentations at Toronto's World MasterCard Fashion Week and collaborations with homegrown brands such as Roots and Beaver Canoe.
The designer partnerships and limited-edition fashion lines were a big selling point for the discount retailer, but they couldn't draw enough foot traffic and sales to help keep Target afloat in Canada.
The Minneapolis-based retail giant announced Thursday that it would be closing up shop in Canada, a move that will impact 133 stores.
Michael Mulvey of the University of Ottawa says the buzz generated by the company was "overwhelmed with discussion about price."
Mulvey says Canadians are experienced at cross-border shopping and their expectations didn't match up with the selection of merchandise at Target's Canadian stores.
Marketing expert Brynn Winegard says there was a niche audience who appreciated Target's designer partnerships, but it didn't translate to the wider mass market.
Mississauga, Ont., blogger Lena Almeida says she liked to go to Target to check out the fashions but wasn't enticed to shop there for any other goods.
