Target's brand has deteriorated amid rising prices, disorganized and sometimes understocked stores, and a consumer boycott after a sudden retreat from DEI under the Trump Administration. Michael Fiddelke, a two-decade company veteran and current COO, will replace CEO Brian Cornell in February. Analysts have questioned the choice to promote an insider rather than hire an external leader with fresh ideas. Fiddelke's stated turnaround plan emphasizes reviving design-forward private labels and modernizing back-end technology to improve operations. Target historically differentiated itself through designer collaborations and a $31 billion portfolio of trendy private labels. Larger strategic changes appear necessary to restore its position.
The Target brand-once one of the most enviable in retail-is in tatters. The 50-year-old company is battling rising prices, disorganized and sometimes understocked stores, and a consumer boycott over its sudden retreat from DEI under the Trump Administration. That's why Target raised eyebrows when it announced that Michael Fiddelke-who has been at the company for two decades, most recently as COO-is taking the top job, replacing current CEO Brian Cornell in February.
Indeed, when Fiddelke articulated his strategy for helping Target bounce back during the company's earnings call this week, it didn't sound like a bold new direction. Instead, he's focused on reviving the retailer's design-forward private labels and updating back-end technology to make operations run more smoothly. I've reported on both the early success of Target's private-brand strategy and the company's more recent troubles -including the boycott. It's clear that Target will need to make bigger changes to recover its former glory.
Collection
[
|
...
]