Target customers got some good news earlier this week, when the company revealed it would be putting some cash back in shoppers’ wallets.
On March 11, Target said it would lower prices on more than 3,000 items across categories such as apparel, home goods, baby essentials, and food and drink.
The price reductions average between 5% and 20% and will begin impacting cart totals later this month, the company said in a statement.
It’s no secret that Target has had a tough couple of years. We’ve covered the controversies surrounding the retailer quite extensively here at TheStreet, from stock issues to its lack of pricing transparency to DEI rollbacks.
Those controversies have had a dramatic impact on its bottom line. According to the company’s 8-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), full-year net sales for 2025 dropped 1.7% to $104.8 billion.
In an effort to turn things around, Target brought on a new CEO, Michael Fiddelke, earlier this year, tasking him with revitalizing the retailer’s image.
“Target’s new chapter is all about fueling growth, and we’ll do so by playing our own game and making big changes to delight our guests,” Fiddelke told investors during the company’s Q4 FY2026 earnings call.
These price cuts are among the first of those big, delightful changes.
Target’s efforts to win back the “busy family”
Fiddelke may only be a few weeks into his tenure as Target (TGT) CEO, but he hasn’t wasted any time getting started on a turnaround plan.
“Many changes guests will see and feel right away,” Fiddelke told investors on the earnings call earlier this month.
“In fact, if I were to step back and draw a heat map of the entire store highlighting where we’re making changes this year, you’d see more change to what we sell and how we sell it than you’ve seen in a decade.”
Related: Target is making 4 big changes to win back customers
One of the key things Target executives are focused on is better defining and serving their target customer.
“We’re getting crisper on the guests who power our growth,” Fiddelke told investors.
“These guests are united by mindset,” he continued. “We refer to this group as busy families, and it’s one where we see outsized strength in sales and loyalty.”Cara Sylvester, Target’s executive vice president and chief merchandising officer, says the items included in this massive discounting scheme are all products used and appreciated by this “busy family” customer base.
“Busy families are thinking about value as they begin to update their homes and wardrobes for spring,” she said in a statement.
“We’re delivering by lowering prices on 3,000 spring favorites across apparel, essentials, and home. We’re committed to making it easier than ever for guests to have the fresh style and incredible value they love, with lower prices on the items we know they want.”
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New price reductions will include items in:
- Apparel: Women’s and kids’ styles
- Home: Bedding sets, blankets, and sheets
- Shoes: On-trend footwear options including flats, sandals, and sneakers
- Everyday Essentials: Baby items, household essentials, and pantry staples
Source: Target
Is a Target inventory overhaul in the works?
In line with this increased focus on its “busy family” customer base, Target has hinted that a major inventory overhaul may be coming.
“Our performance over the last few years has not met expectations, and that is on us,” Sylvester told investors earlier this month.
Related: Target removes popular products from its shelves
“We lost the clarity and the discipline that make Target a place loved by busy families,” he added.
One of the main ways Target hopes to reestablish that clarity is through its merchandising authority and an increased focus on curated product categories.
“We’re doubling down on our design ethos across our products and experience,” Fiddelke told investors. “We’re leaning into curation with an acute focus on blending style with value. And we’re creating an experience that feels elevated, seamless, and importantly, human.”
Sylvester outlined plans to lean into categories like homeware, beauty, wellness, food, and baby over the next year.
By focusing on its private-label products and trusted national brands including Bugaboo and Doona, the company hopes to offer a “fresh” and “delightful” shopping experience to customers, transforming your next Target run from a chore “to a joy.”
Related: Target stores face deeper issues than new CEO realizes
