But that’s just the company’s most recent iteration. It’s easy: Target is a DTC brand, or more accurately, a family of DTC brands. So why are Target’s sales growing when Big Retail, in general, is on the decline? How can a big-box store thrive in an era when boutiquey brands are competing on Instagram among consumers and Wall Street alike? And why do I look at those two data points - iconic brand store closings and evolving consumer preferences - and come to the conclusion that Target is future-proof? Or better yet, buy the stock, which just hit an all-time high. Target’s shapeshifting abilities are awe-inspiring, and if I were a gambling man I’d bet the farm on the company. BullseyeĪny retail executive with the wisdom and humility to recognize that nothing lasts forever would be, well, wise to examine what Target has been up to. Today we’re going to examine Target’s adaptability and how they are future-proofing their business by learning from, and implementing, the DTC brand playbook. Adaptability is what has made me successful - and it’s what is making retail giants competitive in a world full of brand-first upstarts nipping at their heels. My main takeaway was that in 2019 the skill worth acquiring is the skill to acquire new skills. And today I’m leading content strategy at Something Digital and co-founding a media startup, Future Commerce. I keynoted the event and retold my story - how I have a non-linear career path that started as a homeschooler, into seminary, a dropout, traveling with my band for years, a graphic designer in print, to an award-winning multi-certified engineer in e-commerce. Recently I spoke to a crowd at Meet Magento UK, a gathering of 500 or so Magento merchants and technology partners, in London.

Retail planogram for intimates