[bootlegga]

Target liquidation sales could start Thursday, retailer seeks court approval

$1:

TORONTO — Liquidation sales at Target’s Canadian stores could begin as early as Thursday.

Target Canada will seek court approval Wednesday to allow a group of liquidation companies to start to sell off the contents of its Canadian stores.

The U.S.-based retailer announced last month that it will be closing all 133 of its Canadian stores and laying off more than 17,000 staff, just two years after its highly anticipated launch north of the border.

The company took over old Zellers stores and opened in Canada in March 2013, but failed to deliver on customer expectations.

Shoppers found higher prices than in the U.S. and nearly bare shelves due to problems with the distribution chain.

In explaining the decision to close its Canadian stores, chief executive Brian Cornell said he didn’t expect Target Canada to reach profitability until at least 2021.

Target Canada has been granted court protection from creditors and is now in the process of winding down its operations.

In addition to its remaining inventory, the furniture and equipment will also be sold during the liquidation sale.

Court files specify the liquidation companies are not to advertise the sales as “bankruptcy” or “going out of business” sales.

http://business.financialpost.com/2015/ ... -approval/

[martin14]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/target- ... -1.2940749


The CBC story gives a bit more human insight.

Can't say I would blame anyone for anything that happened over the next few weeks,
it's a terrible way to treat people.

[DrCaleb]

martin14 martin14:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/target-canada-s-liquidation-sales-add-to-worker-chaos-1.2940749


The CBC story gives a bit more human insight.

Can't say I would blame anyone for anything that happened over the next few weeks,
it's a terrible way to treat people.

$1:

"Stores have experienced a spike in unjustified absences," notes Target Canada operational updates sent on Jan. 27 and 29. Those emails also warn that workers off sick can be required to bring a doctor’s note "to justify their absence."

It adds, "failure to present a doctor’s note can result in corrective action."
Holiday Shopping Colorado

Some Target Canada workers have told CBC News they're upset because they're not getting a severance package. Target is paying most employees for at least the 16 final weeks, but they may have to work for the entire period.

"People have been calling [in sick] because there’s really a lack of motivation. You’re losing your job in a certain amount of time and there’s no severance, there’s no taking care of you," a Target Canada management employee that we are calling David told CBC News.

I've never shopped at Target, and with luck, I never will.

[ShepherdsDog]

I've only ever shopped at ones in the States. On sort of an aside, I shopped at a Walmart super-center in Xiamen.....I wondered where they bought all their 'cheap' crap from.

Should mention they have two.

[2Cdo]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

I've never shopped at Target, and with luck, I never will.

Been in a Target once. The quality of goods they had made the old Zellers look like some high end fashion shop on Savile Row.

[DrCaleb]

2Cdo 2Cdo:

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

I've never shopped at Target, and with luck, I never will.

Been in a Target once. The quality of goods they had made the old Zellers look like some high end fashion shop on Savile Row.

I have to wonder at all the retailers who insisted that I wanted cheaper and cheaper products in order to justify the crap they were importing. Guess no one was buying it, now that they are going under.

[andyt]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

I have to wonder at all the retailers who insisted that I wanted cheaper and cheaper products in order to justify the crap they were importing. Guess no one was buying it, now that they are going under.

Not exactly. The market has divided between low end and upper end - the middle is gone. Many people have no choice but to shop at the low end, so places like Walmart do well. Target just blew it by thinking the market here is just like the US, coming on too big all at once so they had supply problems.

Was in the Bay recently, and wasn't particularly impressed either. All the old middle class places seem to be gone or doing under.

I shopped at Target when I lived in the US in the 90's. STill have a US made kitchen knife I bought there. At the time they had good quality stuff for good prices. Everything seemed to be made in the US, not just at Target but all the stores. Don't know what it's like now.

[DanSC]

The store brand food is great; head for that first.

[DrCaleb]

DanSC DanSC:

The store brand food is great; head for that first.

In Canada, their food was purchased though Sobeys' I think. It won't be going anywhere.

[DanSC]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

DanSC DanSC:

The store brand food is great; head for that first.

In Canada, their food was purchased though Sobeys' I think. It won't be going anywhere.

No wonder they failed

[DrCaleb]

DanSC DanSC:

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

DanSC DanSC:

The store brand food is great; head for that first.

In Canada, their food was purchased though Sobeys' I think. It won't be going anywhere.

No wonder they failed

Sobey's is one of the better places to get food. Always good stuff, not the B grade crap that place like Walmart or Loblaws sells.

[DanSC]

Ah, didn't know that. When you said "It won't be going anywhere," I thought you meant it wouldn't be coming off the shelves.

Don't mind me I'll just be over in the corner...

[DrCaleb]

No worries. I meant the food Target sells will still be there long after Target is gone.

[herbie]

Food? They had bugger all food for sale. May have had milk, but fewer food items than Zellers.

[bootlegga]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

2Cdo 2Cdo:

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

I've never shopped at Target, and with luck, I never will.

Been in a Target once. The quality of goods they had made the old Zellers look like some high end fashion shop on Savile Row.

I have to wonder at all the retailers who insisted that I wanted cheaper and cheaper products in order to justify the crap they were importing. Guess no one was buying it, now that they are going under.

We drop by Target every few weeks and about the only cheap crap we bought at Target was some stuff from the bargain bins by the doors for birthday loot bags. Mostly we bought mid to high end products (Dyson hot/cool fan, assortment of child safety seats and other kid related things) from Target. When I compare it to Zellers, which almost NEVER had the stuff I wanted, I think Target was quite a bit better.

One problem with Target was that so often their supply chain couldn't deliver enough of the sale items and loss leaders in their flyers, leading to the perception that the shelves were empty. But every Target I went into in Edmonton always had full shelves, it was just here or there that stuff was missing.

The Financial Post surmised that announcing which stores they would open was a killer - because it motivated competitors to get their act together:

$1:

Canada’s biggest retailers, including Loblaw, Canadian Tire, Walmart and Costco, made several early decisions to protect their territory — from expanding their store networks and venturing into web sales to refurbishing tired locations. The spectre of Target’s arrival lit a fire under their metaphoric behinds that sparked a flurry of countermoves in the industry.

http://business.financialpost.com/2015/ ... in-canada/