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://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.

"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.

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.

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

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.

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.