• BlackPenguins@lemmy.world
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    1 day ago

    I don’t care how many CEO changes you do. I won’t shop there until DEI and LGBT products are back.

    Turns out go woke, go broke wasn’t a thing.

    • BussyCat@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      Where do you shop instead? Like it seems their main competitors are Walmart and Amazon who are both also really bad. I personally have been getting more stuff at Costco as they didn’t roll back DEI and by retail standards treat their employees really well

      • BlackPenguins@lemmy.world
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        Costco is another one. Home Goods, Marshalls, Kohls works too. Grocery shopping is Aldi, Price Rite, and Wegmans. I’ll do Walmart also as last resort. I know they’re bad but they are kinda the villain you expect. Target was that good guy that went evil that you know they could be better so the hope is a boycott shocks them back to the light side. I’m lucky enough to live in a medium city so I have a lot of options.

      • samus12345@sh.itjust.works
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        1 day ago

        They’re all evil, but Target REALLY leaned into the Pride Month for sales, then made a hard backtrack once fascists were in power.

        • BonkTheAnnoyed@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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          20 hours ago

          They did more than that, their bathroom got blown up by a religious nut over their inclusive bathroom policy, and they re-opened without changing their policy.

          They advocated internally for LGBTQ people especially trans people.

          That’s why this absolute cave, spinning about-face so fast they could start a fire without matches… this is so fucking dumb.

          And the people who see it are justifiably disgusted.

        • BussyCat@lemmy.world
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          1 day ago

          Well they did get sued for DEI lowering their stock price… by the government. That just seems like a sentence nobody should ever have to say because it would be comical if it wasn’t so sad

      • andros_rex@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        The real answer is locally owned grocery stores, which are mostly dead except for some Asian supermarkets.

        Walmart destroyed the idea that a grocery store was owned by someone who lived in your community.

      • gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works
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        1 day ago

        I will often still look for things on Amazon, but I try to find reasonable alternatives from Shopify. It’s not perfect, and shipping tends to be slower and more expensive, but I like the idea of not making Bezos more money when I can.

      • neuracnu@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        1 day ago

        Bad news about Costco: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/costco-not-sell-abortion-pill-mifepristone-its-us-pharmacy-stores-aug-14-2025-08-14/

        UPDATE (for additional context): Reportedly, Costco has never carried mifepristone, ever, and according to Costco’s own analysis, there has not been significant demand from Costco members to warrant adding it.

        https://www.seattletimes.com/business/costco-asserts-that-it-wont-sell-abortion-pill-mifepristone/

        For even more context, mifepristone is only ever meant to be administered under the direct supervision of medical staff. That doesn’t mean a doctor prescribed this pill for you to take at home, it means you only get the pill in a doctor’s office, with the doctor and staff there to care for you.

        People I know who have taken mifepristone confirm: it does fuck you up and you DON’T want to take it at home.

        • BussyCat@lemmy.world
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          1 day ago

          If you read the article it’s because it wasn’t selling and had nothing to do with politics

          • JBar2@lemmy.world
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            1 day ago

            Just to add to this, a low volume drug that is not taken regularly doesn’t fit in well with a company that specializes in selling products in bulk

            • Pieisawesome@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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              Pharmacies are weird when it comes to stocking stuff.

              There are medications that pharmacies just don’t stock cause they are too expensive or have too short a shelf life to have sitting around.

              So pharmacies are usually able to order meds and get them delivered in 1-2 days, regardless of their “normal” stock.

              For example, I worked briefly in the cash office at a grocery store and say daily sales, and the pharmacy would have days where they would “sell” $500k of medications versus their normal day of like $800.

              Turns out it was a cancer medication that cost like 500k a dose.

              Clearly the pharmacy never had that laying around and special ordered it each time…

              • faythofdragons@slrpnk.net
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                1 day ago

                Yeah, my pharmacy didn’t stock doxepin when my doctor trialed it for insomnia, and that’s just a normal antidepressant. It’s not one of the ones commonly prescribed, so there’d be no sense in stocking it just to gather dust.

          • neuracnu@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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            1 day ago

            Further reading gives additional context on that.

            https://www.seattletimes.com/business/costco-asserts-that-it-wont-sell-abortion-pill-mifepristone/

            Reportedly, Costco has never carried mifepristone, ever, and according to Costco’s own analysis, there has not been significant demand from Costco members to warrant adding it.

            For even more context, mifepristone is only ever meant to be administered under the direct supervision of medical staff. That doesn’t mean a doctor prescribed this pill for you to take at home, it means you only get the pill in a doctor’s office, with the doctor and staff there to care for you.

            People I know who have taken mifepristone confirm: it does fuck you up and you DON’T want to take it at home.

            • BussyCat@lemmy.world
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              The article has already had 2 retractions that clarify now that they never sold the drug and had no intent to because people generally get the medicine from their doctor.

              It’s like me asking you if you plan personally plan to sell lgbt t shirts out of your car and when you say no, because why would you be selling t shirts out of your car, I make an article claiming your are anti lgbt and are refusing to sell lgbt t shirts

    • PlantJam@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      until DEI and LGBT products are back

      I don’t care what they bring back, I’m never shopping there again. When someone shows you who they really are, believe them the first time.

    • hddsx@lemmy.ca
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      LGBT products? Does any non specialty stores sell LGBT products? Or do you mean Pride month?

      • BlackPenguins@lemmy.world
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        Yeah I was talking about their pride collection. They used to be loud and proud about that and then they placated terrorists on the right. This is coming from someone who is not LGBT but has friends in that community.

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        I think its worth questioning whether this has anything to do with DEI, or if its actually just that the economy is so bad that people cant afford to shop at Targét for overpriced garbaggio anymore.

        Every time I have ever bought anything at Target it just reminds me why I avoid ever buying anything at Target. Its Walmart for people with more money than sense. Its business model is built to fail in a recession economy.

        Not to mention, like you said, what exactly did they do differently when they had DEI policies. What LGBTQ products ever really existed outside of “Make Money off the Gays Month”

        • Prox@lemmy.world
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          1 day ago

          This shouldn’t be too difficult to suss out. Just look at Target’s biggest competitors and see if their sales are down, too.

          • ToastedRavioli@midwest.social
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            7 hours ago

            Per the WSJ this morning, Walmart’s sales are soaring higher and higher. So yeah, it seems like consumers are just wise to Target upcharging them for the same shit they can buy at Walmart

  • some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org
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    1 day ago

    CEO makes stupid and unpopular moves because Trumpism appears to be gaining steam. CEO takes it further once Trump is confirmed in election. CEO finds out that voter apathy is not the same thing as support: most Americans aren’t hateful bigots, they just aren’t politically active enough to stop the hate mongers. Profits drop. CEO gets golden parachute for fucking up.

    Isn’t corporate america great?

    • jj4211@lemmy.world
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      7 hours ago

      A simple lesson for business leaders, consistency of brand should be a priority.

      When you pivot to try to appeal to a ‘new image’, those coveted new consumers are not going to be eager to re-evaluate you in their favor anyway. So all you do is piss off the customers that you had successfully courted. As seen in many comments in this thread, it’s hard to turn back, the ‘new’ consumer base still doesn’t want you and the ‘old’ consumer base is pissed.

      Target really does not want to try to compete on prices/margin, so they can hardly afford to screw up this way.

  • jordanlund@lemmy.worldM
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    1 day ago

    Last time I was in a Target they literally had nothing for me to buy. Just aisles of useless merch. Ended up getting a drink because I was thirsty and that was it.

    No Xbox games, old PS5/Switch games, horrible book section, no movies to speak of, no decent olive oil… Just a bad scene.

    It’s like they aren’t competing with Walmart or Kroger anymore and are just trying to be a super sized 7-11.

    • uhdeuidheuidhed@thelemmy.club
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      I mean, these places are just grocery stores at this point. That’s all Target is for me.

      If I bought games, I would just buy them digitally or order a physical copy if for whatever reason that’s what I want.

      Books? Free downloads at anna’s archive.

      Movies? Free streaming sites and 1337.

      Olive oil…? Decent? Isn’t it all kind of the same thing? Lol. But yeah, that’s just a grocery item you can get anywhere else.

      They are competing with Walmart and Kroger, as a grocery store. That said, it’s not much of a competition because you can buy the same damn groceries at Walmart for cheaper than Target, always.

      • Lightor@lemmy.world
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        7 hours ago

        Not all olive oil is the same. That’s true for a lot of groceries.

        Also some people enjoy owning movies they like or buying them to support them.

        With your “order everything mindset” why but just order groceries too instead of going there?

        Just feels like you took your life and wonder why everyone doesn’t live that way lol

        • uhdeuidheuidhed@thelemmy.club
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          Hey man, you don’t have to get defensive because someone pointed out a better, cheaper way of doing things. Just feels like you’re insecure because you can’t tolerate someone promoting how to get things for free.

          We own what we torrent more than what we buy, because buying media usually involves some form of DRM.

          With your “order everything mindset” why but just order groceries too instead of going there?

          Weird thing to point out, but I never mentioned going there in person. I actually do order my groceries. This makes me further believe that you are insecure and grasping at straws because I dared to mention how I get better deals than you.

          You can start using your brain before your wallet at any time! But doing so would mean accepting that you’ve been getting taken advantage of up to that point, which I doubt you’re prepared to do.

          • Lightor@lemmy.world
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            Hey man, you don’t have to get defensive because someone pointed out a better, cheaper way of doing things.

            The thing is it’s not better, better is subjective. For a person that likes to collect media is pirating movies better? The ego on display here is crazy.

            I seemed to have triggered you because you think the way you do things is the best. It’s not, sorry to break it to ya.

            Just feels like you’re insecure because you can’t tolerate someone promoting how to get things for free.

            I get that dollars might be how you measure the value of every little thing, but to some people cost isn’t the only factor. Some people are willing to spend $10 to own a movie they like. But you would call them dumb, and if they explained why you’d call them insecure. Your stance is transparent.

            We own what we torrent more than what we buy, because buying media usually involves some form of DRM.

            And your assuming that matters to everyone. It doesn’t. Again you’re assuming what people should value like it’s some fact.

            Yeah the rest of your comments keep going into personal attacks. Lots of name calling and assumptions, seems to be a pattern.

            You can start using your brain before your wallet at any time!

            And you can start using yours any time. It’s easy. Just imagine people who think differently than you and what they might want or value. It’s called empathy.

            But doing so would mean accepting that you’ve been getting taken advantage of up to that point, which I doubt you’re prepared to do.

            Wow, so defensive. Either I agree with you or I’m being taken advantage of huh? Sounds like your ego is 90% of your personality.

            You’re way is not better. You just have too much who and pride to accept that others might value different things.

      • Berserker@lemmy.world
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        21 hours ago

        Not sure what you like consuming, but no, olive oil is not all the same. I’ve produced it several times.

  • Sir_Kevin@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    1 day ago

    It’s wild just how out of touch target’s leadership is with their own customer demographics. I’d have to assume the CEO hasn’t even stepped foot in one of his own stores to fail as hard as target has.

    • VitoRobles@lemmy.today
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      13 hours ago

      They bent over for trolls and snowflake conservatives.

      And guess what? Theyre not buying shit from Target either.

      You done fucked up both sides of the aisle.

      Activists and customers on the right attacked Target on social media for its LGBTQ-themed merchandise during Pride Month. Target employees faced threats. Misinformation spread on social media that the swimsuits designed for transgender people were marketed to children, which they were not. The company removed them from stores.

      There was a “strong reaction” to Pride merchandise and the response was a “signal for us to pause, adapt and learn,” Target said.

      But Target’s response frustrated supporters of gay and transgender rights, who said the company caved to bigoted pressure.

      https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/20/business/timeline-target-ceo

  • MightyPez@fedia.io
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    “Cornell will stay on as executive chairman.”

    In other words, he will run the board that the next CEO answers to. This is failing upwards

  • kinther@lemmy.world
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    Haven’t been in a Target in over a year. I used to stop in once a while… but they suck as a company.

    • ameancow@lemmy.world
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      I found boycotting Target to be quite easy, since I never shop there because they’re overpriced and the specialization of their selection is so incoherent that they’re largely useless.

      I went in for the first time in years recently, I needed supplies for a new place, they didn’t have showerheads or other bathroom staples that anyone might need. A whole ass aisle of shower curtains, but no showerheads or towel racks, things that the walmart across the street has huge selections of.

      • Pulptastic@midwest.social
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        22 hours ago

        We’re in a different boat. We get what we can from local shops and Costco, but some stuff our choices are Walmart or target, and that choice is obvious.

  • AreaKode@lemmy.world
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    1 day ago

    Turns out the citizens are mostly on board with DEI…

    But… but… I kept the fat and paraplegic models!

  • reddig33@lemmy.world
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    Well that took long enough. This guy has been running Target into the ground for years. Will the next CEO be any better, or just more of the same?

    Edit: Nevermind, the idiot is staying on as chairman. Nothing has really changed.

  • InvalidName2@lemmy.zip
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    I kind of agree with the general sentiment that maybe they should have selected an outsider. The DEI bullshit wasn’t just a “whoopsie” and Target has been declining for years, even if there was a lag in the official numbers.

    It’s been a long time since I looked at Target and saw a strategy other than “let’s wait and see what Walmart’s doing and then just do that”. Generally speaking, people who shop at Walmart expect (and in some perverse way demand) an ever shittier experience and drop in quality. I just don’t foresee a continuation of Target’s strategy from the past decade or so being a realistic long term strategy. Walmart, Amazon, and Dollar General will be the way of retail at this pace.

    Granted, I’m not Target’s target audience. I used to buy a lot of clothes there, then the quality on that dropped while prices shot up, so I just stopped. And I used to use their e-commerce site more often when they didn’t have third party sellers, but once they added those, there was no longer any differentiating or compelling reason to go there other than to buy something I could get $2 cheaper at Walmart, $4 cheaper on Amazon, or $8 cheaper on Temu.

    • BlackPenguins@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      Shopping at Target used to be a culture. It was seen as the upscale version of Walmart. Guests bragged about finding things at target and joked about getting lost in it for hours while browsing.

      • malloc@lemmy.worldOP
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        1 day ago

        I never understood this phenomena myself. Even during its prime. The entire b&m model was so outdated to me. I used to prefer shopping online via Amazon.

        Then they enshittified the platform, quality of goods dropped tremendously. Then the stories of poor treatment of warehouse workers and last mile delivery workers was the last straw to me.

        Now my retail shopping consists of preferring local groceries and trying to buy direct from brands that I like. I don’t even care about the free shipping anymore. It’s all a farce these days and it’s just an added cost to items now (even if you don’t return the item).

        • BlackPenguins@lemmy.world
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          1 day ago

          I love a physical store. Get some exercise. Walk around. Browse new products. Hold them. Try things on. Online will never replace shopping for me.

          • Lightor@lemmy.world
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            7 hours ago

            I know some people love this, I just don’t get it really.

            If rather walk around somewhere I can enjoy instead of somewhere that the only thing to do is buy stuff. Browsing and walking around, looking at things I don’t need, can’t afford, or don’t want, isn’t fun to me. I’d rather just research, find the best one, and get that one, then take my dog for a walk.

            No shade, it doesn’t hurt anyone, I just personally never got it.

    • malloc@lemmy.worldOP
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      Outsider won’t do much. Probably bring on the same MBA asshole like the Starbucks CEO that “super commutes”

  • Jo Miran@lemmy.ml
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    1 day ago

    When in Florida I can buy groceries at Publix, Walmart, Target, or ALDI. I avoid Publix for many reasons but I end up getting most groceries from ALDI and Walmart because Target simply doesn’t have shit. Their stores are not small, but the grocery segment are always an embarrassment.

    • redsand@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      Target does lean weirdly heavy into clothes and home goods now days. Their target customers must be a strange niche.

      • BlackPenguins@lemmy.world
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        They actually didn’t expand into produce until the 2010s. Until then it was just pantry items. I remember the remodel when I worked there.

          • bitchkat@lemmy.world
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            23 hours ago

            Could very location dependent and if the store is Target, Target Greatland or whatever their supercenter is called.

            They definitely had refrigerated goods well before 2010.

      • frongt@lemmy.zip
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        What? That’s what they’ve always done. They’ve been a combo department store and small grocer for decades. Their demographic is middle-class white women too snooty for Walmart but not so wealthy for luxury brands.

      • Jo Miran@lemmy.ml
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        Neil Saunders, an analyst at GlobalData Retail, said in a note to clients Wednesday. “Target, which used to be very attuned to consumer demand, has lost its grip on delivering for the American shopper.”

        They could have a very niche demographic or maybe their just out of touch.

    • Maeve@kbin.earth
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      Recently I had to choose between Walmart and Target for a couple of needed items. I would have preferred a choice of stores with actual values more closely aligned with my own, but alas, caparilism. I chose Walmart, because it was maybe a few pennies less and a half-mile closer to where I already was.

      • BlackPenguins@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        Making an effort is good. I do realize that it is unavoidable to completely boycott a place. But the point is to send a message. If they get $15 from me in 2 months instead of the usual $60 a week I’m doing right.

        • Maeve@kbin.earth
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          Thank you. I do think it counts, even if ourselves are the ones getting the message.

      • Cherry@piefed.social
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        Saying no 80% is still change. I struggle with feeling like I am not doing enough to change tides. But you are at least doing something and that’s better than nothing.

    • Hawke@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      Yes, so strange that a place that is not a grocery store has so few groceries …

        • Hawke@lemmy.world
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          The one that only mentions groceries to say “Around half of Walmart’s business, for example, comes from groceries.”?

          I mean, the fact is that Target is not a grocery store so why would you expect to find a comparable selection to Aldi or Publix?

          They have auto parts too but they’re not an auto parts store. They have furniture but are not a furniture store. On and on, they’re just not a specialty store. How is that an “embarrassment”?

          • Jo Miran@lemmy.ml
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            24 hours ago

            Let’s focus on comparing a Walmart Supercenter to a Super Target, which is what I have in my vicinity in Florida. They are supposed to be an apples to apples comparison in terms of business models. These include a full pharmacy and a full grocery store. Walmart Supercenter definitely delivers there while Super Target fails miserably.

            The fact that you say that Target is not a supermarket makes it clear that you are thinking of a standard Target. If that is what you have in mind then you need to compare that to a Neighborhood Walmart.

            The other problem that Target seems to have is that WalMart has made it a point to reorganize the majority of their stores into Supercenters, while Target has decided to maintain their large footprint store in the stock Target model that you have in mind. This is a major disconnect with the consumer, as the article states.

            I digress. The Target I was talking about is absolutely supposed to be a supermarket, and they suck at it.