Mom goes digital

Target must possess consumer research indicating moms want consumer electronics and entertainment products this Mother’s Day. The retailer featured a range of opening price-point items on the cover of its circular this past week, including a $129 Kodak camcorder, a $146 TomTom navigation device, a $139 Nintendo DS bundle and a $79 Kodak digital camera. The company also offer a gift of a Soap & Glory bath set to customers who purchased the Kodak camcorder, TomTom or a Apple 8GB iPod nano. The emphasis on consumer electronics and entertainment continued on the first five interior pages, where a $279 Sony Reader digital book$599 Can EOS Rebel digital camera, a $249 Ninento Wii and $229 Apple 8GB iPod touch were among the pricier items featured. Target also offered a collection of $11.88 CDs and DVDs ranging from $9.98 to $19.

The emphasis on electronics and entertainment is an interesting promotional strategy on the part of Target, since those categories are not typically top of mind when it comes to Mother’s Day gift-giving. That distinction remains with traditional categories such as flowers, jewelry and dining out, according to recent research by the National Retail Federation.