An unbeatable battle brewing
The latest salvo in the ongoing battle for low-price perception has Target this week promising “performance at unbeatable prices” on its C9 by Champion sportswear lane. What makes that simple phrase noteworthy is Target’s use of the word “unbeatable.” Walmart has attempted to make the “unbeatable” proposition its own through a national print and electronic advertising campaign and extensive in-store efforts with hundreds of oranges and white signs with the word unbeatable. The company also offers a price-match guarantee, as long as customers can produce a local competitors’ printed ad showing an identical item. Given Walmart’s high-profile emphasis on unbeatable, Target’s use of the word in its most recent circular appears both conspicuous and intentional and signifies an escalating effort on Target’s part to get more credit for prices it has long contended are as good or better than Walmart’s. An even more aggressive effort involves the new “low price promise,” which began appearing on new and remodeled stores this summer.