Report: Target promotion with Neiman Marcus not off to spectacular start; in-store execution lacking

New York -- Early reports indicate that Target Corp.’s holiday promotion with Neiman Marcus is not off to the spectacular start that many industry experts had expected. The promotion includes some 50 gift items featuring works of 24 well-known designers from Marc Jacobs to Diane von Furstenberg to Judith Leiber.



“We were disappointed by in-store execution. The collection was tucked in the back of the store, shelves were full and messy, and we saw little traffic.” said Citigroup analyst Deborah Weinswig, in a MarketWatch report. Weinswig visited Target in New York.



In a Target store in suburban New Jersey (Clark), the collection was in the rear of the store, close to the fitting rooms. The apparel part of the collection was tightly packed together on display fixtures.



In the MarketWatch report, J.P. Morgan analyst Christopher Horvers sounded a note of optimism, and noted the collection, which officially launched on Dec.1, occurred at a time when there is typically a lull during the holiday shopping period. He said several items on Neiman Marcus’s website were listed as sold out.