In 2021, I was hired as an omnichannel advisor by PSK Collective to help streamline the Target+ standard operating process (SOP). Since then, I have improved many processes by bringing in new partners and strategies to strengthen product confidence and support growth.
The Target+ team has been excellent when it comes to supporting attribute updates. That is one of the reasons I enjoy recommending Target+ to clients. Let’s get started.
Target+ Intro
On February 25, 2019, Target joined the marketplace movement by launching Target+ Marketplace. Target+ is integrated directly into Target.com to offer customers a broader assortment of products.
Target+ Marketplace is an invitation-only platform, which means only select third-party retailers are allowed to sell there. That exclusivity helps maintain a higher-quality shopping experience for customers.
For third-party sellers, Target+ offers several important benefits, including:
- Increased visibility: Target.com attracts millions of monthly visitors and has a very loyal customer base.
- Increased sales: Target is a trusted and established retailer, which makes customers more likely to buy from sellers on the platform.
- Omnichannel software support: Using an omnichannel system can reduce setup costs and labor while allowing you to connect additional marketplaces through the same workflow.
If your company is interested in selling on Target+ Marketplace, you can apply at https://plus.target.com/.
Apply to Target+
You are more likely to be accepted to Target+ if you control a large part of the supply chain, such as manufacturers, distributors, co-packers, or contract manufacturers. The larger your product assortment, the easier it becomes for Target+ to support a stronger long-tail assortment strategy.
If you applied and did not hear back from Target+ after 30 days, and you already followed up without any response, you can email me your company history and product assortment. If I feel your brand is a strong fit, I may be able to help make an introduction.
Integration
Once you are accepted and begin onboarding, you will need to connect with Target+ through an API. At the moment, I would list 3 to 5 strong integration partners, including:
- Sellercloud
- Acenda
- ChannelAdvisor
An omnichannel software platform allows sellers to manage inventory, product data, pricing, and order fulfillment across multiple channels from a single dashboard. Below is a simple example of how the integration flow works. Keep in mind there are many smaller steps involved in product setup and order processing.
My preferred integration partner is Acenda because it offers easier onboarding and a cleaner user interface than ChannelAdvisor or Sellercloud. If you are in fashion or CPG, Acenda is often an even better fit. In future articles, I will explain the differences between the main omnichannel cloud-based e-commerce platforms in more detail.
In future Target+ articles, I will also cover specific issues and show technical examples of how to improve listings. That way, you can better understand what is needed to grow sales on Target.com.