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Q&A with Target

Target

The Importance of Content Health

A behind-the-scenes look at how suppliers can help Target create the best guest experience using their content.

As one of the leading retailers today, Target has stores in all 50 US states and the District of Columbia, with nearly 3 in 4 people living within 10 miles of a Target store. For suppliers, Target is a valuable retailing partner.

Target’s mission is to help families discover the joy of everyday life. This requires a great deal of coordination between people and technology to make this a reality. For suppliers, this means helping Target present their products in the most accurate and engaging way, both online and in store.

We spoke with Shea Dunn, Sr. Content Process Analyst and Tom Margot, Manager of Catalog & Content Syndication, to get a behind-the-scenes look at how suppliers can help Target create the best guest experience using their content. Here are a few frequently asked questions we have come across related to Target’s content program.

Q: Why has Target implemented new technology for suppliers to provide their content

A: [Tom] Target has made a lot of investment into the tools vendors use to create and maintain data on content. And I think we have a lot to be proud of, but as we look at how we want to grow, we need more and more automation to support our vendor partners. Partnering with providers, like Syndigo, help us both achieve our goals and those of our vendors by making it easier to set up and maintain item data and content.

Q: What steps has Target undertaken to improve their guests’ content experience?

A:  [Shea] Our purpose is to help families discover the joy of everyday life. We want every part of our guests’ experience to help create that feeling, from in store to online. This is why Target expects our vendors and partners to maintain a Content Health Score of 80 or above. Good content health supports the Target Purpose. Vendors should reference their Content Health Scorecard, POL resources, and partner with their category content planners to ensure they are maintaining this standard.

Q: What are the important things to remember when submitting content?

A:  [Shea] The Partners On Line portal should be the first resource to find content guidelines, requirements, and answers to other general questions. In addition, the Content Health Scorecards are another tool to help determine the content types that are the highest priority for bringing into compliance.

Q: Beyond the basics, what can suppliers do to drive more engaging guest experiences?

A:  [Shea] Highlight the unique features of your product. What sets it apart? What problems can it solve for our guests? How can it create a sense of joy?

In addition, consider the different or some special ways to highlight the product’s benefits. For example, if there are demonstration videos or customer reviews that support your product claims, our guests will find that helpful.

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