Bullseye is ready for the holidays. | Source: Target

It’s shaping up to be a competitive holiday season and Target is looking to do some big business in the toy department.

The retail landscape has been challenging for the big boxes this year as inventory backlogs and inflationary concerns have taken big bites out of the bottom line. There is perhaps no better example of the impact than Target, which experienced a nearly 90% drop in profit for Q2. Now, they’re striking back with a multi-pronged approach to win with families this fall.

In a statement, Target said that it’s embarking on a “differentiated strategy to drive toy assortment growth” this season, starting with several major initiatives:

A selection of Target’s holiday toys. | Source: Target
  • Exclusive and Affordable Toys: The company says it’s curating more exclusive items at affordable prices to be paired with in-store experiences and partnerships.
  • Exclusive Collectibles: More than 150 exclusive collectibles will be offered at Target this season, the most in its history. Hasbro, Funko, McFarlane Toys, LEGO, Mattel, and others will contribute to the assortment.
  • LEGO Ideas Contest: Consumers will have a chance to submit product ideas in partnership with the LEGO Ideas platform. A winning design will be sold as an exclusive LEGO set at Target and LEGO Stores.

Related: The Fall Toy Preview Issue of The Toy Book Is Here!

On Target’s Q2 earnings call with investors and analysts, Executive Vice President and Chief Growth Officer Christina Hennington specifically called out toys as a bright spot for the Bullseye. “[We’ve seen] high-single-digit comparable growth in toys, an encouraging sign as we plan for the fourth quarter holiday season,” she said.

For additional insight into how the 2022 holiday toy season is shaping up at retail, check out this feature from the Fall Toy Preview issue of The Toy Book.

About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and Editor of The Toy Report, The Toy Book‘s weekly industry newsletter. As a pop culture and toy industry expert, Zahn has appeared as a panelist and guest at events including Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) Wizard World Chicago, and the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. Zahn has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, retail, and publishing industries, and is frequently called upon to offer expert commentary for publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, the Washington Post, and more. James has appeared on History Channel’s Modern Marvels, was interviewed by Larry King and Anderson Cooper, and has been seen on Yahoo! Finance, CNN, CNBC, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, CBS, WGN, The CW, and more. Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events family in 2016, initially serving as a member of the Parent Advisory Board after penning articles for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He eventually joined the company full time as a Senior Editor and moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief.

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