Photo courtesy of Target
Target has been engaged in a sustained turnaround effort for some time now, with mixed results. As of late, however, certain data points appear to support the suggestion that this turnaround is finally gaining traction, per Placer.ai's The Anchor.
Although 2025 was a year termed as difficult for Target by Placer.ai's Shira Petrack, 2026 may represent a tipping point in the retailer's favor. Weekly visits between February 2 through March 22 improved by 6.6% to 10.3% YoY, "suggesting that the company's turnaround strategy – which includes improving its product assortment and in-store experience – is beginning to deliver results," Petrack wrote.
Target also experienced increased foot traffic during its most recent Circle Days promotion, with visits being up 2.9% and 5.9% versus 2024 and 2025's comparative figures, respectively.
With Momentum on its Side, Target Makes Play for Market Share in Baby Shopping
Early last month, Target made it clear that it was entering the baby goods market in a big way. Baby Boutique, an in-store department dedicated to serving the needs of newborns, infants, and toddlers, was slated to be deployed to nearly 200 stores throughout March -- with brands such as UPPAbaby, Bugaboo, Stokke, and Doona being headlined. In-store events and activations, in addition to a personalized one-on-one Baby Concierge service pilot are also part of the push.
A separate Placer.ai report issued by Elizabeth Lafontaine highlighted that Target could be pushing into the retail white space opportunity left behind by the closure of buybuy Baby.
"Target’s shopper profile looks very similar to that of buybuy Baby during its operation. Specifically, the share of visits by Wealthy Suburban Families, Near Urban Diverse Families and Ultra Wealthy Families are all very closely aligned between the two chains, indicating that Target’s strategy could easily entrench itself with today’s consumer," Lafontaine wrote.