Target Announces November/December Comparable Store Sales Down 3% – Target (Jan 18, 2017)

This is Target’s preliminary press release for fourth quarter sales, which provides November/December comparable sales data in percentage growth terms, and the picture isn’t great. Comparable store sales were down 3% year on year for the last two months, and even though digital (online) sales were up 30%, that couldn’t make up the difference, and total transactions were flat while fourth quarter revenue will be down. The reason is that digital sales still make up only a tiny minority of Target’s overall sales – 5% in the 2015 holiday season, so a lower share than e-commerce’s overall share of US retail sales. That number will certainly be higher for 2016, but it highlights the challenge all big brick and mortar retailers have to face in Amazon: even if they’re able to match its strong growth in online sales, their physical retail operations still take an even bigger hit.

via Target 2016 Holiday Sales Press Release

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• Amazon
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• Amazon Dominates E-Commerce

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