Target To Canada Case Study

Target’s inability to adapt to Canadian consumerism culture proved to be their biggest communication error. Their strategy focused on mimicking American culture rather than building a business model dedicated to Canadian markets which created a perception that Target was not the company for loyal Canadians. Essentially, Target forgot to communicate how their brand is going to exceed the expectations of Canadians, as they focused solely on replicating their success in America
Errors in Adaptability
In order to magnify Target’s inability to adapt to Canadian markets, three reasons for their failure will be briefly discussed.
Firstly, Target aimed for growth but forgot to scale; opened many stores in Canada but neglected the maintenance of these stores. Low-inventory caused dissatisfaction amongst consumers who were unable to purchase daily essentials such as bread and milk which escalated their inability to adapt to Canadian markets because competitors such as Wal-Mart and Costco are known for their high-inventory and product abundance.
Secondly, Target failed to analyze why Canadians were crossing borders to purchase items in American Target stores. By providing Canadians with products already found in competing stores at higher prices, Target was unable to satisfy consumers who were seeking unique products at low prices, …show more content…
More specifically, Target would need to dedicate resources to develop their employees internally in order to promote work-life balance that Canadians strive to achieve. Additionally, Target would have to become socially aware by investing in opportunities that are focused on charitable benefits towards the community. This method seems most effective in the long run and helps Target build a reputation for themselves within the Canadian market intrinsic to their identity in this