Target expands curbside to over 1,400 stores

Target announced an expansion of its curbside or “Drive Up” service to over 1,400 stores on Monday.

“We’re well on our way to making Drive Up available in most Target stores by the end of the year,” said Dawn Block, senior vice president, digital at Target. “We know guests want same-day services, and we’re eager for even more guests to be able to try Drive Up — our fast, top-rated service.”

This expansion from the Minneapolis-based discount store retailer came on the heels of its Shipt direct delivery announcement last Thursday. It’s the latest move by Target, which has been aggressively expanding delivery and curbside in an effort to compete with the likes of Amazon and Walmart.

Customers using Drive Up can order via the Target app and select Drive Up at checkout. Target notifies customers when the order is ready for pickup and the store is alerted when customers are on the way. There are designated spots for Drive Up customers. Drive Up is available for the first time in New Jersey, Delaware and Connecticut.

Online fulfillment remains a cornerstone of Target’s growth strategy.

“We’re seeing a really positive guest response to our same-day digital fulfillment services, which drove well over half of our digital sales growth in the quarter,” Target Chairman and CEO Brian Cornell said during the company’s first-quarter earnings call in May.

Related:Shipt delivery now offered directly via Target.com

 “Our ability to offer the same-day services, which deliver a high level of satisfaction, is a result of our strategy to put stores the center of fulfillment,” Cornell continued. “In fact, our stores handled more than 80% of our first-quarter digital volume, including all of our same-day options combined with digital orders shipped directly from stores to guest homes.”

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