Shop Talk

Grab that shopping cart – you’re going to need it.

To lure post holiday shoppers this year, Target has scrapped its typical plan of stocking its stores with exotic home goods sourced from across this globe.

Instead, it has cleared out the Christmas trees and holiday lights to make room for a mini warehouse club.

Target is stocking 12-packs of giant up & up paper towels for $13.49, and 24-packs of triple roll Charmin toilet paper for $17.99.

Mixed in with the bulk-sized packages, Target is putting in “treasure hunt” items  — a tactic used at No. 1 U.S. warehouse club giant Costco. It will be selling Ed Hardy handbags and shirts for between $34.99 and $64.99, and Ralph Lauren polo shirts for boys and girls for less than $25.

But Costco doesn’t have to worry about Target becoming a direct competitor – at least not yet.  Kathee Tesija, Target’s executive vice president of merchandising, told Reuters the retailer will only offer what it is calling “The Great Save” until February 21. But if you’re lucky and that supersized package of Charmin is a hit with shoppers it might just wind up in Target’s normal product assortment.

(Image provided by Target)