Target’s latest designer collection from Missioni is something a bit different. Granted there’s not a lot available for guys so much, but for women, teens, kids, accessories, home decor and furnishings this might be a great time to stock up on some interesting items for gifting for holiday time– LONG after it’s gone.
That’s how I started out my post on Target’s Missioni Collections. I know that the commercials were running for at least a week ahead. I had heard about this new collection and seen EVERY photo of every product back in JULY!! While I knew that most wouldn’t wear the items as styled that there were many pieces that could be worked into almost anyone’s wardrobe plus fashion for children, accessories, home decor, bath and bedroom furnishing along with items for office and beauty were going to be hot. Little did we know that the motor that the online, TV, and print media were revving was creating a monster that most consumers –including us as the media– would rue.
Not every media person gets freebie aka samples of items from Target– though I write about Target and what I buy from them and how I work the *hi-low* look into my wardrobe. It’s pretty well embedded and the items that I get compliments on are often the lesser priced items that just set off the higher end ones that are more classic staples. The Missioni for Target was going to be on my list for purchase in very specific categories– mostly accessories like tights, headbands, jewelry. Maybe one clothing item- depending on what it looked like and I defnitely wanted some dinnerware.
Full Credits Agency:Peterson Milla Hooks Client:Target Creative Director:Dave Peterson T
The tip-off that something was wrong came on Monday 9/12 when someone I know on Facebook kept talking about these hot items that she *had* to buy from the collection and she was going to Target after work on Monday. People were posting links to ebay listings to items they wanted– which were the actual Missioni for Target items. When the person realized that I was indeed correct that the collection wasn’t on the floor until Tuesday AM (but somehow – in some stores in somme states hit the floor Monday night. Not so much in So. California).
Look at 8 AM Tuesday morning and see 30-40 woman waiting to make “Black Friday” rush through the store to scoop garments, accessories and housewares en masse. What the Target employees purchased was probably on Monday night OR held in the stockroom for Tuesday. (I didn’t spend mey time retail and not learn how to work the floor and how to merchandise. Staff snagged the best stuff in their size and put it in the stock and bought it with a discount. Who can blame them. ) The point is that Target *shorted* this order by the media ad blitz that they planned out many months ago and they knew that they weren’t going to have stock to last 3-4 weeks. They treated this like it was “Black Friday” –or Missioni Monday– and had more servers online with more tech staff up to speed on the demand that they were expecting. Also had enough staff trained and in place to handle the demand for these items. While this is a capitalist economy and laissez-faire does exist and I am part of it, I also wanted my shot at getting online and/or getting into a store to find something to buy within a day or two. Hence this post was running later after the launch of the collection to get you back into the store to see what new things had been added.
When I consulted friend and noted fashion designer Karen Starr DelloIacono (RTW, Denim and any accessory you can think of) about this situation, she clearly indicated that Target had this pretty much preplanned and KNEW it would happen after the launch of their pop-up store in NYC occurred right before fashion week. That store sold out in 6 hours. They knew that this collection was going to move fast and they knew it with enough time to warn consumers– and the press– so that people would be forewarned. That their site has crashed so many times tells me Target was not prepared. Finding things on Ebay for 3-4 times the retail cost is not exactly right– though it is within the capitalist framework. However whether it’s Target or Ebay that cracks on people buying goods that they obviously can’t wear, use or with the intent to resell at a seriously marked-up price against the consumer who hasn’t even had time to see it in the store or try it on. There is no return policy for Ebay if it doesn’t fit. Who’s going to pay $135.00 for a dress or a tote that you can’t see, touch, and look at in the mirror before you buy it.
What irks me most is that when I spoke to a friend the day of the launch as she battled through two different Target stores and found a few things in each– and more in the store that limited the quantity of items that a person could buy– she said that the quality was better than she thought it would be based on prior designer collections that she had seen. We compared notes on a variety of collections and pretty much had the same opinion that most of them designers were not all that great and that the quality had deteriorated over time. I remember the first collection that Target launched: Paul and Joe for Target because I met the designer of the collection and she actually helped me pick out items in the pop-up store on Melrose. I still have some a few things from that collection. I have a few things from various collections that went the distance but generally I wouldn’t buy most of the designer things because of irregular manufacturing.
I am glad that the Missioni fashions are popular but with most home decor, pillows, dinnerware and most everything within the Missioni collection out of stock online, it makes no sense to go hunt online for things to buy on the Target website that are still available. I would have to hunt about 10 Targets to find the dress I want for $50 in an XS. I refuse to pay the $133 that they are asking on Ebay. If I were going to buy on Ebay, then I would go to Bluefly and buy a GENUINE Missioni dress for under $250 rather than spend the $133 for a Missioni for Target. Let’s get a grip on the reality of how Target either grossly miscalculated the demand — but found out with enough lead time to adjust deliveries to stores to stretch the buying season for this collection– and didn’t do so. They created enough ill will on the part of consumers by handling this poorly and acting “so surprised” that they had sold out within less than one day. Crashing websites at least 6-8 times during the day is unacceptable for a company the size of Target. Would you accept from Facebook, Amazon, Nordstrom or even QVC without raising a hue and cry? I don’t think so.
The best way you can make your point about being disappointed with this launch is to 1) put it in writing, and say it by staying away from Ebay and refusing to pay extortionist prices for goods that are nice but not truly designer quality. Target is not Neiman Marcus. Does Target owe their customers an apology for this mis-step, maybe so. I just think that between Target and Ebay– someone has to be prepared for the negative fall-out. They knew what was coming and they knew that it was hitting Ebay before the launch — by at least 4-5 days. So where did the goods come from?
Lots to think about. Missioni family, hats off to you for creating an innovative collection and a great commercial. Target, get your retail act together. You wouldn’t do at Christmas — because you would lose customers. Did you think you could just do it NOW and no one would complain? What economic planet are you living on?
Stevie Wilson,
Stevie Wilson,
LA-Story.com
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