Walmart rival turns heads with genius retail partnership

If you've been out and about shopping recently, you've probably noticed a few changes. 

If you've been looking to go to a big box store, for instance, you've probably noticed that there are a lot more of them around your area. 

That's in part because the 2020s have been marked by great consolidation. Larger corporate retailers have been able to snap up smaller competitors that struggled to survive during the lockdowns of 2020 and the high interest rates that followed. 

And that's only the beginning. Once you're at one of those big box retailers, you probably see other changes, like priority parking for customers who choose to pay for their goods in advance and pick them up curbside. 

Inside those stores, you might notice more security guards to help curb the uptick in retail theft or organized retail crime. Many retailers are also adding more self-checkout kiosks, since finding and retaining employees is increasingly difficult.

Target has been making changes

One such retailer that has been trying to keep up with the myriad changes since 2020 is Target  (TGT) . 

The Minneapolis-based retailer launched its own paid membership program, intended to compete with Amazon Prime and Walmart 

The new Target Circle 360 membership affords customers with free and fast shipping, easy returns, grocery delivery, and automatic deals. 

Target has also been expanding its owned-brands category, which includes dozens of in-house labels often sold for cheaper than their competitors for similar quality.

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Many of these brands are billion dollar endeavors. 

Target's food brands, which include Good & Gather and Favorite Day, brought in of $30 billion in revenue in 2021.

Target inks new partnership

Target also collaborates with external brands to gin up excitement from its devoted customer base. 

It has worked with brands like Lilly Pulitzer and Diane Von Furstenberg to offer exclusive products and apparel, often at affordable price points, which sell out nearly instantly. 

And now, Target is announcing it has inked a deal with activewear brand Champion to bring over 500 products to its stores this year. 

Starting in August, Target will sell Champion branded items like activewear apparel, accessories, hats and bags as a part of the multiyear agreement. Most items are slotted to cost less than $40 and will be made for children and adults. 

"Drawing inspiration from Champion's rich history of more than a century in sports, the collection is infused with on-trend colors, exclusive premium fabrics, unique washes and detailed trims and unique Champion logo," Target writes.

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