Target to Add More Apple Shop-in-Shops for Holiday Rush

Target announced earlier this week that it's doubling the number of “Apple at Target shop-in-shop experiences,” expanding from 17 to 36 stores in time for holiday shopping. The new concept, which launched in February, doubles Apple’s footprint in select Target stores and brings displays for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods, the HomePod mini, Apple TV, AppleCare and other accessories together in one space. Target’s tech employees also are trained by Apple. The mini Apple stores that opened in February include five Texas and four Florida locations along with one location apiece in California, Delaware, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania. The new Apple shops are coming to 19 stores in three states. Texas is getting the Apple update in nine stores, Florida in seven stores, and Minnesota in three stores.

Total Retail's Take: Target has been aggressively partnering with national, well-known brands, including Apple, Disney, and Ulta Beauty, in an effort to drive traffic into its stores, particularly in a post-pandemic environment. It's long-held true that retailers' omnichannel customers are its most valuable customers. With that in mind, Target is seeking to entice its new digital customers into its stores with sough-after products, including Apple electronics. And it's not surprising that Target is expanding its Apple shop-in-shop footprint as the holiday shopping season ramps up, a time when sales of consumer electronics spike.