Target is the second largest general merchandise retailer in the United States, boasting nearly 2,000 stores nationwide. According to Target’s Corporate Fact Sheet the median age for shoppers is forty, and over half of its consumers are college graduates. Target’s displayed purpose is to deliver not only value, but a total guest experience in attempts to live up to their brand promise “Expect More. Pay Less.” The first store opened in 1962, declaring possession of high style at discount prices: “It’s smart to look so great when you spend so little.” The emphasis on bargain shopping minimized social class distinctions; granted, money will always be the determining factor when considering how many items will be purchased. Since its foundation, …show more content…
Target has a very distinct type of wardrobe portrayed on its racks; it is easy to spot the store’s dominant style and it exclusive contracts with manufacturers. These sensory cues give the store a sense of place within society, and influence the particular social status of its inhabitants; it is very clear the shopper is not at Walmart. Although there is a variety of ethnicities portrayed in advertisements, it is a formerly shaped idea of a middle class lifestyle that is being sold. According to Zurkin, the rise of incomes and a newly found sense of entitlement encouraged shoppers to believe that buying products for their quality was something they could and should do. Consequently, brand names appeared to be the best assurance of quality without eliminating the need for standardization in a newly mass producing society. Culture shapes what people want by controlling their ability to take action; available actions are generalized, and people are left with a variety of prepackaged decisions. There is freedom of choice, but one must choose from what society deems suitable. Dominant groups, whether they are aware or not, have the ability to infuse social and even moral values into tastes. These value instilled tastes, coupled with the use of consumer goods, have created lifestyles and ideas of self based on merchandise. Dominant groups are able to label the good in society, and often solidify the interests of institutions. Meanwhile, they support the idea that tastes are individualistic and not determined by society. Consequently, the reproduction of tastes has influenced the manner in which people behave toward one another. According to Zurkin, in a universal store like Target, what consumers buy is the same for everyone; but, it can never be forgotten that money regulates how much merchandise is purchased. Judgements of style often lead to