If you’re looking for unique items at Target, you might find yourself wondering if you can ship products from Target to Canada.
Target is another brand that has a large following in Canada. The US-based retail chain has a significant presence in many countries.
Sadly, not every item you can purchase on Target’s website can be shipped directly to Canada.
This makes it hard for Canadians to access their products north of the border.
This article will guide you on making the most out of your Target shipping experience and getting everything you want from the online store.
Does Target Ship To Canada?
No, Target does not ship directly to Canada at this time. However, with package forwarding, you can easily ship your Target orders to any address in Canada hitch-free.
How to Ship Target Orders to Canada
It has been a disappointment for many Canadians when they could not order from Target.
Target.com, the American retail store, doesn’t ship to Canada. But you can still get your hands on the products from this store by using some simple tricks.
You can order from Target and quickly deliver your orders in Canada. Here’s how you can do that:
1. Select A Shipping Forwarder
A shipping forwarder is an agent that handles international shipping details, including consolidation and labelling of shipments.
They will often consolidate shipments from various shippers, consolidate them into one container, and then ship them to their final destination.
Shipping forwarders also assist in getting documents required for international shipments prepared and organized.
When choosing a shipping forwarder to use for your business, consider their location and proximity to your suppliers’ locations as well as the services they offer.
Also, look for a company with experience in shipping products like yours. For example, if you sell sporting goods, choose a company that has experience shipping sporting goods from different countries rather than just books or electronics.
By finding the best shipping forwarder, you’ll get all the logistics handled for you. Find out what is involved when selecting a shipping forwarder so that you can better understand what they do!
2. Register With Forwarder’s Site
Now that you have a suitable shipping forwarder, you will need to register with the platform. You can leverage benefits such as tax-free shipping.
After registering with the platform, you will be provided with a shipping address based in the US. This is a virtual address and not your actual address where your product needs to be shipped in Canada.
You can use this address while placing your order on Target.com. The parcel will be delivered to this new US-based address by Target.
Your shipping forwarder will receive your parcel and ship it to your actual Canadian address once it arrives at their warehouse.
3. Place An Order and Pay
After registration, you can place your order at Target by entering your shipping forwarder’s address as the destination.
Note that you will have to pay in US dollars. You can create one during checkout if you don’t already have an account with Target.
4. Forwarding Package
After you place an order and make payment, your package will be forwarded to a Canadian address of your choice. You can also select a suitable shipping method.
When the package reaches the shipping forwarder’s warehouse, you will be notified via text message, email, or other means.
They will make sure that it is packaged safely and securely. They will also notify you to ensure that the products are what you ordered.
5. Wait for the Delivery
On the day of delivery, you will receive a text message or email from your shipping forwarder with the delivery details. That way, you can be ready to meet up with the delivery person in time.
You can also track your package on their website by entering the tracking number they provide you with.
From this point, it can take anywhere from 3 to 4 business days for the shipping forwarder to deliver it to your address.
Why Target Failed In Canada
Target’s Canadian failure is a case study of how even the most successful companies can fail when taking their business to a new country.
As a retailer, Target’s success in the United States proves that it is good at what it does.
But what went wrong for Target? How could an American retailer dominate the US market but fail so miserably in Canada?
Based on my research, here are some of the significant reasons why Target failed in Canada:
1. The Pricing was Higher than the US
The problem was that many Canadians were already familiar with the Target brand and products.
Therefore, they were excited to have Target Canada in their country, but the excitement quickly turned to disappointment as Canadians realized Target Canada was not a discount store.
Target’s prices in Canada came out higher than expected, confusing customers who had seen their low prices advertised on television and social media.
Some items had no price difference from what was sold at traditional grocery stores in Canada.
What did not help matters was that Target had a reputation for low prices in the United States, so Canadian consumers expected the same thing in their market.
Many Canadians were willing to pay a premium for a US-based brand, knowing that often products are not manufactured by the actual brand.
But unfortunately, the pricing strategy of Target Canada was not aligned with their overall strategy of positioning themselves as a discount retailer (or “cheap chic”).
2. Target Opened its Stores in a Rush
Target did not take time to get acquainted with the Canadian market before entering it. One of the most critical factors they overlooked.
They entered Canada underprepared. They only did a limited amount of market research in Canada and underestimated the differences between the US and Canadian markets.
Another major issue was that Target opened stores without fully stocking them. This meant that shelves were empty, and customers could not find many items they wanted.
Also, many goods considered essential to Canadians were not stocked due to their belief that they would not be popular.
3. Poor Location Choices
When Target first arrived in Canada, it was greeted with a great deal of enthusiasm. Target came to Canada with a single-minded goal: rapid expansion.
In 2013, Target opened 124 stores throughout Canada. Just two years later, they closed all of their Canadian stores. What went wrong?
Target’s quick expansion into Canada was far too rapid, and they failed to take into account the differences between American and Canadian markets.
Target’s expansion into Canada was extremely aggressive, opening 124 stores in less than a year and a half with plans to open more by the end of 2014.
With such a rapid expansion, Target could not have taken the time to research their locations before choosing them.
Many of these locations were close to existing retailers established for decades.
Target did not do market research on Canadian consumers or competitors before expanding into Canada.
Target failed to consider the differences between Canadian and American markets when deciding where to open their stores.
The company should have thoroughly analyzed each location by examining demographics and their competition.
4. Target Underestimated Walmart and Local Competition
Target’s decision to estimate the Canadian market without considering the country’s competition and culture was a costly mistake.
The company failed to understand that Canadians had been shopping at Walmart for years. Innovation is crucial in a market where you don’t have the first-mover advantage.
Target failed to acknowledge that Walmart and other local stores sell discounted goods lower than Target.
They didn’t have any advantage over these competitors regarding pricing, so they lost sales to these stores.
Canadians preferred shopping at big box stores like Walmart because they could find everything they needed under one roof.
Instead of bringing in more goods, Target stuck with their original plan to sell only apparel and home goods.
In doing so, they lost sales to other grocers because people couldn’t find groceries at Target.
5. Target was OverAmbitious
Target expected to have a great deal of success in Canada. They had already achieved success with their American stores and we’re confident that they would happen in Canada.
But their expansion into Canada was overambitious, and they overextended themselves before they had even made a mark.
Target opened 124 stores in 2013, with plans to open more. As a result, although its sales numbers grew, their profits fell.
Target did not consider the specific needs and desires of Canadians. They relied too heavily on their success in America.
Perhaps if they had better listened to their customers and adapted to their needs, they could have been a much greater success.
6. Poor Management
Due to the rush in opening the stores, the company didn’t have time to train store employees about how this new system worked.
As a result of these rushed efforts at hiring employees, the company was struggling to keep shelves stocked with merchandise.
Also, this lack of training was a significant contributor to poor customer service and did nothing to alleviate the negative perception that Target was just another big box store.
The lack of training wasn’t just limited to front-line staff. Senior management made some poor judgment calls regarding assortment and pricing, which led to poor sales performance.
7. Constant Supply Issues
Target was supposed to be the saviour of Canadian shoppers. The expansion of Target into Canada was expected to put downward pressure on consumer prices and offer consumers more choices in the market.
Unfortunately, things didn’t work out that way. They have a poorly executed supply chain management plan. Several factors contributed to Target’s supply chain woes.
For one thing, its products were slow to come into Canada. In addition, many products were ill-suited for shipping via container ship from overseas.
Some were too big for containers, some too large for store shelves, and some items were simply not suited to Canadian tastes. This resulted in empty and poorly stocked shelves in Target stores across Canada.
Because of this, shelves weren’t always stocked with the products customers wanted at the time they wanted them.
Customers weren’t pleased with these empty shelves, and some shoppers even refused to enter an empty store.
8. Poor Checkout Experience
In-store shoppers and online shoppers were affected by Target’s failed Canadian expansion.
Customers could not pay for items and receive their receipts, rendering their shopping experience entirely ineffective.
When customers try to buy a product at Target, they expect it to go smoothly. The checkout process was supposed to be streamlined, allowing customers to purchase products quickly without problems or glitches.
Target should have regularly tested it with their customers to ensure their checkout process worked properly.
If they invited their customers to try out their checkout process, they could have fixed any glitches and ensured their customers were satisfied with their shopping experience.
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to give up your favourite store because it doesn’t ship to Canada directly.
There are many ways to get Target products shipped to Canada, and a shipping forwarder may be the best option.
Prices may vary by carrier, but a Shipping forwarder offers additional benefits such as, creating shipping labels at your request and notifying you when your order is ready for pickup.
Why not make the best of this unfortunate situation and order some great stuff? Now you can do that seamlessly.
RECOMMEND READING: How to Sell on Amazon Canada
FAQs
How much does Target charge to ship to Canada?
In addition to the shipping fee, you will also pay a flat-rate fee of $10 CAD per box sent from Cross Borders, along with any duties and taxes that may apply.
When did target stop shipping to Canada?
In April 2015, Target, the retail giant, closed all 133 Canadian stores because of severe cash flow problems.
Why did Target fail in Canada?
Since Target aimed to open many stores, former employees have explained a backwards system where they relied on the success of the brand and the existing location to make sales predictions.
Are there targets outside the US?
Target has offices worldwide, too, including Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Their team is also across more than a dozen offices around the globe.
