Target Corporation and Ulta Beauty have announced a strategic, long-term partnership to transform the beauty landscape with Ulta Beauty at Target. The “shop-in-shop” concept will offer established and emerging prestige brands online and select Target locations nationwide beginning next year.
Target and Ulta Beauty, two retail leaders that have excelled in expert curation, omnichannel engagement, and guest-centric experiences, will together create a new way for beauty enthusiasts to discover exciting prestige brands. The partnership brings Ulta Beauty’s best-in-class beauty authority to millions of guests who love the ease and convenience of Target’s one-stop shopping experience. It also provides beauty brands an opportunity to expand and grow in a new, industry-leading omnichannel retail experience.
“The durable strategy we have built has made Target a top retail destination. The ease and convenience of our stores and fulfillment services provide broad reach and relevance for the curated brands our guests love,” Brian Cornell, chairman and CEO, Target, said in a press release. “In partnership with Ulta Beauty, a company that shares our deep guest focus, we are able to expand our growing beauty business with new, exciting brands, an immersive experience, and loyalty benefits to transform how our guests shop for all their beauty needs.”
“Ulta Beauty at Target reflects further evolution in our omnichannel strategy, rooted in unlocking the potential of our physical and digital footprints, creating more seamless shopping opportunities for our loyal guests and continuing to lead the beauty industry. More than ever before, now is the time for innovation in retail,” Mary Dillon, CEO, Ulta Beauty, additionally added. “This partnership is an amazing way to further reimagine guest experiences with a partner who shares our company values. We are thrilled to bring our beauty expertise, unparalleled assortment and digital innovation to life in a new channel to delight and deepen loyalty with our existing guests and introduce Ulta Beauty to new guests.”
What is Ulta Beauty at Target
Ulta Beauty at Target will debut at more than 100 Target locations starting in 2021, with plans to scale to hundreds more over time. The planned locations will complement Ulta Beauty’s current store footprint, welcoming new guests to the brand and building upon Target’s existing assortment of beauty options.
The distinctive, branded shop-in-shop will operate as an extension of the welcoming Ulta Beauty experience, mirroring the retailers’ existing stores and designed to discover established and emerging prestige brands. With approximately 1,000 square feet of retail space, Ulta Beauty at Target will be prominently located next to the existing beauty section.
To bring Ulta Beauty’s industry-leading expertise and established guest-centric experiences to life, the company will train newly hired Target team members to serve as experts on prestige beauty offerings, aligning to Target’s focus on providing guest service with deep product expertise. The shop-in-shop is expected to be enhanced with Ulta Beauty’s immersive, in-store digital discovery tools such as GLAMLab, a virtual try-on tool that provides safe trial across beauty categories.
Guests who shop Ulta Beauty at Target online will enjoy free shipping available for qualifying orders as well as Target’s industry-leading, same-day fulfillment services, Drive Up, Order Pickup and Shipt same-day delivery at participating store locations. As always, Drive-Up and Order Pickup are free on all orders.
The online experience on Target.com and the Target app will reflect the elevated Ulta Beauty experience’s look and feel for an immersive, engaging way to find beauty favorites and new products. The Ulta Beauty at Target assortment will be available on Target.com and in select stores in the second half of 2021.
Reaching New Audiences
Noting that nine out of 10 beauty enthusiasts were excited about the concept during focus groups, Dillon told WWD that the deal’s point isn’t necessarily to gain access to new shoppers but to gain a larger share of the overall beauty wallet.
Together, the two leading retailers have more than 100 million active loyalty program members across Target Circle and Ultamate Rewards. In addition to bringing guests enhanced offerings and expertise, the partnership will seek to create compelling, integrated opportunities to harness the power of these loyal guests and reward them when they shop at Ulta Beauty at Target.
The partnership between Ulta Beauty and Target is set to redefine beauty experiences, create new opportunities for guests and brand partners, and strategically and collaboratively lead the retail industry forward.
