Toys “R” Us has found its holiday savior in Target.
The big-box chain announced today that it has joined forces with the toy retailer’s parent company, Tru Kids Brands, to facilitate the relaunch of ToysRUs.com ahead of the critical holiday shopping period.
The partnership has revived the Toys “R” Us product assortment on ToysRUs.com, with its digital and fulfillment services supported by Target. Shoppers, who can browse the e-commerce platform starting today, will be able to read product reviews and select merchandise and click on a “Buy Now at Target.com” button that would redirect them to Target’s website for purchase.
“Our U.S. strategy is to bring back the Toys ‘R’ Us brand in a modern way through a strong experiential and content-rich omnichannel concept,” said Tru Kids CEO Richard Barry. “The foundation of that strategy requires the help of a retail industry leader, and Target is the ideal retailer to support a new Toys ‘R’ Us shopping experience, which is designed to provide families with endless ways to discover, play and enjoy toys.”
The Toys “R” Us bankruptcy in March rippled across the retail industry, leaving billions of dollars in holiday toy sales up for grabs. Target was among the businesses that battled for the toy maker’s market share: It reallocated a quarter-million square feet of space specifically for toys in 500-plus stores across the country and has been updating more than 100 of its remodeled stores. The outposts will feature oversize displays for interactive experiences as well as a larger toy inventory and space to accommodate products such as playhouses and electric ride-on vehicles.
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“Target’s leadership in toys, digital and fulfillment are an unbeatable platform for Toys ‘R’ Us to reconnect with their fans while we introduce them to the ease and convenience of shopping at Target,” said Target SVP of merchandising Nikhil Nayar. “By applying our capabilities in a new way with Toys ‘R’ Us, we can serve even more toy shoppers, drive new growth and build on our toy leadership.”
The Minneapolis-based company will also lead e-commerce in the Toys “R” Us experiential retail stores set to open this fall at Simon Property Group’s Galleria mall in Houston and Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, N.J. At the smaller-format, permanent locations, customers will be able to view toys out of their boxes before making purchases. The retailer will also host brand demonstrations and provide access to on-the-ground play places.
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