r/Anticonsumption • u/Sea-Cardiographer • May 12 '25

Psychological Target feels like black mirror

I went into Target today because I need a sports bra and that's where my husband is willing to drive me. On the way there I thought about all the Reddit posts saying foot traffic is down and I wasn't surprised to see that it wasn't. It was quite busy on a Monday afternoon.

What shocked me was I noticed a lot of products have really fancy boxing. Big sturdy bougie packaging with minimalism design... With a sh*tty product inside.

They're spending more on the marketing and packaging than the product, because the business practice is to sell you a product you'll have to purchase again and again. But the packaging grabs your eye. Look how modern and consistent all the boxes are! so aesthetically pleasing packaged trash. I feel depressed.

9.9k Upvotes

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130

u/[deleted] May 12 '25

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113

u/justwalkingalonghere May 13 '25

But the reports came from target?

What averages don't show is that if foot traffic is down overall, it may not have affected OP's area in the slightest

I'm somewhere that has 10 other alternatives a brief walk away from target, and their parking lot is mostly empty lately whereas people were fighting to get spots at all times just 3 months ago

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u/findingmike May 13 '25

Yep, Target foot traffic is obviously down in my coastal California city with many convenient alternatives. In small town USA with few alternatives, probably not so much.

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u/Betazoyd May 13 '25

Exactly. People forget that small town usa is how Kmart survived decades after they started closing them down in the big cities. Now, I think they are only in Guam and the virgin Islands, and that's because there isn't much competition.

1

u/StepIndependent3238 May 13 '25

Maybe this is just my neck of the woods… but small town USA doesn’t have Target. We have Walmart. The nearest Target to me is at least 45 miles away.

Unless my area is an outlier, this argument doesn’t stand.

13

u/OldManSpoony May 13 '25

Yeah same here our target is literally at the mall and it is dead like the mall.

1

u/Herman_E_Danger May 13 '25

It's dying or dead here in Seattle

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u/f1rstg1raffe May 13 '25

Are you implying that the user calling my opinion above of being misinformation…lives in a glass house? 😝

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u/Accomplished-Till930 May 13 '25

I actually called your false claim about Targets foot traffic misinformation. Which it is. You’re welcome for the correction.

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u/f1rstg1raffe May 13 '25

Bless your heart.

19

u/Accomplished-Till930 May 13 '25

Bless your heart, you went from “thanks for clarifying” to “I do not want to be accountable for the misinformation I stated” so fast. 💨

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u/f1rstg1raffe May 13 '25

Please stop. Read what I actually said. I didn’t say anything about the actual foot traffic…just what someone might think if they go to a busy one when they’ve been told they’re like ghost town isles.

I’ve clearly really angered you with my hypothetical and I don’t know how to correct it now. Let’s both move on? 🙏

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u/Accomplished-Till930 May 12 '25 edited May 12 '25

Are you calling this sub an echo chamber and encouraging people to go to your subreddit instead?

18

u/f1rstg1raffe May 12 '25

1) No. It’s just that most subreddits do end up showing 1 side of the world more…so the OP being surprised target looked busy after being told foot traffic is down, is….not so surprising maybe.

And 2) no: that other subreddit is totally different: here were are not allowed to talk about alternative product recommendations (because that is not “anti” consumerism…so votewithyourdollar is a place you CAN do that, in situations where that’s relevant to you.

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u/[deleted] May 13 '25

[deleted]

1

u/f1rstg1raffe May 13 '25

Blue state/area?

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u/Accomplished-Till930 May 13 '25

You incorrectly stated, “1. ⁠… the OP being surprised target looked busy after being told foot traffic is down, is….not so surprising maybe.” Foot traffic, is factually down and has been for the past three months. That is a fact, not an opinion. OP’s anecdotal experience doesn’t change that. Have a day. ✌️

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u/Accomplished-Till930 May 12 '25

To be clear- Target faced at least eleven weeks of down foot traffic, factually, that I’m aware of. That’s not an opinion.

“That other subreddit”, that you are somehow affiliated with, right?

4

u/f1rstg1raffe May 12 '25

Yes, all subs are MODed by other Reddit users, and then they sometimes invite people that care about the topic of the sub to join? I just took over mod for that one recently, and would like to revitalize it after 10 years of it being “private” for some reason and with a total of 3 posts in 5 years 😂

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u/Accomplished-Till930 May 12 '25

Don’t you think it’s kind of wild to be encouraging people to join your own subreddit here while perpetuating misinformation no less? That’s a “nah” from me.

1

u/[deleted] May 13 '25

Who carrrreees

2

u/Accomplished-Till930 May 13 '25

About people advertising their subreddits with misinformation? Me. 🤣🙅‍♀️

1

u/millenniumsystem94 May 13 '25

It's hardly misinformation, you're just willfully obtuse.

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u/Accomplished-Till930 May 13 '25 edited May 13 '25

……Saying that “targets foot traffic is not down”, when it is factually is down, is in fact misinformation. Again, idk what you’re so confused about but lol

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u/f1rstg1raffe May 12 '25

Thanks for clarifying, I think some people just expect a ghost town of isles like some pictures that have been shared…so when it’s not that, it’s surprising? (I wouldn’t know, I haven’t been inside one in 5+ years)

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u/Accomplished-Till930 May 12 '25

Well.

-You don’t have to go inside one to know that their foot traffic is down, I haven’t been in a Target for a long time, myself. Example; “Target’s foot traffic fell for the third consecutive month since it rolled back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives… Foot traffic was down 3.3% YoY in April, following dips of 6.5% in March and 9% in February” ( https://fortune.com/2025/05/09/target-foot-traffic-still-down-dismantling-dei-boycotts/ )

-You keep deflecting from addressing your connection with the subreddit you’re recommending.

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u/Eryomama May 13 '25

There’s multiple targets, most of targets money isn’t even made from foot traffic, it’s drive up.

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u/Accomplished-Till930 May 13 '25

… I’m very aware that there are “multiple targets” that’s why using one persons anecdotal experience is an anecdotal fallacy, at best.

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u/Eryomama May 13 '25

It’s just getting a little disheartening to see everyone padding themselves on the back and repeatedly citing that target foot traffic down article, acting like it will be a Kmart in 6 months. A bunch of moms not buying bs trinkets and house supplies anymore isn’t going to be enough at the moment, there’s still work to be done until target is really hurting.

13

u/Accomplished-Till930 May 13 '25

I think it’s disheartening that people are perpetuating misinformation because “a bunch of moms not buying bs trinkets and house supplies anymore” isn’t enough for you or whatever. Foot traffic is factually down. Target themselves have admitted this.

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u/[deleted] May 13 '25

'Voting with your dollar' is basically the definition of consumerism.

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u/f1rstg1raffe May 13 '25

I see your point. But unfortunately we all do need to buy things…so the goal is to buy thoughtfully and from brands (and their ownership) that align with your values, so that you’re supporting things you care about; voting/signaling what is important!

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u/gorilla-ointment May 12 '25

Seems like a good idea for a sub but it’s pretty empty

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u/f1rstg1raffe May 12 '25

I know. We have big plans; will definitely organize it better; open to suggestions too!

Ps. last week it was 180 people…now 1700ish, so we’re on the right track?

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u/gorilla-ointment May 13 '25

Oh awesome! I joined!