Walmart and Target shoppers slam ‘uninviting’ remodel claiming new colors make them ‘depressed’

CONSUMERS have slammed two popular retailers for redesigning their stores.

One shopper said Walmart and Target’s design rebrand looks “depressing” and “uninviting” on a public forum – many consumers agreed.

Walmart

Walmart

“Does anyone else find the new design of Walmart and Target to be ugly? How could that be fixed?” they asked on Facebook .

“It’s very uninviting,” commented one user.

“Yeah, I think about the newest Target store around here,” said another. “Not crazy about all the gray. I like the store locations where they still have a lot of red.”

“Modern Walmarts feel more like warehouse stores, it’s just big and bland,” echoed a third.

“Target still feels like a discount department store, and they do a much better job with merchandising and end caps,” they added.

MISSED THE MARK

In 2022, Target debuted new larger-format stores featuring a modern design, as they called it in the press brief.

TARGET

“The retailer’s larger footprint stores optimize additional space and new design elements to better serve its guests and team members and drive continued growth,” the press brief stated.

“The new store design features more modern elements that will inspire guests, advance Target’s sustainability goals and reflect each store’s local community.”

As part of the redesign, the retailer said there will be larger windows and a more inviting layout to bring in natural light.

Target announced that it hoped to create a “welcoming” and “inspiring” space for guests and team members.

The chain also planned to pull in community-focused elements to each store’s design .

This could include anything from “native landscaping” outside the store to “localized product offerings” within the store.

Starting in 2023, more than half of Target’s 200 full store remodels and almost all the retailer’s approximately 30 new stores will include elements of the new design.

In 2024, all of Target’s remodels and new stores will feature the majority of the reimagined store design elements.

Major Retail Rebranding

Walmart

• In 2023, Walmart announced the re-grand opening of 117 remodeled stores across the country, an investment of more than half a billion dollars in 30 states.
• The retailer said they’ve invested over $9 billion in the past two years to upgrade more than 1,400 stores across the country.
• Each store is designed to deliver a more modern shopping experience and improve the lives of its associates and customers from the moment they step into the new space.

Target

• In 2022, the retailer optimized additional space and new design elements to better serve its guests and team members and drive continued growth.
• The new store design features more modern elements that will inspire guests, advance Target’s sustainability goals and reflect each store’s local community.
• Starting in 2023, more than half of Target’s approximately 200 full store remodels and almost all the retailer’s approximately 30 new stores will include elements of the new design.
• Beginning in 2024, all of Target’s remodels and new stores will feature the majority of the reimagined store design elements.

MORE RETAIL CHANGES

In October 2023, Walmart announced a re-grand opening to celebrate more than half a billion dollars in upgrades to stores.

“We’ve invested over $9 billion in the past two years to upgrade more than 1,400 stores across the country,” the press brief stated.

“Each store is designed to deliver a more modern shopping experience and improve the lives of our associates and customers from the moment they step into the new space,” they added.

The retailer has also introduced revamped exteriors and interiors featuring “new paint, new signs and more shopping carts, creating a friendly, welcoming atmosphere.” Target has completely changed its storefront as well with a new checkout design based on customer feedback.

Walmart

Walmart

Additionally, Target has implemented “activated corners” that offer customers a hands-on experience with items so that they can touch, feel, and visualize how a product would work in their own space.

While neither retailer has explicitly stated any upgrades to their store colors, consumer said they have noticed the difference.

The U.S. Sun has reached out to Walmart and Target for comment.

Meanwhile, shoppers have slammed Walmart on social media due to its elimination of self-checkout and refusal to implement Apple Pay .

And Target has implemented a new self-checkout policy , limiting shoppers to 10 items or fewer in these lanes.

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