'Shop-in-shop' departments to debut in 2021

MINNEAPOLIS — Target plans to complement its beauty offerings with “shop-in-shop” Ulta Beauty departments in select stores, beginning next year.

“We couldn’t be happier about bringing these two trusted brands together to redefine retail beauty experiences,” Target chairman and CEO Brian Cornell said in a statement. “This matchup brings Ulta Beauty’s coveted prestige beauty assortment, category expertise and guest loyalty together with Target’s high-growth beauty business and the ease and convenience of our industry-leading fulfillment services.”

The new shop-in-shop destination will complement Target’s own beauty assortment, making a new curated collection of established and emerging prestige brands available to shoppers at Target stores, according to the companies. The sections will begin rolling out at 100 Target stores nationwide in 2021, with hundreds of additional locations slated to be added in the coming years. Target also plans to add an immersive online version of the shopping experience to its Target.com e-commerce site.

“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,” Ulta Beauty CEO Mary Dillon said. “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.”

Ulta Beauty at Target

Ulta Beauty at Target departments will operate as branded, distinct shop-in-shop outlets within Target stores, next to Target’s existing beauty departments. The sections will measure about 1,000 square feet.

An early concept rendering of a planned Ulta Beauty at Target department.

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. The sections will be staffed by newly hired Target team members trained to serve as experts on prestige beauty offerings, aligning to Target’s focus on providing guest service with deep product expertise, according to the companies.

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 look and feel of the elevated Ulta Beauty experience 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 Guests

Together, the two leading retailers have more than 100 million active loyalty program members across Target Circle and Ultamate Rewards. 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 aims to build on Target’s efforts to reinvent its beauty business in recent years, by expanding its assortment and creating an engaging in-store shopping experience, moves the company says have generated strong category sales and market share gains.