Target has big plans for smaller stores – in 2012, the major retailer opened the first location in its chain of revolutionary shopping spots for urbanites. The smaller CityTarget stores are nestled in between large buildings, offering big-city dwellers the full Target experience on a much smaller scale. The key difference between CityTarget and regular Target stores lies in its product packaging.

(Image Source: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/)

Retail packaging at the smaller CityTarget locations is modified to meet the demands of the average, on-the-go urban consumer. It simply isn’t practical for pedestrians and professionals to talk around city streets with bulky boxes and large containers. Imagine trying to hail a cab while toting around a case of water, family-size boxes of cereal, big bags of pet food, and bottles of cleaning products. The likelihood of all your groceries fitting in a taxi, Uber car, or subway train is already slim. Walking home with heavy goods sounds even more burdensome.

Companies that choose flexible retail packaging options for their products can reach a whole new demographic of city shoppers and pitch their goods to a new chain of retail stores. CityTargets are already seeing a lot of foot traffic, and a new location is set to open in Boston at the end of the month. These stores are located in densely populated urban areas like Chicago and Los Angeles, and the demand for portable goods in small packaging is at an all-time high for shoppers.

Target is making a smart move by adding a slimmer version of its big-box store near train stops and popular shopping centers in big cities. Narrow aisles and checkout lines mean shoppers are moving fast, and producers must take this into account when designing their flexible retail packaging.

You’ve got three to four seconds to grab a customer’s attention, and slim packages, like kraft stand up pouches and bags for liquid, allow colors to pop while fitting nicely on smaller store shelves.

Packaging that takes up less space also means more of your items in the store. Smaller shops in busy, sprawling metropolises bring in more customers and more eyes on your offerings. Companies need to adjust their packaging strategies and work with a flexible retail packaging supplier to help make the transition from large, bulky boxes and bottles to smaller pouches and bags that can fit on the shelves of innovative stores like CityTarget.

Many Target shoppers are loyal to the store and their preferred brands. Companies can switch to more convenient, modern means of delivering their goods – just like Target has – by thinking about the city-living customer and what he or she really needs. Big containers of lawn fertilizer, for example, aren’t going to be stocked in this kind of store. Brands now have an exciting opportunity to roll out new products and well-designed flexible retail packaging for CityTarget locations around the country.

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