Team up with Shopify to improve your marketplace

Shopify will be coming to the Target Plus marketplace soon.

Target Corp. and global e-commerce entity are joining forces to expand in a digital marketplace where even major players such as Amazon and Walmart are struggling.

The partnership will add a hand-selected selection of brands using Shopify’s e-commerce services to Target’s five-year-old marketplace. Target will also be bringing some Shopify brands to its brick-and-mortar stores in the coming months.

Harley Finkelstein, president of Shopify, said: “The stakes for merchants are to be wherever customers are, and as the world’s leading retail operating system, we make it easier and more accessible for brands to sell directly to customers through the best channels. Partnering with Target helps fast-growing brands like Caden Lane and True Classic reach millions of new loyal customers and take their businesses to the next level.

Shopify sellers in the United States can use the service’s Marketplace Connect app to apply to sell on Target Plus, which boasts its e-commerce edition.

Cara Sylvester, executive vice president and chief guest experience officer at Target, said: “Target Plus invites consumers to explore a curated collection of products from suppliers we trust so they can shop our selection with confidence. Our partnership with Shopify expands the range of thoughtfully designed and affordable products that can be discovered and enjoyed within Target’s signature mix of brands shoppers love.”

Target Plus offers over 2 million products and includes over 1,200 brands, including Ruggable, Crocs, Maui Jim and Timberland, selected by Target’s internal team.

In a Q&A on Target’s website, Prat Vemana, the company’s chief digital and product officer, cited research by electronic marketers that found retail markets are expected to account for more than 30 percent of all e-commerce growth over the next three years.

“Digital marketplaces are a game-changer for the industry because they enable retailers to provide consumers with much more choice without having to stock those products,” Vemana said. “But it’s important to understand that most digital marketplaces are designed to offer buyers everything they could need, without many barriers limiting quality and value. For some retailers, it’s about high demand and product movement.”