Boycotts Inflicting a Full Year of Losses for Target

The Target Corporation released its first quarter 2017 earnings statement and reported a drop in comparable sales for the fourth consecutive quarter.

Since Target’s announcement in April of 2016 welcoming men to use women’s restrooms and fitting rooms based on how they feel, the retail giant has been unable to stem the loss of customers who would rather not do business with a company that has aggressively promoted the liberal agenda.  It appears that conservative movements like the American Family Associations’ #BoycottTarget campaign [https://www.afa.net/target], 2ndVote’s #AnywhereButTARGET campaign [https://www.2ndvote.com/anywherebuttarget/], and many others have staying power and customers are simply turning to alternative options for their shopping dollars.

An article in The Wall Street Journal last month explained how Target’s leadership has been unable to undo the damage and suggests that CEO Brian Cornell has never had the situation under control:

Mr. Cornell, 58 years old, expressed frustration about how the bathroom policy was publicized, and told colleagues he wouldn’t have approved the decision to flaunt it, these people said.  Target didn’t adequately assess the risk, and the ensuing backlash was self-inflicted, he told staff.  Now, it was too late to reverse course.  “You can’t take it back,” said one of these people, adding that Mr. Cornell “felt very stuck.”

The latest quarterly earnings report showed a 1.3% decrease in comparable sales from 2016 citing “declines in both traffic and basket size.”  These declines seem to fall in line with an earlier statement by Cornell that blaming a poor Christmas season performance on “unexpected softness in our stores.”

2ndVote’s Executive Director Lance Wray issued a statement addressing Target’s woes:

Target’s financial support for liberal organizations like the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) shows they care more about the LGBT movement’s political goals than they do about their investors or customers.  However, Target’s dismal sales numbers are evidence that customers would rather do business with companies that do not promote the left’s radical agenda.

Indeed, 2ndVote’s research indicates Target is one of the most liberal companies in the country having supported LGBT activist groups like HRC, the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, and GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation).  And Target’s advocacy isn’t limited to sexual orientation and gender identity politics; Target helps fund liberal policy positions on immigration, the 2nd Amendment, and even environmental issues.

At the end of the day, Target’s past 12-months should be a warning for any company aligned with the activist left.  Conservatives are showing they don’t want their shopping dollars to end up funding an agenda that doesn’t match their values.

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel