Strengths:

1. Brand Legacy: Target’s over 60 years of history and its strong brand portfolio enhance its appeal through brand recognition and loyalty. This history helps in establishing trust and reliability among consumers for quality, value, and style, reinforcing its “Expect More. Pay Less.” promise.
2. Market Presence: Target has a strong presence in the US market, with nearly 2000 stores. Therefore, it benefits from a wide market reach, allowing it to tap into diverse consumer bases and mitigate risks associated with market fluctuations in specific regions.
3. Wide Range of Products:   Target’s diverse range of nearly 50 owned brands across every major category provides a competitive edge through distinctive product offerings.
4. Enhanced shopping experience: Continuous investment in capital, time, and infrastructure support the scalability and efficiency of Target’s operations. The effectiveness of Target’s store-centric fulfilment model contributed to the growth of same-day services by 278% in the first quarter of 2020. 
5. Community-oriented: Philanthropy is a core value of Target Corporation, which is evident from its program sponsorships and donations. Since 1946, the Target Foundation has been distributing 5% of its profit (4 million each week) to the local communities towards kids’ education, food drives, disaster preparedness, and relief efforts.

Weaknesses:

1. Expensive: Target charges about 15% more for groceries compared to Walmart, their biggest competitor.   
2. Store-Centric Approach – In the digital age, retailers have embraced an e-commerce-first approach. Even though Target is one of a few retailers that has benefited from the rise in online shopping, a decline in brick-and-mortar sales is countering the profits made online.
3. Complex Supply Chains: Managing a vast owned brand portfolio requires complex supply chain operations. Target heavily relies on third-party suppliers which can be vulnerable to disruptions.
4. Limited International Presence: A flop in Canada in 2015 due to operational missteps, Target has yet to tap into international markets.

Opportunities:

1. Columbus Differentiation: Columbus is a city that loves its pride. The Short North District is known for its vibrant arts scene, diverse community, and strong local business presence. Target will tap into this sentiment by integrating Columbus-owned brands, into its product lineup, reinforcing its commitment to supporting local enterprises and artisans thus becoming a part of the community fabric. 
2. Shoppers are willing to switch brands: In a 2023 study, it was found out that 70% of consumers are open to trying different and niche brands for products they regularly buy. A timely trend for the Columbus superstore offering a plethora of local new products and brands for the customers to explore.
3. Technological Innovation: Target continues enhancing supply chain operations for increased efficiency, speed and capacity, including next-day delivery through sortation centers, and using artificial intelligence to drive improved inventory efficiency and forecasting across its network.
4. E-commerce Growth: Integrating owned brands into its online platform with limited edition incentives can attract a larger online consumer base, tapping into the growing trend of online shopping.

Threats:

1. 1. Market Saturation: Target faces the risk of cannibalization within its own product lines as it grows its portfolio of owned brands.
   2. Economic Downturns: Uncertainty in the economy can result in lower consumer spending, especially on non-essential items, which might affect sales.
   3. Local Competition – Target operates in a highly competitive and low-margin industry. Its major competitors like Walmart, Costco, Kroger, Home Depot, etc. have numerous stores located in Columbus, Ohio, thus impacting the overall market share.  
   4. Changing Consumer Preferences: It might be difficult to maintain the owned brand portfolio in line with market expectations given the quick changes in consumer behavior and tastes, such as the demand for sustainable and ethically manufactured items.

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