After testing it at a handful of schools last year, Target is expanding a program that allows college students to order items online and then to pick them up days or weeks later at a store near their campuses.
The college order pickup program will be up and running at 300 stores this year, potentially reaching about 70 percent of the college population, according to the Minneapolis-based retailer.
The pilot program at six universities last year was "overwhelmingly positive," said John Mulligan, Target's chief operating officer, so the company decided to roll it out more widely this year.
After customer feedback, Target made some changes such as increasing the number of eligible items from 300 last year to more than 3,000 products this year. Now besides dorm furnishings, lamps and fans, students also can order toothpaste, laundry detergent and boxes of Cheerios.
"We bundle it all up and have it sitting there waiting for you," Mulligan said. "They just swing by the store."
To further entice students, Target is giving customers 15 percent off their orders if they use the college pickup program. The discount does not include electronics.
The pickup window also has widened this year, with orders being taken until Sept. 1 and order pickup available through mid-September.
"It's a neat idea," said Brian Yarbrough, an analyst with Edward Jones. "A lot of retailers are trying to get more creative to compete with Amazon and the world of online shopping."