Observed Signal · Jul 2, 2026 · Platform Expansion · Source: Retail Dive · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Target Expands Target Plus with Major Brand Additions
Target expanded its invite-only Target Plus third-party marketplace, adding brands including Forever 21, Clarks and JanSport, along with beauty and home partners such as LovelySkin, Serta, JLab and Hisense. The retailer said it used the marketplace to accelerate assortment growth in trending categories — notably Korean beauty — and that Target Plus brands now make up over half of its K-beauty assortment. Chief Digital and Revenue Officer Sarah Travis described the expansion as intentional and guest-focused. Target noted Target Plus originally launched in 2019. Chief Information and Product Officer Prat Vemana said the company uses AI agents to help screen and summarize marketplace seller applications for analysts.
Target’s Target Plus expansion increases third-party assortment and brand reach (notably K‑beauty), which affects e-commerce assortment dynamics and retail commerce opportunities for brands and advertisers; it also signals continued marketplace-driven growth for a major retailer.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Target added brands to its invite-only Target Plus marketplace including Forever 21, Clarks and JanSport.
- Target also added new marketplace partners and assortments from LovelySkin, Serta, JLab and Hisense.
- Target Plus brands now account for over half of Target’s total K-beauty assortment.
- Target Plus launched in 2019 as a curated, invite-only marketplace.
- Target uses AI agents to analyze and summarize marketplace seller applications, per Chief Information and Product Officer Prat Vemana.
Connected Companies & Entities
2 Entities mapped“Target has expanded its third-party marketplace with the addition of Forever 21, Clarks, JanSport and more....”
“The retailer’s invite-only marketplace growth also includes new beauty offerings from LovelySkin, as well as home and entertainment merchand...”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Target K-Beauty Studio Expands Retail Reach
Target has launched its Beauty Studio, replacing former Ulta Beauty shops in its stores, featuring over 1,600 products from 90 brands. The retailer significantly expanded its K-beauty assortment, quadrupling it with more than 150 new products from over 10 new brands. The Beauty Studio includes six K-beauty brands, five of which are new to Target, such as Amuse, Kaja, Rom&nd, Dr. Melaxin, Purito Seoul, and Sungboon Editor. This move reflects a broader shift of K-beauty brands into mass retail, as they previously depended on specialty retailers like Sephora and Ulta. Target aims to meet growing consumer interest in K-beauty by offering accessible prices and innovative products. However, the new assortment has been criticized for its lack of Black-owned brands, with only two identified among the 90 brands.
Target Beauty Studio Includes Almost No Black-Owned Brands
Target is launching "Target Beauty Studio" on Sept. 10 in more than 600 stores and online, a curated assortment of over 1,600 products from 90 largely new-to-Target brands that replaces former Ulta shops. Modern Retail found only two brands in the 90-brand list that appear to be Black-owned or -founded: Briogeo and Glamazon Beauty. Target says the collection emphasizes global brands and that nearly 40% of the brands were founded by "diverse" founders, but it did not define that term. The limited representation of Black-founded brands has renewed criticism of Target’s post-DEI changes, supplier engagement and its historical relationships with Black entrepreneurs; industry consultants urged transparency and potential commitments such as the Fifteen Percent Pledge.
Target Q2 Sales Rise; Beauty, Hardlines Lead
Target reported second-quarter net sales of $26.5 billion, up 5.3% year-over-year, with comparable sales up 3.8% and traffic rising 3.6%. Net earnings improved to nearly $1.9 billion. Merchandise sales increased 5% and non-merchandise sales grew 20%, with the strongest category performance in hardlines, beauty and food & beverage. Target raised its full-year net sales guidance to around 5% and disclosed a 27% jump in capital expenditures to $1.4 billion driven by store remodels and 17 new store openings. The company also finalized the end of its shop-in-shop partnership with Ulta Beauty and plans to reveal its own Beauty Studio concept in Q3.
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