Target Store Changes: Order Starbucks, Make Returns Curbside, And More

More changes are coming to Target’s (TGT) curbside Drive Up service, allowing customers to stay in their cars and still take advantage of what the retailer offers in-store.

Target said it plans to roll out Starbucks ordering from the Drive-Up from Cafés inside its stores, in addition to making shopping returns directly from their car.

Both options will not require a membership fee or a pickup window, which may be a subtle dig at its competitors – Amazon and Walmart, which have membership fees for its Walmart+ and Amazon Prime services.

Target said the new features will be available at stores in select cities this fall with more locations coming in 2023 and beyond.

The Starbucks curbside order feature, which has been a top request from customers, according to Target, will be done through the retailer’s app and delivered alongside a store order or return to the shopper’s car, CNN reported.

Target also plans to expand its backup items service with more product categories that include beauty and household essentials. The backup items feature allows for substitutes or a secondary choice should the shopper’s first choice become unavailable for food and beverage orders.

According to CNN, Target has “successfully substituted backup items 98% of the time” since it has been in use.

“Adding Starbucks ordering and easy returns, while expanding our backup item options, will give guests even more of what they love about shopping at Target, quickly and easily,” Mark Schindele, Target’s chief stores officer, said in a statement.

Target offers curbside pickup for online orders, expanding recently into fresh and frozen groceries and alcohol pickup curbside through its Drive Up service.

The same-day online services that Target grew by 60% in Q3 2021, and 200% in the period a year ago were driven by the pandemic, CNBC reported.

Target is slated to deliver its fourth-quarter earnings on Tuesday.

As of Wednesday at 12:52 p.m. EST, shares of Target were trading at $194.48, down $1.87, or 0.95%.