Wal-Mart is certainly one of the largest companies in America. Though, as a shopper, I feel that they can't compete with Target. Target offers, low-prices (certainly not as low as Wal-Mart, but I'll get into why that isn't much of an issue in a little bit), great design, and collaborates with higher-end designers for most of the products they sell. Target brings that certain something special that Wal-Mart can't even attempt to touch.

Target offers a multitude of products. A lot of products you can get at most other retailers, for example, Pantene, Tide, and Doritos. That is great, but they also offer products exclusive to Target. While Wal-Mart has products that are Wal-Mart exclusive, Target has definitely made collaborating with very high-end designers a must for a lot of other retailers. Such as, JC Penney, Kohl's, etc. Target not only has collaborated with celebrated fashion designer Isaac Misrahi for a number of years (this relationship is now defunct), in recent years they have brought in high-end designers to design everything from clothes, bedding, cleaning products, garden tools, handbags and many other household objects, etc. In 2006, they launched a program to introduce high-end clothes to people on a low-end budget by launching the Go International line. Initially, a guest designer was to be brought in to design a line of clothing and it was to be sold for 90 days in Target stores nationwide and every 90 days a new designer was to be brought in. Designers who have collaborated with Target for the Go International line include; Alexander McQueen, Luella Bartley, Paul & Joe, Libertine, Thakoon, Proenza Schouler, Alice Temperley, and Jovovich-Hawk amongst others. If you follow fashion, you know that a lot of these names are huge and/or rising stars in the fashion world. Some others who may not have been well known (even in the world of fashion) before they collaborated with Target, have gained notoriety since. Offering high-end fashion at a low-end price never really was done before Go International. It's a great chance for women everywhere to be exposed to great design and the best part is that designers rotate every 90 days or so.

While Target offers designer clothes to everyone, they also offer other household products such as Dwell Studio's bedding/baby products collaboration with Target. Before Target and DS got together, you had to pay almost a grand for the creative, beautiful bedding that Dwell Studio offers. At target you can get a full bed set for around 150-200 dollars. Still a bit pricey for some, but it is a lot easier on the wallet than buying bedding at Dwell Studio. Plus, if you are able to buy it on sale that would be an even bigger savings!

I think you get the idea that Target is better than Wal-Mart because it offers quality products at low prices. While the prices may not be as low as Wal-Mart, but you get what you pay for. Shopping at Target is usually a very pleasant experience. The employees are always very helpful (some may beg to differ, but I've been a Target shopper for years and have never had a bad customer service experience there), the store is always kept clean and organized. Whereas, whenever I go to Wal-Mart, displays are always in disarray and graffiti'd on. There are always so many people packed into the store, that it makes it harder to navigate let alone find an employee to help when I am in need of assistance.

The shopping experience at Wal-Mart isn't the only flaw I find. The products they sell are never of the same quality as Target. A lot of it is very plain, and it seems as if creativity isn't a factor in Wal-Mart products. Though, I think they retail more products than they create. The prices are definitely better than Target. If money is your main concern, then I think that Wal-Mart would be the store for you, but Target offers great products, for not much more than what Wal-Mart charges.

All in all, I find that Target offers great products at low prices. They are on the pulse of what appeals to people (keep in mind, I'm a young person in the 18-49 demographic so I certainly can't speak for everyone, but most people I know prefer Target over Wal-Mart for this reason.) Whereas, Wal-Mart seems to be out of touch with what appeals to people in my age bracket. Keep in mind, I wrote this from my point of view and many other people may disagree with me, but this has been reflective of my experience with these two retail giants.