It doesn’t take a genius to understand why shoppers in search of affordable and high-quality goods would want to find some other stores like Target.
The big advantage of shopping at Target stores is that their products and designs tend to be higher quality than other discount department stores.
Unfortunately, their selection is a little bit limited in some categories.
And while they usually offer some pretty reasonable prices, there are definitely still some cheaper stores out there. (Plus, their customer service is hit or miss, depending on which of their team members you happen to be dealing with.)
The good news is that they’re hardly the only game in town.
In this post I’ve rounded up 19 other stores like Target that provide great products, great value, and in a lot of cases, a great combination both.
19 Stores Similar to Target
Rounding Up the Best Target Competitors for Affordable, High-Quality Products
Amazon
Amazon has grown from an online bookstore to the world’s biggest online store, and now dominates other major retailers in just about every category.
That makes it a close competitor of stores like Target and Walmart, which carry a wide variety of similar products.
But even with the rise of online orders and curbside pickup, physical stores like Target and Walmart struggle to compete with Amazon’s online retail expertise and all the advantages it offers, the biggest of which is probably Amazon Prime.
In addition to free shipping, Prime members get access to Amazon’s streaming platform, which has a ton of great movies and TV shows you can’t get anywhere else.
Walmart
Easily one of the biggest and best Target alternatives, Walmart carries products in pretty much all the same categories as Target.
(And particularly dominates other grocery stores and supermarkets.)
Where Target strives to be a slightly more upscale discount department store, with Walmart the emphasis is on the discount:
The products (especially the clothes) might not be quite as stylish, but you really can’t beat their prices.
Bloomingdale’s
Bloomingdale’s is the type of classic department store that you don’t see as much anymore.
Where stores like Target and Walmart pride themselves on low prices, Bloomingdale’s puts the emphasis more on the quality of its merchandise than the low prices.
They have a big selection of clothes and home products that are a step up from much of what you’ll find at Target, so it’s a good place to turn if you’re looking for styles that are a little more upmarket.
Macy’s
Macy’s is very much in the same mould as Bloomingdale’s and the other traditional American department stores.
They offer higher prices and a smaller selection of merchandise than a big-box chain like Target.
But as with Bloomingdale’s, you’ll find a high quality of goods that more than makes up for the smaller quantity.
Kohl’s
Kohl’s is cut from the same cloth as big box stores like Target and Walmart.
They carry a pretty wide selection of merchandise that includes everything from clothes and jewellery to outdoor living and furniture.
Kohl’s isn’t quite as big a company as Target or Walmart, so they have fewer brick and mortar local stores across the United States, but their website is well stocked and easy to use.
Nordstorm
Nordstrom is a premium department store that focuses mostly on fashion, and carries a curated selection of clothes, shoes, accessories and more.
In a lot of ways, Target’s goal is to provide a discount shopping experience that kind of mimics the premium shopping experience you get at upscale stores like Nordstrom.
It’s a good place to turn if you want to splurge on some stylish and on-trend designer clothes.
Overstock
If you buy a lot of your furniture at discount department stores like Target or Walmart, then you should definitely check out Overstock.
Since they’re furniture-specific, they offer a much wider variety of styles and products than department stores.
But their prices are comparatively much lower, and they often offer the best deal available on brand name furniture.
Best Buy
Target has a pretty decent selection of consumer electronics and video games.
But if you’re looking for different brands or a wider variety, Best Buy is one of the best places to turn (no pun intended).
Like Target, they have hundreds of brick and mortar physical locations across the U.S., along with a well stocked and easy to use website.
Sears
Before big-box retailers like Target and Walmart came along and changed the game, Sears was America’s go-to for a one-stop shop that carried just about everything.
It’s lost a lot of market share since those days.
But it’s still a good Target alternative for everything from home appliances and household products to clothes and accessories.
JC Penney
JCPenney doesn’t carry as many different categories of merchandise as the other big retail stores, focusing mostly on clothes, fashion and accessories.
But if you like the affordable and stylish pieces you find at Target, you’ll probably like the styles that JCPenney carries too, so it’s a good place to widen your wardrobe selection.
eBay
eBay revolutionized the world of e-commerce when it first launched, turning online sales into online auctions.
It’s lost a lot of ground to Amazon since then, but it’s still a good option for a wide range of merchandise.
Plus, they have a mix of brand new products and gently used stuff, so their selection is unique from any other store or site on this list.
Bonanza
Not unlike eBay, at Bonanza is an online retailer that offers both brand new products sold directly by brands and used products sold by the site’s users.
But Bonanza is a little different because it’s not an auction site.
Instead, it offers an online shopping experience that’s more similar to Amazon and other online retailers, where you can add items to your shopping cart and check out when you’re ready.
Dillard’s
Dillard’s is another example of a good place to turn when you’re ready to graduate from the fashion they have at Target and spend a little more money on some bigger name brands.
It’s more of an upscale department store, like Nordstrom or Macy’s, so their prices are definitely higher, but so is the range and the quality of the clothes they sell.
Sam’s Club
Sam’s Club is basically what happened after Walmart noticed that Costco’s business model was a good idea, and decided to leverage their massive supply chain to try it themselves.
The result is a warehouse-style, no frills department store where you have to sign up for a membership, but once you do you can score some big savings on a wide variety of merchandise.
Costco
As mentioned above, Sam’s Club is a worthy competitor, but Costco is the OG.
They pioneered the membership model and basically invented the idea of a wholesale department store.
The clothes they carry definitely aren’t as nice as what you’ll find at Target, but it’s a great alternative across most other categories.
Storenvy
Storenvy is an online retailer that aims to cut out the middle man and give you access to a wide range of independent brands.
With merchandise from more than 50,000 brands, it’s a great place to find some cooler indie brands you’d probably never find on your own, along with good prices on some of big name brands you already know.
Office Depot
While Target is a pretty good place to pick up products across a wide range of categories, they don’t have a huge selection of school and office supplies.
That’s where Office Depot comes in.
Both is website and its brick and mortar stores provide a great go-to for anyone looking for office supplies, from small stuff like pens and paper to big ticket items like office furniture and electronics.
Staples
A close competitor of Office Depot, Staples is another major player in the world of office and school supplies that provides a great alternative to Target.
In addition to the basics that you would expect from an office supply store, they also carry a pretty wide selection of electronics, so it’s also a good place to turn for gadgets and other devices.
CVS
CVS is one of the biggest drug store chains in the United States, and competes with Target in the health, personal care and beauty products.
But like a lot of major drug store and pharmacy chains, CVS has expanded its offerings over the years, and now competes with stores like Target and Walmart in everything from toys to health food.
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Banner image: Mike Mozart via Wikimedia
