Dive Brief:
- Target is partnering with Honeyfund, a honeymoon registry startup that gained prominence through the network television show "Shark Tank" to offer customers the opportunity to register for honeymoon experiences including flights and dinners, in addition to household items, according to a press release from the retailer.
- In a separate partnership with Pinterest, Target recently added visual search technology to the registry app. By providing a photo of a desired item, the app will recommend Target products that resemble the photo to add to a registry, whether for a wedding or a baby.
- The enhanced Target Registry app includes tools that manage registries, provide checklists for tracking registry items, and offers improved scanning capabilities for in-store use. Users of the app are also offered coupons, easy returns and 15% off items that remain on the registries after the big day is over.
Dive Insight:
Might the "Sharks" lead to a swim with the dolphins, or just a kitchen mixer?
The potential of media integration — and for reality TV shows to build strong name awareness — was demonstrated yet again as Target partnered with online honeymoon registry service Honeyfund after the startup landed a deal on "Shark Tank." The integration of Honeyfund and Target’s online registry has gone live across the retailer’s website, mobile web and in the Target registry app.
It's a move that is entirely on trend as experiential retail gains traction. And while retailers are adding cafes and rotating pop-up shops to create more inviting environments, Target is now providing actual experiences. As Target states in its press release, couples can now register for gifts as mundane as mixers and blenders, and experiences like swimming with dolphins in one place.
The online registry provides a way for friends and family to give the marrying couple cash-based gifts, such as travel funds or a down payment on a house. Honeyfund was founded in 2006, and appeared on "Shark Tank" in 2014. It also partners with Macy's, Pottery Barn, West Elm, Bloomingdales, Sur La Table, Best Buy, Kohl's, Walmart and Michael C. Fina, among others.
Customers can activate a Honeymoon fund by visiting the registry section on Target.com, or by using the Target registry app. They can then communicate their preferences to friends and family through Target’s social sharing tools.
"Wedding registry expectations have changed over time," said Dawn Block, Target senior vice president of digital. "Guests are looking for a complete registry experience, including product and honeymoon options, and Target is the first retailer to be able to offer all of this in one place on Target.com."
