By way of clarification, I’d generally rather shop at Target as well. They have nicer stores and the whole shopping experience is generally more pleasant than at Wal-Mart. But my point — and the theme of the article cited — is that I don’t equate Target’s enhanced shopping experience nor their elevated sense of style and fashion with some false notion of moral or ethical superiority…
Ultimately, Target and Wal-Mart are two very competent retailers who do everything they can to maximize profits. The only siginificant differences are aesthetics and demographics. The fact that Target attracts stylish middle-class urbanites rather than fat, boring low-income rural and ethnic shoppers does not by definition make it more “socially conscious”. It’s all marketing. Period…