Target has had a rough start to the 2024 holiday shopping season, but an exclusive from Taylor Swift could turn things around.
The red-dot retailer will be the only store where Swifties will be able to get their hands on “The Eras Tour Book,” a celebration of the two-year pop culture event that ends Dec. 8 in Vancouver. The book will go on sale Friday in stores and on the company’s website on Saturday.
Don’t expect any Black Friday or Cyber Monday discounts either. Since Target is the exclusive seller of the Eras book, it has no incentive to lower the suggested price of $39.99.
Swift is publishing the 256-page book herself, giving her full control over where it is distributed. Expectations are high. The Wall Street Journal reported The initial printing run is 2 million copies. If this copy sells, it will vault to the top of the 2024 sales charts — it will be one of the best-selling books of the past six years — and it will do so without the help of Amazon, Walmart, or Barnes &. noble.
The Eras round grossed over $1 billion and set several records. Last year alone, the tour sold 4.3 million tickets, which equates to 4.3 million tickets More than the number sold by Elton John Cumulatively in his five-year farewell tour. The film about the tour quickly became the biggest concert film of all time.
For Target, the exclusive couldn’t come at a better time. The retailer reported weaker-than-expected earnings last week and gave a somewhat bleak sales outlook. Sales have been poor at the chain over the past two years.
Taylor Swift’s exclusivity alone will not cure these ills, but it will attract people to the store. To encourage Swiftie shoppers to stay and buy more, Target plans to play Swift’s music in its stores on Friday.