Being a go-to shopping destination for all things back to school and back to college, means one of Target’s busiest seasons is now in full swing. “Target knows that back-to-school is a busy time for parents and students,” says Rick Gomez, senior vice president, Marketing. “To make the shopping experience as fun and easy as possible, Target tailors our assortment and our resources to help students choose products that show their personal style and have the quality and value guests expect from Target.”

This year, we’re talking to guests in both the U.S. and Canada, and we’ve introduced lots of cool digital tools to help them with their choices, including an interactive dorm room and a design tool on Target.com to create the ideal space.

online…
Target launched the virtual dorm experience, “Bullseye University,” where popular YouTube personalities were filmed for three days around the clock in a real dorm room. As visitors watched the site, they could also purchase items featured in the room by simply sliding it from the screen to a virtual “cart.” Visitors also won prizes and interacted with the roommates in this completely digital experience.

With inspiration from “Bullseye University”, students can virtually design their living space by mixing and matching dorm décor with the online tool, UStyler. The tool also allows students to share their designs with friends and roommates through Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest to showcase dorm design and coordinate furniture needs.

Once students have blueprinted their ideal space, Target’s online checklist tool can help students organize must-haves and offers customized product recommendations based on students’ living situations, which can be printed off at home or in a store kiosk.

…and on campus
On select college campuses around the country throughout August and September, Target will introduce freestanding, glass-enclosed, live dorm rooms occupied by a student and furnished with products from Target. Students will have the chance to win prizes through social media and receive coupons on site.

Our annual after-hours shopping event—now in its twelfth year—is open to incoming freshmen, and they’ll save money with coupons they can put toward purchases of school supplies and dorm necessities. As in years past, we bus students—in Bullseye-branded buses—from their campus to a nearby Target for a night of shopping, fun and exclusive offers.

For more back-to-school and back-to-college coverage, visit A Bullseye View, Target’s online magazine.

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