Why Target killed its creator program, launched 2 new ones

"“As the creator space has evolved, it became clear that a one-size-fits-all model no longer reflected how creators engage or how guests shop,” Sarah Travis, Target executive vice president and chief digital and revenue officer, said in an email. “We learned a lot from the previous program, including that creators don't all operate the same way.”"

"“Some are everyday guests organically sharing their Target finds, while others are running full-scale content businesses,” she said. “The goal is to better support creators at different stages and make the path from inspiration to purchase feel easier for our guests.”"

"Club Target is designed for smaller creators or enthusiastic Target shoppers, offering them Target gift cards, opportunities to be reshared on social channels or, in some cases, commissions for posting about the retailer. Thousands of creators are already participating in a pilot program of Club Target, the company said."

"Target Ambassadors, on the other hand, is a program in partnership with creator commerce platform LTK. Designed for larger creators, it offers commissions and monthly bonuses for eligible content. And it gives the retailer the opportunity to tap into creators who already use the LTK platform, which supports more than 55,000 creator partnerships each year, according to its website."

Target sunset a previous commission-based creator program that enabled creators to build digital storefronts. It launched Club Target for smaller creators and enthusiastic shoppers, offering Target gift cards, opportunities to be reshared on social channels, and sometimes commissions for posting. Thousands of creators participate in a pilot program. Target also launched Target Ambassadors in partnership with LTK for larger creators, providing commissions and monthly bonuses for eligible content. The program lets Target reach creators already active on LTK, which supports more than 55,000 creator partnerships each year. Target rebuilt its creator ecosystem to match distinct creator cohorts and make the path from inspiration to purchase easier for guests.

Read at Digiday