Is Getting into Target and CVS Still a Win for Up-and-Coming Brands?

Walk into Target, Walgreens, or CVS, and your shopping experience is anything but seamless. Need deodorant? A new face wash? Vitamins? Razors? Good luck—everything is locked up like it’s a high-security artifact.

This is the new normal in big-box retail: aisles that look more like museum displays, where you can see but not touch. Theft prevention has turned into a sales prevention strategy, making even the simplest purchase an exercise in patience. If you’re lucky, an employee might swing by in 10 seconds to unlock the case. If not? You could be standing there for 15 minutes, staring at your would-be purchase, wondering if it’s even worth the hassle.

Locked Displays Are Killing Sales

This isn’t just an inconvenience for shoppers—it’s a nightmare for brands, especially the emerging ones trying to make an impact. When was the last time you felt inspired to try a new product after flagging down an employee to unlock it for you? Exactly.

Even Walgreens’ own CEO admitted that this strategy is hurting sales. “[It] does impact how sales work through the store because when you lock things up, for example, you don’t sell as many of them. We've kind of proven that pretty conclusively,” he told investors (USA Today).

For brands, especially ones in beauty, personal care, and grooming, visibility and accessibility are everything. If customers can’t casually pick up your product, read the packaging, or smell the scent, you're losing conversions before you even have a chance to win them over. Being locked up in a big-box store doesn’t just mean you're safe from theft—it means you're safe from being purchased at all.

The Future of Retail Needs to Be Better Than This

The only way out of this mess is for retailers to embrace new technology. CVS, for instance, is reportedly piloting an app feature that lets shoppers unlock cabinets with their own device—eliminating the need to hunt down an employee (WSJ). If you’re in NYC, you can experience it at locations like 630 Lexington Ave., 540 Amsterdam Ave., and 158 Bleecker St.

If successful, this could expand to more stores and eventually become the norm. But even then, is that really the best solution? Shouldn’t brands be questioning whether they even want to be in stores where customers have to jump through hoops just to buy their product?

Maybe Target or CVS Isn’t the Win It Used to Be

For years, getting into Target or CVS was a milestone for emerging brands. But with the shopping experience deteriorating, it’s worth asking: does it still hold the same value?

With DTC still thriving, boutique retail partnerships on the rise, and new experiential shopping formats emerging, there may be better ways for brands to get in front of customers. Ones that don’t involve making them wait around for a keyholder just to grab a bottle of shampoo.

If retailers don’t adapt, brands will find other ways to reach their audience. And maybe that’s exactly what needs to happen.