My Missoni for Target experience

I have been waiting MONTHS (since it was first announced in May) for the Missoni for Target line. I started following Target and Target Style on facebook and twitter in order to get regular updates. I made a plan of attack to get all the things I wanted most (the throw, flats, candles, hair accessories, towels). I was going to shop online in the morning and be at my local Target when it opened. Several weeks back, the Target Style facebook page said Missoni would launch at midnight. A few days ago, they changed their story. We would be able to browse items and add them to our carts starting at 3am CST and be able to check out at 7am CST. Since yesterday was my birthday, I decided to take today off so I could shop all day!

I got up bright and early (NOT 3am though!) to shop online. I was able to browse and add items to my cart, but all of a sudden pages wouldn't load and soon I just got an error message. I logged on to facebook and twitter and apparently it wasn't just me! Target.com crashed and was down for hours. Even now, I am getting an error message. I hopped in the car and went to my local Target. I waited in line outside and as soon as the door opened, women started RUNNING toward the Missoni clothing! I just got a cart and made my way over to the bedding. This Target was decently stocked, but didn't have everything I wanted. I went to 4 Targets this morning and still did not find the throws! I called my mother in North Carolina and asked her to run to her Target. They had the throws! She got one for me and one for one of my friends.

Now, I got everything I wanted, but what about those people who were so excited for this collaboration and wanted to shop online before heading to the office. And what about people who don't live near a Target, or don't live in a large city like Dallas where I could hit several stores within 20 minutes or so of each other. Target was NOT AT ALL prepared for this. I feel like they should absolutely know this collection was huge and should have made sure their website could handle it. And even in stores, employees were still opening boxes of Missoni at 11am! One store employee said they only got one shipment of items to start with, but there was more Missoni on the trucks coming this afternoon. Might be worth it to go again this afternoon. Poor job, Target.

While I'm very happy with how things worked out for me, but I know others are not so lucky and very upset. Especially since it seems that people were allowed to buy the entire stock of some items and are now selling them on eBay for 4 or 5 times the Target price.

Anyway, I thought I would share my Missoni experience because we all know Target will have another collaboration soon (We can only HOPE it's Lilly or Trina Turk!) and I want people to know the full story!