FLOOR READY – PACKING AND POLYBAG REQUIREMENTS/GUIDELINES

The following applies to merchandise being prepped and packed for shipment to Target. Objective is to
deliver selling units with minimal wrinkles, trash, handling and carton size.

For information on our corrugated shipping carton requirements, carton design, polybag specs, sourcing
and polybag suffocation warnings, search “Soft Goods Transit Packaging – Requirements” on Partners
Online.

PACKING MATERIALS
Unless specified in the floor ready spec, the following packing materials cannot be used without prior
review and approval from floor ready. Unwarranted or excessive usage creates waste, adds expense
and may present a safety hazard to our guests or team members.

TAPE TISSUE/CARDBOARD CLIPS PINS INDIVIDUAL POLYBAG,

CARD/CHIPBOARD BOX
EXCEPTION: EXCEPTION: EXCEPTION:
Tape can be used to Cardboard/paperboard When inner or store ship
seal inner polybag sheet can be used at pack (SSP) is equal to “1”,
without floor ready top/bottom of master individual polybags are
approval. carton without floor permitted without floor
ready approval. ready approval.
ANCHORING

HANGERS
 Header or collar cards applied over the hook or on top of our reuse hangers are not permitted.
o Cards inhibit our ability to remove the hanger at the checklane. Our hangers are part of a large
closed loop reuse program and are not intended to go home with the guest.
o Target reserves the right to issue a manual chargeback for header or collar card usage.
 Application of stickers or writing directly onto the hanger and/or under the size cap is not permitted.
o Defaced hangers must be removed from our reuse process and cleaned manually to remove
writing or adhesive residue. If the hanger can’t be refurbished, it must be removed from our
supply chain.
o Target reserves the right to issue a manual chargeback for defacing our reuse hangers.
 Size caps are required on all hangers with a locking tab on the top of hook
o This includes multiple piece sets where more than one hanger with a hook is required.

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 FLOOR READY – PACKING AND POLYBAG REQUIREMENTS/GUIDELINES
FOLDING METHODOLOGY
 Press or steam selling units prior to packing unless otherwise specified by merchant.
 Vendor determines fold method and dimensions unless the garment is being presented in stores
folded and specific fold direction and/or dimensions have been provided in the floor ready specs.
 Hanging garments must remain on the hanger as they are being folded.
 Flat packing is acceptable and may be preferable for delicate/specialty fabrics or styles.
 Bundle folding (folding multiple pieces together) is also an acceptable folding method.

BUNDLE FOLDING

POLYBAG REQUIREMENTS AND USAGE GUIDELINES

REQUIREMENTS
Search for “Soft Goods Transit Packaging – Requirements” content on Partners Online for direction
sourcing and requirements for inner and master polybags and polysheets.

POLYBAG USAGE GUIDELINES BY PURCHASE ORDER TYPE

Polybags can be used to designate inners or store ship packs (SSPs) within the master carton. Described
below are packing options/examples based on the type of purchase order.

Assortment PO
Individual polybags are not permitted without prior approval from floor ready.
 Option 1: Pack all of the component selling units inside assortment master carton.
 Option 2: If dirt or moisture is a concern, pack all of the component selling units inside a large
master polybag or polysheet placed inside the assortment carton.
 Option 3: If items are prone to damage, wrinkling or at risk of color transfer/dirt, separate
component selling units into smaller bundles by combining “like” styles, colors or sizes. Pack
each of these bundles in a polybag or polysheet and then place them inside the assortment
carton.

Full Case/Flow PO
Individual polybags are not permitted without prior approval from floor ready.
EXAMPLE: VCP/SSP = 12/12
 Option 1: Pack all 12 selling units inside master carton.
 Option 2: If dirt or moisture is a concern, pack all 12 selling units inside a large master polybag
or polysheet inside the master carton

Replenishment PO
EXAMPLE: VCP/SSP = 12/1
Individual polybags are permitted when SSP=1. No floor ready approval needed.
 Option 1: If dirt or moisture is not a concern, pack all 12 selling units inside master carton

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 FLOOR READY – PACKING AND POLYBAG REQUIREMENTS/GUIDELINES
 Option 2: If dirt or moisture is a concern, pack all 12 selling units inside a large master polybag
or polysheet placed inside the master carton.
 Option 3: If item is prone to damage, wrinkling or at risk of color transfer/dirt, pack each selling
unit in an individual polybag and then pack all 12 items inside the master carton. If hanging,
hook must extend outside the top of each individual polybag.
EXAMPLE: VCP/SSP = 12/3
Individual polybags are not permitted without prior approval from floor ready when SSP 1.
 Option 1: If dirt or moisture is not a concern, designate each inner of 3 and pack 4 inners inside
master carton.
o If hanging, use rubberband to bind 3 hanger hooks together to form each inner/SSP.
o If packaged (i.e. socks) or folded (i.e. denim), bind 3 items together with a rubberband to
form each inner/SSP.
 Option 2: If dirt or moisture is a concern or to maintain specific fold dimensions in transit,
designate each inner by packing 3 selling units in a polybag and then pack 4 inners inside master
carton.
o If hanging, hook must extend outside the top of each individual polybag. Also do not bind
hanger hooks together in addition to using polybags to designate inners.

PACKING THE CARTON

 Select the right size carton to avoid either under or over-packing carton. Under-packing permits
shifting, creating wrinkles or damage in transit. Over-packing increases the potential for broken
cartons and lost or damaged contents.
 Search for “Soft Goods Transit Packaging – Requirements” content on Partners Online for direction
on box style, design and material requirements.
 Alternate the direction of inners within the carton to reduce potential for shifting in transit.
Corrugated or paperboard inserts may be used inside carton to help prevent load shifting.

Alternating Inners
Corrugate or Paperboard Inserts

 Anchoring hangers to the side of the carton is not acceptable without prior approval from floor
ready and confirmation from the merchant that the garment or fabric is delicate/specialty. It is
never a solution for sourcing the wrong size carton.

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 FLOOR READY – PACKING AND POLYBAG REQUIREMENTS/GUIDELINES
CROSSOVER, EXTEND THE AISLE ITEMS AND TARGET.COM
Crossover Items (XVOR) are DPCIs (Department/Class/Item) carried in both stores and Target.com.
 Set/Transition 1/Replenishment POs now all have the potential to arrive at either an FC or RDC.
Since these units are no longer guaranteed to arrive at an FC they must now be packed to be
merchandised in our stores.
 Effective C3 2019, all orders must arrive packed according to floor ready specifications.
o All crossover (XOVR) items on Transition 1 POs need to be prepped and packed according to
the floor ready requirements and to the VCP/SSP provided on the PO (i.e. if hanging on a
hanger, if folded to specs/dimensions).
 See examples below for additional clarification for packaging Transition 1 POs:
o Example 1: Hanging apparel that will be sold both in stores and online should be shipped
with hangers and packed according to the SSP. See Polybag Usage Guidelines.
o Example 2: Folded apparel that will be sold both in stores and online should be shipped
without hangers and packed according to the SSP. See Polybag Usage Guidelines.
o Example 3: All Online Unique, Extension, or Extend the Aisle product that will be sold online
only should be shipped without hangers and inside a sealed individual polybag.
Extend the Aisle (EXTI) are Online Unique (ONLU) or Extension Items
 Every selling unit must be packed in a sealed individual polybag and without a hanger. Vendor
determines the folding method and dimensions required to pack.
Questions on packing requirements for Target.com? Search Target.com Packaging on Partners Online.

FLOOR READY EXCEPTIONS

If there is a business need to deviate from these packing requirements on a store shipment you will
need to request a floor ready exception to add/change hanger style or length, final fold dimensions,
packing materials, individual polybags, etc..

Exception requests must be submitted to Floor Ready via Smartsheet form and must include all of the
following details for review. If approved, exception comments for the affected DPCIs will be entered
into IMN.
 Smartsheet link: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/cffb47631e6c4a76b88912cce42c77f3
 Explanation of business reason and proposal (photos or illustrations may be required)
 List of the potentially affected DPCIs (CMS# if available)
 Initial in-store date
 Total units that may be affected

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