Target is winning back shoppers. Now it faces a big test.

A Target store in Brooklyn earlier this month.

Michael M.

Santiago/Getty Images Back-to-school shopping is in full swing at Target, representing a key moment to win back shoppers.

A successful season requires overcoming several challenges the retailer has struggled with recently.

The retailer's turnaround continues, with second-quarter sales up 5.3% and comp sales rising 3.8%.

Target's bid to win back shoppers is gaining momentum as it tackles one of the most important shopping seasons of the year: back-to-school.

The Bullseye retailer said Wednesday that the early response to the annual stock-up on school and college supplies has been strong with several weeks still to go.

"It's encouraging to see a strong consumer response to change where we've made it, but there's a lot to come," CEO Michael Fiddelke said during a call with reporters on Tuesday.

Fiddelke, who took over as CEO earlier this year, is working to get Target back into the good graces of shoppers after several years of lackluster company performance .

The retailer beat analyst expectations for its second quarter earnings, with net sales up 5.3% from the same period last year to $26.5 billion.

Earnings also benefited from a nearly $1 billion tariff refund.

Comparable sales were up 3.8%, driven by higher customer visits, which the company attributed to refreshed merchandise, sharper store execution, and price cuts.

"This might be my favorite time of the year to be out in stores," Fiddelke said on Tuesday's call.

"Back to school, back to college is our second biggest season, next only to holiday." Like the winter holidays, a successful back-to-school season depends on several complicated factors that Target has struggled with in recent years, such as fresh merchandise, well-stocked stores, and competitive pricing.