The great blizzard of 2015 ended up being a bit of a bust in the New Jersey/New York City area. (Though the editors at the home office aren’t complaining about that.)
Despite the less-than-historic results of the storm, retailers and brands still fought to capitalize on consumers’ snow days by holding special online-only sales.
But is this tactic successful? Did any of the RTP editors hit the digital shopping cart out of sheer boredom? They share their thoughts below:
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Debbie Hauss, Editor-in-Chief: This question reminds me of the huge faux pas delivered by some retailers following Hurricane Sandy in 2012. American Apparel offended many with its storm-related email blast directed to consumers in the storm path, stating: “If you’re bored during the storm…20% off everything for the next 36 hours. Just enter SANDYSALE at checkout.” Twitter lit up with responses to this insensitive ad. One noted: “@americanapparel will soon be hiring a new marketing director. Yes, they just email blasted a ‘Hurricane Sandy Sale.’” Other retailers, including Racked NY and Saks, also offered Sandy-related sales. During times like this when people are suffering I think some sensitivity is called for.
Alicia Fiorletta, Senior Editor: As noted by Debbie, I do think there’s a time and a place for weather-focused campaigns and sales. Smart marketers need to keep a pulse on the storm, so to speak, and determine whether they should move forward with their sales as planned, or develop a more effective way to engage consumers. However, I will admit that when I work from home, I tend to work early and keep working late in the evening, and take sporadic breaks throughout the day. Since I was stuck in the house, I had a closer eye on my email and was tempted by the slew of promotions coming in. But I only ended up converting with Etsy, as I had an item in my basket for a while, and finally got around to making the purchase.
Rob Fee, Managing Editor: I think everyone in New Jersey or New York has a Hurricane Sandy story. The best examples of companies that got it right during and after the storm were, in my experience, in the services or hospitality industries. The local gas station that hooked a generator up to its pumps got rewarded with a line nearly a quarter of mile long. The local pizza shop that used gas ovens saved stock that would have spoiled and also had a line of grateful customers. They also created loyal customers. I still visit both businesses more than two years later.
Kim Zimmermann, Senior Managing Editor: I’m not much of an online shopper – as someone who is petite, i have to try clothing on in the store. But a few years ago, I was inspired to order a new set of bedding on Macys.com based on a “shop during the storm” email. I had seen the set in the store, so it gave me that extra push to order it – for a discount.
Glenn Taylor, Associate Editor: Aside from holidays and birthdays, I’m not an urgent shopper, so I don’t feel like a day with poor weather would force me to shop online. I would likely just head to the store to grab what I need the next day it’s safe to trek over. It certainly is easier for a larger company to take advantage of a bad weather situation due to their extensive marketing capabilities. I know of a few mom-and-pop shops and restaurants down the Jersey Shore (during Sandy) and Connecticut (during Irene) that stayed open when just about 90% of everything else was closed. Those type of businesses caught the eye of respondents who needed someplace to shop/eat at the time, boosting their reputation once things were back to normal.
Brian Anderson, Associate Editor: Weather is one of the primary reasons why I do my shopping online. If the weather is bad, I don’t want to leave the house. If the weather’s nice, I’d rather be outside in the sun instead of walking around a store. But “cashing in” on the weather has become an easy ways for retailers to personalize their messaging. I remember reading how Ace Hardware was testing out location-based mobile advertising for people stuck in areas with no power. While TV and Internet weren’t available, many people still had their phones. That was just one way the company sold flashlights and generators so situations like Hurricane Sandy don’t have as much of an impact on consumers again.
Did you participate in any online sales during the blizzard? Do you find this to be an effective marketing tactic or simply poor taste? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!