Excerpt:
http://money.cnn.com/2009/11/20/news...ex.htm?cnn=yes
Should Black Friday deal hunters feel cheated? Yes they should, say some retail experts.
"It's a sleazy practice," said Craig Johnson, retailing expert and president of retail consulting group Customer Growth Partners.
"I am old school," said Johnson. "If a retailer is advertising a juicy deal and they are not prepared to have in sufficient quantity, don't advertise it. Or give consumers a raincheck."
Johnson said it's not enough for retailers to mention that they'll have such limited quantities of a product on one of the most-hyped shopping days of the year.
"Retailers aren't winning any customers. They are just pissing off people," he said. "It's poor retailing practice."
Unfortunately for consumers, more examples abound.
CNNMoney.com spoke to industry experts to uncover a few dirty secrets of Black Friday deals.
Limited quantities. Advertising a Black Friday deal as "limited quantities" is bogus, said Johnson.
"The only time it makes sense to have only two or three [items] in stock is if the deal is on a $2 million gift product that appears in the Neiman Marcus holiday catalog," he said.
Edgar Dworsky, a consumer advocate and editor of Consumer World, agreed with Johnson.
"C'mon guys. Give me a break," said Dworsky. "How can you be the size of a retailer like Sears and only get a minimum of five per store, yet devote big space in your circular to advertise that deal?
"It's a sleazy practice," said Craig Johnson, retailing expert and president of retail consulting group Customer Growth Partners.
"I am old school," said Johnson. "If a retailer is advertising a juicy deal and they are not prepared to have in sufficient quantity, don't advertise it. Or give consumers a raincheck."
Johnson said it's not enough for retailers to mention that they'll have such limited quantities of a product on one of the most-hyped shopping days of the year.
"Retailers aren't winning any customers. They are just pissing off people," he said. "It's poor retailing practice."
Unfortunately for consumers, more examples abound.
CNNMoney.com spoke to industry experts to uncover a few dirty secrets of Black Friday deals.
Limited quantities. Advertising a Black Friday deal as "limited quantities" is bogus, said Johnson.
"The only time it makes sense to have only two or three [items] in stock is if the deal is on a $2 million gift product that appears in the Neiman Marcus holiday catalog," he said.
Edgar Dworsky, a consumer advocate and editor of Consumer World, agreed with Johnson.
"C'mon guys. Give me a break," said Dworsky. "How can you be the size of a retailer like Sears and only get a minimum of five per store, yet devote big space in your circular to advertise that deal?
http://money.cnn.com/2009/11/20/news...ex.htm?cnn=yes
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