25% off only till 3pm ET

[Mr. Nice Guy]

Without the promo being widely cascaded to the public, I'd say it was more of a way to get people buying SS direct versus through a retailer. Not necessarily looking to conquest but more to keep sales internal and cut out wholesale discounts.

 

[traylorc]

I've held a job where I created incentive plans for an automotive company. We launched a "conquest bonus" which was to pull people to our brand and defect our competitors. We held this for about 2 months. The backlash from the current customer base was so heavy we had to pull the program. People driving our brand were so upset it actually caused defection.

Yes it is a business strategy and on paper makes a lot of sense. In no way is anyone obligated to offer anything. However, 25% can be a heavy incentive on select items.

Take for example, if your workplace hired someone from a competitor to do a similar job as yours. you found out they were paying him more than you despite your years of experience and loyalty to your company. Not a little more. 25% more. When you ask your boss why, he tells you"we need to pay more to attract new talent". See the issue? Not a bad decision for your company. Doesn't mean you weren't getting paid enough to stay.but not really a cool thing to do.

Nice posts...you make some really good points.

IMHO if you are going to initiate an aggressive incentive program for new customers, you have to do something to address the potential anger/betrayal of existing customers.

For example, perhaps Sideshow could have run a promotion that allowed existing customers to earn double reward points for purchases. Or a promotion which gave existing customers a 10% discount + you would still earn reward points. Sideshow could have run such a program for existing customers concurrently with the Avenger promotion for new customers.

I don't know if either of my suggestions are realistically feasible from a profit margin / bottom line point of view...but I do believe offering a discount to existing customers to run concurrently with the Avenger promo may have prevented some hurt feelings. Sideshow should have prevented existing customers from completing their orders using the Avenger promotion code. All that did was really upset existing customers who believed the fact their order went through meant the discount was going to be honored.

 

[Mr. Nice Guy]

Nice posts...you make some really good points.

IMHO if you are going to initiate an aggressive incentive program for new customers, you have to do something to address the potential anger/betrayal of existing customers.

For example, perhaps Sideshow could have run a promotion that allowed existing customers to earn double reward points for purchases. Or a promotion which gave existing customers a 10% discount + you would still earn reward points. Sideshow could have run such a program for existing customers concurrently with the Avenger promotion for new customers.

I don't know if either of my suggestions are realistically feasible from a profit margin / bottom line point of view...but I do believe offering a discount to existing customers to run concurrently with the Avenger promo may have prevented some hurt feelings. Sideshow should have prevented existing customers from completing their orders using the Avenger promotion code. All that did was really upset existing customers who believed the fact their order went through meant the discount was going to be honored.

Great post and good suggestions

 

[traylorc]

I agree with you.

Existing customers get cash-back for every purchase. There are numerous give-aways for all. There are often coupon codes for existing customers.

What is making people unhappy is the 25% off, which is a big savings, but from where I'm sitting, I don't really think that SSC is in any way obligated to include everyone in such an offering. As you have very well put it, this is a business strategy. You can't blame a company like Sideshow for doing this. Recruiting more customers.

The example with the credit card companies is very good. You see these kinds of lower introductory rates all the time. Same goes for many, many other businesses.

People feel almost insulted by this. I really think people need to chill out. Walk into their collection room and feel happy about themselves. You've got something right here, and right now, that all these new customers do not. They have a long way to go (and a lot of money to spend) before they are there. Take a moment and just relax, and stop taking things so darn personal.

 

[EVILFACE]

It is always wrong to exclude your current customers to prioritize bringing in new ones with an exclusive incentive.

It straight out says "We dont appreciate your business" to current collectors.

It rewards people who do not feel the price set by SS is aligned with the product.

I've been buying Sideshow stuff for some 13 years and have spent thousands of dollars with them and don't feel bothered one bit by this newb promotion.

They at least gave everyone that used the code 10% off. To me that at least shows "We appreciate your business" to current collectors.

 

[Nitro]

I agree with EVILFACE. I've been buying from Sideshow for just as long. They've done enough for veteran collectors. Look at past Spooktaculars, Black & White Fridays, and contests that they keep having year after year (month after month). I'm not bitter at all that the code was intended for new customers. I appreciate what they've done over the years.

People need to understand is that they are a niche company and they are in the business to always attract new customers. What better way to do it by offering exclusive promotions once in awhile to attract a new segment to their products. If bringing in new customers helps this company thrive...it can't be a bad thing, it's a good thing.

 

[Tbolt]

I agree with EVILFACE. I've been buying from Sideshow for just as long. They've done enough for veteran collectors. Look at past Spooktaculars, Black & White Fridays, and contests that they keep having year after year (month after month). I'm not bitter at all that the code was intended for new customers. I appreciate what they've done over the years.

People need to understand is that they are a niche company and they are in the business to always attract new customers. What better way to do it by offering exclusive promotions once in awhile to attract a new segment to their products. If bringing in new customers helps this company thrive...it can't be a bad thing, it's a good thing.

I just discovered SS existed a little over a month ago. I am not a longtime customer nor have I ever gotten to take advantage of any of those past specials. What I feel like is foolish for signing up at the wrong time.

They charged me the NRD within minutes of sending me the email that the discount would not be honored, and they included in their form letter a statement that all accounts mailing to my address would be deleted (I never created any secondary accounts).

I found this incredibly insulting. You know what they gained by canceling the extra $75 I would have saved? Over 3k in canceled orders from me as a result.

They don't care. I made it a point to forward the cancellation email to the rep, who made it a point that I should have read the T & C fine print.

The thing is, they were about to hook me in a big way. As it is, I am mulling walking away from the last of the NRD's I have left. Not really losing out as I never was a SS collector before anyway.

I was already prepared to take the 10%, chalk it up as a win and move on. But their approach really rubbed me the wrong way.