The biggest leaders in the retail industry have been making it clear where they stand on the subject of free choice. When it comes to customers, “free” is the new “discount.” When it comes to employees, “free” is the new “populist workplace revenge.”
When millions of hungry American consumers were willing to stand in line for hours to get the free pancakes Denny’s offered in its multi-million dollar Super Bowl commercial, it was easy to see what kind of marketing works with the unemployed and the underemployed. Although it's generous to give for free what you normally sell, what is the benefit to a retailer? Denny’s estimated that their boldly magnanimous gesture got them $50 million worth of press coverage, and an inestimable amount of goodwill. In the minds of consumers, Denny’s will long be remembered as the first with the freebies.
Since then, major retailers have followed the Denny’s lead and created freebies of their own. Arby’s staged a giveaway for its new Roastburgers. Jack in the Box gave away free fries and a drink. Fedex (Kinko's) printed resumes at no charge. Last Friday, Rita’s Italian Ice celebrated the first day of spring by handing more than one million of their frozen treats to customers gratis. This is the 17th time Rita’s has staged a first day of spring freebie promotion, but it’s the first time I ever heard about it. In the year of retail recession, national freebies can keep blogs buzzing and Twitter tweeting for days.
Along with freebie mania has come... more...
When millions of hungry American consumers were willing to stand in line for hours to get the free pancakes Denny’s offered in its multi-million dollar Super Bowl commercial, it was easy to see what kind of marketing works with the unemployed and the underemployed. Although it's generous to give for free what you normally sell, what is the benefit to a retailer? Denny’s estimated that their boldly magnanimous gesture got them $50 million worth of press coverage, and an inestimable amount of goodwill. In the minds of consumers, Denny’s will long be remembered as the first with the freebies.
Since then, major retailers have followed the Denny’s lead and created freebies of their own. Arby’s staged a giveaway for its new Roastburgers. Jack in the Box gave away free fries and a drink. Fedex (Kinko's) printed resumes at no charge. Last Friday, Rita’s Italian Ice celebrated the first day of spring by handing more than one million of their frozen treats to customers gratis. This is the 17th time Rita’s has staged a first day of spring freebie promotion, but it’s the first time I ever heard about it. In the year of retail recession, national freebies can keep blogs buzzing and Twitter tweeting for days.
Along with freebie mania has come... more...
Comments
Why would any retail employer want the “Employee Free Choice Act”? That is precisely the point of giving employees choice.
As it is now, we are under paid, asked to work horrendous hours (no benefits) and to be “on call” all of the time. Oh by the way, I forgot to mention the 50 pound boxes you have to receive and process.
Meanwhile, top management is over compensated (like Wall Street). Maybe the “Employee Free Choice Act” will bring back some fairness to the workplace. I certainly voted for it.