I understand wanting to create a simple discount fun , like popping a balloon in-store to see what discount you get. But, I don't know what to make of Old Navy's BFF Sale, September 19-21. Shoppers are supposed to bring a friend with them and say "BFF" at the counter to obtain the 20% discount. If they so choose to shop online, they can type in the BFF promo code at check out.If I say BFF, do I still get the discount? How will their in-store advertising be on this weekend? Is this going to be like the Starbuck's short coffee, and Old Navy goers will need to be in on the secret ahead of time? Even though it is wide-spread that Starbucks offers a short, how many people actually order it? And how many people will skip up to the Old Navy lines holding a friends hand and saying "BFF"?
I am always wary of sales that force a customer to do something out of the ordinary. It weeds out those who are easily embarrassed (it could be a hoax, or the wrong day, or this may not be a participating location- what if the cashier thinks I'm weird). It also leaves out those who don't know about the sale ahead of time (Oh no, I didn't bring a friend).
Perhaps I am being to harsh on Old Navy. This promo makes their sale stand out because it is not just 20% all items. However, I think it provides the opportunity (like many of these types of sales do) for many to miss out on the savings.
