Don’t fall for the hype
Christina Cheddar Berk
While Cyber Monday made headlines this week, Christina Cheddar Berk of CNBC offered the truth about the marketing hype behind the story:
“But the day never was the busiest online shopping day, as has been widely reported. Many times it hasn’t even cracked the list of the 10 busiest online shopping days, which tend to be either Mondays or Tuesdays, a week or two before the Dec. 25 holiday.”
Today’s Tip: Don’t believe the hype without checking it out first.
News outlets have committed to Black Friday and Cyber Monday coverage despite data that suggest other days have higher sales. For brick-and-mortar stores, the biggest sales day is usually the last Saturday before Christmas, and Christina reports that Dec. 17 will likely be the busiest online shopping day this year because it’s the last chance for free shipping from Amazon.com, with a guaranteed arrival by Christmas.
Press releases from industry groups contribute to some of the Black Friday/Cyber Monday coverage, but like Christina, reporters and editors need to temper the story.
Think about what your audience really wants to know: where are the bargains, and what do retail sales tell us about how the economy is faring? The Arizona Republic in Phoenix tweets local deals, including Black Friday and Cyber Monday ones, at @azcdeals. Invite your audience to share what bargains they’re finding in the stores and online via Twitter or other social media.
