All's fair in retail
The first principle of marketing is supply and demand, but to what lengths should companies go to stymie the good sense of customers? H&M, a fast-fashion chain store, launched in Sandton this week, inviting media, celebrities and VIP's - who arrived en masse.The H&M and Balmain (French haute couture label) collaboration caused much of the hype.Retail addicts, who queued outside the H&M launch in Cape Town last month, weren't offered the Balmain range, so you can imagine the frenzy that it produced in the City of Gold.Disappointment was allayed by shop assistants interfacing between customers and empty rails. ''Sorry ma'am, the Balmain sold out in the first 10 minutes," they chorused.Whether there'll be Balmain on sale at the public opening on Saturday is a fiercely guarded secret.Leaving Sandton after the launch we came across H&M shop assistants with rails of Balmain in the parking garage, so we asked: ''Is this for Saturday's opening?"''No," they replied. ''We're secretly replenishing tonight's stock as it sells out so people think they're getting something exclusive."Yes, all's fair in love and war ... and marketing...
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