Mob Shopping: Is America Ready?
by Rebecca Button on February 19th, 2008
Are you?
Mob shopping, also known as team buying, is a consumer buying tactic originating in China, that involves gathering a group of people together in-store to drive a bargain with the seller. There are many websites and forums (TeamBuy.com.cn ) that facilitate the time and place. The popularity of these events is mostly due to the cultural ideology that no price is set in stone and that bargaining is a way of life in China. And consumers are seeing results. While many sellers do not particularly like this new tactic, some are embracing it and even setting up events themselves so that the teams who are willing to buy right away will get a discount.
The internet is a large part of the success as the instant communication is vital to organizing these sometimes spur of the moment events. Also, the with internet’s world wide reach more and more people are becoming exposed to the idea… and it’s catching on.
So what do you think? Will this shopping craze work in America? As a store owner, would you be willing to bargain with these groups of people in order to move more product?
The answer to the framed question is answered well within the above extract itself. “The internet’s world-wide reach exposing and targeting a broader audience”.
For decades now people have accepted the American culture fusing into their own via various media channels. Starting from Lassie, Zippo, Harleys, to the all-American Cheeseburgers, knowledge of the “American” way of life has been a fashion statement in most developing countries.
However, my contention is based on the selective amnesia that we as global citizens have towards the recent acceptance levels of the American audience. No matter what the cause, the fact is people in the US have had one too many eye-openers and on general principles they are willing to embrace the global goodness.
Specifically speaking, I feel Mob shopping will work in the US. My rationale is based on the fact that your average American consumer is more aware of his dollars and pennies today, than ever before. Where else in the world could Costco and Walmart flourish the way they do here.
Kaustubh Thakur
June 2nd, 2008
at 5:44 pm