No Turn On Red

With risk, comes great reward. But in this case, a risky proposition by Macy’s has left them with a ton of unsellable merchandise.

Three Macy’s stores in Ohio were slated to open at 11:00PM last night, in order for fans of the Ohio State Buckeyes to come into the store to purchase merchandise proclaiming the Buckeyes the national champions of college football. The only problem is that the favored Ohio State lost to Florida 41-14 (see: Macy’s stuck with shirts after counting on Buckeyes win).

Even though the merchandise is unsellable, I think that this was a worthwhile risky venture by Macy’s. It has generated some press (unfortunately, for the failure of the promotion). I’m sure, in the scheme of things, that it did not require a huge investment by Macy’s, even though the inventory had to be ordered and paid for ahead of time, win or lose.

This risky proposition could have paid off well for the retailer. Although the impact on sales would have probably been minimal, this was a fantastic opportunity for the retailer to connect with the local community. Federated is being criticized for losing the local appeal of many of the former May doors and a targeted promotion like this is a step in the right direction.

I wonder if Macy’s was also advertising any national champions merchandise for sale at 11:00pm at it’s Gainesville location, just down the road from the University of Florida?

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