I love flash sales! I love everything about them. They are discounted, quick, dirty, and in limited quantities. They are urgency and discount bundled into one fantastic package that I as a consumer cannot resist. Obviously, they have been around for a while now. Amazon.com has often push urgency marketing on their customer base and many other sites have attempted to emulate this tactic with varied levels of success. However it seems that just lately, companies are starting to figure out the value in this type of marketing and sales. Now more than ever... sites like Woot, Rue La La, Gilt, Haute Look, and others are popping up for everything from consumer goods, to clothing, wine, t-shirts, etc. And they are smart about their marketing... these sites are "invitation only" (click above for "invitations")... they build scarcity around the deal. Scarcity is power! If it is an expiring deal, or a limited number of deals... it is much more attractive isnt it? Combine this with top-notch social media networking and you have a powder keg of cash drawing, deal making, fantastic-ness (yes I just invented this word). So... when is music gonna wise up and get on the bandwagon?
Great question.
Bob Lefsetz figures that it will begin with concert ticket sales... How cool would that be? Well- we already have scarcity (there are only a number of seats you know..)... so add to that an expiring deal and you may just have something great!
I would like to see it in recorded music as well. Obviously, there are great daily deals to be found in e-commerce with Amazon and iTunes leading the pack but these dont really count in my book. The sites listed far above are deal of the day sites. Sites people who love technology, fashion, t-shirts, etc. go to on a daily basis and accept "spam" from because they ASKED FOR IT in order to get a great deal... Why haven't we embraced this yet as a Music industry? It wouldn't be too hard... In my book you have general music lovers and genre specific lovers... take the top 10 genres and hook up a deal from each every two days or so... JACKPOT! I think this will be a great way forward should anyone have the chutzpah to pull it off (I am available to consult- since it was MY IDEA).
I think the industry could do well to take some notes from these other folks. This may not be the idea to right the ship, but it does help bail some of the water. Til that happens... much of my holiday shopping will be relegated to name brand handbags and sunglases rather than that great Pink Floyd box set I had my eye on...