Lilly Pulitzer launch causes shopping frenzy at Target

Target stores were left with empty shelves and store racks, when it launched its highly anticipated Lilly Pulitzer product line.

This meltdown was similar to what happened four years ago during the release of the Missoni product line.  At that time, Target experienced regular website crashes and shoppers at stores were faced with sellouts and long lines.



Consumers who were unable to obtain what they were looking for left messages on Twitter, but, according to industry observers none of the complaints will register with the group.  The CEO of Belus Capital Advisors, Brian Sozzi, called this event typical of Target’s method for high-profile designer launches where it has limited supply in a bid to boost demand and increase chatter on the Internet.

However, EJ Haust, a social media consultant from Minneapolis is left wondering how many complaints there really are and if Target will see this event as a success.

In anticipation of its launch, Target posted updates regarding its website on Twitter, by apologizing and asking for customer patience.  The site did not crash, but had high user traffic. The site became inaccessible for around 15 minutes at 3am EST and this intentional action boosted online sales, resulting in a sell-out by around noon.

Queues starting forming at stores quite early on Sunday morning, with many customers returning home with nothing. Many handbags and dresses appeared on eBay fairly quickly, with more than 9400 listings for Lilly Pulitzer Target products. Target has no intention of replenishing supplies of the product line.

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