Blame it on Irene?

First, let me say that I am lucky. I did not have any damage from Hurricane, and then Tropical Storm Irene. My house was flooded in 1995 from a severe storm and I know the feelings of loss and hopelessness that many near me are experiencing.

But along with Hurricane Irene, this past weekend was also host to the annual Burton Factory tent sale — an event that my teenage sons and I look forward to each year. However, this year was markedly different. So as a marketer and a parent, I’m wondering if the difference can be pinned on one thing, or if it is the result of a combination of factors.

Timing

First, the sale was late. Usually occurring the first full weekend of August, the sale was later this year. Maybe Burton thought returning college students would boost sales, or maybe they just didn’t think it mattered. But the date was important to us. Each year we plan our summer vacation to include the sale. My sons would camp out overnight at the Burton headquarters to assure a good place in line to descend on the bargains of outerwear, backpacks, snowboards, t-shirts, and even Red Sox and Yankee hats emblazoned with the Burton logo.

The first tent sale we attended was eight years ago; we stood in a line of more than eight hundred people all anxious to tear through boxes of boots and bindings. When we returned the next day the line was barely shorter, leaving us to wait nearly two hours to return to a slimmer selection of treasured hoodies and outlandish board pants.

Changed Tradition

But this year was far different. No camping allowed! And the faithful hundred or so “hardcore” fans lost a tradition. The first-day line was much shorter than I remember of years past. We were in the tent within an hour. The selection was great — coats for nieces and nephews, hoodies and t-shirts for all, even a few shirts for myself. Of course we weren’t there early enough to get the men’s XXL gloves (they never have many at the tent sale), but we did get bags of clothing and a pair of boots.

New Promotion

This year Burton did well with a text-to-win contest. I sent my email address by text to their campaign number, as did my son, but we weren’t a lucky winner. But the text service did let us know that the clearance event of Sunday was cancelled due to the forecast of heavy rain and wind from Hurricane Irene. Saturday was the last day to hunt a bargain.

Different Experience

On Saturday morning we arrived to the surprise of no line, no waiting. I darted in to find a still ample amount of goods — not the picked over piles of last year. I was successful but wondered why the sale was not this year? Where did all the people go that were usually in line ahead of me and digging through the boxes of boots and bindings?

Maybe the sale was everything Burton expected. But from my view, less people came and there was more left for the crew to move back into the warehouse before the rains.

Was Irene to blame, or was it the combined effect of changing too many elements of a successful event at once?