x
Breaking News
More () »

Build-A-Bear debacle an example of what not to do

The Build-A-Bear promotion is a lesson in what not to do according to a marketing professor from Metro State University.

DENVER — By now you've heard about the disastrous promotion from Build-A-Bear and it's clear the company is in damage control mode.

Last week, for the first time ever, the do-it-yourself toy store hosted a Pay Your Age Day. Customers who went to a store were allowed to pay the dollar amount of their age to stuff their own plush toy. The offer was only for Build-A-Bear's Bonus Club members, but anyone could sign up at the time of purchase.

"They showed they didn't plan properly," said Darrin Duber-Smtih a marketing professor at Metro State University.

On the morning of the event, it quickly became clear the promotion was a disaster. Lines were shut down before stores in Colorado even opened. It was so poorly managed that some might have wonder whether the whole thing was a publicity stunt by the company.

"There's no way they did this on purpose," Duber-Smith said. "For a known company, bad publicity is never good."

He said the entire promotion is an example to his students about what not do and pointed out three big mistakes that were made.

Build-A-Bear failed to properly forecast the demand, didn't limit the supply and failed to deliver on a promise, Duber-Smith said.

They also didn't have a contingency plan in place until it was too late, according to Duber-Smith. Instead of handing out vouchers to those in line, the company made them available online for several days. That likely means bigger financial losses for the company as people take advantage of the discounts.

"It's the worst thing you can do is promise and not deliver," Duber-Smith said. "They would have to make good."

So what does Build-A-Bear do now? If they're smart they'll stay under the radar and let people forget.

"The best thing you can do is go away for a while," said Duber-Smith.

Before You Leave, Check This Out