this was a story in my local paper about how the site crashed. of course the tech companies dont want to reveal how or why it crashed because it could affect their tech stock. the story also doesnt touch on how people are annoyed because of the re-sellers who were allowed to buy out the entire stock themselves. which i think is a bigger annoyance than the website crashing.
Target feeling social media sting more than a week after website crash
By Michael B. Farrell, Globe Staff (boston.com)
More than a week after Target Corp.’s website crashed under the weight of shoppers eager to buy inexpensive products by designer Missoni, social media storm clouds still hover over the Minneapolis-based retailer.
Frustrated consumers are using Facebook, Twitter, and popular fashion blogs such as Racked.com to complain about lost or delayed orders, and cancelled sales. Some are even calling for an outright boycott. On one Facebook page, the Sept. 13 fiasco is dubbed the “BP oil spill of fashion.”
Shoppers nationwide were attracted by clothing and other items -- including towels and bicycles -- that were part of a much-hyped 400-piece Target collection that features the Italian fashion house’s signature zig-zag patterns. But the website,
www.target.com, was overwhelmed for much of the day by a glut of traffic, leaving many people unable to complete orders or even get on the site. As of yesterday, most Missoni products online still appeared to be out of stock, but Target is not saying how many orders were delayed or cancelled because of the crash.
Big Internet retailers have had their share of gaffes, but the Missoni mess could be a transformative moment in the relatively brief history of e-commerce. Retail analysts say it shows that even though online shopping has made major strides since Victoria Secret’s website famously faltered during a 1999 webcast, companies still may not always have the technological muscle to meet consumer demand for such frenzied promotions.
“The lessons here are to plan and forecast these events very carefully, and not go for the big bang,” Brian Walker, an analyst at Forrester Research in Cambridge, said in an e-mail . “The big bang may be great to generate marketing hype and buzz, but can be a nightmare in serving customers, both online and offline.”
Up until the launch, Target’s marketing campaign for the Missoni line was a hugely successful example of how to build a relationship between a discount retailer and high-end design, according to Danica Lo, national editor for Racked.com. “Obviously, they did an amazing job,” Lo said.
Target built the buzz by releasing glimpses of the Missoni collection on Facebook and YouTube, it even concocted a doll blogger, with its own Tumblr page and Twitter account.
But trouble started soon after the wares went on sale.
Target’s new website, designed on an IBM platform and hosted by AT&T, buckled under “unprecedented demand,” the company said in a statement this week. “This demand impacted our Target.com site and affected the shipment and delivery of select guest orders.”
It’s still unclear exactly what went wrong. Three Massachusetts companies that worked with Target on its website — Endeca Technologies Inc., SapientNitro, and Akamai Technologies — would not comment on the failure. Target would not elaborate beyond its statement.
Regardless of why the site couldn’t cope under the strain of high demand, some jilted customers appear less than understanding. And a campaign built around social media, is now feeling social media’s wrath.
“Wow Target, you really failed. Not only is your execution poor, but it just keeps getting worse. I’ve received 3 partial shipments of my orders, and all were equally screwed up,” said one customer on the Target Style Facebook page.
Another wrote: “Maybe my order is still processing ... maybe it’s cancelled ... maybe it’s “lost” ... Only sure thing is that this is the worst shopping experience I’ve had so far!”
Racked.com published an e-mail from a customer who said their credit card was charged even though Target apparently lost their order. “In one week, I’ve now spent the equivalent of an entire workday on the phone with Target,” they wrote.
Target has been trying to make amends by reaching out to unsatisfied shoppers. In one response on its Facebook page, a company representative wrote: “Thank you for sharing your experience with us. Our apologies. Please do keep us updated!”
Walker does not expect Target to suffer any long-term damage as a result of the misfire.
“The impact is really in lost opportunity for sales and marketing, not only online but across the entire chain,” he said. “In many ways, this was a huge success as a marketing event, but a terrible execution of merchandise planning and demand forecasting. The empty shelves at Target stores and this downtime with the site are both evidence of that.”
But at least one analyst believes the online chatter over the website collapse could ultimately be as good for Target as its campaign promoting Missoni.
“This isn’t so horrible,” said Mike Tesler, president of the Norwell consulting firm Retail Concepts.
Tesler said he is betting that as soon as fashion-driven shoppers see something that catches their eye at Target, they’ll rush back to buy, in stores or online.
“In spite of what the geeks and techies are saying” about the website problems, Tesler said, “I think it’s a good thing for Target.”
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you definitely have to know how to style these items. my mom got that cardigan and she paired with dark denim skinny jeans and a solid colored cami and brown boots.. looked much more chic!
