facebook marketing case study: the case of the pretty pink purse

The Case Of The Pretty Pink Purse:

MEASURING THE FALLOUTKathleenHeuer.com

READ THE REST OF THE CASE STUDY

•The Case of the Pretty Pink Purse: Advertising Within a Local Facebook Grouphttp://bit.ly/pursecasestudy1

•Pass the TEQUILA: Preventative Medicine for Social Media Meltdownshttp://bit.ly/pursecasestudy2

•The Case of the Pretty Pink Purse: Measuring the Fallouthttp://bit.ly/pursecasestudy3

http://bit.ly/pursecasestudy1






THE QUICK RECAP

•Seller advertises designer purse for salein local private (closed) Facebook group

•Prospective customer in the group spots same itemfor significantly less elsewhere online

•Seller makes a series of poor choices, resulting in a social media meltdown.

•Group member dubs the incident “Pursegate”

THE SURVEY

•The group had 4,837 members the day of the event

•175 responded to the survey (3.6%)

•Respondents were likely those who had the strongest feelings about the event

•Three questions

•SurveyMonkey.com

THE SURVEY

1. Were you a witness to “Pursegate” on Thursday, February 6, 2014?

2. As a result of “Pursegate,” are you more or less likely to purchase products or services from the seller in question?

3. If “Pursegate” changed the likelihood of purchasing from the seller, what comment, question or overall “vibe” changed your mind?

Q1. Were you a witness to “Pursegate” on Thursday, February 6, 2014?

•Yes, I watched the whole thing unfold live.

•Yes, I saw a lot of it as it happened.

• I saw some, but not the whole thing.

• I saw something about it, but not much.

• I missed it.

•Other (please specify)

29%

27%

31%

7%7%

Saw the whole thingSaw most of itMissed some of itSaw something, but not muchMissed the whole thing.

Q2. As a result of “Pursegate,” are you more or less likely to purchase

products or services from the seller in question?

•More likely.

•Less likely.

•About the same.

• I was never a prospective customer.

•Please explain.

67%

33%

Not a prospective customerProspective customer

125 people*

57 people*

*People must have checked more than one box.

Poor survey design on my part.

72%

28%

As a result of “Pursegate,” are you more or less likely to purchase products or services from the seller in question?

Less likelyJust as likelyMore likely

41 people

16 people

More likelyto purchase?

0 people

All things being equal, people will do business with,

and refer business to,those people they

-Bob Burg

know, like and trust.

“Since she mis-represented the purse she was selling, claiming it to be a different and more expensive version

than it actually is, I would be very hesitant to buy anything from her, knowing she lied about that.”

“The seller has always been ‘off ’ for me due to her advertising techniques. …

She has become more and more aggressive, and I don't usually buy from aggressive sellers anyhow.

I don't trust them in any field of business.”


Please explain.

“…Her constant posting is annoying. I know full well that I can ‘keep scrolling,’

but that doesn’t change the fact that I always see it. Furthermore. …never once would I…threaten to sue.

She behaved inappropriately.”


Please explain.

“I did try to go to the Etsy store, which I've never done before.”

“Will continue to be a customer.”


Please explain.

Q3. If “Pursegate” changed the likelihood of purchasing

from the seller, what comment, question,

or overall “vibe” changed your mind?

“The fact that she clearly lied about what price the purses

were going for online. If she is dishonest about that,

how can I trust anything she says?”

What changed your mind?

“I did not like her attacks on the group. I was inclined to believe the person

who was telling us about the factory ‘difference.’”

“The bickering. As they say, the customer is always right.

Don't argue, keep your mouth shut, and interested people will come along.”



“Definitely the defensive attitude of the seller and the lashing out that followed.

It made her seem more guilty and made me question her ability to handle any potential issues that can sometimes arise

when you're buying any product.”


“I didn't like how she kept on posting. It made her look childish and I'm sure [it] may have

turned some possible customers away.…She did not need to keep the drama going.”

“She needs to watch her comments in posts. In my opinion, she is a small business owner and should conduct herself in a personal,

professional manner so fights over petty things do not get blown out of proportion.”

“…I would not consider buying something from someone like that. It's completely inappropriate to respond rudely

to people on a public forum.…How do I know…what they are going to say about me?

It's better to ignore the negative and apologize for any misunderstanding than to cause drama.…

Just bite your tongue and move on….”


“It's not about the purse, it was about how unprofessional she acted.

Not much care for her customers who felt they were cheated.”


“The fact that after the ‘Pursegate’ incident she actually posted more things for sale.

She should have let it fizzle down, but it was like she was taunting

the ones annoyed the most by her post.”

“The part where ‘slander’ and ‘sue you’ were used.”


“Something along the lines of ‘Is there an attorney that works with small businesses?’

on the EXACT same forum that the people she was threatening to sue use.

Were they supposed to go running at the threat?”

“I feel she was attacked and lost her cool. I would give her a chance to explain her actions though

and let that determine if I would buy from her.”

“I don't hate on someone trying to make a buck.”

“It's a free market. Do I AGREE with the seller? NO! Do others (including companies) buy and try to resell at a large profit? ABSOLUTELY.”

“U admins need a life”

KATHLEENHEUER.COMdigital marketing

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facebook marketing case study: the case of the pretty pink purse

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