About virtual goody bags
Apr. 11th, 2012 10:49 pmIt's a few days before the race, and the email pops up in my Inbox: "RunThisWay, here is the link to your virtual gift bag!" *sigh*
I've now run in three races that have used "virtual gift bags." I haven't liked them. Are they the wave of the future? I surely hope not. Some races seem to be gravitating toward them--RunDisney, for instance, now lists them as a race perk instead of traditional tangible goody bags.
In general, I'd prefer to receive a real bag with real products. The pros and cons of virtual bags, as I see them, are such:
Pros:
1. Environmentally friendly. There's no way around this one. Letting people browse online doesn't waste paper. In addition, since runners will only take the offers they want, they won't have to discard or dispose of the rest of the goodie bag's contents.
2. Marketing help. This one isn't a pro for the runners as much as it is for the sponsors. They can get clear numbers that tell them how many people use each offer in the goody bag.
Cons:
1. The goodies aren't nearly as good. Instead of free samples, the online goody bags generally contain discount coupons.
2. They're not as exclusive. In the age of Groupon, RetailMeNot and other discount code sources, there usually isn't anything in the virtual race bags that the runners can't find elsewhere.
3. They are privacy risks. Often, using the offers in the goodie bags requires handing over personal information to companies, who in turn can turn the data over to marketers. No thanks.
4. They deny runners the chance to try new things, which in turn denies companies the chance to get new customers. I didn't like Under Armor products until I got a free set of wristbands in a goodie bag. Now they're a company I patronize. I started using Clif Shot Bloks after trying a sample. And so on. I always passed the samples I didn't want to friends or colleagues, which gave them the chance to become customers, too.
5. They aren't as fun. "Fun" is an entirely subjective concept, but for me, a lot of the appeal of the goody bag is the appeal of getting a surprise. You never know what will be there. It's like opening your Halloween bag after trick or treating to see what you've been given. Looking at a lineup of marketing banners just doesn't have the same thrill.
Is it greed? Probably.
I've now run in three races that have used "virtual gift bags." I haven't liked them. Are they the wave of the future? I surely hope not. Some races seem to be gravitating toward them--RunDisney, for instance, now lists them as a race perk instead of traditional tangible goody bags.
In general, I'd prefer to receive a real bag with real products. The pros and cons of virtual bags, as I see them, are such:
Pros:
1. Environmentally friendly. There's no way around this one. Letting people browse online doesn't waste paper. In addition, since runners will only take the offers they want, they won't have to discard or dispose of the rest of the goodie bag's contents.
2. Marketing help. This one isn't a pro for the runners as much as it is for the sponsors. They can get clear numbers that tell them how many people use each offer in the goody bag.
Cons:
1. The goodies aren't nearly as good. Instead of free samples, the online goody bags generally contain discount coupons.
2. They're not as exclusive. In the age of Groupon, RetailMeNot and other discount code sources, there usually isn't anything in the virtual race bags that the runners can't find elsewhere.
3. They are privacy risks. Often, using the offers in the goodie bags requires handing over personal information to companies, who in turn can turn the data over to marketers. No thanks.
4. They deny runners the chance to try new things, which in turn denies companies the chance to get new customers. I didn't like Under Armor products until I got a free set of wristbands in a goodie bag. Now they're a company I patronize. I started using Clif Shot Bloks after trying a sample. And so on. I always passed the samples I didn't want to friends or colleagues, which gave them the chance to become customers, too.
5. They aren't as fun. "Fun" is an entirely subjective concept, but for me, a lot of the appeal of the goody bag is the appeal of getting a surprise. You never know what will be there. It's like opening your Halloween bag after trick or treating to see what you've been given. Looking at a lineup of marketing banners just doesn't have the same thrill.
Is it greed? Probably.