That's how you run a business...

T-Shirt Hell, one of the funnier online apparel stores recently announced that they'd be going out of business due to poor sales, and to celebrate, were discounting all their merchandise, and bringing back nine of their classic tees. In the two week span after the announcement, the site sold just shy of 100,000 shirts in last chance deals.

I just got their newsletter for this week, and in it they thank their devoted consumer base for supporting them over the years, that the good news was that the discount was for another week, and a link to some "bad news".

What was the "bad news" you ask?

They never planned on closing in the first place.

It was one huge marketing stunt, and a brilliant one at that. The guy managed to skyrocket profit, stimulate his sector of the economy, and regain consumer interest in his product, all with a simple cut-and-paste newsletter, and a ten minute entry on his website. Genius.

Go buy a shirt.

"I'll wager sixty finest English pence that you defeat Big Sister in the end by shagging her to death."

Kikizo.com - Excellence in Journalism

The problem is that you can only do that once, and you risk pissing off potential customers.

True, but the payoff ain't bad. Twenty dollar tee shirt x 100,000.

"I'll wager sixty finest English pence that you defeat Big Sister in the end by shagging her to death."

Kikizo.com - Excellence in Journalism

Businesses do this, they just won't admit it like that.

I never even heard of them before now.  I'll probably buy a few.  Yeah it's a dirty stunt but who cares it's not like businesses have any integrity these days anyways.

"This is sad. There's no other word for it. The person who invents a way to punch someone in the face over the Internet will make millions from the demand generated by people like this." Youtube comments

It's no worse than treating your employees like shit, or evading taxes, or reducing the quality of your products to subpar standars.

McDonalds puts people on a level of discipline for putting more than one pickle on a cheeseburger. These guys "trick" you into buying a shirt you willingly decided to buy.

I know who I'd support monetarily.

"I'll wager sixty finest English pence that you defeat Big Sister in the end by shagging her to death."

Kikizo.com - Excellence in Journalism

Any big corporation treats their low-level employees like shit.