Brenda Nelson lives in Idaho - the state known for its potatoes and by its nickname “The Gem State”.
She is a part-time job consultant and full-time Mom.
Years ago, the department store, K-Mart used to have blue light specials that literally involved a blue light. I really can't remember the details because it has been such a long time since these specials were in full force but I think that employees used to put a flashing blue light next to a pile of merchandise. If you bought the item within a set amount of time, you got a significant discount.
This marketing strategy is not the most intelligent if you think about it. Chances were that the customers in the store in that particular moment in time did not want or need the selected merchandise. Maybe this is why the blue light special is no more.
There is a certain appeal to K-Mart's old blue light special idea if you are a gambler. Perhaps you have nothing better to do besides hang out in a store all day hoping for the right price cut on the right items. There is some kind of game show quality of the marketing concept as well.
What amazes me about the whole concept is that it lasted as long as it did. From what I remember, K-Mart ran its blue light specials for years and years. During that entire span of time I don't believe that my mother purchased a single item through the promotion.
It just makes sense that we know about the sale items in advance. Knowing that there are great deals on specific items that we want or need is a major draw. The blue light special was simply too random for sensible shoppers.
The emergence of the shopping giant, Wal-Mart has put the retail industry on its ear. For awhile, many of us thought that K-Mart was going down in flames. Concepts like the blue light special didn't help matters for the struggling company.
However, with the recent merge between K-Mart and Sears things seem to be taking a turn for the good for this retail chain. This store now offers amazing deals on quality craftsman tools. I just bought an 18-volt cordless drill for less than 45 dollars. No blue light special involved.
The merge between the two companies provide a great resource for savvy shoppers who want American-made quality items at reasonable prices. I think that K-Mart has pulled itself out of the ashes to create a nice shopping experience for its customers. It has definitely come a long way since the blue light special.
