With retail chains frantically competing for your business this season, one venerable NYC department store has a promotion that will definitely grab the attention of shoppers. This ad for Bloomingdale’s Manhattan store promises a free iPad with your $1500 sportswear purchase. Is this deal for real?
The ‘net is full of ads promising a “free” iPad, most of which turn out to be bogus, but this one sounds legit. One of the nation’s oldest department stores has a tempting offer—a free iPad with your purchase of $1500 in their branded sportswear department. This ad is for Bloomingdale’s Manhattan store at 59th Street and Lexington Avenue, but the offer is good at some other Bloomie’s in New York. The ad does not specify the model of the “free” iPad, or which articles of sportswear are eligible for the offer, which is good December 10-12.
So why is the famous retail chain doing this? The same reason discounter TJ Maxx was offering iPads for $399 a couple of weeks ago—to get customers into the store. Given the prices of Bloomingdale’s fashion apparel, it wouldn’t be hard to run up a $1500 tab, especially when doing holiday shopping. This could be a cool deal for the mom of fashion-conscious teens, who can pick up some cool items for her girls and get the bonus of an iPad for herself!
There are no reports yet of how many customers actually walk out of Bloomingdale’s with a free iPad, since the sale takes place next weekend. If this promotion significantly lifts the store’s receipts, the cost of buying the iPads would be justified. Since the iPad is the number-one most-wanted gift this year, the lure of a free one will definitely make the buying public take notice!