Style-Delights: 3.1 Phillip Lim For Target : A Case Study In Twitter Shopping And #Limsanity

September 15, 2013

3.1 Phillip Lim For Target : A Case Study In Twitter Shopping And #Limsanity

CNBC said we needed a black Friday-esq plan. Racked.com had its multi-step strategy to 'be the boss of' Phillip Lim for Target collection! With  a very successful PR strategy of building the enthusiasm among fashionistas, an overcrowded launch/pre-sale party in New York and a huge social media buzz, 3.1 Phillip Lim Collection for target made its debut on Sunday. I knew it was going to be a popular collection and will be sold out very quickly.  Of course FOMO (fear of missing out) made me download the Target app (in case the site crashes down), log into my target account, ready to pounce on Pashli doppelganger at the first sight! I knew we all will be talking/tweeting about the collection, but what I didn't predict that this event will become a never-heard-before collective shopping experience on Twitter. The kind that might make Phillip Lim for Target collaboration shopping a business schools/communication schools case study, which will be a guide for brand managers during any such collaboration in future.

How it started: So, Target said they will launch the collection online 'in the wee hours' of Sunday morning and store doors will open at 8 AM. But somehow people were tweeting links that were either 'decoded' during early load testing or they found a way to go around the home page and go directly to the product, or may be target was releasing the products one by one and they were available to people who clicked on the links at a particular time! However the links became available (pardon my limited technical knowledge) , an amazing thing happened! On twitter people started sharing product links (that were not even available through the home page)  with hashtag #philliplimfortarget (making me believe in the goodness of humanity!) Because of twitter links (special shout out to Hallie of Corals and Cognacs who magically produced shoppable product links even before they were available via Target Homepage), I could shop for coveted trench coats and animal print sweater even before the collection became available in general. The key was to checkout as soon as you had products in cart lest the item got sold out while you waited to fill up the cart. At around 4:30 AM, the whole collection was available to buy online, and as predicted most bags were sold out online even before the stores opened. For those of us who didn't live very close to Target store, collective Twitter shopping not only became a fun, shared experience, a bond in 'exclusivity' but also a very convenient thing. I shopped in my pajamas!! LOL!  And here is what I have coming to me in mail! (** sshhhh...don't tell my husband!)


Phillip Lim For Target, #PhillipLimforTarget, Phillip Lim For Target Haul
Some items here are still available online (HERE), some are only in stores now! You can check the availability if you haven't shopped them already! 

Phillip Lim For Target, #PhillipLimforTarget, Phillip Lim For Target Haul
The bags were gone almost instantly!! I am glad to get the yellow mini satchel!
Now, only thing that worries me is --
Phillip Lim For Target, #PhillipLimforTarget, Phillip Lim For Target Haul
So what did you get from this collaboration? Or were you not impressed, just like my best friend:-)
Please share your thoughts!
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13 comments :

  1. I got the boom sweater too! LOVE it. I got the mini gold satchel instore and the cream sparkle bouse online. You will love the peplum top, it fit like a glove. Check out my review of Phillip Lim for Target.http://bit.ly/1eSn6Ab

    -Franci
    www.TheFashionPalate.com

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  2. My sister just updated me that her grab was mainly jackets and trench coat. She was afraid to even get close to the bag section because it got too rowdy. Women get fierce when their must-have-hormones build up. LOL!
    I can only wish I was there. Enjoy your bag and can't wait for you to show it to us =)

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  3. I had the same experience and took notice of the social media experiment that was in front of us. I quite enjoyed it. In fact, I found your blog b/c one of your tweets had me laughing really hard :-) I will be sharing my experience on my blog tomorrow highlighting one of your tweets. I'll send it your way! I have 7 shipments coming my way but 3 of them are my husband's so it's socially acceptable.

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  4. so interesting. thanks for this - had no idea.

    I woke up early, went to the store (well, the second store, because the first Target "didn't carry it" [Wisconsin's the WORST]) and was wholly unimpressed. As a compulsive shopper, I assumed I'd buy at least 1 thing. Yet, nothing. It all looked poorly made and kitschy.

    Hope you enjoy yours, though. Maybe I'm totally wrong . Wouldn't be the first time.

    -gab

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  5. I didn't buy any of the collection, but I do love those coats and bags!

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  6. This is horrible but I didnt get anything! I do want that trench coat though - BADLY! I have been waiting to shop the collection for what seemed to be ages in my instant gratification shopping world - but I actually slept in and had the busiest day! Glad you got such great pieces!

    Zahra
    www.lovezahra.com

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  7. I stayed up till midnight to log into Target's website not realizing this was happening on twitter the next morning. I refused to drive to Target to be part of the shopping frenzy and decided having one of the purses was just not meant to be.

    Alice
    www.happinessatmidlife.com

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  8. I had been highly anticipating this collection, but when it launched, I just wasn't as into it as I thought I'd be. I am planning to go to my local Target today to see what's left (I'm sure lots as ppl here aren't sure who Phillip Lim is). I've scoped eBay for the handbags & they are being listed at $850- CRAZY! You were really lucky & scored tons!

    xo,
    Tiffany
    http://shoeschampagne.blogspot.com

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  9. I love this recap and those trench coats are GORGEOUS!

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  10. Hello i was wondering if you would like to follow each other on GFC???

    http://steph-annieblog.blogspot.fr/

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hello i was wondering if you would like to follow each other on GFC???

    http://steph-annieblog.blogspot.fr/

    ReplyDelete
  12. That white and blue trench looks the same as my sister’s. I can’t be mistaken because I gave it to her as a birthday present! Haha! It’s a little costly, but it was worth the excitement I saw on her face.

    Joel @DayFursInc.com

    ReplyDelete

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