Monday, July 23, 2018

Fluffed it! The truth about Build-A-Bear's day of mayhem

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/jul/23/fluffed-it-the-truth-about-build-a-bears-day-of-mayhem#comment-118600055

“From now on, leading-edge companies – whether they sell to consumers or businesses – will find that the next competitive battleground lies in staging experiences,” wrote its authors. “An experience is not an amorphous construct; it is as real an offering as any service, good, or commodity … Businesses must deliberately design engaging experiences that command a fee. This transition from selling services to selling experiences will be no easier for established companies to undertake and weather than the last great economic shift, from the industrial to the service economy.”

Build-A-Bear underestimated the devotion of its young fans – and the human appetite for a bargain.