Best discounts left to last in 12 Days' promotion

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16: The bermuda.com 12 Days of Christmas shopping promotion is going into its busy homestretch with nine scheduled events in the next six days.

And it seems some of the deepest discounts and most creative ideas have been left until the end.

Glenn Jones, general manager of bermuda.com, said: “Retailers have been proactive this year to individualize the promotion to fit their specific consumer audience.

Bermuda.com, which is a sister company to the Bermuda Sun, has more than double the number of participating retailers in 2011 compared to 2010.

Tomorrow the two-year-old marketing scheme will visit a golf course for the first time. 

Night golf

A night golf event will take place on Saturday evening at the Fairmont Southampton Resort at 5:45pm.

Yesterday, more than half the available spaces had already been sold.  The golf course’s pro shop will also offer up to 50 per cent off between 5pm and 7pm as part of the 12 Days of Christmas promotion.

“We have listened closely to the feedback from our customers on choice, quality and value and those who come to celebrate with us will benefit from shopping local,” said Anthony Mocklow, Fairmont director of golf.

The bermuda.com promotion is based on the promise of luring customers to spend based on a unique buying opportunity that is heavily promoted online, in print, on the radio and on social media.

Over the past two weeks hundreds of shoppers have crowded a diverse array of stores including Annex Toys, Hunt’s and Animal & Garden House.

High-end accessories store Lusso did a very brisk lunchtime business on Wednesday.

It’s sister store Boutique CC will have its turn this afternoon between noon and 2pm. Julia Currelly, buyer for both stores, who has invested in the promotion for two consecutive years, said: “Retailers are facing such increased local and international competition these days that we are needing to find new ways to excite and engage the customer.

“The 12 Days of Christmas answers that need, in that it is a fun, entertaining event and bermuda.com does the hard work of promoting it for us.

“We benefit from their broad customer base and they reach consumers that we might not have access to by ourselves.  It has an enormous drawing power.”

Glenn Jones, the creator of the promotion, says retailers have been proactive this year to individualize the promotion to fit their specific consumer audience.

“Luxury for Less awarded a free iPad2 to one of its shoppers, Brown & Co. had Mrs Claus reading to kids and Annex Toys brought in a steel band to play live out on Reid Street,” Mr. Jones said. 

Return

“Every retailer who put in the extra effort has seen a return on their investment and it’s been our job to ensure consumers know what’s happening and know when to respond.”

Later today, the promotion will visit Masters for late night shopping and the managers there have decided to keep their discount a secret until 5pm this evening. 

However, all week the store has promised an “exceptional discount offer”. 

On Saturday, Annex Toys is making a similar promise, but also keeping its discount a secret until late in the day Friday.

On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week the 12 Days of Christmas will be at Gibbons Company, ER Aubrey, CellOne, 27th Century Boutique and Hunt’s. 

On Tuesday, bermuda.com will announce the winner of its United Airlines prize. 

Consumers have been encouraged to sign up for the contest in-store while shopping during the 12 Days of Christmas.