Michael Gaynor
Lord & Taylor promotes Mother's Day gifts more than Father's Day gifts
By Michael Gaynor
Is that fair to fathers?
This year Lord & Taylor, the oldest upscale, specialty-retail department store chain in the United States, chose to favor Mother's Day over Father's Day in a material way.
No kidding!
And the wrong choice.
Each year the news reports that the average cost of a Mother's Day gift significantly exceeds the average cost of a Father's Day gift.
So be it.
To the extent that it is based on consumer choice.
But should a department store like Lord & Taylor not treat Mother's Day and Father's Day equally?
Is that a good business practice?
Is that fair to fathers?
Last month Lord & Taylor offered a $20 bonus card before Mother's Day.
Bravo!
This month it offered only a $15 bonus card before Father's Day.
Boo!
That's $5, or 25%, LESS benefit for Father's Day.
Last month Lord & Taylor's bonus card had a $40 minimum.
That allows up to a 50% discount.
This month the bonus card had a $50 minimum.
That allows up to a 30% discount.
The result: up to $10, or 25%, MORE cost for a Father's Day gift.
That kind of marketing increases instead of decreases the gap between Mother's Day and Father's Day gifts.
Hopefully, Lord & Taylor will not repeat this type of gender-based discrimination between parents next year.
© Michael Gaynor
June 23, 2015
Is that fair to fathers?
This year Lord & Taylor, the oldest upscale, specialty-retail department store chain in the United States, chose to favor Mother's Day over Father's Day in a material way.
No kidding!
And the wrong choice.
Each year the news reports that the average cost of a Mother's Day gift significantly exceeds the average cost of a Father's Day gift.
So be it.
To the extent that it is based on consumer choice.
But should a department store like Lord & Taylor not treat Mother's Day and Father's Day equally?
Is that a good business practice?
Is that fair to fathers?
Last month Lord & Taylor offered a $20 bonus card before Mother's Day.
Bravo!
This month it offered only a $15 bonus card before Father's Day.
Boo!
That's $5, or 25%, LESS benefit for Father's Day.
Last month Lord & Taylor's bonus card had a $40 minimum.
That allows up to a 50% discount.
This month the bonus card had a $50 minimum.
That allows up to a 30% discount.
The result: up to $10, or 25%, MORE cost for a Father's Day gift.
That kind of marketing increases instead of decreases the gap between Mother's Day and Father's Day gifts.
Hopefully, Lord & Taylor will not repeat this type of gender-based discrimination between parents next year.
© Michael Gaynor
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