In April this year, the government sent stimulus checks to millions of Americans as part of the largest relief package in the history of the United States. The $2 trillion stimulus package is meant to counter the negative effects of the coronavirus and boost the economy.
The federal government will be directly paying all Americans $1200 under this package. This is reported to be beneficial for around 90% of households, according to the Tax Policy Center.
The fashion retailer Fashion Nova took advantage of this opportunity to encourage customers to spend their stimulus checks on their products. They also offered a sale on their clothing and flooded shoppers with push notifications and emails to promote their sale.
They have in turn received major backlash for this marketing ploy. People took to social media to post screenshots and criticize the brand for their inappropriate timing amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Several Twitter users expressed that it was very ignorant of them since the stimulus checks were meant for people struggling with financial problems or unemployment due to the pandemic. Especially considering that the unemployment numbers have increased across the country with millions of people applying for unemployment assistance.
Moreover, people also attacked the brand mentioning that they are hardly getting by due to loss of jobs and their priority is to be able to afford necessities, rent, food, and their bills. Many customers also stated they will be unsubscribing to the brand.
This move has angered customers nationwide and many are condemning the brand for their insensitivity. A user expressed their disbelief that Fashion Nova had the audacity to ask people to shop when they are late on paying their bills.
Another user raised the point that they only have 1200 dollars to spend for the foreseeable future hence they will not be spending it on buying clothes.
People have also remarked on the promo code they have used to promote their sale, ‘STAYIN80’, criticizing their use of ‘stay in’ to benefit from a serious life-threatening crisis.
Even though Fashion Nova has received major retaliation for this marketing effort, they are now trying to make amends. Fashion Nova has partnered with Cardi B to donate 1 million dollars to people going through financial hardships during the pandemic.
