Well, I guess the question is... are you going to Un-Fan (is that a word?) yourself from the Texas Pete Facebook page? If you haven't heard yet, they are now NOT offering a FREE product coupon like I posted previously.This is what they're now stating:
"ATTENTION! There are many websites reporting false information for free samples and coupons from us, and we want to help clear the confusion. Currently we are ONLY offering a buy one get one free coupon if our page reaches 100,000 fans by November 1...5th, 2009. As our fans you will be eligible to print the coupon from the coupon tab and redeem at your local store."
I'm a little confused because I was never posting false information. I was posting accurate information that was clearly stated on their site-- if they reach 100,000 Facebook Fans every fan would get a coupon for a FREE bottle of Texas Petes Hot Sauce-- I don't understand how reading that would make me think of a buy one get one free coupon! Do you?
Anyway, What do you all think?
Was it a marketing ploy and honest mistake... ?
66 comments:
Im de-friending them
I UN-Friended them!! BOOO!!
I am not unfriending them. They did nothing wrong. And if everybody unfriends them nobody will get anything.
Sorry Hip. I fully believe you're 100% able to read. Sounds like they are backing out of a deal to me. I don't facebook but I would unfriend them if i could.
BOOOO! Bad company!
I am unfriending them b/c I feel that if you product is that good you wouldn't really need a marketing ploy. Just a good bottle of sauce.
They could have owned up to a promise they were unable to fulfill. Hummmmm....to be a "fan" of someone who won't admit their mistake, but blames it on others....let me see.....
what do you mean they did nothing wrong...promising something they dont intend to fullfill is wrong. They saw all the comments re: the free bottle on their site and they encouraged more people to sign up, they replied to those posts clearly indicating that they read them for several days. i am definitely unfriending them so that other companies dont get the idea that these marketing ploys work
I think that if anyone is reporting false information it's Texas Pete.
When I signed up to be a fan the page DID say that they would give away hot sauce ONLY if they got enough fans. It wasn't in large print, of course, but that's what I remember reading. :)
I'm un-friending them. They have a whole lot more to gain from back peddling than you do from "reporting false information", and they sound just mean.
I think it was a play on words....you are essentially getting a free bottle after you purchase the first one. They weren't clear in their wordage...and probably on purpose.
I un-friended them too. BOO!!
Hmmmm... here's the deal. I LOVE the sauce, and would have been happy with a BOGO deal in the first place. So I'll stay their fan for that coupon.
I thought it was strange too. Lots of people are mad about it, so yes..I think they were a bit misleading with us. But what the heck..a coupon is a coupon.
Maybe its a way for them to save money they decided not to lose out on. If you don't unfriend them, and get your coupon..are you going to throw the coupon away? Money they won't lose. I suppose they are hoping to lose friends thus saving money..or those who choose to keep the coupon decides not to use it...even more savings.
I yes I will unfriend them and go to thier site to complain of this terrible tactic......
I'm out too...very bad business practice on the part of Texas Pete.
Thanks Collin, for letting us know...you can't win them all.
By the way, in today's mail I got those 2 pedometers from Healthcare Scoop, and a 4 oz. bottle of sunscreen from Paula's Choice valued at $15.95, and a couple other little things. It's so much fun getting the mail now...thanks to you...you're the best.
I think it may have backfired in their faces. Their wall on facebook is now completely blank, I think maybe people were leaving nasty comments on there. I have un-friended them. I read the AD, they are in the wrong here.
This is what I wrote to them:
You started this campaign with the intension of offering free bottles but now you change your mind. This is a terrible marketing ploy on your part. Your own website stated we would get a free bottle so there was no "false information" as you claim. Glad to find out what type of company you are before I bough your product.
Thanks for nothing.....
Grrr
You did nothing wrong. Honestly, I think they wanted as many people's information for marketing and then decided to change the coupon since they can't live up to it. Ugh!
On their twitter, they never mention what the coupon is for - just " Remember once we reach 100,000 fans all of you will receive a coupon for Texas Pete!"
That could be anything. Heck it could be a 1 cent off coupon. Everyone needs to chill out - most people were just joining to get a freebie for something you probably wouldn't even use.
We do use Texas Pete and I will remain a fan and will enjoy whatever coupon I get.
I think they never really expected to get 100,000 fans. Then when they realized it was possible, started sh*ting their pants and decided they were going to make it BOGO so they wouldn't lose so much money. I think they would have been better off telling the truth and not all of a sudden changing their words.
Does anyone else find it annoying that Texas Pete's keep taking all the bad comments off their facebook page. People should be able to see others are mad too!
Help, how do I unlist myself as a friend of this (apparently) deceptive company???
They are soooo in the wrong!!! They have now changed the wording on their original comment and think we are dumb enough to not think they did that. Now they took off all comments on their wall. What kind of company is this??
Yes I find it VERY annoying they are picking and choosing what comments they want on their wall. Whatever, I am un-fanning them and will never buy the stuff again (EVEN if a free coupon came in my mail today!) .
Maybe they deleted the status which said it was not a free bottle but a BOGO coupon, and they are gearing up for an apology (and a coupon for a FREE bottle)... ? One can hope. I'd have been glad with BOGO had they not misrepresented their campaign. The original FB status was "... We are going to give every one of you a coupon for FREE Texas Pete® products! ..."
They are technically correct but just didn't tell the whole story...about the buy one THEN have the opportunity for a free one. I don't facebook and would never participate in these kind of "friend" offers...pesky marketing ploy. Luckily, hot sauce is pretty cheap anyway.
it wasn't you Collin bc even there facebook page said that if they reached that then we would all get a FREE Q Not a bogo Q! I am unfriending them too! I won't have anything to do with their company.... no buying anything from me! LOL
They've got someone on there quickly deleting all negative posts - I posted a negative (but not vulgar, and not mean) post and it disappeared in less than one minute.
They have removed any comments they posted about the free hot sauce because everyone is pissed and leaving negative comments on them.
I am unfriending them, too. The LIAR's!! I am 100% literate and I read the same thing you read.
Shortly after my comment was deleted from Texas Pete's wall, I got a FB message as follows:
"Ann,
Thanks for the message on our Texas Pete wall. I understand that it was confusing, but we are offering a free product with Buy One Get One Free.
Thank you,
Ryan Helmstetler"
This is what they originally wrote...
"Attention to ALL OUR FANS! We are going to give every one of you a coupon for FREE Texas Pete® products! If our page has 100,000 Fans by November 15th we will launch a coupon to ALL of you through our fan page. Its easy, if everyone of you get 5 of your friends to become a fan of Texas Pete® Hot Sauce, we will hit the number in no time. Click in the right hand corner, suggest to friends! GOOD LUCK!"
hmmm...sounds like they never thought they would reach 100,000 fans so when they did (or got close) they got cold feet!?!
Sounds likea marketing ploy to me.
I don't like hot sauce and do not have facebook and did not become their friend.
But it sounds like they felt they could get tons of people to sign up with them for the free product, then someone in their marketing probably said hey, if you change it to a bogo coupon you will earn about a 100,000 new sales by having them buy one then getting one free. Because many of those people probably wouldn't have bough the product
Or, figured this would dramically reduce the amount of free hot sauce they will give out, becuase it is a higehr chance people will get the coupon and not use it if it is a bogo, then if it is totally free.
Either way, sounds like a marketing ploy - to get more new attention.
My guess is with the way things are with Word of Mouth and the internet, they received much more than anticipated and were going to lose money. I think they should be forced to provide their initial offer under false advertising laws.
This is another case of I can't handle the overwhelming response of Hip2Save's fans! ;p
They are obviously backing out, but I don't blame them. Can you imagine the amount of people who have signed up and the loss they will generate as a smaller company.
What a bummer though! Haven't decided whether to unfriend or not.
hmmm...
Texas Petes just doesn't "get it" when it comes to:
a) Marketing
b) Women
c) consumers
d) bloggers ....
you just shouldn't mess with any of the above ;)
There are a million different ways they could have handled this...and boo-hiss for the way they did. un-friend here. (to have a friend, you need to be one - as they say!)
I have to agree with Kim. Definitely a play on words. Did anyone do a screen shot of this deal?
I think this was a play on words...misleading, but they weren't technically lying.
Honestly, at first I was really irritated and I actually wrote on their wall what I thought (something to the extent of being sneaky). Shortly thereafter, I received a private fb message from someone from Texas Pete's. He asked if I was asking about the coupon or a sample. I replied coupon and expressed that it wasn't clear it was a buy one get one free coupon and many people thought there was a free one. He responded that they'd like to send me a sample and I'd be able to get the coupon if/when it's available. I thought it was nice that someone took the time to message me...I actually felt like they cared about my business.
I struggle with this, on one hand, I'm annoyed because I thought I was getting a free item, no strings attached. On the other hand, as an avid deal seeker I am not very brand loyal these days. I can't say I would have become a loyal customer if I had gotten that coupon and coupons are really just a different aspect of marketing. They do want you to buy the product someday. Can't always get something for nothing, right? And I try to avoid looking a gift horse in the mouth whenever possible! :)
yep!!! they said for the firt 100,000 free. I read it. I then signed up and then it said I was too late...Unfriended
Semantics. Exact words. Reminds me of a Brady Bunch episode!!!
Sounds like the KFC drama, they weren't ready for everyone!!
9/16/09
6 pm CST
Fans are now only 39,654..
Couple of hours ago fans were 39,418 - they've gone up. Boo!
Tis is the reply that I got from them about what I posted earlier
Huh......
.
Ryan Helmstetler September 16 at 1:53pm Report
Ni,
I read your post on our Texas Pete page and I want to follow up on it.
You are correct that we started this campaign offering free samples. In order to receive a free sample you had to click the ad and enter your mailing address. We received over 10,000 orders which we are currently fulfilling at this moment and the promotion is over.
Our coupon offer is a new. If we reach 100,000 fans by November 15th all of our fans will be eligible to print a coupon for a Buy One Get One Free.
I know this has been confusing, hopefully this helps.
REALLY????
So, I can't stop checking their fb page, and now they reposted all the original comments, but they totally changed the wording on each comment to say coupon and nothing about free hot sauce....I almost can't wait to see what they try next.
Oh The Drama a coupon can cause....
LOL
They took down my comment on their wall after about 10 minutes then unfriended ME! Haha
they been doing this way before your blog. i tried a year ago to get my free sauce and have yet to see it.
I wasn't ever interested in this product BUT thought I'd throw this out there for the "technically they didn't lie" folks -
They were at the least deceptive and misleading. Even if not on purpose, the honorable thing to do is to say oops, stand by your promise to your customers and be more careful next time.
I do not believe that sending out 100,000 free bottles of their product (to some of whom maybe have become fans and paid full price for more) would have taken down a company.
Ploy, I actually saw the same thing you did and now am seeing otherwise.
I think we should boycott there hotsauce
I agree with those who feel that the company realized they might actually get 100,000 new friends, crunched the numbers, saw they would lose money & tried to change the terms without owning up.
Don't know why companies just can't be honest. I submitted for a free reusable grocery bag (or something) from a small wine company. Even when I did, I wondered if the wine company knew that their offer had been posted on a freebie list.
Received an e-mail from them a few weeks later that the response had been much greater than expected, or could supply & still stay in business; they were sorry, but instead were offering a special deal on their wine. The deal was a good deal, even though it involved a purchase. I didn't do it, but respected them for being upfront about what happened.
OK, sometimes we get free stuff, sometimes we don't, but I see no reason to be mean. Maybe other sites really were giving bad info. Posting ugly comments on a manufacturer's wall just gives couponers a bad name. I'm inclined to buy the sauce just because I am amazed at all the hate - and the sense of entitlement!
Most of us that have been on this site for some time have seen companies mess up. My problem with this company is that they couldn
t own up to it. It was their fault, and they felt it would be all better if they blamed someone else. I will never buy their product again. I am also reminded of when Korres site, and their mistake, but they sent out emails appologizing, and wanted to make it up to us. Too bad Texas pete couldn't own up, and be an honest company. Now they will lose loyal customers, it's not like they are the only hotsauce company out there anyway.
Bad company. Even if we give them absolute benefit of the doubt and say it was unintentionally misleading, it's not right to turn around and blame bloggers. They still should have given out the free sauce. It hurts them worse not to. And 100000 bottles isn't all that much for a large scale company. If you figure that out of that number they would get a certain percentage of repeat customers, and a certain percentage of word of mouth customers from them.
I don't understand these people that get pissy about us having a sense of entitlement. It's not like we feel entitled until a company makes a promise. Once the deal is out there, you're dang right that I feel entitled. But those are also probably the people with no knowledge of the corporate world. There's a certain way this stuff works. Marketing people take classes in psychology for a reason. And cost compared to retail price is marked up a ton.
My feeling is that this company wanted their facebook fans and was willing to risk changing their terms once they had enough traffic.
One thing I will say for them, at least it sounds like they are attempting to address all of the negative comments even though they are sticking to their misinformation story. Although I totally disagree with them changing people's words on their page.
From what I am reading the original posting on FB never indicated what size the 'free' item would be, correct? Well, if not, why couldn't Texas Pete simply sending out a free sample to everyone? That would be the free item. I think in the long run it would have saved them the headache of all this bad press.
For those who are critical of people only 'wanting the free item', they should stop. The whole basis of this blog, and others like it, is to secure great deals. But one thing I've learned is that it is also helping us try new products. My husband does use hot sauce in his wing sauce he makes. So it would be something that he may have liked enough to continue to purchase. But without the sample, I'm not likely to purchase.
Sometimes people need to think further.................
they are de-friend-ed
Good Grief. They didnt lie. You would still be getting a coupon for a free product. never did they say "you will not have to buy anything else to recieve the free product".
And if you read what a BOGO coupon says it says.. buy one GET ONE FREE. its right there, FREE PRODUCT. I mean i like to save a buck like everyone else but to write hate emails and messages to their company for something you all just ASSUMED.
everyone knows what happens when people ASS-U-ME.
This is some funny stuff here. Stop being so damn greedy and it's only facebook. The world is not going to end.
I think Texas Pete realised how many people were signing up and they figured they better go b1g1 and at least make some money off of their sauce instead of giving away tons for free...if i had signed up i wouldve befriended them too!!
I would not have cared if they had simply said it was a mistake.
But instead they are trying to make it sound as if other lied about it.
It was clearly on their site. I even got notifications after becoming a fan and I saw updates on their wall about it.
I will unfriend them not b/c they had to back peddle, but because they lied about it.
It's so funny how some people think those of us who are disappointed in this company's lack of honesty, are instead ONLY upset over not getting a free bottle of hot sauce. It is beyond that. And by the way.... those of us that have left messages on their wall only expressing our disappointment (and not saying mean and vulgar things) have seen that our comments are deleted within minutes. Nothing but praise within comments are left standing. Free advertising AND they control the feedback. A marketing dream!
Texas Pete's FB wall has now been completely wiped clean - no comments, no status updates, nothing. "Texas Pete Hot Sauce has no recent posts."
Their wall still has comments on it (just checked) , EXCEPT for anything that is even in the slightest way negative towards them! The good comments have always been there and will continue to be there. Texas Pete has not posted anything recently though. I am sure they are just hoping this will blow over soon so they can stop spending sooo much time deleting comments. Hope they have learned a very valuable lesson. I think we have beat this to death. They lost a customer in me but I am NOW over it.
I went to the FB page and all of the comments are wiped clean. I tried to leave a comment and got an error message that the comment could not be added. What's going on with that? Maybe got tired of monitoring the comments?
I agree with others. It is not about a free bottle of hot sauce. Companies have got to learn that we live in the 21st Century and Word Of Mouth offers spread quickly.
I am especially offended by the fact that someone from thier company would try to say that we bloggers are spreading false information.
I have un-friended myself and contact Texas Pete on thier site to express my disappointment.
Post a Comment