Copycat sales strategies

DSN Retailing Today, August 8, 2005

The world of computer retailing appears to be following in the footsteps of automotive manufacturers as CompUSA launched a promotion offering consumers employee discounts on computers to help drive early BTS sales over the July 15-16 weekend.

CompUSA is riding the coattails of American carmakers, which recently launched a slew of employee-discount promotions, to a raging success.

A spokeswoman for CompUSA said it's too early to determine the effectiveness of the promotion or whether it would be repeated or extended. "CompUSA is committed to offering customers the best prices available, especially during back-to-school, and this promotion was a reflection of that commitment," she said.

But, unlike the auto industry, retailers haven't quickly jumped on the employee-discount bandwagon--at least not yet.