The business of Ooshies - who really benefits?
Woolworths offers one of the Disney movie characters for every $30 spent, while New World has knife sets.
Woolworths and New World, prominent New Zealand supermarkets, are running promotions where customers receive Disney movie character-themed Ooshies for every $30 spent. General manager of brand and marketing at Woolworths, Abbe Hale, revealed that two-thirds of the Ooshies have already been distributed, with 90% of display cases sold out.
Full sets of these collectible toys can be found on online marketplaces like Trade Me and eBay, with rare Ooshies fetching thousands of dollars. Retail experts suggest that such promotions aim to encourage shoppers to visit stores more frequently and spend more while there. Consumer advocacy head Gemma Rasmussen believes Woolworths' strategy is about gamification to foster customer loyalty.
She advises consumers to consider the potential costs, as evidenced by one shopper who switched her weekly shop from Pak'nSave to Woolworths to collect a set for her grandson. However, price comparisons from Pak'nSave often prove cheaper. Marketing experts note that Ooshies appeal to a broad market, with characters often recognizable from popular franchises, instilling familiarity and a desire to collect.
The scarcity of certain characters adds excitement, driving continued collecting. Additionally, Ooshies have spawned business opportunities, such as 3D Verse's creation of an Ooshies display stand. While Woolworths' promotion could potentially attract customers from other supermarkets, New World's offer of Smeg knives appears to target a different market segment, with higher value items.
Written by urgent.news from RNZ Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written; read the original for the full account.
