A hashtag hiccup: when ecommerce goes awry

Today saw eBay begin to promote its Christmas hashtag, #eBayElves. In what is actually quite a great idea for an online retailer, the hashtag allows people to ask the eBay elves what they should buy others for Christmas.

We’ve all been there…a last minute panic to find ideas as we begin our gift lists. All Twitter users have to do is quickly describe who it is they are buying for. For example, a picky thirteen year old or a foodie loving sister. The eBay elves then respond with what they think is the right product for the person.

Early reviews were good

Glancing at the first uses of the hashtag, users seemed very impressed with the original service. It was praised for being quick to respond, making actual good suggestions and generally being great fun.

Nothing works better for an ecommerce brand than a successful social campaign. People were not only engaged, but becoming generally interested in the products offered to them.

But then…

Just as the hashtag was beginning to gather full steam, the eBay site had a little crash. Before long, people were commenting on the irony of the site failing just as the big hashtag was being used. Even worse, people began adding #eBayGremlins into the mix, as there could be no other excuse for Christmas mischief than those pesky Gremlins!

Website crashes happen; it’s just unfortunate it happened during what was quite a successful and engaging customer focused campaign. More unfortunate is that it occurred on the week of the mighty Black Friday…with deals already available! 

Keeping customers happy

One of the biggest reasons for customers being turned off by a brand is slow websites. Ultimately, they will leave for a competitor if it means their shopping will be done efficiently. After all, patience isn’t high on the list of virtues of a Christmas shopper!

User experience is imperative, and while website crashes can’t always be helped, it should be all systems go when a fun campaign is launched…not all systems go and then stop again.

Did you enjoy this post? There's a whole lot more enjoyment to be had... read more ecommerce news and gossip.