Experts warn ‘mistake marketing’ may mislead consumers, breach Fair Trading Act

By Susan Edmunds, RNZ First it was Saben , sending an “internal only” email to its wider customer database, including a discount code offering 30% off bags. Then it was Breeze Balm telling followers online that its “marketing girlie” had made a mistake and enabled free shipping a day early. These two examples in a matter of days recently highlight an increasingly common trend of ‘mistake marketing’ - and some shoppers are wondering how legitimate the mistakes really are.

Bodo Lang, a marketing expert at Massey University , said mistake marketing offers tapped into shoppers’ desire to find superior value and novelty..