It's been another weird week in retail. Dating app Hinge entered retail, Target has Valentine's Day treats targeted to millennials and CVS' flaws inspired fashion.
This, and more, in this week's retail therapy.
Hinge wants users to 'delete' its products
The beginning of the new year brings many things: a fresh start, a different perspective and, for all the single folks out there, an opportunity to download your favorite dating app. After dodging the "Are you dating anyone?" and "Still haven't managed to lock anyone down yet?" questions over the holidays, singletons everywhere can rejoice in this early January "holiday."
Dating Sunday, marked as the first Sunday of the year, has historically been a big day for online dating channels. Dating app Coffee Meets Bagel said there was a 75% spike in new-user signups on Dating Sunday 2018 compared to the previous 30 days, and predicted that users were 17% more likely to find a match on the day this year.
And luckily for those who were looking to create a profile this year, there was no shortage of options. From Match to Bumble to Tinder, competition in the space has heated up over the years. But the unusual marketing from Hinge may set it apart from the rest.
In August, Hinge introduced us to its new mascot, Hingie, which it promptly killed off. The ad campaign's star, Hingie — a stuffed, furry Hinge logo — sits in the back of couples on dates. The idea is that the couples are so in love they fail to notice the playful mascot getting run over, having an air conditioner fall of top of it, etc. This is all, of course, a metaphor for deleting the app.
To further propel this message of encouraging love, the dating app this week unveiled The Hingie Shop where fans can purchase products that are designed to be destroyed, or deleted.
The online shop appears to have every price point in mind: From the Hingie bath bombs and s'mores kit, priced at $10 and $12 respectively, to more extravagant purchases like the $500 "delete date" necklace (as in, the day you and your significant other deleted the dating app), which features real gold and diamonds.
The best product, though, may be the $100 Hinge-branded ring box. Imagine proposing to someone you met on the dating app using this box. Adorable.
Target shoots Cupid's arrow toward millennials
For those who have had success in the dating app game, sights might be set on Valentine's Day. Between choosing what to do (dinner, a movie, both?!) and trying to decide on what to gift, if anything, the day of love can turn into the day of stress pretty quickly. Thankfully, Target has a product that's perfect for all those you love — especially millennials.
Forget the box of chocolates, the mass merchant is selling a solid white and milk chocolate product shaped like an avocado. Of course, there's no actual avocado in the sweet treat, but the packaging does include this slogan, "Let's Avo-Cuddle."
The product, which was spotted by Instagram user @targetdoesitagain, only costs $5.99. At that price, you can buy them for everyone you know: significant others, friends, family, co-workers (OK, maybe not co-workers).
For those in fresh relationships, though, tread these waters carefully. The packaging, while cute to some, may be borderline creepy to others.
CVS is fashion's latest muse
CVS printing unnecessarily long receipts for its loyalty ExtraCare members is nothing new. A customer goes in, buys a single pack of Tic Tacs and receives a receipt the length of a small boat.
I bought one thing at CVS and this is the receipt pic.twitter.com/9VANgjZ3ST
— Jason Graham (@jason_graham16) January 9, 2020
One of my blinds broke in my bedroom so I just went to CVS pic.twitter.com/0QghmXKZ7R
— andrew (@andrewnolan2) December 5, 2018
Paper companies when CVS puts in an order for receipt paper pic.twitter.com/AYiXquzM64
— Grant Goldberg (@GrantGoldberg) January 7, 2020
People have been complaining about the absurdity for years now, most notably Jimmy Kimmel, who asked former President Obama if he was going to crack down on long receipts (spoiler: he did not).
The receipts have become such a popular topic of discussion that a merchant on Etsy is selling scarves inspired by them. For 132.96 Danish Kroner ($19.77 at the time of publication), consumers can purchase a fleece scarf inspired by the drugstore's paper slips. This is peak fashion.
The scarf measures 59 inches long, which to some reviewers, wasn't quite long enough to be a true representation of a CVS receipt. A shame.
Urban Outfitters wants consumers to live their best sick lives
'Tis the season where everyone gets sick just from looking at a subway pole. But, as we always say, if you're going to do something, you might as well go all out. So when you inevitably catch that cold, Urban Outfitters is here to help make it a bit more glamorous.
The retailer is selling a tissue box cover that's decked out in rhinestones to help turn your trusty Kleenex into a chic accessory. The product retails for $39, which may seem steep considering the average tissue box costs about $1. Hey, it's not cheap to achieve the regal life.
"Bring a little disco fever to the most ordinary corners of your space with this allover rhinestoned tissue box cover," the product description reads.
Sure, a rhinestone tissue box cover may be unnecessary, but it's not any more unnecessary than your friend's kid sneezing directly into your mouth.
