• ampedwolfman@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      That’s what I’m saying. This is less manipulative capitalism and more customer experience. It would hold literally no weight on my decision to stay there or at that chain (assuming it’s a franchise) again. If the room sucks it sucks. Duck won’t fix it. It’s a far cry from McDonald’s putting toys in happy meals.

      • TexasDrunk@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        But if there were two equal rooms (excluding the duck) at competing hotels for the same price, I’d go back to the duck hotel.

        That doesn’t make it manipulative. Like you said, it’s customer experience and that can make the difference.

      • chiliedogg@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        It’s not about that. It’s about getting people to post online about the cute duck they got from the hotel. It’s to plant a positive association of the chain in the subconscious of people scrolling by and seeing the cute story.

        A year from now with 2 hotels across the street from each other for the same price, they won’t even remember why they have a positive association with the chain. But it’ll be there.

        But I also don’t mind it. If providing a positive experience drives a positive e perception and more money for a business that’s fine. It’s okay to manufacture good press by doing good things.

    • De_Narm@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      I’d probably never go back on purpose. I couldn’t leave him, but I don’t want to clutter my apartment with ducks.

    • AVincentInSpace@pawb.social
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      6 months ago

      I stayed at a hotel a while ago that left a little plushie on the bed when I checked in. It was a generic wolf plushie, kinda scratchy, not especially high quality, with a goofy little detective hat with a pineapple pattern (the hotel was called Stay Pineapple) sewn onto its head.

      photo of the plushie in question as seen on the hotel's online storefront

      It said on the tag that if you took the plushie home with you they’d add $35 or something to your tab when you checked out. That’s the manipulative capitalism part. They didn’t have the plushies in a little gift shop – I almost certainly wouldn’t have bought it if they had – they put it on my bed so I’d already have picked it up and hugged it and stuff and have to “leave it behind”.

      I very much feel the sentiment in this tweet.

      It’s not even that good of a plushie. Why did I take it home?