HK brands take a jab at Pricerite with appreciation post on social

Local brands such as IKEA Hong Kong and GeTheMall have taken a jab at Pricerite by posting a message of gratitude on social media, after the furniture retailer copped flak for sparking speculations of its potential closure. 

According to its official Instagram, IKEA Hong Kong uploaded a trendjacking post featuring “Thank you everyone for your support over the years” (多謝各位多年支持). 

It also comes with a caption which says: “That’s crazy! Ikea’s editors will never pretend to shut down the stores!” 

“Today is simply International Editor Appreciation Day (just decided by me), that is why I want to thank everyone. Just a gentle reminder, IKEA's products have already in “new low price” for long, thanks," the post reads.

The post has garnered over 17k likes, with many praising IKEA’s smart and humorous move, while some said Pricerite has gone too far with its “final day” notice.  

Another retailer GeTheMall also posted a message of gratitude on Facebook, featuring the phrase “Thank you everyone for your support over the years. There will be new price cuts on certain items tonight.” The post has garnered over 500 likes. 

Don't miss: What led to the PR debacle around Pricerite's 'final day' announcement?

This comes after Pricerite posted a message of gratitude on social media, sparking speculations of its potential shutdown. However, it clarified the day after that it is not closing, instead, it is rolling out a massive sale. 

A check by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE saw on Facebook that Pricerite’s clarification post has garnered over 2,000 reactions from netizens, with some saying the company has gone too far, while some said they were freaked out by the announcement last night.   

Media intelligence firm CARMA has observed 710 mentions among Hong Kong netizens regarding the incident. Sentiments regarding the incident have been 45.9% positive and 15.5% negative. It is worth noting that prior to the incident, the negative sentiments surrounding the brand were only 4.8%.  

Many netizens have expressed their gratitude towards Pricerite for the final sale event, thanking them for providing such great deals, according to CARMA.   

“Some netizens have also raised concerns about the sudden closure, wondering if it is related to the recent economic downturn in Hong Kong. Others have speculated that the store may reopen under a new name or concept,” added CARMA.

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