[MEDIA RELEASE] Chicago Shopmobsters: China's Inspiration Spurs Chicago Innovation

Jan. 31, 2010 - PRLog -- Chicago, IL USA - January 31, 2010 - Shopmobbing got its start in China. Consumers would get together in large numbers and literally, physically mob a shop, demanding discounts for their volume buy. Shopkeepers are happy to give special deals for volume sales, so it was a win-win situation, with happy shoppers carrying away their bargains and dazed shopkeepers looking around their cleaned-out shelves and counting their money.

Now, Chicago's premier promotion company, Surreal, has brought this idea to Chicago with Shopmobbing.com. Instead of getting an overexcited mob at the door, Chicago merchants offer great deals if a certain number of people join in half price on a special meal for 75 diners, for example, or a discount on spa services if 100 Shopmobbers sign up.

Instead of physically mobbing a store, Chicago Shopmobsters get advance notices via text or email a day in advance or check the website for the deal of the day. Then the fun begins. Shopmobsters tip off their friends, by text, tweet, Facebook announcement, or phone call. Drumming up the mob has all the excitement of an eBay auction but everyone wins. If the mob hits the required size by the deadline, everyone gets the deal. If not, no money changes hands, and the Shopmobsters can try again the next day.

For the shoppers, it's a fun way to get great deals on things they want anyway, and a great way to learn about the newest trends. Since Shopmobbing is a combination of social media and shopping, Chicago's young professionals use it to add spice to their lives and save money at the same time.
For the merchants, it's a great new marketing tool. Unlike an ordinary sale or promotion, there's no risk involved if the numbers don't turn up, the merchants don't give the discount. Usually, the resulting mob exceeds the expectations. What's more, the process of gathering the mob gets the word out for the new product, so the merchants get lasting results.

Shopmobbing.com is a SurrealChicago.com production, and Surreal is the perfect entity to produce Shopmobbing for Chicago. For the past decade, Surreal has been the primary promoter for nightclubs and music in Chicago, and has hosted celebrity music events across the country, as well. Their experience and connections among tastemakers in Chicago makes them a natural for getting Shopmobbing going.

We brainstormed about the things the Surreal crowd loves to do, Surreal representatives explained. Spas and restaurants, of course, but also photo shoots, snowboarding trips, personal training We're able to deliver a wide range of great deals, to help people out on both sides of the counter during the economic retrenchment our country's going through.

Surreal plans to expand Shopmobbing to other parts of the country in the future, but Chicago's home, so that's where it starts. Shoppers can sign up in minutes at www.Shopmobbing.com and immediately get $10 credit in their accounts, for being charter members. Merchants can get featured as the deal of the day by contacting Shopmobbing at info@shopmobbing.com.