This holiday season, Kringlan Shopping Center in Reykjavík launched a service called the Emergency Package Button. The idea behind this service is to help shoppers find the perfect holiday gift.
“Just before the holidays we created a ‘digital’ button called the Emergency Package Button, which we launched on Facebook to help people who had waited to shop for their gifts and needed some ideas,” says Baldvina Snælaugsdóttir, Kringlan’s marketing director. “You could press the button and either request to speak with an advisor at Kringlan’s service desk or choose to see some suggestions online.”
Baldvina says the idea came about naturally from Kringlan employees. “We always get friends and family asking us for ideas,” she says, “like ‘you work at Kringlan, so what should I get my mom or grandma or dad or little brother?’ So it dawned on us to offer this as an actual service.”
According to Baldvina, the service has been a big hit. “Our idea was also to support a kind and friendly atmosphere the last few days before the holiday break, to reduce stress and give people a chance to enjoy themselves. And there was clearly a need for this kind of help. Over 1000 people used the service and we even had to bring in extra troops. But our customers really seemed to appreciate the help.”
Baldvina noted increased awareness surrounding waste. People wanted to give something that wouldn’t end up stashed away in a closet or even tossed in the trash. “It was crystal clear. People really want to find the right gift, something meaningful for the recipient. They didn’t want to give just anything. People clearly wanted to be thoughtful about their gifts and find something that will be appreciated and actually be useful. And people are also keeping cost in mind to make the most of their money.”