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Yeah, We Got Totally Shut Out of the LHW $19.28 Sale Too

October 1, 2008 at 10:46 AM | 16 Comments

Those of us on the West Coast set our alarms extra early this morning to take advantage of the Leading Hotels of the World's 80th Anniversary $19.28 Sale. Sadly, we were not able to secure rooms. Despite our best efforts to strategically click, click, click, we were not able to get into the site. For all 80 contest minutes, we received this very polite error message:

"Sorry! Due to the overwhelming number of consumers currently trying to access this promotion, your request is being delayed momentarily. Please be patient, don't get discouraged, and retry in a few seconds."

We figure this played out much like a contest on the radio, with some people calling at the right time and getting through, and others trying and trying and getting a busy signal. In fact, at the end of the contest, LHW confirmed they had sold rooms:

"Thank you for your interest in the 1928 Promotion. We regret to inform you that the more than 6000 room nights available at the start of this promotion have all been sold.

Ugh.

However, there is now a new error message on the contest site:

Due to the overwhelming number of consumers participating in this promotion. We regret to inform you due to technical difficulties beyond our control the 1928 promotion has been suspended indefinitely.

So, we're perplexed. Did the rooms all sell? Or could no one get through?

You tell us: did you get a $20 room?

UPDATE: Blogger Miss Expatria contacted LHW and got a reply from Claudia Kozma Kaplan, Vice President of Corporate Communications:

We have indeed experienced technical difficulties this morning due to the overwhelming number of individuals who visited the site. Despite our efforts to carefully manage and prepare for this worldwide promotion, the traffic exceeded more than one hundred times our norm.

Please accept our sincere apologies. You will be receiving another opportunity to participate in this offer shortly via email. In the meantime, please rest assured that we will not be saving your email address in our database for any future solicitations.

With thanks for your understanding and time,
Claudia Kozma Kaplan"

You know, we think LHW are so nice. We were pretty frustrated this morning and were not particularly thrilled that they failed to anticipate such a spike in traffic (um, hello?), but we're ecstatic that we'll get a chance to click, click, click some more!

: / /

Author Photo: abigailmschilling by abigailmschilling

16 Comments

Return to » Yeah, We Got Totally Shut Out of the LHW $19.28 Sale Too

  1. annie0007

    HotelChatter Member
    October 1, 2008 at 10:53 AM




    oh rats

    I couldn't get in this morning, either. Was there right at 7:59, and got that darned message.  

    Hopefully they'll get their technicals up & running -- but I feel for them, having to do the promotion ALL over again. What a headache!

  1. abigailmschilling

    HotelChatter Member
    October 1, 2008 at 11:13 AM




    re:oh rats

    I know, right? I so feel for them. Especially since people seem to be so mad! Some guy was blogging about how he was going to email all the CEOs. I was like, um, dude, it's a promotion, not a right.

    [ Parent ]

  1. Jenna

    HotelChatter Editor
    October 1, 2008 at 11:18 AM




    re:oh rats

    I know! Why is everyone so LIVID? Like, okay, that sucks that you didn't get a room for TWENTY BUCKS but hello -- it was a promo. Srsly though, how could they have not been ready for that INSANE traffic spike?

    [ Parent ]

  1. bangerang

    HotelChatter Member
    October 1, 2008 at 11:22 AM




    so close

    i got the error message for a while and then i got through to some other screen when i "retried in a few seconds." it was so close...

    but then when i clicked through on the hotel i wanted it all went to shit.  sad face.

  1. travelingmcmahans

    HotelChatter Contributing Editor
    October 1, 2008 at 11:35 AM




    Proofread much?

    After multiple tries I got this lovely message:

    Due to the overwhelming number of consumers participating in this promotion. We regret to inform you due to technical difficulties beyond our control the 1928 promotion has been suspended indefintely.

    So they didn't anticipate their web site crashing and burning, ok, but really, the Leading Hotels should invest in a proofreader.

  1. bangerang

    HotelChatter Member
    October 1, 2008 at 11:47 AM




    re:Proofread much?

    commas suck. who needs em?

    [ Parent ]

  1. annie0007

    HotelChatter Member
    October 1, 2008 at 11:49 AM




    we luv., splchk!

  1. abigailmschilling

    HotelChatter Member
    October 1, 2008 at 1:02 PM




    re:Proofread much?

    I probably wouldn't have proofread either if I was getting crazy emails from internet pyschos. Another person was all, "worst hotel chain ever!!!!111!"

    [ Parent ]

  1. chico537

    HotelChatter Member
    October 1, 2008 at 1:45 PM




    False offer

    completely disappointed. so much time waisted for nothing.
    It was a flase offer as they were saying they sold all the rooms and after they are going to send new offer opportunity slots.
    we should launch a new campaign to block the website in order to let loose money as we lost our time.

    Let's STOP this shame!!!

  1. JetSetCD

    HotelChatter Contributing Editor
    October 1, 2008 at 2:25 PM




    oh man

    Oh yea - I was there with you all at 7.59 beginning the clicking madness. Did not get through - but did just get my "try again" email!!!! Thank god my dates are flexible.

  1. abigailmschilling

    HotelChatter Member
    October 1, 2008 at 2:35 PM




    Re:False offer

    My guess is the "we've sold out!" page was pre-made and set to launch at the end of the contest (or when they actually sold out, whichever came first). The new reports from them make it pretty clear that they didn't sell out.

    [ Parent ]

  1. iamdanny

    HotelChatter Member
    October 1, 2008 at 4:18 PM




    1928 BACK ON!

    I just got an email for a NEW procedure!  

    CHICAGO is mine.

  1. iamdanny

    HotelChatter Member
    October 1, 2008 at 4:18 PM




    1928 BACK ON!

    I just got an email for a NEW procedure!  

    CHICAGO is mine.

  1. chico537

    HotelChatter Member
    October 2, 2008 at 3:02 AM




    new procedure fail

    Also the new procedure is a joke!!!
    these people are completely unable to manage the situation.
    We should boycot this hotel chain for the waisting time they are imposing to us.
    Let's stopp their website and let's call they toll free numbers to let them pay for they inefficiency

    For USA and Canada:  1-800-745-8883        toll free
    For UK, Germany, Switzerland, France, Spain, Belgium, Austria, Ireland, Norway, and Holland: 00800 1010 1111 toll free

    Let's STOP this SHAME

  1. Loyalty Traveler

    HotelChatter Member
    October 5, 2008 at 9:33 AM




    LHW 1928 Sale

    There was an email sent late Wednesday afternoon from LHW President and CEO Ted Teng stating the LHW 1928 promotion was suspended due to technical errors.

    The email stated 150,000 registered participants for the LHW 1928 promotion would be emailed next week (Oct 6-10) with further details.

    I expect LHW will make a good faith effort to restore brand image after this poor promotional display of brand recognition last week.

  1. abigailmschilling

    HotelChatter Member
    October 5, 2008 at 10:27 AM




    Re:LHW 1928 Sale

    Loyalty Traveler, we agree. See our latest story on the sale.

    [ Parent ]

Return to » Yeah, We Got Totally Shut Out of the LHW $19.28 Sale Too

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