Internet launch party, each holding 20 dollars crazy to buy some ... Is this a social gathering, a charity event, or an upgraded version?

70th Clapton Road, north-east of London, the small independent bookstore "Hackney pages" crowded, boss David and Elena at the cashier busy. By midday, they had earned more than 500 pounds. They don't know how long they haven't seen such a gratifying turnover.

1.5 hours ago, 50 guests suddenly poured into the store, each waving a 20-pound note, said to buy more than 100 books. Later, they spent money, drank a celebration of wine, left the store. Shopkeepers in other shops on the street envied the rare bustle of "Hackney pages".

The Cashmob, which sprang up in the United States last year, landed in Britain for the first time this summer and has now blossomed in Britain. The idea of a "fast-money Clan" is also replicated: a small power to "save" the community store around you.

Social networking sites gather "The fast Money Clan"

"Hackney Book book" Ushered in the "fast Money" is the London Olympic Games closed two days before the August 10. Olympic Games ushered in all the guests, east London Hackney district also with a new look, but like "Hackney book" Such a community store or become a bustling forgotten corner. At that time, British community activists Ken Banks from Canada learning experience, decided to launch a "fast Money Clan" party. Banks set up a cashmobbers website to recruit "fast money" through social networks to get a positive response.

Last August, in New York State Buffalo, American engineers and bloggers, Christopher Smith, had a whim to organise such gatherings, out of concern about the plight of the community shops that were under economic malaise. At the time, he said through social networking, "this message is for everyone who has a few dollars to spare to save the community store." "A few days later, he recruited more than 100 people, to meet at the same time to a wine store consumption, the same day to bring the store 9000 U.S. dollars turnover," this is more than on the shop Facebook page "like" more affordable. ”

For more than a year, the "fast-money" platform on social networks has grown rapidly, sweeping dozens of U.S. states and rising in Canada, Japan, Germany and Britain.

Through social networks, anyone can launch a "fast-money" party. The 54-year-old British social worker, Richard Mackiffer, organized a party in an independent bookstore in northern London this month, with more than 70 "fast-money families" raising 5 times times the same day's turnover in half an hour. McIvor called on Londoners to "stop going to Starbucks, they make so much money in the UK but only pay a little tax to patronize your community store." ”

"Upgrade Group buy" favorable business

"Fast Money Clan" in the form of organization is very much like a group of strangers suddenly gather singing and dancing "Flash clan", the way of collective consumption is very similar to "buy". However, Smith said, this is actually the "reverse" of group buying, because the "fast-money" in the community shop to pay for the original price rather than the discount price.

As an "upgraded version of group buying", in this era of online shopping, "fast Money clan" culture is to enhance people's community consciousness. Annie Johnson operates an art store in Warwick, Rhode Island, which sells 50 local artists. On one occasion, 35 of people suddenly came to her shop and surprised her.

Johnson said that the "fast-money tribe" through shopping, the local artists, their store also attracted more popularity, "Some people missed the" Fast Money "party, they later patronize here, because they want to support the idea. ”

After the Warwick, a local business organization plans to organise a monthly event to encourage locals to support community stores.

In Ohio Cleveland, a group of "fast-money" people have developed the so-called "fast-money" law, including the participants must spend at least 20 dollars, and finally stay to drink a cup of celebration, but also have the choice of location must be local owners and the social return of the store. The "fast-money clan" usually nominates and votes for "airborne" stores through social networks. Of course, if the object is a restaurant or something, they will inform the merchant in advance, lest they should be in short supply.

(Chenhui)