Safety Warehouse boss Andrew Thorn denies fake money claims as backlash grows

The head of security at Safety Warehouse has defended the controversial giveaway at Aotea Square, saying it has been unfairly characterized as a “fake money” event.

Chaos erupted at the Auckland event when a crowd came forward to see what they thought was part of a $ 100,000 cash gift promotion called “The Drop.” At least 1,000 people filled Aotea Square, but few reported receiving real money and those who did received only small denominations.

Instead, participants left with vouchers that looked like $ 5 bills, giving customers discounts on Safety Warehouse products. Many were upset and angry crowds demanded “real money.”

Managing Director Andrew Thorn said his company did distribute “real funds” and that his event had been “unfairly characterized” as one with fake money.

“In truth, the actual funds were given away as anticipated. The coupons that were also presented at the event were in addition to the cash that was given away. We could never have expected that the inclusion of the coupons would have created so much hostility and narrative misunderstanding.

“There was no intent to deprive, deceive or embarrass anyone of any demographic or race.

“We wanted everyone to attend and be part of a great event.

“It was the first of this scale in New Zealand and unfortunately one group ruined it for everyone.

“The Safety Warehouse supports our marketing and what aired at the event.”

Even though some people said they had to pay for The Drop tickets, Thorn said it was a free event to thank the people of New Zealand.

“The actions of a few individuals and several bystanders were not characteristic of the
The general mood of the event, “he said.” A select few ruined the tone of the day for everyone, but they were by no means the norm, just a few people who didn’t get as much courage as they expected, for whatever reason. “

Man who traveled from Palmerston North to help his sick son

Meanwhile, a Palmerston North man who traveled to Auckland in hopes of raising money for his ailing son was overwhelmed when a stranger showed up with real money.

Wayne Lynch was one of more than 1000 people who gathered yesterday in Auckland’s Aotea Square.

Lynch said she was expecting a windfall to care for her son after eye surgery after driving into town yesterday with her partner.

However, after gathering a handful of $ 5 discount coupons made to look like $ 5 bills, Lynch wasn’t sure if he could afford to return to Palmerston North.

“We were stressed by that and also by all the stress from the surgery,” he told Mediaworks.

Fortunately for Lynch, David Letele learned of his bad luck and chimed in with $ 1200, food and lodging, saying “it’s not a hand, it’s a hand up, bro.”

Lynch said he wanted the organizers of what he calls a bogus cash delivery to account.

Return request settings

Another disgruntled attendee has started a petition on Change.org to demand that people with coupons receive real money and plan a police report.

Levin’s John Murphy called the event a waste of time and claimed that many of the attendees came from impoverished backgrounds who felt cheated.

But Murphy said attendees only received coupons designed to look like $ 5 bills.

“I attended the event expecting it to be the highlight of my short trip to Auckland, only for it to be a disaster,” said Murphy.

Since then, it has started a petition, which has more than 280 signatories, demanding that The Safety Warehouse convert the coupons given out at the event into actual cash.

“I know people outside Auckland who were stranded. Many of us, including myself, suffered injuries,” added Murphy.

“People were pushing and shoving and throwing each other in an attempt to get what looked like real money.”

He said a person who appeared to be an organizer shared a laughable suggestion that the $ 5 coupons could be exchanged for real money at the bank.

Murphy also said that he would ask police to investigate whether the coupons can be declared counterfeit bills.

And he said an employee was hospitalized after the crowd got angry and an object thrown through the rear window of a company car smashed the glass in his eyes.

‘Oversold’ trick

A Massey University marketing professor said the company should apologize and hire a good public relations firm to help save its reputation.

Malcolm Wright told Radio New Zealand that the stunt had broken customers’ trust.

“I don’t think they would have set out to cheat, of course they wouldn’t have set out to cheat. Someone just sold too much and went a little further.”

But some attendees were furious.

“I wasted my gas, time and money … I could have spent the day doing something more productive,” wrote a Papakura woman at Murphy’s request.

“Wasted time, babies hurt, they ripped us all off, made us look dumb,” said another signatory.

Cam Hore wrote: “What a shame. Everyone who attended this event should be compensated and the company should be fined for misleading people.”

Jon Duffy, CEO of Consumer NZ, said that any company running a promotion had to make sure it was able to meet the terms of the promotion.

“If the company did not give away $ 100,000 in cash at this event, it could be in violation of the bait advertising provisions of the Fair Trade Act.”

Fair trade law prohibited anyone from advertising goods or services at a specific price if they did not intend to supply those goods.

“Bait advertising is where you advertise something that is a really good deal to get people to walk in the door, but then it doesn’t get delivered,” Duffy said.

“Once you have them there, you try to sell them to something else.

“And we understand that people were receiving vouchers with the counterfeit money that was being distributed here, which gave them a kind of special treatment,” Duffy added.

“If that’s all that is offered, then this offer could be misleading. I guess we’ll have to see what happens.

“I have not seen the real money [but] It seems that the event was not as the company expected.

“And clearly, people didn’t get what they thought they were getting.”

The event was apparently held to thank New Zealanders for their support during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Thorn said he started the Safety Warehouse business through his Christchurch-based company Greenback Capital to supply work clothes, then moved to masks, hand sanitizer and other equipment when the Covid-19 pandemic began.