Hurricane Sandy = HUGE SAVINGS to online shoppers

Twenty-four hours after the Atlantic Ocean flooded beach towns up and down the coast of New Jersey, those of us with electricity and a dry checkbook have reason to rejoice: Gary Barbera is extending their Cadillac Madness sale thanks to the hurricane!

Yes, you heard that right. While watching tonight's 11 o'clock Action News, which focused almost exclusively on the devastation of the unprecedented damage caused by Hurricane Sandy, Philadelphia-based car salesman/slickster Gary Barbera thought it would be a great opportunity to let the greater Delaware Valley know that their Cadillac sale is being extended. And doing it with cheesy stock footage of windswept trees in a driving rain to accompany the sales pitch.

Horrified, I took to facebook, only to see that a friend of mine had posted a similar story about another car dealership in the area (this one in New Jersey) that promised $1000 off the cost of a certain type of car for every inch of rain that Hurricane Sandy brought to the region.

Tacky and insensitive doesn't even begin to describe this type of marketing.

I tried in vain to find the Barbera commercial online, so I could include it here, but it has proven surprisingly elusive. However, a quick Google search of the terms "Hurricane Sandy sale" revealed that car dealerships aren't the only ones promoting Hurricane Sandy as a reason to shop. Retailers like American Apparel, Urban Outfitters, and The Gap are all (or at least were, until the press and bloggers got wind of it) offering great deals for people who are in the mood to expand their wardrobe while their neighbors across town sit bundled in darkness, in a shelter, wearing the same sweatshirt and jeans they've had on since they abandoned their houses two days ago.

American Outfitters promises free shipping during Hurricane Sandy.
Now, you just have to hope the mailman can find your house after the storm.

I realize that our country is one enormous capitalist machine, but at what point do we draw the line? Since when is devastation a cause for people to rejoice that they can open their wallets and buy another pair of skinny jeans, boots, or push-up bras? How is it ever acceptable for a company to think that using the term "SandySale" is an appropriate discount code for online shoppers? These are the questions I will be posting to each of these company's facebook pages this evening.

All I know is that Christmas shopping season starts really soon, and you can bet that none of the companies offering any kind of Sandy Sale will be getting any of my money this holiday season.