After-storm discounts: Good PR or tacky?

Businesses are anticipating many late payments due to Sandy's damage, power outages, and late mail delivery. As a result, more and more of them are waiving fees for consumers

Some are even advertising storm discounts, which leads to the question: Should a business try to win new customers because of a devastating storm?

"Sandy Sale!"

An ad for American Apparel was featuring a big "Sandy Sale, " with 20 percent off everything for people in affected East Coast states (sorry, Ohio is not included in their list of states).

It said if you are "bored" by the storm, to check out their deals. 

But the fashion website The Gloss.com called the ad "tacky," and a "sad, thoughtless PR mess," as it was not really helpful to storm victims.

The Gloss says Urban Outfitters also offered Sandy discounts for a while, and some online retailers offered free shipping, but  they pulled down the offers after critics blogged that they were trying to profit from a natural disaster.

Business Waiving Normal Fees

Higher up on the helpful meter:

     - All major airlines are waiving change fees on East Coast flights this week.

    - JP Morgan Chase bank is waiving late payment fees through Thursday.  Many other banks, including Citi and Bank of America, are waiving late fees for storm victims, on a case-by-case basis.
    
     -The New York Times and Wall Street Journal have lifted the pay wall on their websites.  You can temporarily access all their content for free this week.

As always, don't waste your money.
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