Zappos discount site 6PM.com steps up marketing campaign

Taxis, wrapped in 6PM.com’s signature ruby red color, drop Las Vegas visitors off at Strip and downtown destinations. Sometimes those trips end in a sweet surprise.

Through Sept. 28, the locally based online retailer is picking up the tab for 100 taxi rides a day as part of a promotion surrounding its sixth birthday. Lucky riders also get a 20 percent off coupon to further drive home the message: 6PM.com wants your business.

Six years ago, Zappos purchased the site from Ebags and changed its model from a standard online retailer to value-focused. At the time, the online retailer was failing to gain a national audience, site director Graham McCullough said.

“When we purchased 6PM and decided to represent it to the world, we really wanted to focus on a value proposition to the customers. There are more customers out there who are price sensitive and wanting to get a great deal,” McCullough said.

The site fills a discount niche for the Zappos family of brands by selling name-brand clothes, shoes and accessories at 30 to 70 percent off every day, whereas Zappos itself isn’t designed to be a discount retailer. 6PM.com is located inside the newly finished campus at 400 Stewart Ave. Also a subsidiary of Amazon.com, 86 employees work for 6PM.com.

Another key difference between 6PM and Zappos is the former releases new promotions every night at midnight, although it’s not a flash sale site.

“We’re growing very fast and our customers are excited about the deals,” McCullough said.

On Sept. 16 the site will release its new fall fashion preview, which includes fall fitness products, casual boots, home products and luggage. The average price for shoes on 6PM is $63, which includes couture and boots. The business has partnerships with large brand names such as Ugg, Nike, Nine West, Seven for All Mankind, Dansko, Asics, Reebok, True Religion, Jones and Lucky.

“You can get some very, very good deals,” McCullough said.

During its birthday celebration this month, the site looked to social media and good old-fashioned community outreach to promote. Style director Jay Alexander conducted impromptu consultations at the Welcome to Las Vegas sign and select areas downtown, while the site’s Twitter account holder hosted a virtual scavenger hunt that promised gift certificate prizes. Similar promos were hosted on Pinterest.

“We’ve done a lot of different campaigns over social media in the past year and have found that our customers appreciate the interaction. It allows them to really connect with the brands that mean the most to them in a very personal way,” McCullough said.

Contact reporter Laura Carroll at lcarroll@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4588. Follow @lscvegas on Twitter.