Cash Mob Atlanta has a sole purpose: to introduce Atlantans to local businesses they may or may not have visited with hopes they will become frequent customers.
We do this by flash mobbing local businesses with cash.
The general idea of a cash mob is to encourage people to meet and shop as a group at a local business at a preannounced time and location.
The money spent helps to boost sales for the business and participants (cash mobbers) potentially become long-time customers.
It is a win-win situation for the business and the cash-mob customers.
Cash Mob Atlanta was formed in February after a national CNN story about the trend.
Andrew Samtoy of Ohio organized the first cash mob on Nov. 16, 2011.
He later learned the first cash-mob event was actually held in New York on Aug. 5, 2011, organized by Christopher Smith.
Regardless of who coined the phrase, cash mobs have since been forming all over the United States and now throughout the world.
After visiting Samtoy’s cash mob website (www.cashmobs.wordpress.com) to find out when the next Atlanta event was scheduled, we learned that no one had formed a group in the area.
We decided to take the leap and introduce our friends and neighbors to the many fantastic local businesses Atlanta has to offer.
Twitter and Facebook accounts were formed to announce details. We held our first cash mob in early March at Big Peach Running Co. in Brookhaven.
In little more than an hour, $320 in products were purchased by both new and old customers.
The cash mobbers left impressed with the excellent service and excited to return in the future.
As a group, we walked away happy knowing that we helped form new relationships and strengthen existing ones with Big Peach Running Co., and that they closed up shop that night with extra cash in their drawers.
It was uncomplicated and enjoyable, and that was exactly what we wanted.
From the first day we formed Cash Mob Atlanta, we wanted to be very clear that we were not part of any movement, political or social group, and we were certainly not in any way an answer to economic hardships.
Cash Mob Atlanta is simply a group of Atlantans trying to positively touch great local businesses in our community in a way that is simple and fun.
Our next cash mob is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday. Those who are interested in joining us to shop that night can get more information through our Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Alison Pierce Oxford is organizer of Cash Mob Atlanta.
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