Did HP Miss the Marcom Boat on TouchPad’s Demise?

HP's TouchPad tablet is kind of like Elvis—it has became even more popular after death. When HP pulled the plug on the TouchPad late last week due to very poor sales, there were some retail outlets selling the product for $149 on down to $99. This caused a buying frenzy, and while those prices are hard to find now, major retailers like Amazon, Best Buy and others are sold out.

Given this demand, perhaps HP's marcom execs could have given the TouchPad's death a little more thought. It's possible the company could have set a higher price point to liquidate the stock—say more than $200—and reaped greater benefits. We're aware of the communications that support dead celebrities like Elvis and Einstein—keeping them alive with a variety of tactics. What about dead tech products? Should HP have treated the TouchPad's demise more as product launch than a product crash? We'll see what the company has in store in a few days, when reportedly a new wave of TouchPads will be offered.