ICYMI: Yesterday, all of North America was treated to an eclipse of the sun — something that hasn’t happened since 1918. The moon began to block the sun over the Pacific Ocean creating a zone called totality — a line where the moon completely blocks the sun. This strip of totality fell across the continental United States, creating a brief and temporary darkness… and a mad dash for eclipse glasses.
With millions of people turning out to take part in this day, viewers from all over were scrambling for a pair of sunglasses designed especially for safely observing the eclipse. As of the Friday afternoon prior to the Monday eclipse, most listings on Amazon were sold out. On eBay, I spotted a pair selling for as much as $24,000, plus $38 for shipping. While that listing may have been posted as a joke (solar glasses typically range between 99 cents to $30), what’s not a joke was the demand there was for these glasses.
Leading up to the eclipse, we were all cautioned that protective eyewear was necessary to prevent damage if you were planning to be outside. Even a celestial event of this magnitude couldn’t escape the effects of supply and demand. It seemed like everyone I talked to was trying to get their hands on a pair of special glasses, and their pursuit only got more desperate as the days went on. One company, American Paper Optics started preparing for the increased demand 18 months ago but still underestimated. They went from 200 orders a day about a month ago to more than 10,000 on the Monday prior to the eclipse.
The frenzy around getting my hands on a pair of glasses got me thinking about how important it can be to have as accurate of a count as possible when planning for events, managing demand, calculating quantities, and restocking supplies. When it comes to these types of activities, you can rely on Sogolytics to help you automate the process.
If you want to set a limit on the number of responses to a particular question in your survey, our Quota Management feature is the perfect solution for you. Once a desired number of responses have been received, Quota Management allows you to gray out or delete an answer option, making it inaccessible to participants. Imagine you only have 20 seats at a particular workshop, 200 coupons available, or 2,000 pairs of pretty pink eclipse glasses. Setting limits keeps data management simple rather than having to chase frustrated participants who’ve unknowingly submitted too late.
Retiring selected answer options after a chosen number of responses are received will make it easier for you to collect answers that match what you’re able to supply. Don’t let poor design eclipse your next survey. Click here to follow step-by-step instructions for setting up Quota Management.
For those of you outside the U.S., check out the images that were captured from before, during, and after the eclipse from NASA aircraft, spacecraft, 50 high-altitude balloons, and the astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
