What-What?! Week of September 14th

Things are as they were, mostly.  This past week, I set up Skype with my father-in-law, which was really nice.  I miss everyone back home.

I went to an informational meeting for this local homeschooling group, which I'm probably going to join.  They seem like people who could be my kind of people.  They have events mostly in town, too, so it's not like driving to the East Side all the time, which is where the other homeschool meet-ups I've found are.

And now something vaguely depressing...!

Gene-Altered Apple Tested in Washington State via The Seattle P.I.

Last year, an inspection of gene-altered apples found trees that were flowering less than 100 feet from conventional apples, poor record keeping practices, and using no methods of keeping animals away from them.  Basically, doing everything to ensure that these genetically altered apples interbreed with other apples.

The article goes on to describe the kinds of incidents that occur at experimental plots with the potential to spread genetically modified produce to unwanted areas, and the wrist slaps that the overseeing government agency applies when things go wrong.  In the incident above, the agency fined the company $19,250, which is a paltry sum.

I don't necessarily disagree with genetically altered produce.  I understand the science, and that, as yet, we have no evidence that it would be harmful to humans.  However, what I do object to is that it is extremely difficult to keep genetically modified produce from mixing with conventional produce.  I want to have the choice not to get it, and I want to have the assurance that, if for whatever reason we do find out that certain varieties are harmful, we have other options.

The article, clocking in at five pages, is a bit of a long read, but well worth the information.

With that, how about some pictures of my kids?  They are adorable:



The artist at work.

It's unusual to see this one be so still.

Whole Foods Feels the Effects of Increasing Competition

Recently, Whole Foods has been taking a beating, with about six months of disappointing earnings. With the most recent earnings release, the company's shares have taken a nosedive. What is nice, is that Whole Foods isn't caught with their head in the clouds; the company has actually adjusted earnings forecasts down, in order to better reflect the market conditions. Where five or ten years ago, the company was one of the top brands in its industry, its space has slowly been eroded by a growing contingent of competitors.

The funniest thing about this article is that it connects very nicely to another article that was recently published, about Trader Joe's and Whole Foods Market building images as health food centers. This author tries to argue that the customers of Trader Joe's and Whole Foods is one and the same -- which, as my eBook, Trader Joe's versus Whole Foods Market, discusses, is not true. They may have similar income, education, and age, but the psychographics of these target markets are very different.

Further, the value proposition couldn't be more different; Whole Foods attracts people with "free of" (gluten, wheat, etc.), organic, eco-friendly products, while Trader Joe's attracts people using unique, curated, upscale foods at inexpensive prices. These value propositions are a substantial part of the reason why Whole Foods is suffering, while Trader Joe's is not. It's a lot easier to copy what Whole Foods does, because it depends on a marketing mix that can be assembled off the shelf. Trader Joe's has worked hard for years to build its reputation, to offer unique products and flavors, especially at such low prices.

Where Whole Foods used to have a select handful of competitors, it now is fighting for space in an increasingly crowded field, one that is already feeling the pinch from conventional grocers and discount retailers that have begun to offer similar products and services.

How many options are too many?

One thing that new competitors have over Whole Foods is a smaller footprint; one of the things that sets both Trader Joe's and these other competitors apart is that, for every square foot smaller these stores are, the amount of sales per square foot rises. Whole Foods gets mired in its own vast array of products, which is good if a customer is looking for something very specific, but is tiresome and unnecessary for customers with simpler needs.

These factors will continue to create challenges for the entire industry, and for Whole Foods specifically. While I appreciate that Whole Foods is having a bit of a reality check, investors might not be so forgiving.

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Want more information about Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe's, or the specialty grocery industry?  Check out my eBook on Amazon:  Trader Joe's versus Whole Foods Market: An Organic Grocery Store Marketing Analysis.

(imgs via naturalspecialtyfoodsmemo.blogspot.com, yourbestmooove.com, cmgdigital.com)

Tracking Customer Feedback -- Good and Bad

Last month, the Gourmet Retailer had a great article on paying attention to customer compliments as much, if not more so, than complaints.

What I like about this article is that it makes a point of identifying happy customers and keeping them happy.  While it's important to fix customer complaints in a satisfactory manner, customers who are currently satisfied are more likely to be promoters of your brand.  Knowing these customers and what they like about you helps identify ways to improve or change your offerings to better fit their needs.  In the book The Ultimate Question, the authors state that the single most important question to ask customers is "would you recommend us to a friend?".  Knowing how many satisfied customers you have is even more important than knowing how many unsatisfied customers you have; these customers will bring their friends, who then are more likely to turn into customers themselves.

For the most part, I agree with the article, but there are a few caveats:

Positive feedback doesn't outweigh negative feedback.  Unhappy customers can't just be ignored, unless the company is purposefully redlining them, as in those who don't pay bills or who are too unpleasant to work with.  Even then, redlining customers must be done carefully, as social media can create a wildfire of bad publicity.

One thing that kept coming up in the Kitchen Nightmares series, run by Gordon Ramsay, is that business owners use customer compliments to lull them into complacency.  If sales are dropping, if people aren't coming into the shop, then all the compliments in the world don't change the fact that the business is suffering and needs to change, especially if those compliments aren't recent.

I enjoyed reading the article, and especially like the stories of how this company grew more connected to its customers through the use of positive feedback.


Sources:
Bayless, M. (2014). Build on What's Working.  The Gourmet Retailer, Feb / Mar 2014 issue.

Reichheld, F. and Markey, R. (2011).  The Ultimate Question 2.0.  Harvard Business Review Press: Boston, MA.

Image via landsandlots.com

What-What?! Week of May 4th

In just a few days, my baby will be two years old!  When did that happen?  I'm not ready for him to be so big.  He's a funny little guy, and a lot more far along developmentally than his older siblings at this age.  He talks so much, and so clearly.  His current interests include Thomas the Train (his favorite character is Percy), Chuck the Truck, and action figure "guys".  And Legos.  And dinosaurs.  Dragons, of course.  Barbies.  My Little Ponies.  Toothbrushes.  Pouring water on things (just not himself -- too close to taking a bath!).

But for all of his interests, I'm still his mama, and I get many snuggles. <3

Writing:  Amazon Royalties Payment!

Good news!  I have actually been paid for something that I wrote.  Mind you, it took 14 months to net that $107.99, but it still pleases me so.

News:  Industry Seeks Comment on Retirement of Coupon Barcodes via Progressive Grocer

In a step to further the move from standard UPC barcode coupons to databar coupons, the Joint Industry Coupon Committee is seeking comments from affected industries on the retirement of certain types of barcodes.  By June of 2015, all UPC-5 and GS1-99 barcodes will be retired, which is to say, most barcodes that still exist on coupons will disappear.

The move to databars for coupons has been in the works for about two years now, and it has advantages and disadvantages, both for the industry, and for customers.  It will lead to less coupon fraud, as well as accidental misredemption, but at the same time, which is great for manufacturers.  However, because the databar includes more information about what products are allowed and disallowed for the coupon, it will make it easier for coupons to be programmed improperly, not covering products that should be covered, leading to the dreaded "coupon not accepted" beep.  Granted, a certain amount of this happens already, but when a customer can look at the coding of the UPC and anticipate the beep, they can then be prepared to argue with the cashier if necessary (I've been there, done that).  For those that don't coupon often, you may be wondering how often coupons are misprogrammed?  While some manufacturers almost never have programming problems, some, like Nivea and Proctor & Gamble, have regular issues with it.  It's frustrating for customers and cashiers, and I expect for this to only increase with the databar codes.

(image via survivingthestores.com)

What-What?! Week of March 2nd

Last Saturday, when I told my daughter that she could do as much homework as she wanted, little did I know that I had released a ravenous monster.  In two days, she did about 20 pages of language arts homework, which confirmed what I'd been thinking for some time now; she's probably beyond first grade in reading.  The current plan is to let her finish zooming through the first grade work, then go on to the second grade book (which I need to pick up soon).

Cooking:  Lemon Butter via Tasty Kitchen

This is the second time I've posted about this delicious lemon butter.  It is so wonderfully fresh, especially during this drab time of the year.  I decided to live on the wild side, and opted not to use a double boiler, instead cooking it over low heat and stirring constantly.  It came out just fine, and was a lot less finicky to make than last time.  If you are going to make this lemon butter, though, do invest in a microplane of some sort -- it will make zesting the lemons immensely easier!

News:  Safeway in Discussion for Possible Sale via Progressive Grocer

This past year has been pretty rough for Safeway;  last year, the company divested itself of 72 stores in the Chicago area, some of which have been picked up by competitors like Whole Foods.  Even with those underperforming stores gone, the company's 2013 sales hadn't grown at all compared to 2012 numbers, and any same-store increases in sales were eaten up by decreasing fuel sales.  Basically, Safeway is going nowhere, and in the highly competitive grocery industry, that's bad news.  Getting rid of underperforming stores is generally speaking a good thing for short-term performance, but the affects of backing out of entire geographic areas may come back to bite them.  With all this going on, Safeway has announced that it is in talks to be bought out by a private investment firm of some sort.  According to this article, the firm is Cerberus Capital Management (though this fact isn't officially confirmed), which has some pretty significant
 experience in the grocery industry all ready, so all in all, the sale might be a good move for Safeway.

This Computer Game Lets You Stomp Peasants with the Famous Monty Python Foot via Yahoo! Tech

For those Monty Python fans, a bit of light amusement.  You play the giant foot from Monty Python, squashing peasants and knights.  This is a simple, though entertaining, game.  Go play it!
(imgs via Wikipedia, Yahoo! Tech)

What-What?! Week of January 12th

This week is mostly a collection of random bits and bobs that I've collected over the past month or so.  I did get a great list of steampunk children's books put together, which you can also see using the links above.

News:  Paramount Citrus replaces Cuties brand with Wonderful Halos via The Packer

This past week, my coworkers and I were talking about food, and we wound up talking about clementines, and the new Wonderful Halos brand.  While locally all I've seen are these, I know that the Cuties brand is also available in the next town over.  Interested to see what on Earth happened with the sudden disappearance of Cuties and the immergence of Halos, I turned to the internet.  Apparently what happened is that the companies Paramount Citrus and Sun Pacific had been partners, but this partnership ended, and as part of the deal, Sun Pacific bought the Cuties brand and logo.  Paramount Citrus then introduced the Wonderful Halos as a replacement for Cuties, and the company has spent about $20 million dollars in advertising the new brand in 2013.  There's been a lot of pushback from some of the Halos commercials ("ungrateful brats" was one description of the commercial), and after seeing the commercials myself, I understand why.  I think I'd rather buy Cuties.  I don't need my fruit to be angelic, you know?  I'd rather it be cute.

Nightingale Floors via Wikipedia and Youtube

On account of a Mythbusters episode, I was reading about ninjas, and came across these nifty floors.  They are made in such a way as to squeak when someone steps on it, thus becoming a ninja deterrent.

Wizard Quest, via Vice.com

Wizard Quest in Wisconsin Dells, WI, is described as a "13000-square-foot fantasy-themed labyrinth".  Attendees solve geeky riddles and puzzles to "free" 4 trapped wizards, and if they manage to complete the quest within the time limit, they get a prize.


From the looks of it, this is cheesy in a pretty awesome way.  Some of the creatures and setting look cheap, but other portions, like the puzzle chest room, are quite well done.  The tunnel/ball pit thing makes me a little concerned about safety.

Apparently, there's also a little kids version called MagiQuest as well, which also seems really cool.  It actually might be cooler than Wizard Quest.  Unfortunately, the nearest one is in Centralia, Washington.  I want to go. >.>

What-What?! Week of September 15th

This week I officially started my position as an after school leader with the local YMCA.  It is somewhat of a bumpy ride; the location for my class is poor.  The situation is temporary, but at the same time makes working with the kids difficult.  I’ve been coming home quite spent.  As it is, I am waiting to see if the situation remedies itself, or if I need to apply some pressure to get things put right.  Thursday, I came home from work very sunburned.  I hope not to repeat that in the future.

I haven’t written an article in a while – or actually, I should say, I haven’t published an article in a while.  Two are just sitting about, waiting for me to decide where to put them; I’m unhappy with Yahoo! Voices, but at the same time, there aren’t a lot of other notable options.  Now that I’m working, I’m not sure how much I’ll be writing other than this blog; because I’m missing the baby’s naptime, it makes it hard to find uninterrupted time.

News: Carmel Dinosaur via The Monterey Herald

This is one of those special local issues; Carmel is an upscale town in the Monterey that is particular about preserving property values.  The town hosts few (or no?) chain stores, and many people vacation there.  So, having a giant dinosaur in your front yard is not well looked upon.  I think it’s awesome (though I’m not sure I’d want it in my neighborhood, along with this family's display).

News: Chinese Chicken Processors Are Cleared to Ship to U.S. via The New York Times

Companies will soon be able to export slaughtered chickens to China for processing, which will then be imported back to the United States – and will not be required to be labeled as such.  This is honestly pretty off-putting.  In recent memory, Chinese companies have poisoned infant formula, dog and cat treats, sold rat meat as mutton, and had cases of bird flu in live poultry.  No way do I want to eat poultry processed in China, and for that matter, I’m not excited about raw meat being shipped that far before it even gets anywhere near my dinner table (risk of spoilage, anyone?).

To add insult to injury, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has brought up serious doubts about the legitimacy of domestic inspections, since the USDA is expanding a pilot program that would allow companies to use their own employees as inspectors.  The GAO claims that the USDA didn’t accurately examine the effectiveness of this program before deciding to expand it.  This would most likely reduce the USDA’s overhead, but the question remains if this is furthering their goal of protecting the American people.

Music:  Lyle Lovett – In My Own Mind via Youtube.com

After writing last week’s post, I had to go look up this, which is far and away my favorite Lyle Lovett song.  Sometimes, to me, this song is about The Secret Life of Walter Mitty:  The secret fantasies and other lives that we live when no one is looking.  Other times, the song is about perspective: What happens in your life is colored greatly by how you view it in your own mind.

I love that he pronounces foyer properly.

(images via The Monterey Herald and Simply Fresh Cooking)

 

What-What?! Week of August 4th

This week, I was pretty busy; I made some delicious chocolate chip scones, using my blueberry scones recipe, subbing chocolate chips for the blueberries, and milk for the yogurt.  Also did some shopping for eBay fodder, and Target’s July toy clearance for Christmas and birthdays for my kids.

Publix: The Wal-Mart Slayer via Forbes

This is a great article about Publix’s success – the company has achieved a net margin of 5.6 percent, higher than any of its public competitors.  Publix has done it through an emphasis on first on service, then quality, but not price.  Wal-Mart’s business strategy is low cost, which they, of course, translate into lower prices.  The two companies have recently been engaged in somewhat of a price war; Wal-Mart claiming that Publix is more expensive, and that customers get more value shopping at Wal-Mart.  Publix has been countering with some special promotions, but ultimately, the company is stating that the level of service and quality offers significant value to customers.  I know that I’ve shopped certain stores, despite higher prices, because I wanted to shop somewhere that was easier to navigate, had better produce, friendlier cashiers, and so on.

Beyond that competition, what’s especially interesting about Publix is that it is the largest employee-owned company in America; because of this, it treats its employees very well.   One of the most impressive statistics in the article is that over 21 percent of Publix’s employees have worked there for over ten years.  This is a company that I would feel good to support, for sure.

The Sad Story of Peter Pan

There are certain films that I don’t watch: Labyrinth, Spirited Away, and Peter Pan, among others.  Sometimes I forget why these films bother me, so I wind up watching them anyway; this past week, I watched Disney’s animated Peter Pan with the children.  While the film itself doesn’t bother me (well, except for certain racially-charged scenes, but I do forgive it for its time period), the story of Peter Pan does.  Peter Pan’s origin story, Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, is truly sad; upon hearing that his mother wants him to grow up to be a judge like his father, he runs away as an infant.  He goes to live in the Kensington Gardens, where he is befriended by animals, fairies, and other lost children.  After a while, he decides to visit his parents.  Once there, he finds his mother, sleeping in the nursery, crying for him in her sleep.  Seeing that his mother misses him terribly, he decides to go back to the gardens to tell his friends farewell; he spends quite some time doing this.  However, upon going back to his house, he finds his mother with a new baby.  Assuming that he has been gone too long and forgotten by his parents, he leaves permanently.  In the book, Peter is also described as burying and making headstones for children who get lost in the night.  Perhaps I’m just a soft-hearted mommy, but the story just kills me.  (Incidentally, you can read the book for free through the Project Gutenberg).

The Jake and the Neverland Pirates Band
Now, something happier!  After last week, I went looking for more videos of the pirate band from Jake and the Neverland pirates.  I was able to find this video of the band doing a concert in Disneyland, which also features one of my recent favorite songs from the show, “Hoist Up the Jolly Roger”.  The way the band interacts with the kids in the audience is fantastic!  I would really love to take my children to see them in person. :)