Tweet
I've seen some Aldi's here and there in the States...
-
We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution. - Abraham Lincoln -
Roland:
Firms trying to enter a market with new products often give away free or reduced price samples. Why should the COmpetition AUthority intervene?They tried selling goods below their purchase prices (extreme form of "loss leader selling", I think)
For the $100K households, I meant USD equvalent, not actual USD.Old posters never die.
They j.u.s.t..f..a..d..e...a...w...a...y....Comment
-
Adam Smith,
Because they know that WalMart is almost unstoppable. New York City has been trying to keep them (and most chains) out of there for the longest time because of this.
As for the 100K thing, I think it's a trick question, I bet the answer is like one of those middle east oil countries.
But the common answer would be the US.We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution. - Abraham LincolnComment
-
AS:
"Firms trying to enter a market with new products often give away free or reduced price samples. Why should the COmpetition AUthority intervene?"
It was on a lot of basic foods and would have killed most small retailers. Not sure I agree with the german approach, but it was not limited samples.
Ted:
"I've seen some Aldi's here and there in the States..."
Didn't know they got there. It's funny though to see them in some old small spanish town in the middle of nowhere...
Btw, correction - should better be: The world's largest _internationally-operating_ retail chains are mostly european. Actually surprised Aldi is just nr 12...
Found this in a quick search:
I saw a similar list, just with Metro included and without home depot due to their specialisation. Seems I forgot about Kroger...Comment
-
Royal Dutch shell is the most ubiquitous Euro chain here. There is a freakin Shell on every corner.
Though they are usually the cleanest gas stations...We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution. - Abraham LincolnComment
-
Happened to come across this; it's quite interesting:
Gets it overall right, just can't fully avoid the anglosaxon stereotyping:
"In Germany, its biggest headache, Wal-Mart was ready neither for the entrenched position of such discounters as Aldi nor for the inflexibility of suppliers and the strength of trade unions. It had little feel for German shoppers, who care more about price than having their bags packed, or German staff, who hid in the toilets to escape the morning Wal-Mart cheer."
I'd just say that suppliers to retailers are under big pressure already; for example Aldi/Hofer does a lot of house brands that are quite good and very cheap.
"And things are looking up in Germany. Employees like being asked what they think, and shoppers, used to surly staff and dingy stores, are slowly warming to service with a smile."
It's funny the article mentions McKinsey. I read a report from them about capital productivity in retailing where they found german cap prod to be higher, but blahed something like "high value added US style" gibberish with which german retailers couldn't compete blah.
And this is maybe their worst misunderstanding: "service"* as they see it is not offered not because of some inferiority to glorious american insights, but because it does not sell at a premium. With good pricing it may be an interesting package but we'll have to wait and see.
* The idea of having someone packing my groceries is quite absurd and touches me as "peinlich" - not sure how to translate that. "Almost an emotional pain..."Comment
-
Yeah, I'd even heard that Germans didn't like the Wal-Mart greeter for some reason.Originally posted by Roland
they had serious starting problems. Might do better now, but I think they are still losing money.I make no bones about my moral support for [terrorist] organizations. - chegitz guevara
For those who aspire to live in a high cost, high tax, big government place, our nation and the world offers plenty of options. Vermont, Canada and Venezuela all offer you the opportunity to live in the socialist, big government paradise you long for. –Senator RubioComment
-
Well I can't imagine not having someone pack my bags. We had a huge store once where you packed your own bags, and it was annoying.
The bag packers are alot more efficient at it anyway, and they save alot of time. Especially when you have a car load full of groceries that has like 10 bags in the back.
It's amazing the speed at which you can get out of a grocery store line.
Sounds like WalMart is simply not acclimated to the local business culture yet.We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution. - Abraham LincolnComment
-
LOL! Good you mention it...Originally posted by DinoDoc
Yeah, I'd even heard that Germans didn't like the Wal-Mart greeter for some reason.
It is simply a different culture. Mostly an industrial-dominated one. This also shapes the work ethic (in a broader sense).
So the idea of having people there for greeting and grocery-packing is to most people absurd and unproductive and worthless at best, and disgusting at worst.
But Walmart is learning. They scrapped the greeters.
Btw, what exactly is that "superstore" approach ?Comment
-
You can thank us and the Dutch for thatOriginally posted by Ted Striker
Royal Dutch shell is the most ubiquitous Euro chain here. There is a freakin Shell on every corner.
Though they are usually the cleanest gas stations...
Yeah, Asda now has greeters. They don't seem to do much in particular, what is the point in having them?Speaking of Erith:
"It's not twinned with anywhere, but it does have a suicide pact with Dagenham" - Linda SmithComment
-
"Well I can't imagine not having someone pack my bags."
Hehe. You know how this works at Hofer (austrian sub of Aldi) ?
There is a huge pile of empty cardboard boxes. You pick as many as you need, put them in the shopping card, get to the car, put the stuff into the boxes and the boxes into the car.
It may seem absurd but even the "bag" vs "box" thing may explain something. Why pack bags when you simply throw the stuff into the box and the box into the car ?Comment
-
Do you know what I cannot abide? Shops that charge you for carrier bags. It is so tight, and totally gives off the wrong signal...Speaking of Erith:
"It's not twinned with anywhere, but it does have a suicide pact with Dagenham" - Linda SmithComment
-
"Didn't know they got there. It's funny though to see them in some old small spanish town in the middle of nowhere..."
They are in my home town (pop ~40k) in Ohio. Yes, Ohio exists! We've got an Aldi to prove it.
I think the superstore approach is fusing a supermarket with a retail discounter.I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891Comment
-
Right. It's usually a lot of little things combined that are crucial, and there you can make a lot of "cultural mistakes"...Comment
-
The basis for greeters is actually quite good and efficient. If you've never been in the store, you just ask them where they have what you're looking for.I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891Comment
Comment