Hmmm.
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/trending-now/amazon-to-buy-whole-foods-reports/534279713
As with all large mergers, I have this urging feeling this could be part of a decline. I mean, look at when large businesses try to buy each other out - Ames went bankrupt from purchasing Hills (when Ames actually recovered from their previous bankruptcy), Sears went into a steep downhill slope from K-Mart, and AOL purchased Time Warner...and then it all collapsed.
Quote from: noelbotevera on June 16, 2017, 12:59:33 PM
As with all large mergers, I have this urging feeling this could be part of a decline. I mean, look at when large businesses try to buy each other out - Ames went bankrupt from purchasing Hills (when Ames actually recovered from their previous bankruptcy), Sears went into a steep downhill slope from K-Mart, and AOL purchased Time Warner...and then it all collapsed.
Well, Sears would like Amazon to go bankrupt anyways
Quote from: noelbotevera on June 16, 2017, 12:59:33 PM
As with all large mergers, I have this urging feeling this could be part of a decline. I mean, look at when large businesses try to buy each other out - Ames went bankrupt from purchasing Hills (when Ames actually recovered from their previous bankruptcy), Sears went into a steep downhill slope from K-Mart, and AOL purchased Time Warner...and then it all collapsed.
You're thinking of examples where there was already weakness your choice(s) of brands.
Amazon and Whole Foods are quite strong and recognizable name brands, although it took Amazon years (https://www.theverge.com/2016/7/28/12313526/amazon-q2-2016-earnings-report-aws-cloud-profit) to get to its consistently profitable state.
Quote from: golden eagle on June 16, 2017, 11:52:48 AM
Hmmm.
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/trending-now/amazon-to-buy-whole-foods-reports/534279713
It's not their core business. Odds are, either Amazon's going to get hurt from this, Whole Foods will be less from the merger, or both. An analogy, Kmart bought a lot of businesses in the 1980s and 1990s: Borders, OfficeMax, Builders Square, PACE, and Sports Authority. Eventually they were divested, with only OfficeMax still around (albeit merged with Office Depot). In doing so, they ignored their core business and let Walmart sneak up on them.
Quote from: noelbotevera on June 16, 2017, 12:59:33 PM
As with all large mergers, I have this urging feeling this could be part of a decline. I mean, look at when large businesses try to buy each other out - Ames went bankrupt from purchasing Hills (when Ames actually recovered from their previous bankruptcy).
Which was when they bought Zayre and managed to overextend themselves. Ames didn't learn from the Zayre experience when buying Hills.
Quote from: formulanone on June 16, 2017, 01:50:25 PM
Quote from: noelbotevera on June 16, 2017, 12:59:33 PM
As with all large mergers, I have this urging feeling this could be part of a decline. I mean, look at when large businesses try to buy each other out - Ames went bankrupt from purchasing Hills (when Ames actually recovered from their previous bankruptcy), Sears went into a steep downhill slope from K-Mart, and AOL purchased Time Warner...and then it all collapsed.
You're thinking of examples where there was already weakness your choice(s) of brands.
Amazon and Whole Foods are quite strong and recognizable name brands, although it took Amazon years (https://www.theverge.com/2016/7/28/12313526/amazon-q2-2016-earnings-report-aws-cloud-profit) to get to its consistently profitable state.
However, Whole Foods hasn't been doing quite so well as of late.
Quote from: Brandon on June 16, 2017, 01:53:37 PM
Quote from: formulanone on June 16, 2017, 01:50:25 PM
Quote from: noelbotevera on June 16, 2017, 12:59:33 PM
As with all large mergers, I have this urging feeling this could be part of a decline. I mean, look at when large businesses try to buy each other out - Ames went bankrupt from purchasing Hills (when Ames actually recovered from their previous bankruptcy), Sears went into a steep downhill slope from K-Mart, and AOL purchased Time Warner...and then it all collapsed.
You're thinking of examples where there was already weakness your choice(s) of brands.
Amazon and Whole Foods are quite strong and recognizable name brands, although it took Amazon years (https://www.theverge.com/2016/7/28/12313526/amazon-q2-2016-earnings-report-aws-cloud-profit) to get to its consistently profitable state.
However, Whole Foods hasn't been doing quite so well as of late.
Not bad (https://ycharts.com/companies/WFM/profit_margin), though there's more competition from local markets and supermarket chains.
My only somewhat under-informed guess is this.
As a retailer, Amazon sees two of its significant weaknesses as: 1.) despite various efforts like AmazonFresh, Amazon has been something of an also-ran in the fresh food/grocery delivery business, and 2.) Amazon lacks a national physical presence. The acquisition of Whole Foods could address both.
I think the fear is that if Amazon loses a potential grocery customer to Walmart or a supermarket chain, it may potentially lose that customer for other transactions, too. Notice all of the efforts Amazon has made to keep customers within its walled garden as long as possible: Amazon Prime, Subscribe and Save, Dash buttons, the Amazon Echo (Alexa), etc.
And if an Amazon customer can't get a Dash button for fresh asparagus–or can't ask Alexa to deliver a gallon of milk–the customer might set up a Instacart account at his local Wegmans. And Wegmans can also auto-deliver the oversized packages of Tide, Cascade, and Crest he currently gets from Amazon. So why buy them from Amazon?
Good analysis, briantroutman.
Personally I'm not a Whole Foods kind of person, but I can see the marketing niche. Of course, the company falls far short of giving Amazon a national footprint, as it is only in upper middle class areas with lots of hipster young people.
Quote from: Brandon on June 16, 2017, 01:53:37 PM
However, Whole Foods hasn't been doing quite so well as of late.
One of the most frequent complaints is their prices seem too high.
Quote from: US71 on June 16, 2017, 03:49:06 PM
Quote from: Brandon on June 16, 2017, 01:53:37 PM
However, Whole Foods hasn't been doing quite so well as of late.
One of the most frequent complaints is their prices seem too high.
Hence their unofficial nickname of "Whole Paycheck".
Seen via someone else's retweet earlier today:
Quote
Jeff Lewis @ChicagoPhotoSho
Bezos: "Alexa, buy me something from Whole Foods"
Alexa: "Buying Whole Foods"
Bezos: Shit
Quote from: SP Cook on June 16, 2017, 03:02:03 PM
Good analysis, briantroutman.
Personally I'm not a Whole Foods kind of person, but I can see the marketing niche. Of course, the company falls far short of giving Amazon a national footprint, as it is only in upper middle class areas with lots of hipster young people.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsouthparkstudios.mtvnimages.com%2Fshared%2Flocations%2Fbusiness-historic-shi-tpa-town.png&hash=f74ffae69dda868cc638e7f8ae6d8acc7b413002)
^^ Yeah, along with Shitty Wok..er..City Wok.
Amazon's trying to leverage Whole Foods in two ways: brick-and-mortar locations; and a decently sized national food distribution network (which will help with Fresh home-deliveries).
Amazon has managed to hide its profits for years, so it's not a good mark of the company's success. They managed to grow like a weed here in Seattle during their "worst" years.
Quote from: Bruce on June 16, 2017, 05:32:32 PM
Amazon's trying to leverage Whole Foods in two ways: brick-and-mortar locations; and a decently sized national food distribution network (which will help with Fresh home-deliveries).
Amazon has managed to hide its profits for years, so it's not a good mark of the company's success. They managed to grow like a weed here in Seattle during their "worst" years.
Stock pickers are predicting Wal-Mart may try to outbid Amazon. They might have to close a few more stores, though ;) (Waldron, AR and Perry, OK were announced this week for closure)
Quote from: Brandon on June 16, 2017, 01:52:36 PM
Quote from: golden eagle on June 16, 2017, 11:52:48 AM
Hmmm.
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/trending-now/amazon-to-buy-whole-foods-reports/534279713
It's not their core business. Odds are, either Amazon's going to get hurt from this, Whole Foods will be less from the merger, or both.
Amazon has pretty much entered every part of the market at this point. I don't know if they have a "core business" anymore.
Amazon actually runs a small grocery store here in Seattle (called Amazon Go). I could see this Whole Foods merger as a way of rolling out their "no checkout stand" setup (which is how the Seattle store runs).
Here in San Jose Whole Foods has largely been eclipsed by Sprouts as the "high quality" food outlet of choice, primarily due to the latter's much more competitive pricing structure and the extensive use of in-house branding (a concept pioneered by Trader Joe's). And, like TJ's, their house brand stuff generally doesn't suck! I think Amazon will have their hands full just maintaining the "regulars" who have become inured to shopping at Whole Foods. Funny thing is, the stock prices of most mainstream grocery competitors (Safeway, Kroger, etc.) dropped significantly upon the Amazon announcement -- as if to "precondition" the acquisition price of those chains, should Google or some other cash-rich entity wish to similarly expand their horizons!
I saw an article on my Facebook feed today about how buying Whole Foods would give Amazon a way to get into the pharmaceutical market. I
Quote from: sparker on June 17, 2017, 01:42:49 AM
Here in San Jose Whole Foods has largely been eclipsed by Sprouts as the "high quality" food outlet of choice, primarily due to the latter's much more competitive pricing structure and the extensive use of in-house branding (a concept pioneered by Trader Joe's). And, like TJ's, their house brand stuff generally doesn't suck! I think Amazon will have their hands full just maintaining the "regulars" who have become inured to shopping at Whole Foods. Funny thing is, the stock prices of most mainstream grocery competitors (Safeway, Kroger, etc.) dropped significantly upon the Amazon announcement -- as if to "precondition" the acquisition price of those chains, should Google or some other cash-rich entity wish to similarly expand their horizons!
I've ceased taking any stock in what the hell a stock price is. It seems to vary as to how popular a specific company is at a certain time. Amazon, like Tesla, is a Wall Street darling. According to them, they can do no wrong (even though they can and have). My suspicion is that this will be a major drain on Amazon. As for Tesla, I can't figure out why they're so damned popular. They haven't made a profit ever, and Musk can't meet a deadline. GM beat them with a better, cheaper vehicle, yet Wall Street loves Musk and Tesla.
Quote from: Brandon on June 17, 2017, 08:11:57 AM
Quote from: sparker on June 17, 2017, 01:42:49 AM
Here in San Jose Whole Foods has largely been eclipsed by Sprouts as the "high quality" food outlet of choice, primarily due to the latter's much more competitive pricing structure and the extensive use of in-house branding (a concept pioneered by Trader Joe's). And, like TJ's, their house brand stuff generally doesn't suck! I think Amazon will have their hands full just maintaining the "regulars" who have become inured to shopping at Whole Foods. Funny thing is, the stock prices of most mainstream grocery competitors (Safeway, Kroger, etc.) dropped significantly upon the Amazon announcement -- as if to "precondition" the acquisition price of those chains, should Google or some other cash-rich entity wish to similarly expand their horizons!
I've ceased taking any stock in what the hell a stock price is. It seems to vary as to how popular a specific company is at a certain time. Amazon, like Tesla, is a Wall Street darling. According to them, they can do no wrong (even though they can and have). My suspicion is that this will be a major drain on Amazon. As for Tesla, I can't figure out why they're so damned popular. They haven't made a profit ever, and Musk can't meet a deadline. GM beat them with a better, cheaper vehicle, yet Wall Street loves Musk and Tesla.
At this point in time a large number of stock prices -- particularly in regards to publicly visible firms -- seem to fluctuate according to the perception of the firm as an acquisition target. When a particular "round" of acquisitions starts, other firms in the field often find their stock price slipping somewhat; contributing to that is the release of stock held by hedge funds and other institutional investors. The "end game" is to make the stock price more attractive for a "raid" on that stock by a potential corporate buyer; then the stocks are repurchased by the investors (in small batches so as not to cause a spike) when an entity (other firm or overseas holding company) indicates a definitive attempt to acquire the target company; profits are realized when the purchasing firm keeps raising their per-share offer to get reluctant shareholders on board. Not as glamorous or potentially (short-term) profitable as IPO's (although even those have been muted in their impact as of late), but sales/acquisitions of companies can provide, if enough shares are involved, a tidy measure of profit for the trader.
I remember the days of runaway IPO's and even acquisitions in the mid-to-late '90's, when one could double an investment in a matter of hours -- the age of the "day trader". It's possible but not probable that an individual or small group can, even today, create a steady revenue stream from market transactions -- but these days a
very substantial capital source is required due to the sheer numbers involved.
Quote from: Bruce on June 16, 2017, 05:32:32 PM
Amazon's trying to leverage Whole Foods in two ways: brick-and-mortar locations; and a decently sized national food distribution network (which will help with Fresh home-deliveries).
I think this makes the most sense. Amazon isn't necessarily interested in Whole Foods, they're interested in the infrastructure that keeps Whole Foods supplied. The B&M stores are just a nice bonus.
Quote from: jakeroot on June 16, 2017, 06:25:04 PMAmazon has pretty much entered every part of the market at this point. I don't know if they have a "core business" anymore.
I'd imagine web hosting services - a part of the business that the general public don't have much direct contact with (lots of government agencies use AWS), but which is a consistent and reliable income. The margins are also going to be higher than the shop-side of things, where there's payments to third party delivery services, the need for large warehouses, etc.
That said, the money they have sunk into their TV-on-demand service is also rather high, so I'd imagine that's a money spinner too. Though their business model for books (then CDs/DVDs) was basically to not care about margins, but to get people using them and not their competitors whom they wanted out of the way (or, later, using Amazon's platform and giving them a cut). Perhaps it's like that for their TV.
As has been mentioned, buying Whole Foods gives them physical stores, as well as a better fresh produce supply-customer chain that already well-serves the target audience for people who want to order food off Amazon - generally younger, relatively well off, urban-living, people.
I'd also imagine that it will also spread Whole Foods' psychical stores a bit into international markets - they have a couple of stores in London (in places that are trendy and have young people living there), but with Amazon behind them, they could expand a bit in the UK - as older relatively well off cosmopolitan Brits would love to shop somewhere like that - it out Waitroses-Waitrose: the supermarket here with a (unfair - its reasonably priced and basics are sold) reputation for being only for upwardly-mobile posher people*. My parents loved it when we went out for my aunt's wedding, though it's me that's more of the foody and the one who's a bit pretentious about beer (how I laughed at the beer/cider selection - not just the gimmicky nonsense that was prevalent among the local stuff, but the prices and the tasting notes. My favourite was the fairly large display of what would be a local beer to me (like 12 miles or so - perhaps my 5th or 6th closest brewery) that I've never seen in the UK, billed in such a way that suggested it was the height of bourgeoisie London taste from a suburb that I've always been taught to consider a little bit downmarket).
*Sure, you won't find plebby food there like Potato Waffles or Findus Crispy Pancakes, or really low-quality stuff, and you are more likely to find quinoa there than in other similar-sized places, but it's not as posh as the reputation it has...
Quote from: Scott5114 on June 18, 2017, 02:05:45 PM
Quote from: Bruce on June 16, 2017, 05:32:32 PM
Amazon's trying to leverage Whole Foods in two ways: brick-and-mortar locations; and a decently sized national food distribution network (which will help with Fresh home-deliveries).
I think this makes the most sense. Amazon isn't necessarily interested in Whole Foods, they're interested in the infrastructure that keeps Whole Foods supplied. The B&M stores are just a nice bonus.
I'd like to point out, again, that Amazon has a grocery store in Seattle that operates without check-out stands. IF it's a sucess, the Whole Foods stores would provide a great foundation for a national rollout. The type of person who shops at Whole Foods is often that progressive type who'd certainly be open to "new ways" of checking out.
That said, buying Whole Foods allows them to better comprehend how to run a grocery store on a large scale. They'd have a hard time scaling the
Amazon Go concept without some sort of industry expertise or existing foundation. Nevermind that the typical
Amazon Go consumer is the type of person who would probably shop at Whole Foods already, so they may as well just eliminate the competition now. :-D
EDIT: that's all in addition the
Amazon Fresh business they run, which will almost certainly benefit from this acquisition in many, many ways, as users above have already mentioned.
Wild
Quote from: formulanone on June 16, 2017, 01:50:25 PM
Quote from: noelbotevera on June 16, 2017, 12:59:33 PM
As with all large mergers, I have this urging feeling this could be part of a decline. I mean, look at when large businesses try to buy each other out - Ames went bankrupt from purchasing Hills (when Ames actually recovered from their previous bankruptcy), Sears went into a steep downhill slope from K-Mart, and AOL purchased Time Warner...and then it all collapsed.
You're thinking of examples where there was already weakness your choice(s) of brands.
In the first and last examples, Ames and AOL were already making tons of money and were already massive companies by the time they started buying out companies, and in the example of AOL and Time Warner, both were recognizable and made colossal headlines when the two companies merged.
I'd say that this merger can make or break Amazon right here.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ssoworld.org%2Fpics%2Famazonwholefoods.jpg&hash=22645275b97e88e3e85fb362207d7e3cdd3dda02)
Quote from: SSOWorld on June 20, 2017, 04:46:03 AM
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ssoworld.org%2Fpics%2Famazonwholefoods.jpg&hash=22645275b97e88e3e85fb362207d7e3cdd3dda02)
Quote from: 1995hoo on June 16, 2017, 04:43:57 PM
Seen via someone else's retweet earlier today:
Quote
Jeff Lewis @ChicagoPhotoSho
Bezos: "Alexa, buy me something from Whole Foods"
Alexa: "Buying Whole Foods"
Bezos: Shit
....
Quote from: noelbotevera on June 19, 2017, 10:49:53 PM
Quote from: formulanone on June 16, 2017, 01:50:25 PM
Quote from: noelbotevera on June 16, 2017, 12:59:33 PM
As with all large mergers, I have this urging feeling this could be part of a decline. I mean, look at when large businesses try to buy each other out - Ames went bankrupt from purchasing Hills (when Ames actually recovered from their previous bankruptcy), Sears went into a steep downhill slope from K-Mart, and AOL purchased Time Warner...and then it all collapsed.
You're thinking of examples where there was already weakness your choice(s) of brands.
In the first and last examples, Ames and AOL were already making tons of money and were already massive companies by the time they started buying out companies, and in the example of AOL and Time Warner, both were recognizable and made colossal headlines when the two companies merged.
I'd say that this merger can make or break Amazon right here.
I don't know much about Ames, but AOLs worth was greatly over-valued due to the dot-com bubble. And unlike AOL, Amazon has many, many subsidiaries to keep it afloat in the event that one subsidiary takes a nose-dive. Even if this deals goes bust, it's not like Amazon Web Services or their online store is suddenly gonna go tits-up.
AOL's failure was more due to the decline of dialup internet and their inability to adapt to a changing market.
Quote from: The Nature Boy on June 21, 2017, 12:22:54 PM
AOL's failure was more due to the decline of dialup internet and their inability to adapt to a changing market.
The acquisition of Time Warner certainly exacerbated their ability to escape from certain bankruptcy, but you're right. It doesn't change the fact that times were changing, and the technology offered by AOL was falling behind the offerings from competitors.
I always liked the AOL cds - useful for making an interesting mirror (my brother did that to decorate his room, though not just AOL ones), scaring birds away from the garden, etc - but it must have cost AOL a dollar a pop to mail a cd for a service I didn't need as I used a competitor for each of every one of the ~100 times we got one. And it probably didn't help that it was clear what AOL stood for the first few years of their promoting in the UK with stuff saying "America Online somewhere on it" - they dropped that eventually, but...
Amazon's business plan was similar - spend loads of money (in this case not making profit on sales for years) to kill off competitors by grabbing their customers and win a massive market share. Amazon got it to work though.
Quote from: english si on June 21, 2017, 04:17:38 PM
And it probably didn't help that it was clear what AOL stood for the first few years of their promoting in the UK with stuff saying "America Online somewhere on it" - they dropped that eventually, but...
Are you saying that because promotional materials referenced "America Online" instead of just "AOL" , people outside of the United States thought that "America Online" wasn't for them?
Quote from: briantroutman on June 21, 2017, 04:34:57 PMAre you saying that because promotional materials referenced "America Online" instead of just "AOL" , people outside of the United States thought that "America Online" wasn't for them?
I'm saying that the 'America' in 'America Online' sounded like it was something tailored to Americans sold in the UK - more an iffy fit than 'not for us' (and the bespoke software didn't help) just as while Americans are very welcome to have a Lamb Bhuna, and Brits 'Cheese' Dogs, both would prefer something more to their sensibilities to eat.
IIRC, BT's Internet branding made a big deal out of 'British Telecom' in response, even though their other operations didn't.
In fact, AOL even dropped the full name in the US in 2006 (despite Google valuing it at $20bn just a few months before in what was a terrible investment).
Is this the Whole Foods that Amazon purchased?
http://m.wholefoodsmarket.com/mobile/stores/shreveport
Quote from: cjk374 on June 24, 2017, 11:11:26 AM
Is this the Whole Foods that Amazon purchased?
http://m.wholefoodsmarket.com/mobile/stores/shreveport
That's one of them, yes.
Quote from: jakeroot on June 24, 2017, 01:04:46 PM
Quote from: cjk374 on June 24, 2017, 11:11:26 AM
Is this the Whole Foods that Amazon purchased?
http://m.wholefoodsmarket.com/mobile/stores/shreveport
That's one of them, yes.
I had no idea there were any such stores near me (the others are in Jackson, MS; Little Rock, AR; Lafayette, LA; and somewhere in TX).
I'm more of a Brookshires/Super 1 & Wally Hell shopper.
Quote from: cjk374 on June 24, 2017, 01:37:47 PM
Quote from: jakeroot on June 24, 2017, 01:04:46 PM
Quote from: cjk374 on June 24, 2017, 11:11:26 AM
Is this the Whole Foods that Amazon purchased?
http://m.wholefoodsmarket.com/mobile/stores/shreveport
That's one of them, yes.
I had no idea there were any such stores near me (the others are in Jackson, MS; Little Rock, AR; Lafayette, LA; and somewhere in TX).
I'm more of a Brookshires/Super 1 & Wally Hell shopper.
Whole Paycheck just opened a store in Fayetteville, AR a few months back. I shop at Wally World, Aldi, and occasionally Harp's.
Quote from: US71 on June 24, 2017, 09:25:21 PM
I shop at Wally World, Aldi, and occasionally Harp's.
Is Aldi any good? There's none in Washington State just yet, but I've been interested in the shop since I heard about them entering the US market. Honestly, I'm not even sure what kind of store to compare it to. I wanna say it's larger than a 7-Eleven but smaller than a Walgreens.
Quote from: jakeroot on June 24, 2017, 10:32:47 PM
Quote from: US71 on June 24, 2017, 09:25:21 PM
I shop at Wally World, Aldi, and occasionally Harp's.
Is Aldi any good? There's none in Washington State just yet, but I've been interested in the shop since I heard about them entering the US market. Honestly, I'm not even sure what kind of store to compare it to. I wanna say it's larger than a 7-Eleven but smaller than a Walgreens.
Aldi has been around for quite a long time in the US, but they are expanding. They are basically a small, no frills supermarket, along the lines of a Family Dollar but for groceries. Save-a-lot is similiar to them. Using your store comparisons, they are about twice the size of a standard Walgreens. Maybe on par size-wise with a Whole Foods.
Quote from: jakeroot on June 24, 2017, 10:32:47 PM
Is Aldi any good?
Have you ever been in a Trader Joe's? They're quite comparable. In fact, they're corporate cousins–Trader Joe's is the American arm of Germany's Aldi Nord (northern Germany), and the U.S. Aldi is Germany's Aldi Sud (southern Germany).
Most Aldi and Trader Joe's stores are about half the size of a typical American supermarket–or roughly the size of a neighborhood grocery store in the pre-supermarket era. Almost everything Aldi and Trader Joe's sells is a store brand item, and they tend to have a more limited selection of most things. The upside is that prices tend to be quite low, and according to a recent article in
Consumer Reports, both rank highly for the quality of their store brand items.
Last I was in an Aldi was 20 years ago, and at that time, some of their European idiosyncrasies (you had to insert a quarter to get a shopping cart, no free shopping bags) were quite novel. I don't know if they still do the cart deposit, and many governments have since enacted shopping bag restrictions, so bring-your-own-bag is common now.
I live within walking distance of a Trader Joe's, and it's where I get most of my groceries. TJ's–now, anyways–has a reputation for offering a pretty good variety of organic, vegetarian, and other specialty foods at fairly low prices (sort of a thrifty alternative to Whole Foods). Aldi didn't have the same reputation 20 years ago, but that could have changed since.
Aldi does still have the quarter-for-a-cart thing. I shop there. We're also getting a Lidl, one of Aldi's main competitors in both Germany and most of Europe.
Quote from: Takumi on June 24, 2017, 11:30:33 PM
Aldi does still have the quarter-for-a-cart thing. I shop there. We're also getting a Lidl, one of Aldi's main competitors in both Germany and most of Europe.
We are getting a Lidl as well. Interesting that they are building in a shopping center that already has a closed supermarket, but even though the store sizes are similiar Lidl didn't want that store.
Quote from: cjk374 on June 24, 2017, 01:37:47 PM
I'm more of a Brookshires/Super 1 & Wally Hell shopper.
This is funny because there's a Super One grocery chain in the northern part of the Upper Midwest. Their logos look remarkably similar as well.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on June 24, 2017, 11:36:46 PM
Quote from: Takumi on June 24, 2017, 11:30:33 PM
Aldi does still have the quarter-for-a-cart thing. I shop there. We're also getting a Lidl, one of Aldi's main competitors in both Germany and most of Europe.
We are getting a Lidl as well. Interesting that they are building in a shopping center that already has a closed supermarket, but even though the store sizes are similiar Lidl didn't want that store.
Interesting. The Lidl (and all the Aldis) here are all in new locations. There are several former and current Martin's spaces that weren't bought by Publix and couldn't find a buyer.
Quote from: Takumi on June 25, 2017, 10:17:16 AM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on June 24, 2017, 11:36:46 PM
Quote from: Takumi on June 24, 2017, 11:30:33 PM
Aldi does still have the quarter-for-a-cart thing. I shop there. We're also getting a Lidl, one of Aldi's main competitors in both Germany and most of Europe.
We are getting a Lidl as well. Interesting that they are building in a shopping center that already has a closed supermarket, but even though the store sizes are similiar Lidl didn't want that store.
Interesting. The Lidl (and all the Aldis) here are all in new locations. There are several former and current Martin's spaces that weren't bought by Publix and couldn't find a buyer.
The Aldi in Woodbury, NJ took over a Bottom Dollar, as they did in numerous locations. This specific takeover was a bit unusual in that there was already an Aldi about a mile down the road in a shopping center. I guess this new location fit their demos a bit better than the old location, even though they had been there for many years, and the parking lot was larger. The old location was closed when the new one opened.
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on June 25, 2017, 02:31:29 AM
Quote from: cjk374 on June 24, 2017, 01:37:47 PM
I'm more of a Brookshires/Super 1 & Wally Hell shopper.
This is funny because there's a Super One grocery chain in the northern part of the Upper Midwest. Their logos look remarkably similar as well.
Is the northern one really much of a chain though? I know there is one in Baxter and another in Duluth, but I honestly can't remember seeing any anywhere else.
Around here there have been some Aldi stores that took over other stores, including one that took over the old Fischer Hardware space in Springfield. Others have gone into new buildings. I went to the one in Springfield the day it opened and was not all that impressed with the selection. Store brands don't bother me at all, but the meat just didn't look as good as what I get at Wegmans, even if it was cheaper (and I don't mind bagging my own groceries or the like, so that was no big deal either). I have not gone back. If a Lidl opens around here, I will probably go check it out, as I almost always try out new options just to see how they are.
This thread prompted me to try to remember when the last time I went to Whole Foods was and I can't say as I recall. I used to go there quite frequently, primarily for seafood, but once Wegmans opened I started going there instead because both the location and the parking arrangement are far more convenient.
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on June 25, 2017, 10:32:56 AM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on June 25, 2017, 02:31:29 AM
Quote from: cjk374 on June 24, 2017, 01:37:47 PM
I'm more of a Brookshires/Super 1 & Wally Hell shopper.
This is funny because there's a Super One grocery chain in the northern part of the Upper Midwest. Their logos look remarkably similar as well.
Is the northern one really much of a chain though? I know there is one in Baxter and another in Duluth, but I honestly can't remember seeing any anywhere else.
Super 1 is essentially a "Super Brookshires". Super 1 is owned by Brookshires. I had no idea they were that far north.
Quote from: MNHighwayMan on June 25, 2017, 10:32:56 AM
Quote from: TheHighwayMan394 on June 25, 2017, 02:31:29 AM
Quote from: cjk374 on June 24, 2017, 01:37:47 PM
I'm more of a Brookshires/Super 1 & Wally Hell shopper.
This is funny because there's a Super One grocery chain in the northern part of the Upper Midwest. Their logos look remarkably similar as well.
Is the northern one really much of a chain though? I know there is one in Baxter and another in Duluth, but I honestly can't remember seeing any anywhere else.
Wikipedia says they have 30 stores in 3 states (MN, WI, MI), which is more than I thought they had but I've seen them in a number of other towns such as I-Falls and Two Harbors.
Quote from: cjk374 on June 25, 2017, 12:02:44 PM
Super 1 is essentially a "Super Brookshires". Super 1 is owned by Brookshires. I had no idea they were that far north.
I believe they're not the same store, just coincidences.
I don't think I understand ALDI's expansion plans. I can see from their site that they're all over the east coast and eastern midwest, but then there's a giant gap, and then about 30 stores in Southern California. Southern California also had Fresh & Easy, Tesco's toe-dip in the US market (which failed miserably). Perhaps it's a west-coast test market.
Lidl still seems to be in its infancy at this point. It's a brand I'm also familiar with, but have no expectation to see anytime soon.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on June 24, 2017, 11:17:19 PM
Quote from: jakeroot on June 24, 2017, 10:32:47 PM
Quote from: US71 on June 24, 2017, 09:25:21 PM
I shop at Wally World, Aldi, and occasionally Harp's.
Is Aldi any good? There's none in Washington State just yet, but I've been interested in the shop since I heard about them entering the US market. Honestly, I'm not even sure what kind of store to compare it to. I wanna say it's larger than a 7-Eleven but smaller than a Walgreens.
Aldi has been around for quite a long time in the US, but they are expanding. They are basically a small, no frills supermarket, along the lines of a Family Dollar but for groceries. Save-a-lot is similiar to them. Using your store comparisons, they are about twice the size of a standard Walgreens. Maybe on par size-wise with a Whole Foods.
I went to an Aldi in Virginia about a month ago, and they had some really good prices.
Quote from: golden eagle on July 01, 2017, 11:56:54 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on June 24, 2017, 11:17:19 PM
Quote from: jakeroot on June 24, 2017, 10:32:47 PM
Quote from: US71 on June 24, 2017, 09:25:21 PM
I shop at Wally World, Aldi, and occasionally Harp's.
Is Aldi any good? There's none in Washington State just yet, but I've been interested in the shop since I heard about them entering the US market. Honestly, I'm not even sure what kind of store to compare it to. I wanna say it's larger than a 7-Eleven but smaller than a Walgreens.
Aldi has been around for quite a long time in the US, but they are expanding. They are basically a small, no frills supermarket, along the lines of a Family Dollar but for groceries. Save-a-lot is similiar to them. Using your store comparisons, they are about twice the size of a standard Walgreens. Maybe on par size-wise with a Whole Foods.
I went to an Aldi in Virginia about a month ago, and they had some really good prices.
I do a lot of my grocery shopping at Aldi Mostly private brands, but good quality. Ads start on Wednesday, so go by Saturday since some items sell out quickly (especially meat specials). Don't forget a quarter for your cart and some shopping bags (I grab a couple produce boxes, myself). But I've never had a problem.
Quote from: US71 on July 02, 2017, 12:53:33 PM
Don't forget a quarter for your cart
Is the quarter refundable?
Quote from: Big John on July 02, 2017, 09:30:03 PM
Quote from: jakeroot on July 02, 2017, 09:18:20 PM
Is the quarter refundable?
Yes when you return the cart.
At the one Aldi that I visited nearly 20 years ago, the carts were daisy chained together in the corral–each with a nylon strap and buckle plugged into the cart behind it. Inserting a quarter into a slot near the buckle acts like pressing the button on a seat belt...allowing you to pull the buckle free and use the cart. When you're done shopping and put the cart back in the corral, you insert re-insert the buckle, and your quarter pops out of the slot.
Perhaps someone who's familiar with Aldi today can comment as to whether the coin deposit setup still works the same way.
I remember thinking then (as a kid), that 25¢ was a rather low price to pay if you wanted to steal a shopping cart. But more logically, I'm sure that it's just intended to discourage people from leaving carts laying about the parking lot (and thereby reducing labor for cart pickups, claims for damage caused by carts, etc., so that Aldi can keep its prices low).
Quote from: briantroutman on July 02, 2017, 09:56:31 PM
I remember thinking then (as a kid), that 25¢ was a rather low price to pay if you wanted to steal a shopping cart. But more logically, I'm sure that it's just intended to discourage people from leaving carts laying about the parking lot (and thereby reducing labor for cart pickups, claims for damage caused by carts, etc., so that Aldi can keep its prices low).
Yes.That is what they claim, at least.
The quarter "unlocks" the cart and is refunded when you lock the cart back.
Quote from: US71 on July 02, 2017, 10:01:35 PM
Quote from: briantroutman on July 02, 2017, 09:56:31 PM
I remember thinking then (as a kid), that 25¢ was a rather low price to pay if you wanted to steal a shopping cart. But more logically, I'm sure that it's just intended to discourage people from leaving carts laying about the parking lot (and thereby reducing labor for cart pickups, claims for damage caused by carts, etc., so that Aldi can keep its prices low).
Yes.That is what they claim, at least.
The quarter "unlocks" the cart and is refunded when you lock the cart back.
That sounds like a pretty good idea. If only there was some way to charge more than 25 cents. 1 dollar coins are rare at best, and a machine that holds onto a dollar bill is, besides being something that I've never heard of, probably rather clunky. Maybe a tap-and-go system that puts a $1 hold on your bank card, until you tap again to return? I'm not even sure if a hold of such a small amount is possible; just thinking outside the box here.
Quote from: jakeroot on July 02, 2017, 10:37:40 PM
Quote from: US71 on July 02, 2017, 10:01:35 PM
Quote from: briantroutman on July 02, 2017, 09:56:31 PM
I remember thinking then (as a kid), that 25¢ was a rather low price to pay if you wanted to steal a shopping cart. But more logically, I'm sure that it's just intended to discourage people from leaving carts laying about the parking lot (and thereby reducing labor for cart pickups, claims for damage caused by carts, etc., so that Aldi can keep its prices low).
Yes.That is what they claim, at least.
The quarter "unlocks" the cart and is refunded when you lock the cart back.
That sounds like a pretty good idea. If only there was some way to charge more than 25 cents. 1 dollar coins are rare at best, and a machine that holds onto a dollar bill is, besides being something that I've never heard of, probably rather clunky. Maybe a tap-and-go system that puts a $1 hold on your bank card, until you tap again to return? I'm not even sure if a hold of such a small amount is possible; just thinking outside the box here.
A quarter is plenty, considering many customers will "pay it forward". Keeping a quarter in the car is easy. A dollar coin would be a bit much.
Quote from: US71 on July 02, 2017, 10:41:22 PM
Quote from: jakeroot on July 02, 2017, 10:37:40 PM
Quote from: US71 on July 02, 2017, 10:01:35 PM
Quote from: briantroutman on July 02, 2017, 09:56:31 PM
I remember thinking then (as a kid), that 25¢ was a rather low price to pay if you wanted to steal a shopping cart. But more logically, I'm sure that it's just intended to discourage people from leaving carts laying about the parking lot (and thereby reducing labor for cart pickups, claims for damage caused by carts, etc., so that Aldi can keep its prices low).
Yes.That is what they claim, at least.
The quarter "unlocks" the cart and is refunded when you lock the cart back.
That sounds like a pretty good idea. If only there was some way to charge more than 25 cents. 1 dollar coins are rare at best, and a machine that holds onto a dollar bill is, besides being something that I've never heard of, probably rather clunky. Maybe a tap-and-go system that puts a $1 hold on your bank card, until you tap again to return? I'm not even sure if a hold of such a small amount is possible; just thinking outside the box here.
A quarter is plenty, considering many customers will "pay it forward". Keeping a quarter in the car is easy. A dollar coin would be a bit much.
I'm only suggesting something more than a quarter because of your rather unenthusiastic reply to Brian, indicating (to me) that the quarter may not actually be doing its job (making sure carts are returned and not left out in the middle of the parking lot).
A dollar coin would not be the way to go. They aren't common enough. That's why I was thinking of a tap-to-pay system.
Yes, it's only a quarter, but the system works. No need to fix something that isn't broken.
Besides, tap-to-pay systems are expensive and require maintenance. You seem to be completely oblivious to the whole reason why Aldi does what it does to keep prices low.
I'm going to make a wild guess that the coin slots on the carts of Aldi's European stores take a €1 coin, giving shoppers there more than four times the incentive to return the cart.
Quote from: briantroutman on July 03, 2017, 12:01:53 AMI'm going to make a wild guess that the coin slots on the carts of Aldi's European stores take a €1 coin, giving shoppers there more than four times the incentive to return the cart.
Only the ones in Euro countries. In the UK it's £1, giving an extra little bit of incentive. I'd imagine that it's the second biggest coin everywhere in Europe.
I first came across these in France, where every store had them and it was 10F (so about a pound at the time) deposit in the thing. Every store with trolleys had them. In the UK it's a bit more hit and miss. My local big store doesn't - because it's got systems that stop one taking trolleys off site easily, and a large car park with trolley return areas, so there's someone out there returning them and it doesn't matter if you don't put it in the return area as they can get them too while out there (other stores want them in the return area so have the device), but the ones on the High Street do, because it's really easy to take the trolleys.
And, of course, the trolleys are worth far more than a pound. I had one in my student house's garden converted into a (very crappy) BBQ, which still had the chain thing on - courtesy of the previous tenants - though sans pound as they managed to get it out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0jlfKXClm8
Quote from: jeffandnicole on July 02, 2017, 11:06:11 PM
Yes, it's only a quarter, but the system works. No need to fix something that isn't broken.
Besides, tap-to-pay systems are expensive and require maintenance. You seem to be completely oblivious to the whole reason why Aldi does what it does to keep prices low.
I've never been to, or even seen an Aldi before. I'm not sure what, if anything, might be broken, nor what the goal of the store is. I was simply presenting alternative payment ideas based on two unenthusiastic opinions of the quarter system (briantroutman doesn't think a quarter is worth much, and US71 implies that it may not actually do its job, ensuring carts are properly corralled). If you think it works, that's great. Maybe I'm misinterpreting Brian and US71's words.
Quote from: US71 on July 02, 2017, 12:53:33 PM
Quote from: golden eagle on July 01, 2017, 11:56:54 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on June 24, 2017, 11:17:19 PM
Quote from: jakeroot on June 24, 2017, 10:32:47 PM
Quote from: US71 on June 24, 2017, 09:25:21 PM
I shop at Wally World, Aldi, and occasionally Harp's.
Is Aldi any good? There's none in Washington State just yet, but I've been interested in the shop since I heard about them entering the US market. Honestly, I'm not even sure what kind of store to compare it to. I wanna say it's larger than a 7-Eleven but smaller than a Walgreens.
Aldi has been around for quite a long time in the US, but they are expanding. They are basically a small, no frills supermarket, along the lines of a Family Dollar but for groceries. Save-a-lot is similiar to them. Using your store comparisons, they are about twice the size of a standard Walgreens. Maybe on par size-wise with a Whole Foods.
I went to an Aldi in Virginia about a month ago, and they had some really good prices.
I do a lot of my grocery shopping at Aldi Mostly private brands, but good quality. Ads start on Wednesday, so go by Saturday since some items sell out quickly (especially meat specials). Don't forget a quarter for your cart and some shopping bags (I grab a couple produce boxes, myself). But I've never had a problem.
I've been to the Aldis around here. I'm not really impressed. The prices don't strike me as less than I can get at Food 4 Less or Meijer, and Aldi (having mostly store-branded items) doesn't really seem to be into coupons (which are big in this area). I can pay less for a name-brand at Meijer using the sales and coupons than I can for the same store-brand at Aldi.
As it is, I do most of my grocery shopping at Meijer, Fresh Thyme (like Trader Joe's, but IMHO, better), and Mariano's Fresh Market. If I'm looking for something else, it's Tony's Finer Foods, Jewel-Osco, or Food 4 Less. Aldi (and Walmart for that matter) just never shows up on my grocery radar.
Quote from: jakeroot on July 03, 2017, 11:40:18 AM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on July 02, 2017, 11:06:11 PM
Yes, it's only a quarter, but the system works. No need to fix something that isn't broken.
Besides, tap-to-pay systems are expensive and require maintenance. You seem to be completely oblivious to the whole reason why Aldi does what it does to keep prices low.
I've never been to, or even seen an Aldi before. I'm not sure what, if anything, might be broken, nor what the goal of the store is. I was simply presenting alternative payment ideas based on two unenthusiastic opinions of the quarter system (briantroutman doesn't think a quarter is worth much, and US71 implies that it may not actually do its job, ensuring carts are properly corralled). If you think it works, that's great. Maybe I'm misinterpreting Brian and US71's words.
I've never known the shopping cart thing to be an issue. Put it this way - if the customer doesn't return a cart, somebody going to the store will just take that cart, and when they're done they'll put it away properly, getting someone else's quarter back.
So in the end, they don't need one (or multiple) people running around the parking lot getting carts all day. Then they don't need to buy cart corrals. Or replace as many shopping carts that got dented. The only real expense was to install those devices that are pretty cheap on the carts, and that's that.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on July 03, 2017, 12:18:02 PM
I've never known the shopping cart thing to be an issue. Put it this way - if the customer doesn't return a cart, somebody going to the store will just take that cart, and when they're done they'll put it away properly, getting someone else's quarter back.
So in the end, they don't need one (or multiple) people running around the parking lot getting carts all day. Then they don't need to buy cart corrals. Or replace as many shopping carts that got dented. The only real expense was to install those devices that are pretty cheap on the carts, and that's that.
Last two times I was there, someone got an extra quarter. It may have been left out as a "pay it forward", but someone locked it up and got the quarter.
If I only need 3-4 items. I'll just grab a banana box as "cart"
Quote from: jakeroot on July 02, 2017, 10:50:14 PM
I'm only suggesting something more than a quarter because of your rather unenthusiastic reply to Brian, indicating (to me) that the quarter may not actually be doing its job (making sure carts are returned and not left out in the middle of the parking lot).
A dollar coin would not be the way to go. They aren't common enough. That's why I was thinking of a tap-to-pay system.
Explain.
Basically jakeroot's notion was that a quarter is worth too little to bother reclaiming and a dollar coin would be better, but they don't exist in a common enough way, so a contactless bank-card being used to make the deposit was his suggestion.
I didn't think you had that sort of thing yet in America - hence Apple Pay's pointless existence...
It strikes me as something hard to implement, and a lot of hassle - you might as well lose the carts that people take for a quarter.
Quote from: english si on July 03, 2017, 05:04:11 PM
Basically jakeroot's notion was that a quarter is worth too little to bother reclaiming and a dollar coin would be better, but they don't exist in a common enough way, so a contactless bank-card being used to make the deposit was his suggestion.
I didn't think you had that sort of thing yet in America - hence Apple Pay's pointless existence...
It strikes me as something hard to implement, and a lot of hassle - you might as well lose the carts that people take for a quarter.
I would say this is not that much about money, this is about message "we want you to keep things neat". Charging more doesn't really make that message stronger.
Those who are really determined to take a cart off the property wouldn't bother about a dollar or two - these days you need to spend well over $20 to fill the cart...
After actually looking up videos of how these things operate, they appear to be almost impossible to engineer with a tap-to-pay system. I guess a quarter will have to do! For now at least.
Quote from: english si on July 03, 2017, 05:04:11 PM
Basically jakeroot's notion was that a quarter is worth too little to bother reclaiming and a dollar coin would be better, but they don't exist in a common enough way, so a contactless bank-card being used to make the deposit was his suggestion.
I didn't think you had that sort of thing yet in America - hence Apple Pay's pointless existence...
It strikes me as something hard to implement, and a lot of hassle - you might as well lose the carts that people take for a quarter.
As for contactless bank cards, those are as rare as hen's teeth. I can't recall ever seeing one used before. Contactless payments began with mobile phones here, for the most part.
Most of the new chip machines have tap-to-pay functionality, but they lack the "wireless" logo that indicates such. The infrastructure is so new, the idea of tapping-to-pay is a bit foreign, but I think it'll become a more common payment method in the future, especially given how slow those chip readers are.
Quote from: kalvado on July 03, 2017, 06:06:41 PM
I would say this is not that much about money, this is about message "we want you to keep things neat". Charging more doesn't really make that message stronger.
But it's a monetary incentive. The value of a quarter drops every year, ergo, the incentive to return the cart is lower than ever. I'm not suggesting a $50 refundable deposit. Maybe a buck or two? The problem is that there's no easy "loonie" or "toonie" coin here in the US. The only common coin worth a damn is the quarter. So we're kind of stuck.
Quote from: jakeroot on July 03, 2017, 07:29:03 PM
The problem is that there's no easy "loonie" or "toonie" coin here in the US. The only common coin worth a damn is the quarter. So we're kind of stuck.
Seriously?
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.savingadvice.com%2Farticles%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F08%2Fdollar-coin.png&hash=29fd60da6cad3f6d44152d18ed7f3eb218d265c7)
Quote from: jbnv on July 03, 2017, 07:50:52 PM
Quote from: jakeroot on July 03, 2017, 07:29:03 PM
The problem is that there's no easy "loonie" or "toonie" coin here in the US. The only common coin worth a damn is the quarter. So we're kind of stuck.
Seriously?
http://www.savingadvice.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/dollar-coin.png
$1 coins are not common enough to replace the quarter machines at Aldi.
When I say "easy" I mean "common".
I do my grocery shopping at Aldi on a weekly basis, and believe me, the amount of the deposit to get your cart and then return it has never been an issue. A quarter works perfectly fine. And like somebody upstream said, many times the next customer will just hand you a quarter for your cart when you're done, saving everyone an extra step or two.
As far as prices and quality go, Aldi is very competitive and one par with other stores' private label brands, and in many cases better. The selection may seen limited, but that's because there is no need to carry five of the same item under five different brand names. That said, the variety of items sometimes gets old, but they do have weekly specials. And there is always Walmart or Piggly Wiggly in my area at least for those few items the Aldi doesn't carry. They have much improved their quality and selection from 10-15 years ago, when I would go there for the basics and someplace else for other items.
I forgot they changed the design of that dollar coin. I don't think I've even seen the new style.
I wish more grocery stores had the 25¢ thing to get a cart. Too many people just leave the carts wherever they please, even on windy days.
(On a semi-related note, I wish the stores would get rid of those annoying plastic playpen carts that are made to look like cars with steering wheels and such. Aside from being clunky and in the way, they completely mess up the cart return corrals.)
Quote from: jakeroot on July 03, 2017, 07:29:03 PM
After actually looking up videos of how these things operate, they appear to be almost impossible to engineer with a tap-to-pay system. I guess a quarter will have to do! For now at least.
Quote from: english si on July 03, 2017, 05:04:11 PM
Basically jakeroot's notion was that a quarter is worth too little to bother reclaiming and a dollar coin would be better, but they don't exist in a common enough way, so a contactless bank-card being used to make the deposit was his suggestion.
I didn't think you had that sort of thing yet in America - hence Apple Pay's pointless existence...
It strikes me as something hard to implement, and a lot of hassle - you might as well lose the carts that people take for a quarter.
As for contactless bank cards, those are as rare as hen's teeth. I can't recall ever seeing one used before. Contactless payments began with mobile phones here, for the most part.
Most of the new chip machines have tap-to-pay functionality, but they lack the "wireless" logo that indicates such. The infrastructure is so new, the idea of tapping-to-pay is a bit foreign, but I think it'll become a more common payment method in the future, especially given how slow those chip readers are.
Quote from: kalvado on July 03, 2017, 06:06:41 PM
I would say this is not that much about money, this is about message "we want you to keep things neat". Charging more doesn't really make that message stronger.
But it's a monetary incentive. The value of a quarter drops every year, ergo, the incentive to return the cart is lower than ever. I'm not suggesting a $50 refundable deposit. Maybe a buck or two? The problem is that there's no easy "loonie" or "toonie" coin here in the US. The only common coin worth a damn is the quarter. So we're kind of stuck.
I recall tap to pay being tried out here 10-15 years ago. It never caught on due to RFID security concerns.
As for hold amounts, $1 is how gas stations and whatnot do preauthorization on a credit card, though I understand that debit cards work differently.
This is straying wayyy too far off-topic...
I mean, what does Aldi's have to do with Whole Foods or Amazon
Quote from: JJBers on July 03, 2017, 10:01:06 PM
This is straying wayyy too far off-topic...
I mean, what does Aldi's have to do with Whole Foods or Amazon
Seriously? You're fussing about a thread
on the "Off-Topic" subforum allegedly going off-topic???
Quote from: 1995hoo on July 03, 2017, 10:15:24 PM
Quote from: JJBers on July 03, 2017, 10:01:06 PM
This is straying wayyy too far off-topic...
I mean, what does Aldi's have to do with Whole Foods or Amazon
Seriously? You're fussing about a thread on the "Off-Topic" subforum allegedly going off-topic???
I meant off topic to the original topic, not the board it's self. And I know it's not the end of the world if we get off topic, it's been now 1.5 pages of off topic
Quote from: JJBers on July 03, 2017, 10:01:06 PM
This is straying wayyy too far off-topic...
I mean, what does Aldi's have to do with Whole Foods or Amazon
I believe people were making a comparison with the way Aldi operates?
Quote from: JJBers on July 03, 2017, 10:18:32 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on July 03, 2017, 10:15:24 PM
Quote from: JJBers on July 03, 2017, 10:01:06 PM
This is straying wayyy too far off-topic...
I mean, what does Aldi's have to do with Whole Foods or Amazon
Seriously? You're fussing about a thread on the "Off-Topic" subforum allegedly going off-topic???
I meant off topic to the original topic, not the board it's self. And I know it's not the end of the world if we get off topic, it's been now 1.5 pages of off topic
I knew what you meant, but still, what difference does it make?
It's been a while, but...
Furious shoppers say Whole Foods' produce has turned 'depressing,' 'barren,' and 'bone-dry' – and they blame Amazon (http://www.businessinsider.com/whole-foods-shoppers-say-produce-quality-plunged-after-amazon-takeover-2017-11)
QuoteShoppers across the US are claiming that the quality of Whole Foods' produce has tanked since it was acquired by Amazon, and some say they're abandoning the grocery chain as a result.
In interviews with Business Insider and in social-media posts, dozens of shoppers have complained about finding bruised, discolored, tasteless, and rotten produce in Whole Foods stores from California to New York over the past couple of months.
Shoppers have also reported out-of-stock issues, saying it's impossible to find items that they've been buying at Whole Foods for years, such as frisée, loose carrots, and Brussels sprouts. Several said fruits and vegetables such as avocados are spoiling faster than usual.
It's not immediately clear what's changed – Whole Foods says nothing – but many customers think the difference is e-commerce giant Amazon, which acquired Whole Foods for $13.7 billion in August. While some of this may be a matter of perception among customers worried about what the Amazon deal means for their favorite store, analysts at one Wall Street investment bank have noticed detrimental changes at stores they've been routinely visiting, including what they call the "conventionalization" of Whole Foods.
It gets worse.
Whole Foods has a 'high class' problem that's leading to 'entirely empty' shelves (http://www.businessinsider.com/whole-foods-out-of-stock-problems-and-deteriorating-produce-2018-1)
And now:
'Entire aisles are empty': Whole Foods employees reveal why stores are facing a crisis of food shortages (http://www.businessinsider.com/whole-foods-employees-reveal-why-stores-are-facing-a-crisis-of-food-shortages-2018-1)
I said it earlier, and I'll say it again, Amazon is in over their heads.
Does anyone like the Whole Food's new style and look inside their stores?
I don't.
Quote from: Hurricane Rex on January 25, 2018, 12:04:56 PM
Does anyone like the Whole Food's new style and look inside their stores?
I don't.
Never been inside
Quote from: US71 on January 25, 2018, 12:07:31 PM
Quote from: Hurricane Rex on January 25, 2018, 12:04:56 PM
Does anyone like the Whole Food's new style and look inside their stores?
I don't.
Never been inside
Good, I don't think you're missing much. At least not anymore.
Quote from: Hurricane Rex on January 25, 2018, 12:04:56 PM
Does anyone like the Whole Food's new style and look inside their stores?
I don't.
I went to the Whole Foods in Old Town earlier this month and didn't notice any changes from how it used to look. I had not been there in maybe six months to a year–the main reason I used to go there was for seafood, but Wegmans has good seafood and is more convenient so now I usually go there instead.