Grocery Products: Safeway, Kroger, Whole Food

As previously mentioned, Costco does have some direct competition within the industry from companies such as, another big box retailer Sam’s Club, as well as, Target and Walmart. Comparing for instance, Costco and Sam’s Club, both retailers offer basically low prices, mass quantities, miscellaneous items for the home, and require individuals to pay in order to shop at the establishment (Quirk, 2016). There is a minimal difference in the amount individuals pay to be members of these establishments; Costco’s annual fee is $55 and Sam’s Club is $45 (Quirk, 2016). Although both retailers have various similarities there are a couple of differences that stand out. For instance, Costco extends opportunities for home mortgages, security

In Thomas Hine’s article What’s in a Package he talks about the importance of packaging and how influential it is in consumerism. He allows people to see packaging in an entirely new light and informs people about the importance of packaging. Packaging gives us an expectation of the product. From how many calories it may have to how long it has been made. Packages are everywhere all the time. Most commonly found in stores but also in people's houses and on television shows. Things from cereal boxes to perfumes bottles elicit emotional responses from people that connect them to the packaging of the product. Three specific products like this are Kellogg’s cereals, Alcohol brands, and toilet paper brands. Each of these products has its own unique way of reeling in potential buyers and keeping customers loyal.

From my own experience, the three companies that could learn lessons from this case study are Walmart, Dollar General, and Family Dollar. To me, these three companies could all use a lot of help when it comes to product placement and meeting their customer needs (O’Brien & Marakas, 2011, p. 419-420). This brings me to the lessons to be learned from this case study. The use of the simulation technology of the virtual store environments is a brilliant concept. It is fast becoming a common practice among consumer product manufacturers and retailers (Breen, 2017). It is faster and more cost efficient than the traditional in-store product testing. It also allows a company to get a more accurate feel of the total shopping experience, just as if they were the

What struck you as positive and/ or negatives? Were there certain strategic elements that were particularly insightful? Were there any glaring weaknesses that could jeopardize their success?

This case basically talks about Ad- Liner Packaging Inc, Brazil’s largest manufacturer of plastic bags and packaging, and their decision of launching of new drawstring trash bags named Climp Fecha Facil. With the investment of one million dollars already done to purchase new machines for production of the new trash bags the stake seem to be high. Market analysis regarding perceived acceptance, packaging preferences and the perceived feature for the new trash bag are done with three focus group in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro of housewives living in apartments and houses. In order to learn more about the population a market test is conducted in Sendas Supermarket in Rio. Purchase intercept interviews were conducted with the

Whole Foods operates in the organic, or natural and specialty foods retail industry. Leading the industry, Whole Foods Market is the world 's most successful natural foods grocery chain. Having recently acquired one of its main competitors, Wild Oats Market, Whole Foods currently competes with two other large grocery chains—Kroger and Trader Joe 's. The company also acquired Amrion, a company specializing in nutraceuticals (natural supplements with pharmaceutical-type benefits), creating considerable competition with General Nutrition Centers (GNC) nutritional supplements and dietary products. Additional competition is taking place in traditional grocery stores incorporating some organic products on to their shelves.

Publix reached the top of the list with 80.59 out of 100. The formula for ranking corporations was developed by researchers in order to understand how an organization's reputation affects the publics perception and workplace effectivity. (Wilson, 2011)

It has been known for major companies to be in the light of the court for breach of contract. Depending on the stipulation of the contract most companies end up losing, but it is solely based on what the contract states. For example, in the matter of Grocery v. Masterpiece, (Specific performance, 2008) as a general rule, equity will not order acts that it cannot supervise. In many instances, specific performance is denied where courts would be unduly burdened with the task of supervising the performance. Supervision is a particular problem in building or repairing contracts because the court lacks the technical expertise, means, or agencies to learn exactly what task the contractor is performing or whether she is

Whole Foods Market, Inc. was founded and created by four business people in Austin, TX during 1980. The founders opened Whole Foods Market because they wanted a supermarket that offered natural foods. This company was able to be successful because at the time they opened there were less than half a dozen natural food supermarkets in the United Sates. In 1984, they build stores in Houston and Dallas, they then moved to New Orleans, and eventually to the West Coast. A major part of Whole Foods growth has come from the many mergers and acquisitions with companies that have occurred throughout the years. The mergers and acquisitions gave Whole Foods’ even revenues to move to the East Coast.

Whole Foods Inc. operates in the grocery industry with its main focus on providing consumers with a healthier, more natural, and a more organic alternative to grocery shopping. Their products differentiate from other mainstream grocery providers because they are a higher quality of product. After previously partnering with Google express, Whole Foods has now invested in Instacart, a delivery service that would primarily deliver Whole Foods products nationwide to its consumers for at least the next five years. (Rey)

So, if a consumer knew the brand image of the Bega brand of peanut butter and they favored the brand, they would most likely pick that brand over the Coles peanut butter. This is because they already know they like and trust the Bega brand. On the other hand, price could play a big role in whether they pick one brand over the other. Even if a consumer knows and trusts a certain brand, they could go for the cheaper option just to be able to save money. Anchoring and adjustment which is, starting with an initial evaluation and adjusting it with additional information, can also play a role in consumer decisions.

Kroger and Safeway belong to the supermarket industry. In the supermarket industry, the business environment is quite competitive. Besides the traditional grocers, there are now many different types of retailers all fighting to obtain a share of the food wallet. Customers have a huge selection of where to buy their groceries. Not only do the customers have the choice to pick supermarkets around the neighborhood, they also have the option to shop at alternative retailers, such as national discount chains and warehouse stores. From an operating perspective, supermarkets are a homogenous group, meaning similar to each other. Factors that contribute to the differences among the supermarket are geography and store formats. The supermarket industry is faced with the challenges of maintaining market share and profits while attempting new strategies and store formats in an effort of trying to make the store stand out from the other retailers. Major demographic and consumer lifestyle changes have affected not only how consumers shop but also where they shop. Traditional supermarkets have been in a decline since shoppers now spend less and how frequently they shop in a particular store. While some supermarket operators continue to attempt to cut costs so they can offer reduced everyday prices, they find this to be a tough approach when competing with low cost operators like Wal-Mart and Costco.

The three companies that I think can learn a lesson from Kimberly-Clark is Target, Kroger, and Tractor Supply Company. In the case study, it stated that Kimberly-Clark wanted to “better understand consumer behavior, and make the testing new product faster and effective.” (O'Brien & Maracas, 2011). I think if more companies thought this way, they would be more successful. I think the concept of the virtual products in virtual stores gives the marketing team opportunities to see what the consumers are looking for to purchase more of what consumers are looking for. The stores I listed that I thought would benefit from this concept because I know from my experience when I go into these particular stores they are always out of certain items, or

After television ads, packaging is the most effective form of marketing foods for children. Packaging attracts kids with color, fun characters that they can relate to, and toy prizes in the box that may cause the children to just want the toy

1 2 3 4 5 Large market share Good reputation on brand name Good promotional effectiveness Sufficient material supplies Design specific menu