Re: [CH] $$$
Elden E. Martin (eldenemartin@earthlink.net)
Sat, 12 May 2001 08:19:33 -0400
I have worked for a food wholesale brokerage. The plan-o-gram (shelf
layout) is done by a sales weasel and approved by the store manager or op.
manager for larger chains. Companies pay stores big bucks to get on the
prime shelf locations and continue to pay for better locations. Most large
chains do have private label (PL) stuff that is the same as the major
national brands because they can it, too. PL, for the most part, uses the
same quality ingredients that national brands do-the advertising is less
expensive because it is marketed by the store. Another thing. If you buy
something and use a coupon, the food brokerage takes a hit in their
commission. The brokerages are paid only by commission-how much does a
store order. The store is paid by price reductions and incentives. They
may be offered to stock X brand at so much saturation for X dollars in ads
and price incentives and that means that Y brand shelf space will shrink.
Larger companies that can offer the incentives get the most shelf space on
the plan-o-gram. I am a big fan of Maurice's Bar-B-Que sauce and because of
some stupid boycott, can no longer get it in stores because they ALL
believed the NAACP when they said all we want is the flag off the dome-well,
they lied. We still have an ineffective boycott in SC and I can no longer
find Maurice's BBQ Sauce in stores I have to go to Columbia to get it-and I
do. If Maurice had big bucks, it would still be there in the stores next to
bland Kraft and KC masterpiece because he would pay to get the stuff on the
shelf. Because of the boycott, folks that the NAACP claims to help are now
out of work and no possibility of getting a job because they have a poor
education. Now, how did that help those folks? I digress, sorry. Don't
want to start a war here.