Global News Post: Retail

Social Media Impacts Retailer Decisions

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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><b><i>Customers make their feelings known through online campaigns</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">By Ashley Milne-Tyte from <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:state><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">When <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:state> resident Lauren Todd saw a photo of the "I’m too pretty to do homework" T-shirt on Facebook last August, she was so annoyed, she started a petition on the social action websiteChange.org. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"It was outrageous enough to go on Facebook but it was actually more outrageous than that," she told CBS News, "and I felt like I needed to do something about it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Her petition urged shoppers to boycott J.C. Penney until it stopped selling shirts with what she called sexist messaging. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Five hours later, Shelby Knox, director of women’s rights organizing for Change.org, started tweeting about the petition to her thousands of Twitter followers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Some of them began tweeting about the shirt and signed Todd’s digital petition. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"From the time that Lauren started the petition on Change.org and J.C. Penney pulled the shirt, it was about 10 hours," Knox says, "in which it got over 2,000 signatures and at one point was generating over 400 tweets a minute.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">According to Knox, with every new signature, emails were automatically sent to the J.C. Penney public relations team as well as its CEO.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">J.C. Penney, which would not comment for this story, would not say how it comes up with the designs for its kids clothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">'Ingrained in our culture'<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Designer John Noone has worked with a number of major retailers and says he’s always used slogans with words like "pretty" or "princess" for girls.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Because it’s easy to do, I guess it’s just so ingrained in our culture that it’s an easy sale," Noone says. "It’s gonna be easier to sell a shirt that says, you know, ‘My little princess’ than ‘My A student’.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">And these days, he says, designers get their ideas from anywhere: a celebrity tweet, a line on a TV show.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"And if you think it’s funny and the designer thinks it’s funny and the buyer thinks it’s funny, then, you know, it makes it to the store.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">But now, if a consumer doesn't think the designs are funny, they can do more than just not buy the shirt.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Retailers take notice<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Not long after J.C. Penney pulled the ‘I’m too pretty’ shirt, fashion chain Forever 21 was hit by a barrage of online complaints, a petition and publicity about one of its girls’ shirts which read, "Allergic to Algebra." The retailer removed it the day after the story spread.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Not all consumers have strong feelings about T-shirt messaging. Robin Sackin, a professor at <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:state>’s Fashion Institute of Technology, thinks people need to lighten up. She says children are influenced by their parents - not slogans on T-shirts.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"So if my child says to me ‘Mommy, I want to get that,’ I’d say, ‘OK, you can have it, but I don’t care if you’re pretty, you’re doing your homework.’"<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Not all online petitions are effective. The recent change.org petition started by Target employees who didn't want the retailer to open on Thanksgiving got more than 200,000 signatures, but the company didn't budge. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The difference, says Ben Rattray, CEO of Change.org, is that in the case of J.C. Penney, a vital group of consumers was up in arms.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Companies are certainly more concerned when the people involved are moms specifically," says Rattray. "I mean women in general, and moms in particular, control the vast majority of spending in their households."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Keeping up the pressure<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Michele Yulo, a mother who signed the J.C. Penney petition, also spread the word via her blog, Facebook and Twitter. She’s been frustrated for years about the kind of clothing retailers sell for young girls, and the harm it might do to girls’ self-esteem as they grow up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"It doesn’t have to be egregious to sink into the mindset. It’s just this, I call it, a slow drip of messages.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Yulo even started her own girls’ clothing brand, called "Princess Free Zone," which features non-stereotypical colors and designs. But she still keeps up the pressure on mainstream retailers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Last month she emailed the children’s wear company Gymboree and started an online petition to complain about baby outfits which read "Smart like Daddy" and "Pretty like Mommy".<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Days later, Gymboree emailed Yulo to say the items were no longer for sale. ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Social Media Impacts Retailer Decisions

Customers make their feelings known through online campaigns By Ashley Milne-Tyte from New York When New York resident Lauren Todd sa...

SPAR launches first Hypermarket in Coimbatore

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</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Lucida Calligraphy'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">SPAR, the world's largest independent food retail chain spread across 33 countries, unveiled its first hypermarket in Coimbatore, spread over 36,500 sq. ft on a single floor. Max Hypermarkets India Pvt. Ltd. (part of the Dubai based Landmark Group) has a licence agreement with SPAR International to open SPAR stores in India. This large-format SPAR store is located at the Brookfields Plaza, Brookbond Road, Coimbatore. This is the 9th SPAR store in India, with the other 8 located in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mangalore, Pune and Delhi.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Lucida Calligraphy'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Coimbatore- <a href="http://www.indiaprwire.com/" title="Press release distribution via. IndiaPRwire.com">India PRwire</a>--- SPAR promises truly international shopping standards at Indian prices. The customer experience is unparallel. The international store design and layouts at SPAR promise the customer an easy and hassle-free shopping experience. For ease of shopping, the categories on offer are merchandised in "worlds" i.e. Children, Living, Kitchen, Apparel, Gifting, Electronics, Fresh produce (including fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, delicatessen and an in-store bakery), specialty food concepts, Staples, Health and Beauty and FMCG food. The SPAR hypermarket has the widest range of over 30,000 products on offer in a single store catering to the needs of quality and value-conscious customers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Lucida Calligraphy'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The SPAR "Every Day Low Price" policy and "Best Deal" promotions guarantee value which Coimbatore customers are new to. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Viney Singh, Managing Director, Max Hypermarket India Pvt. Ltd, said "We hope to take the shopping experience in Coimbatore to a new level. At SPAR we get international best practices and adapt them to best suit needs of the local shopper. Also because of our sharp pricing, promotions, loyalty programme, the largest fresh produce section and customer-centric service, our customers look forward to shopping with us every week." SPAR India has the dual advantage of their affiliations with both SPAR International and the Landmark Group. SPAR International provides unmatched expertise in the field of food retailing combined with best practices in designing and merchandising. The path-breaking Landmark Group, whose stores are category killers in non-food retail, provides for superior sourcing and product assortments. Freshness, Choice, Value and Service are the Brand Pillars of SPAR and form the core of SPAR's retail philosophy. Choice - one stop shop for all consumer needs SPAR has the widest possible range of products to offer to the consumer - about 30,000 SKUs of both food and non food. Be it fruits & vegetables, meat, grocery, dairy, delicatessen products, small accessories, kitchen requirements, IT accessories, magazines - all available under one roof. The quality of the products and range available in each section redefines industry standards. One can choose from over 20 varieties of staples, 35 varieties of cheese from various countries, 45 varieties of fish and 3 varieties of each major pulses. For the convenience of customers, SPAR's merchandise has been divided into 'worlds'.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Lucida Calligraphy'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Children's World offers everything required for infants to pre teens be it toys, board games, books stationery, sporting goods, party requirements and gifting options. The Living World provides for all home needs from comforters, bed sheets, pillows, towels, cushion covers, and curtains. Other items include rugs, floor mats and carpets, bean bags, school bags and laptop bags, ironing boards and ladders, electrical and garden supplies as well as auto accessories and do - it - yourself products. An excellent range of inner wear and ready to stitch materials for men and women are also available. The Kitchen World has every conceivable requirement for the kitchen from gas stoves to pressure cookers, non stick ware, plastics, crockery and cutlery, dinner sets, et al. There will also be a large range of imported items to choose from as well as small appliances like microwaves, mixers, juicers and grinders, OTGs, irons, rice cookers, water purifiers and IT accessories. The hypermarket has some unique aspects not found in other stores. Fresh juices, Indian savouries, fruit salads, Indian sweets, chaats and buttermilks that energise customers while shopping will be available to be consumed on the spot.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Lucida Calligraphy'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There are special counters selling pickles, batter and loose teas. Fresh rotisserie grilled chicken is available as a take away. The SPAR Bakery is a delight where shoppers can buy freshly baked breads, savouries, cakes, pastries, gateaux, tarts and much more as well as place orders for desserts and cakes for birthday parties. Customers can place their orders for cakes and pick them up once they finish shopping. The bakery range includes a very wide array of breads including health breads, cakes and pastries both with and without eggs as well as desserts which include gateaux, trifles and mousses at very reasonable price points. Fresh - farm to fork The SPAR Fresh produce section is the largest amongst hypermarket players in India. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Lucida Calligraphy'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Lucida Calligraphy'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">At SPAR the effort is to maximise procurement of fresh produce directly from the source, i.e. the farmers. The bulk of the fruits and vegetables are directly procured and maintained at the desired temperature to preserve quality, freshness and retain nutritive value. To ensure day-long freshness and quality of the highest standards, SPAR uses in-store state of art technology. Cold rooms at every store for each category of fresh produce ensure that customer’s purchases are indeed "SPAR Fresh". SPAR maintains strict international standards in sourcing non-vegetarian products. The fish counter at SPAR offers a wide range of sea as well as fresh water fish that are cleaned and cut to customer specifications and then packed in ice thus ensuring freshness till the customer's doorstep.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Lucida Calligraphy'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Freshness is one of the most important aspects that shoppers look for in every product they buy and the emphasis that SPAR places on the same is unparalleled. SPAR, in fact, plans to bring in value to the consumer by increasing the number of fresh lines across its food and beverage concepts. Service - an experience that will bring you back to SPAR SPAR assures its customers world-class service. The store has been designed in collaboration with design team from SPAR International keeping the experience and convenience of the customers in mind. Wide aisles for easy trolley movement, an open ambience, 28 cash tills for fast billing (SPAR maintains the highest ratio of cash tills to retail space in India), the token system at the fish counter for streamlined orders as well as separate billing system at the non-vegetarian counters keeping in mind the religious sensitivities of individuals.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Lucida Calligraphy'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The store also has several customer service representatives per square feet to help shoppers. The loose grains and private labels are processed at SPAR's HACCP (Hazard and Critical Control Point) compliant facilities, which lay complete emphasis on food safety. Though the store has an international feel, the offerings are sourced keeping in mind the shopping requirements of the local population, so as to provide familiarity and comfort to its shoppers. Therefore, from rice and dals to papads and pickles, the ranges are varied catering to regional tastes. Value - lowest retail prices in Coimbatore As part of SPAR's Every Day Low Pricing program more than 135 essential grocery items will be sold at the lowest retail prices in Coimbatore throughout the year. SPAR also provides the best value for money through its various promotions. The 'Best Deal' offers give customers some of the best bargains going up to almost 75% off. These are the best in class vis-a-vis competition.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Lucida Calligraphy'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This offer is a result of SPAR's customer need analysis expertise over the last 36 years. Spar - Private labels the focus in recent times has been on the development of the SPAR India private label and much headway has been made in the R & D and launch of these products. SPAR's private label began with a wide range of staples, spices and dry fruits under the Select, Value and Best Price categories. Other products include dry groceries, snacks (namkeens), cornflakes, ketchup, plum cake, a mango drink as well as an apple drink, leaf tea and a cleaning range of toilet cleaner, glass cleaner, phenyl, scrubbers and liquid dishwash. In this financial year, instant noodles, and more namkeen products will be added. SPAR Baby Diapers, detergent powder & bar, dishwash bar, floor cleaners & air fresheners will also become available. The financial year should end with about 50 FMCG SKUs and then increase to 150 by April 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Lucida Calligraphy'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The second category is fresh grocery where pre-packed bakery products under "SPAR Fresh Bakes" include a range of breads, cookies and cakes. Pre-packed organic vegetables under "SPAR Organics" are also now available for customers. In the non food category, a large number of SKUs have been added in addition to pressure cookers, non stick ware, towels, curtains, bed sheets, quilts and comforters. A range of dress materials under the label SPAR Diva is available as well as belts, handkerchiefs, socks, micro fibre pillows and cushions, A set of 6 glasses as well as 21 and 32 piece melamine dinner sets are on the shelves as well as a multi kitchen knife set. Co branding with Bombay Dyeing for men's ready to stitch wear and with Dukes Leisure wear is also underway. The SPAR food private labels currently account for 16% of the total food sales. This is likely to grow to 25% by March 2013.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

SPAR launches first Hypermarket in Coimbatore