The Wool Is Worth It

I shop at Woolworths. And I will always shop at Woolworths. It’s not that I have a logical reason to although I’d guess it’s because my Dad did his weekly shop at Woolworths while I was growing up.

And I never plan to step foot into a Coles store, not even for specials. Assuming I always live in an area where there’s a Woolworths close by, I’m a life long customer of the Fresh Food People.

So Coles, I’m giving you the heads up right now that any marketing dollars you spend on me over the next 50 years are wasted. But with your junk mail drops and interruptive traditional media spend, you continue flush money down the drain. Shame.

No Comments
  • Tannie
    Posted at December 30, 2009 9:46pm, 30 December Reply

    I don't think it's as simple as that. At the moment you're locked in your ways, yes. Say you move to somewhere without Woolworths and there's the choice between IGA and Coles. Coles advertising heavier means you'll try them first and be more open to accepting them.

    Furthermore even in an area with a Woolworths there are other ways to bend the boundaries. Yes your weekly shop is Woolies, but what about impulse. For example in MC station and you're after something quickly will you go all the way to QV or stick with simplicity.

    Things change. The future is hard to predict but if I were Coles I'd be happy to chuck the odd few cents of advertising at you here and there.

  • Zac Martin
    Posted at December 30, 2009 9:51pm, 30 December Reply

    @ Tannie

    I think those "odd few cents" add up very quickly over time and with many, and it's much easier to get an existing customer to spend more than to gain a new one.

    But this generic example could be about any brand, who should be investing their spend more wisely, specifically at their lovers not haters.

  • Jason Tsitsopoulos
    Posted at December 30, 2009 10:32pm, 30 December Reply

    Yes but Zac Martin, you are only one person!

  • Tannie
    Posted at December 31, 2009 6:38am, 31 December Reply

    So you're saing it'd be more valuable for Woolworths to advertise to you despite the fact you're already a lifetime customer?

  • Marek
    Posted at December 31, 2009 8:57am, 31 December Reply

    Once you finish uni, move out and start budgeting your salary, special shopping will be slightly more important to you…assuming you apply the same intelligence to your purchases as you do to your posts.

    Just you wait.

  • Zac Martin
    Posted at December 31, 2009 12:56pm, 31 December Reply

    @ Tannie

    Convince me to spend an extra $20 a week or purchase their brands, much easier than a massive change in my purchasing behaviour.

    @ Marek

    Perhaps, but I can think of plenty more brands I don't want to be spoken to who are wasting money me.

  • nat
    Posted at December 31, 2009 2:04pm, 31 December Reply

    Having done some consulting work with Woolworths, the way the segment their customers (and supermarkets in general) is extremely sophisticated and breaks down into extremely refined segments. Of the most important to them is "Loyalty Shoppers" – which they segment into different types. But every other segment was seen as transient (e.g. value shoppers were that because the were young, old, constrained by income) and that these were the people that were ripe for the swaying/picking.

    So you are right, Zac, Loyalty Shoppers are the most valued and don't tend to shift (unless the transit through a different phase of life/money etc) so most dollars are spent wooing the rest. but as with lots of marketing/advertising, you have to do a shot gun approach – which will advertise to everyone, many of which, like yourself, it is wasted on.

    *Can I just add, I enjoy your personalized posts, Zac. Lots of people criticize them with the, "you're just one person" critic – when they should be paying attention to the real information on display about how ONE consumers mind actually works. Massive value in that
    (if any that makes sense…it is hot and brain not working)

  • Adam Jaffrey
    Posted at December 31, 2009 3:57pm, 31 December Reply

    Zac,

    You pose an interesting point.

    Another thing I'm interested in is how you came to become a "Loyalty Shopper", as Nat puts it (I'm assuming that's Nat from GYMP – and I just thought of that acronym then!), in the first place.
    Do supermarket chains need to be investing more dollars in children to gain their trust & business early? Much in a similar way as the Commonwealth Bank did with their "Dollamite Accounts" in primary school children…

    Just my thoughts…

  • Ben
    Posted at January 4, 2010 10:50am, 04 January Reply

    coles northland is awesome – time to reconsider your stance.

  • Knorts
    Posted at January 4, 2010 8:47pm, 04 January Reply

    Two words: Curtis Stone. First time I've paid attention to Coles in ages. I think that's a great way to spend your money.

  • Daniel Oyston
    Posted at January 12, 2010 8:40am, 12 January Reply

    I’m pretty much the same but the opposite .. I’m a Coles man. In fact, I always knew there was something a little off with you … now I know what it is.

    My only piece of advice is to get shares in the companies you spend lots of money on. For me, it’s Wesfarmers (Coles and Bunnings) and Woodside petroleum. It’s always nice knowing that when I spend $300 in Bunnings that I am helping the company I have shares in. It also helps me not to get cranky when the place is busy!

    BTW – if (and it’s a big if 🙂 you get a missus and settle down she’ll be telling you what to do anyway so she may make you go to Coles! Decision.

    @Tannie – the answer is yes. The advertising for Zac is/should be reinforcing the post-purchase stage to make him feel like h made the rig

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