By Joel M. Albrizio, President
"Aldi Wants Shoppers To Expect A little Less But Pay A Little Less"
Aldi attempts to find a solid home on the East Coast. In a not-so-unexpected announcement Aldi is expanding its footprint. Aldi is all about demonstrating to the consumer that if you can cope with less items and less selection, Aldi will deliver a shopping experience for less.
"Shoppers With Less Time Might Bite At This New Apple"
With an average size of about 10,000 square feet Aldi doesn't have everything your looking for. All of the basics seem covered but is covering the basics what food shopping is all about?
Aldi has a section of "Special Buys" to entice any shopper, either the shopper trying Aldi for the first time or the weekly staple shopper. This "Special Buys" section seems to add to some of the shopping excitement of traditional retail but falls way short of the high low programs where real savings that are fun to look for drive traditional supermarket sales.
"Traditional Supermarket Service, Selection & Price Or Just Price"
Overall a quick glance in review of this new to the east coast retail giant seems to reveal shortcomings in service as well as selection. The value of the services and ease of shopping the traditional supermarket retailer with everything you will ever need in one location seems overlooked almost entirely.
To most of us that study the Aldi concept we find it is one of another player in the already crowded marketplace with enough capital to garner some great locations. This would seem to be the greater concern. While every retailer takes something from your weekly sales there just doesn't seem to be enough to really define "Why Shop Aldi"
When you own and operate a traditional supermarket it is easy to forget the value all of our customers place on service as well as selection. A supermarkets best customers do not have the time to hunt for everything they need in multiple locations.
Aldi is the antithesis to selection and great service. It's new, a little different and in some great locations but we think a greater concentration on service trumps the big box and in Aldi's case the little big box.
"Aldi Is The Little Big Box"
So I guess if we were to describe Aldi it might be the big box retailer/wholesale concept on a smaller scale. We still believe we need to service the consumer and define the shopping experience as the value proposition. Your customer both wants and needs selection and service so lets provide that at a fair price and continue to build retail food sales!
A solid supermarket story should be enough to defer the inroads of an Aldi. The dilemma Aldi provides is here comes another retailer. Right now no supermarket retailer needs another competitor.
In closing, many have asked why I choose to write about what we see in the supermarket industry today and my ideas. At Adlife we believe great ideas and its resulting branding will give new life and direction to any company. So for that reason we chose to open the discussion. Check out our newest addition to our retailer service programs. preparedfoodphotos.com Adlife has every prepared food photograph any retailer will ever need!
Joel M. Albrizio, President Adlife Marketing & Communications
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