RAPED BY YOUR LOCAL GROCERY STORES AND MARKETS

Bill BennettGood morning all, I hope your day is what ever you would like it to be. (I used to always say "I HOPE YOUR DAY IS this or that, but that is trying to force my will upon you, so............."). Therefore "IT'S YOUR DAY TO DO WITH WHAT YOU WANT".
Now how is that for a philosophy 101 thought and almost my last philosoph of the day. (Yes I know there is no such word -- well in the dictionary of me there is).

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Normally I do not start bitching about anything until I've at least had breakfast, but this one kept me awake for most of the night. 

Yesterday in my article about needing financial help to feed the deer of Buttercups Deer Haven, I mentioned the ridiculous price of $1.58 for a single pear and how it angered me. Actually pissed me off big time. Well I did a bit of investigation, because everyone is blaming food price increases on the growers or producers. You know, the farmers who grow our food, beef, milk, etc. Well dear friends that idea is total 100% "BOVINE FECAL MATTER" -- so you are clear on it "BULL SHIT".

I interviewed several produce managers in several markets locally and in surrounding towns & villages. If this one doesn't drive you up the wall, (that is polite for PISS YOU OFF) then I need to figure another way to get this across.

These managers said raising the price is nothing but a matter of economics and then (almost) unanimously they told me their philosophy of economics. Are you ready for this zinger?

"WE HAD TO RAISE OUR PRICES ON PRODUCE SUCH AS FRUITS AND VEGETABLES TO MAKE UP FOR THE LOSS IN PROFITS AND SPOILAGE OF PRODUCE WE ORDER IN TO STOCK. IT JUST LAYS THERE AND NO ONE PURCHASES IT, SO WE HAVE TO RAISE THE PRICES TO MAKE UP FOR THE WASTE AND LOSS OF MONEY." 

They all went on to explain, they have increased the prices slowly as the sales began to drop and recently had to make a drastic increase due to compensate for the drastic loss in sales. In addition they have reduced the amount of produce (vegetables and fruit) being stocked so they will not lose money because of items not selling due to the high prices.

Now let me attempt to clarify this marketing philosophy. 
(1) sales of fruits and vegetables have declined due to pricing (2) you decrease ordering so you will reduce waste of produce ordered due to spoilage because it does not sell and that decreases profits (3) because profits drop due to lack of sales which you determine is due to retail price increases you imposed to increase your profits margin "YOU THEN INCREASE YOUR RETAIN PRICE SEVERAL TIMES" and you can not understand why "SALES CONTINUE TO DECLINE BECAUSE OF RETAIL PRICES."

What the hell school of economics did you go to. Could you have graduated from the "HALLIBURTON SCHOOL OF LET'S SCREW THE PUBLIC BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO DAMN DUMB TO SEE WHAT WE ARE DOING?"

What these idiots now can not understand is "WE ARE SEEING MORE SPOILAGE BECAUSE THE PRODUCE IS NOT SELLING AND WE ARE LOSING EVEN MORE $$$."

Here are a few tips to all produce managers in all markets in the world "(A) STOCK MORE AND BETTER GRADE PRODUCE. (B) PRICE THIS BETTER GRADE PRODUCE SO YOUR CUSTOMERS CAN AFFORD IT AND WANT TO EAT IT (C) DROP YOUR PROFIT EXPECTATIONS TO REALISTIC TO REALISTIC AMOUNTS -- LIKE THEY WERE WHEN YOU WERE SELLING AND BUYING AND STOCKING GOOD PRODUCE, and the produce will sell start selling again and not staying on the shelves long enough to spoil.

THAT IS THE SIMPLE "A-B-C's" of marketing. Give the customer what they want at a price you can afford at a reasonable profit and "HOT DAMN WE ARE BACK IN BUSINESS". 

Tell your local markets to stop screwing you. THIS MY FRIENDS IS THE BULL SHIT OF POLITICS OF SCREWING THE COUNTRY. Remember "A SNAKE DIES FROM THE HEAD DOWN".

Bill Bennett, PhD June 18th 2013
Corvallis, OR 97330
ph: 1-541-754-6918