Source: http://maisonstyle.wordpress.com/2011/05/13/discount-designer-items-in-canada-yes-please-ship-away/

All the shopaholics out there are well aware that Black Friday is approaching. In other words, one day of shopping chaos including long-line ups, mobs of people, and walking into stores that are far more disorganized than your bedroom during exam time.

So why not shop online?
Steven Zussino, founder of Groceryalerts.ca, has been participating in Black Friday for years, through online shopping. He states that he feels less pressure shopping online, as he is able to “take [his] time reading the reviews and feedback from other customers”. Signing up for newsletters is also a great way to stay updated on sales. Aside from being more relaxing, online shopping helps you save money on gas and hotel accommodation (depending on how far you travel to tackle the good sales).

Source: http://www.blogto.com/city/2008/12/christmas_countdown_3_shoppers_shopping/

As much as I despise long line-ups, and big crowds at my favourite store, I would much rather prefer going to the actual store than shopping online. I think what stops me from shopping online is the fear of ordering the wrong size and then having to go through the disappointment, trouble of sending it back, and re-ordering. I think it all comes down to personal preference and what you’re willing to give up.
Read article here

Source: http://www.thestar.com/business/article/1288748–no-more-twinkies-hostess-going-out-of-business

Say good-bye to one of your all-time favourite, sensational childhood snacks because Hostess, the company that makes (or should I say made) Twinkies is going out of business.

The company’s bakers who went on strike due to a new contract imposed on them are partly to blame. However, there are other factors leading to its bankruptcy as well, such as increasing competition and changing consumer tastes; North Americans are becoming increasingly conscious about healthy eating. The company has debt of one billion dollars and two billion in unfunded pension liabilities. As a result of going out of business, Hostess will be laying off about 18, 500 workers, shutting down 33 bakeries, 565 distribution centres and 570 outlet stores.

Before you burst into tears, here’s the good news: some of the brands of the company will be bought and restarted. The 82 year old company will sell its assets to the highest bidder. However for now, the company has stated that all production will stop as of today, and stores will no longer be receiving their products. We all know what this means… pile-up those shopping carts and stock up on the goodies!

Hostess products on store shelves are being cleared, fast!
Source:http://www.news9.com/story/20122646/oklahomans-stock-up-on-twinkies-as-hostess-goes-out-of-business

Sources:
http://www.thestar.com/business/article/1288748–no-more-twinkies-hostess-going-out-of-business
http://wqad.com/2012/11/16/hostess-brands-closing-for-good/

In Class 12 and 20, the main topic we discussed was social enterprises. A social enterprise is defined as a socially mission-driven organization that applies market base strategies to achieve a social purpose. One of the social enterprises that was mentioned was Divine Chocolate. Myself, being a chocolate fanatic, I was curious to learn more about this deliciously appealing social enterprise, so I did some research.

Source: http://www.divinechocolate.com/about/default.aspx

Divine chocolate is the only fair trade chocolate company which is 45% owned by the cocoa farmers in Ghana. This allows the farmers to receive a share of Divine’s profits. The label “fair trade” in this case makes sure that farmers are getting a good deal for their cocoa as well as receiving additional income to invest in their community. The farmers, as a result, have “a stronger voice in the cocoa industry”. Divine chocolate competes with other chocolate brands in the UK which has one of the “highest per capita levels of consumption of chocolate in the world”. Hence, gaining even a small proportion of this market means a lot of benefits for the cocoa farmers. Divine chocolate was launched in October 1998, and was on store shelves by December 1998- that is pretty amazing!

To learn more about Divine Chocolate, visit their official website here!

Source: www.divinechocolate.com

For a good chuckle, check out this video by Divine Chocolate:
Would you pay to kiss this guy?
Continue reading →

Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/hardware/iphone-5-apple-cuts-memory-chip-order-to-samsung-for-new-phone/articleshow/16292922.cms

In response to Yahel Jarus Hakak’s blog post regarding Apple’s suppliers.
The article that Yahel Jarus Hakak wrote his blog post about discusses Apple shifting away from its main supplier, Samsung, towards LG and AUO. Samsung also happens to be Apples biggest competitor and this may be the reason for the modification of Apples supply chain. The consequences of this shift have been shortages and long waits resulting in frustrated customers. Clearly, Apple’s new suppliers are not able to keep up with demand as well as Samsung did.

After reading Yahel Jarus Hakak’s blog post, I have to say that I completely agree with him. Apple is solely seeking other suppliers because they simply do not want to be dependant on their competitor. I do not think Apple is making the right move by shifting away from Samsung; they are jeopardizing their supply chain and are putting customers wants aside. In the long run, dissatisfied customers will switch over to other companies such as Samsung, so in a way they are helping their competition. Furthermore, after discussing the importance of having a strong supply chain, in class, I think Apple should focus more attention to this matter.

Article can be read here.

The article I read outlines the different approaches Canadian airlines and American airlines take toward obese people; Air Canada provides obese flyers with a free extra seat whereas most American airlines ask that they pay for the extra seat or wait for the next flight. Air Canada is taking “a financial hit” for every free seat they provide and other passengers may be having to pay more for tickets so overweight passengers can be accommodated. Currently, we already subsidise the costs for on-board defibrillators for patients who suffer cardiac events on planes.

Source: http://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2012/11/obese-flyers?fb_ref=activity

In our week 6 tutorial regarding consumer behaviour and decision making our class discussed what we consider when choosing what airline to book a flight with. Many stated the obvious; price, availability of flights, comfort, customer service, etc. However, if you see it from the perspective of an overweight person, they will definitely look for an airline that is willing to provide them with a free extra seat. It didn’t occur to most of us that this is something that some people consider when booking a flight.
What do you think- should you have to pay more to fly so overweight people can get free second seats?

Read article here

This blog post is in response to an external blog I read.

Who would have thought that a large portion of Mitt Romney’s followers on twitter may have been purchased? Yes, according to Barracuda Networks, it costs approximately $18 to purchase one thousand fans, and a number of businesses and politicians are doing it. On eBay, there are a handful of people who are offering to set up fake profiles for people. In a recent study by entrepreneur Marco Camisani Calzolari, to find out whether a follower was human, a number of things were looked at such as the number of posts from their Twitter account and the accuracy of their punctuation in tweets. Buying fake fans, gives an “artificial boost to a business” whether it’s a start-up or a major international company. However, businesses aren’t really winning, if those followers aren’t actually engaged.

This blog caught my attention as I consider myself to be moderately engaged with social media; using sites such as “Facebook”, “Twitter” and “Tumblr” on a daily basis. I was astonished to learn that a overwhelming number of “fake followers” existed. I think it’s surprising how many people, including myself, use social media but are oblivious towards what companies and politicians are able to do to enhance their image.

See Schumpeter blog post here

http://www.facebook.com/cites

Premium-casual restaurants are a popular trend in western canada and with big competitors, they are looking to expand into the eastern provinces. A restaurant would fall under the category “premium-casual” if, compared to the the traditional casual chains, it is “more elaborate, the servers more polished and the wine and bar programs more evolved.” Cactus Club, Earls, Milestones, The Keg and Moxies are all perfect examples. The reason why these restaurants evolved on the west coast are because of “adventurous tastes” and a small number of chain restaurants located there. Since Canadians in different regions across the country have different tastes, the question is will these restaurants be just as successful in the east? Earls and Joeys restaurant expansion into Washington State, have given them similar results to their Canadian locations, however their brands “don’t enjoy the same recognition”across the border, perhaps due to the “premium-casual” category being non-existant in the U.S. Furthermore, Americans tend to be more price-sensitive when it comes to dining.

These premium-casual restaurants have a lot to consider, if they want to continue to be successful, before they decide to  expand beyond the west. This relates to our Class 2- “Marketing Meets Accounting” discussion about if Tata Motors should introduce their products in North America. Like premium-casual restaurants on the west coast, Tata Motors is highly popular and successful in India, but if it decided to expand into another region such as North America, it could expect to see some negative results.

Read article here

In Jenny Ling’s blog post regarding the article “Are Free Samples of Brand-Name Baby Formula in Hospitals Unethical?” the question of whether companies should be allowed to advertise in hospitals was imposed. Personally, I don’t see what the big fuss is about.  New mothers are capable of understanding and knowing the importance of breastfeeding. I do not see them as being a vulnerable group to the advertisements.  If they seem confused as to whether they should breast feed or use baby formula, they can easily talk to their doctor or pick up a brochure to learn the facts. I don’t see why mothers would want to choose to use a baby formula instead of breast-feeding in the first place since breast-feeding would cost them nothing, opposed to paying $800-$2800 a year for infant formula.  Furthermore, banning the practice of providing formula samples in several cities and states is an extreme and unnecessary measure. Even if companies are not allowed to advertise in hospitals, they will still be sending out free samples in the mail to the homes of new mothers.

The automobile has undoubtedly changed the world in countless ways. From creating millions of jobs to making travelling highly convenient for humans, it is hard to imagine life today without a car. It is not solely just a means of transportation, but is also a status symbol, or some might say a “fashion accessory”. It is safe to say that since the beginning of the twentieth century, car use has only been increasing across the globe. However, in the rich and developed countries people seem to have been driving less than they used to, hence car use may have peaked. A number of factors have caused this, such as rising fuel costs and insurance premiums and the internet which has made it possible to shop, work and socialize all from home (without the use of a car). So what does this mean for our society? Surely, this will hurt the government in rich countries whose revenue relies heavily on fuel and car taxes. Carmakers can also expect to face tough times. Environmentalists, however, should celebrate. Declining car use should significantly cut pollution, and decrease traffic congestion in cities. I see this a benefit to our society, the government needs to start looking into other ways, that are less harmful to the environment, to generate revenue.

A visual to help people realize the congestion cars create on the road.

Wal-mart, the largest private employer in the United States, recently announced that they will be cutting back the coverage for part-time employees while raising premiums for full-time workers. In depth, all future employees who work less than 24 hours a week on average will not meet the qualifications that they need to be covered in any single one of the company’s health insurance plans. Furthermore, employees who work on average 24 to 33 hours a week normally would be able to include a spouse as part of their health care plan, but this will no longer be the case. For employees working these many hours a week, only their children will be covered. Greg Rossiter, a Wal-mart spokesman explained that these changes on their health care offerings were mainly due to rising costs.

The main ethical issue in this case is the lack of consideration towards employees. Not only will they have to work more hours to be covered, they also will have to face the burden of increasing premiums and deductibles which sometimes exceed 20 percent of their annual pay. These changes will undoubtedly have a huge impact on the vast number of senior employees working there.

Read the article here