Me V Tesco

[Paul_Rosser]

I'm not sure if this is a valid proposition here, and I'm pretty sure you're thought about it. But what about a delivery service?

The only other suggestion I would make, is try talk to the customers at the local tesco to try and find out why they shop there? A pop market survey, you may be surprised by the answer, and like other have said price will probably not be the factor.

We get our milk delivered by our local milkman, he is more expensive for his milk than the local sainsbury's and I drive past 3-4 leading brand supermarkets on the way home everyday and could easily by the 4 pints we use daily, but I still use the milkman. Why? because I just go to the front door in the morning and my milk is there!

Convenience does beat price in a lot of cases.

 

[The Greengrocer]

Thanks Mat, I would love to refit the shop dont get me wrong. But to be honest its very clean and tidy. Its well lit my son is an Electrician. The staff are really good we pride ourselves on our customer service. My wife works at the local college part time running NVQ courses on retail so thats a big help. Thanks for the input tough.

 

[Matt1959]

Thanks Mat, I would love to refit the shop dont get me wrong. But to be honest its very clean and tidy. Its well lit my son is an Electrician. The staff are really good we pride ourselves on our customer service. My wife works at the local college part time running NVQ courses on retail so thats a big help. Thanks for the input tough.

yeh I'm sure it is I wasnt really trying to infere the opposite but sometimes we see our own things as good as they get whilst the reality is sometimes different through other peoples eyes and only unbiased feedback from those other people is whats useful....

Anyway, yours sounds a really good shop

What about free samples? I love apples but I cannot gaurentee the quality of what my wifes buys from Tesco. As soon as I get some nice apples, the next lot are past it and I almost cant be bothered to keep buying them...

But I dont use independant greengrocers either and the reason for that is convenience and absoloutly nothing to do with price..

 

[The Greengrocer]

Thanks Mat you make some good points

 

[Christine Hough]

I have used local delivery.

One majored on meat from local farmers and I used them for a couple of years but they could not make it pay. Pity because they were very good.

I then used a local organic vegetable delivery but really the quality there wasn't too good so I stopped.

 

[mrchips]

Follow the local Tesco delivery van around. Drop flyers through their customers letterboxes saying "Fed up with flacid, bruised, out of date, tasteless veg? Buy from me!"

How about the River Cottage route? Add value. Over stocked on something, then turn it into chutney, pickle, soup... It's make the shop smell nice too.

Mr Chips

 

[Christine Hough]

Always thought what a good service it would be to have ready made salads from fresh vegetables.

Not the usual coleslaw, but really fresh stuff..
grated carrot orange and basil;
raw broccoli, tomato and pepper with olive oil and garlic;
grated courgette and lime in thousand Island dressing;
avocado, potato(fried cubes) and bacon ( or soya bacon pieces to avoid meat if necessary);
Fresh humous from chick pea sprouts;


But then it would be a nightmare to stock control as the shelf life would be so short.
Perhaps just a salad of the day.
At least Tesco would not have that.

Also its a bit dated now but you could also do juicing and sell by the paper cupful.

These are things I would like as a customer but I am aware they are very high risk that it would not pay and not really suggesting you do them. Just brainstorming!

 

[Young Recruit]

I know you are right about the perception of "cheap" but you must agree there has never been as much emphasis as there is now on cost. Why else do the stores place so much emphasis on Price Matching. The fact is as it been mentioned already its the convenience issue we are trying to get round. Most of our customers park in Tesco do their grocery shopping and then come into town for the better quality fresh food. We have 2 marvellous butchers yards away from us. We have lots of people who travel miles just to shop with us because they want to shop at a proper greengrocers. But as things stand its getting harder costs are going through the roof and we need more trade.

I feel for you.

Also the cost of fruit and veg has risen significantly, people on lower incomes simply can't afford fresh fruit and veg and so either cut it out completely or buy tinned or frozen. It's a double whammy. The supermarkets can take the hit, but I guess you can't. It's a shame.

What is in your favour though is the growing trend for people wanting to cook from scratch, these may be a better group of customers to focus your business on.

JA

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Grocers always used to employ boys and girls on bikes to deliver goods for people, after all veg are a heavy and awkward item to carry

Maybe you could get hold of a couple of old trades mans bikes and offer a delivery after school finishes to a local area and also take telephone orders for delivery

Just make life easier for the customer

Give your old stock not sold to a charity or local school instead of the tip, and put up a notice of what you do,

 

[Elliottc26]

Hi,

You don't need to mention Tesco's (will promote them), or any other stores.

You've already said the answer in your first post:

1. Create a poster for an A-frame outside your store
2. Advertise locally
3. Your messages: "Local Fresh Fruit and Veg: Better Quality, Better Price," "A Healthier Option," "Chef's can taste the difference."

Hope this helps