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Posts Tagged Target

Saving Money the Old-Fashioned Way

Sep 3

Posted by admin in food, grocer, news, shopping

The old-fashioned way: One penny at a time. It works and a grade-school mathematician can convincingly say it adds up.

Here’s a simple way to test the concept and put more money into the grocery bag: Buy some store brands instead of some national brands. According to a Consumer Reports blind taste test (October 2009 issue) of 29 food products, 23 store brands  tasted as good or better than the more expensive national brands. They found this to be true with Costco’s (Kirkland) Organic Salsa, Target’s Archer Farms Chewy Soft-Baked Cookies, and Wal-Mart’s Great Value Whipped Topping. These three store brands beat out Old El Paso, Pepperidge Farm, and Kraft respectively.

No need to be shy about trying the store brands– the savings can be impressive, and many grocery stores are confident in their in-house branding approach that they offer a money-back guarantee if customers are not pleased.

In another Consumers Reports study just released, they ranked and rated 18-high fiber cereals and found 7 distinct products noteworthy including Kirkland’s Signature Spiced Pecan Cereal (Costco) which cost 33 cents a serving and proved a flavorful fiber choice. Archer Farms (Target) High Fiber delivers 10 grams of fiber a serving, and Wal-Mart’s Great Value Raisin Bran is considered a strong choice for raisin bran purists.The others were all national brands: Kashi GoLean Crunchy, Kellogg’s Raisin Bran Extra, Post Shredded Wheat Spoon Size Wheat ‘n Bran, and Barbara’s Bakery Ultimate Organic. Cereal can be costly, but you should be able to find sales either in a store’s circular ad or part of the Sunday newspaper coupons. Now that you have the fiber list, you can clip or do online grocery coupon savings.

There’s money in these aisles. Especially when someone elseweg'sgrocery_large does the taste-test homework.

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Still Ugly–Not the Bag, Silly

May 14

Posted by admin in Economy, food, shopping

6a00d834515f0569e200e54febb9d18833-800wiNo matter how cheery we try to sound, people are realistically worried about the future and high costs. A recent survey from Technomic, the Chicago monitoring folks, showed that consumer sentiment is still way down. Translation: large numbers of consumers plan to increase purchases of store brand grocers and take advantage of coupons and discounts. Their research finds consumers unlikely to increase food spending anytime soon.

Some of the changes are obvious, in matters we’ve discussed such as consumers downscaling coffee purchases, and companies meeting them half way with lower prices and coupons.  

On the good news front: Target just announced that they see more of the future in food items and plan to add more fresh food and produce to remodeled or new stores. That’s great because their food prices are already impressive. Fill up the extra aisles!

Toys ‘R’ Us just added foods to some of its stores, like a mini store within the greater wonderland! That just makes shopping with young people in a toy store even more of a challenge–snack food and toys–may help their bottom line but up my pain threshold!

The anxiety coefficient still hits the nerve cycle. We are still looking for buys and bargains. Look at the various dollar stores–they’re getting a new type of customer looking for food products and overall savings. In turn, their bottom line is looking up!

We eat. it’s about food, baby, and how we can find prices that make it work.We need the boost. Pile on the opportunities.

Change the sentiment.

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It's In My Cart–I Can Buy It, Right?

Feb 22

Posted by admin in FDA, food, President Obama

If I go down the aisles and put items in my cart, I assume I can buy them. I’m not questioning if I have the money to buy them; that might be a different issue. Have you ever wanted to buy something and the store said NO. Well, it can happen. It happened to me yesterday, and, at first, it felt invasively odd.

I was at my favorite Target  and filled my cart with food; their prices are amazing. I always find a new example of why I go there. My sister-in-law touted their milk prices. I quickly countered her comment with–check out the eggs, the juices, and the cereals. I didn’t want to bore her with all the aisles I score in!

Back to yesterday. I went to check-out and wham, the computer told the checker I couldn’t have that product. What? The computer told the checker to call the manager who came over, looked at the computer, and took the product away. No detailed explanation: just following instructions, ma’am.

Wait. That was either very clever or just plain weird. I did not buy the last of that product nor was it the first time I purchased the refrigerated potatoes. After all their price rocks on this item, too. What transpired? Not sure but have to figure that Target’s software and hardware options were far superior to my general purchasing prowess.  

So I began a search, and within a single google query, I found out how smart Target really was: there was a voluntary recall the day before on some items of this product line.  We do not take chances is what their computer said.

Mind you, this is way before an FDA food recall. Look, there’s no mention of this on thatpotato government site today, 2 days after the voluntary decision! Way before a major release. Yes, President Obama, the FDA needs a major fix–put some stimulus money into hiring more inspectors.

It’s just Target taking care of us and saving themselves a major headache. I’m impressed that they can program their software so wisely; that they can save me from myself.

Thank you.

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Lovin' It–Bull's Eye

Feb 19

Posted by admin in Advertisers, coffee, Economy, restaurants

Wednesday’s food section insert got my attention with an interesting surprise. An unexpected insert. One that made me wonder if it was just a lost one that got restuffed from Sunday’s ad sections. No. Something new, something better.

A whole new way to view our current economic environment. Thank you, Target. Yes, Target which traditionally has a sizable insert on Sundays had a new direction insert yesterday called “a new day. new ways to save.” A true Target Bull’s Eye Winner!

Target

Target

Each page showed the old world, for instance, room service and the new one, a smiling young face holding a tray with cereal bowls and orange juice–touting “the new room service.” Very clever. Each page had a new approach to a lifestyle we once patronized but currently needs major reworking. How about a trip to the spa–old world! Target world:  a terry robe with skin care products and makeup.

The ad gets the point across: life does not have to stop. We just have to approach the familiar a little differently. Love the reinvention; actually love shopping at Target in any economic environment!

Look at the world of dining. Lots of mid-tier chains such as TGI Friday’s, Marie Callender’s, Chili’s, and Ruby Tuesday are offering a variety of specials to their e-mail subscribers. Sign up. Each has a little different approach, and I believe the concept will spread to your favorite spot.

More expensive dining places throughout the country get it, and are offering similar promotions. People need to treat themselves. Maybe at different price points, but they need to dine out. It’s the real trickle-down effect.

Yet, the all-time winner this week is Tom Colicchio, chef and owner of the Craft food empire and well-known celebrity chef from Bravo’s “Top Chef”. Last week he rolled out his latest dining strategy in New York:  smaller plates and lower prices in the front room of craftsteak, calling the new mid-week enterprise, halfsteak. The line of people waiting to get in, said it all. We appreciate these changes; what’s next?

Yes, we are all in this together. Every business needs to rethink its business model to accommodate people and get them in the door for multiple visits. That way the business survives as a business, and the dining, shopping public responds by purchasing.

This will work.

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A Roaring Rant

Jan 16

Posted by admin in Economy, food, life

target-glassI’ve had it. It’s ridiculous. A place charges upwards of $10 for a glass or over $40 for a bottle, and they think they can get away with 1950s wine glasses. Come on. Get over it. That’s unacceptable. We deserve a proper glass for a red. Those little glasses may work fine for a white, but a red needs to open. None of this narrow bowl. Nor the fat rim. I know times are tough, but you’ve been using those glasses forever. Throw ‘em out. Invest a little. You don’t have to look too far. Go to Target–they have a huge selection. Show that you have changed with the times.

No, you do not need every type of  Riedel glass for each wine. That’s the other extreme. Thank you, my Zinfandel will be happy to share with the Cotes du Rhone, just give me a bigger bowl. Then I can swirl. It’s a joke to try to get any essence of flavor from those little glasses. Have a sale. Let your customers buy them for water glasses. Me, I want a pour I can enjoy with my food.

As long as we’re talking wine. Let’s talk wine service. In the non-fancy places I go, the server still needs to know not to  put a half a bottle of wine in my little glass. Seriously, a medium pour is quite sufficient. Now I know why so many people literally grab the bottle from a server’s hand, and say it’s OK, I’ll pour. Someone taught servers to sell wine not to serve wine.

So let’s get it right:  A proper glass for a red, and a server who recognizes wine is a drink to enjoy, not to gulp.

It’s a rant. Cheers.

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