Corporations, Big Box Stores and the Little Guy (Girl)
Last week I probably did something really really stupid but I have had enough! I have had enough of these big corporations trying to put Smiley’s and all of the Smaller stores out of business!
Coke and Pepsi informed me that their prices were going up. Now I expected some kind of increase simply because of the cost of goods. What I didn’t expect was the prices!! They expect me to pay $6.95 (Pepsi) and $7.20 (Coke) for a case of 12 oz. cans!
For years I have fought with these companies over what I feel is their unfair pricing throughout the market. When I ask why I can go to most any “Box” store and buy it for $5.99 or 3/$10 or $11, I get the same bullshit story. I am tired of it! They can show me ANY invoice that they send with the order to the “Big” box store but will they show me the “trail” of money? NO I don’t think so. It is well known that companies “pay” for space in the box stores to the tune of thousands of $$$. What do they pay me? $750.00 for 2 coolers for a year! That doesn’t even pay for the electric that it cost to run these coolers!
For 21 years Smiley’s (and other stores) have advertised their product 365 days a year! We have given them FREE floor space to display their product and this is the thanks that we get? We have NEVER asked them for anything in return! I have told them in the past that this is MY and my employees Blood, Sweat and Tears. We have no one to answer to except our customers. There is no Board of Directors, there is NO chairman! They are taking $$$ out of our pockets and GIVING it to the big box stores!
Since I have owned the Deli I have given away their product with our food MANY times! I advertise for them on all of my menus and flyers but they DON’T care!!!! Pepsi wants me to pay $1.29 for one of their 2 liters! What do I do? The public likes their Pepsi and Coke and if I was to offer Cott or some other non major brand I would lose customers! I am stuck and it’s not a good feeling.
When I asked if they wanted us to go to the Box stores to purchase our cans they told me that I would be “out of contract” and if I did that I would pay EVEN higher for my other products such as the 20 oz., energy drinks etc..Man they have us over a barrel and they know it! All I have ever asked is that it become a FAIR playing field! By the way, I WILL never purchase ANY of my product from a Box store! I get my groceries from an INDEPENDENT wholesaler. You know the kind that I can actually speak to the OWNER? I purchase all of my food from an INDEPENDENT wholesaler where the OWNER actually answers his phone. I may pay more (but not by much) but I KNOW that I am supporting a NEW HAMPSHIRE business, a NEW HAMPSHIRE employee that probably has a family to support. I refuse (if possible) to support some smuck living in a Mansion with a $10,000.00 shower curtain! This is WHAT America was built on and this is what the big corporations are trying to take away from us. Don’t let it happen!
Do you know how many customers buy 10-20 cases at a time from us? How hard is that going to be at Wal-Mart or a Grocery store? Heck, we have been known to Chill the soda for people so they didn’t have to waste $$ on Ice. How many of these customers are going to go to a gas station to purchase their soda? I really don’t think too many. Nope, Pepsi and Coke just don’t care!
For now I am unsure of what I am going to do. I have informed them that their space will be cut and that I will be removing product and coolers. I in turn was informed once again that I would be “out” of contract therefore my prices would be higher! I make pennies on their cans and I feel I can use the space to open up the store and bring in new items but I do not want to hurt my customers by doing this. I also feel it is unfair for me to offer a case of Pepsi at $7.49 or Coke at $7.70 when they can go to the bigger stores and buy it for MUCH less. What are your thoughts on this? Would you be willing to assist in boycotting Coke and Pepsi? It never has worked in the past so I doubt it will happen now…it’s a nice thought….
In closing these are my thoughts and I sure hope I am wrong. I think Pepsi, Coke and other Bigger companies that are NOT State controlled such as the “Beer Companies” are trying to make the Box stores the place to sell their lower profit items such as cans. They want us (beverage stores) to sell their “higher” profit items such as energy drinks and 20 oz cold out of the coolers ONLY. They want to make only 1 large drop to the Box stores thus they will need less employees, less trucks and will see a bigger profit from this. (Like they don’t make enough now!) This is what it’s all about, forcing the consumer to shop at the Wal-Marts of the world and SCREW the little guy!
My step-son visited from Texas during all of this and told me that cases of Pepsi there are always $5.99 but many times on sale are $4.99. The reason Pepsi gave me for the increase was because of the cost of aluminium..what it cost more here than there? No, I was told because Texas is such a poor State they price it as such. Well NH we are making all of the money for Pepsi and Coke because our welfare roll isn’t as high as Texas ..how does that make you feel?
These are my own opinions. It really has nothing to do with how much I despise Wal-Mart or the Big grocery stores..their selling tactics and the rip-offs that I see each time I have to shop! Sometime, it MUST end.
Today I received an e-mail requesting that I display a poster “begging” people to buy their tobacco products in New Hampshire. This poster was made by the grocers of New Hampshire because if we the retailer do not sell enough cigarettes before October 1st the wonderful smokers of New Hampshire will enjoy a Tax increase of at least $2.50 per carton. I am suppose to advertise for people in adjoining States to “come” visit New Hampshire and while you are here stop at Smiley’s or for that matter stop at any retailer in the State of New Hampshire and purchase your smokes.
Now I am thinking “why did I receive this poster?” It’s not like they won’t raise the tax anyway. Oh they will find a reason and once again the “low” life smokers of New Hampshire will have to pay!
If the State of New Hampshire raises their tobacco taxes AGAIN we are going to be in big trouble. Why? Well I am sure many of our visitors come here to enjoy the “Tax Free” shopping of New Hampshire. I am also very sure that they come here to buy their tobacco products too. Has the State of New Hampshire really looked at what this type of increase in the Cigarette Taxes will do to our tax base? Is the difference AFTER taxes are raised really that much that people will drive here on the weekend to pick up their cigarettes and then maybe make a trip to the mall or a resturant? With the price of gas, I am not so sure.
The following are the problems that I see will happen if New Hampshire decides to “stick” it to the smokers again.
1. NH Rooms and Meals tax will decrease because people are not coming to New Hampshire hence we will not have any hungry visitors.
2. The stores in the Mall will begin to close because with the cost of gas and the cost of tobbaco in New Hampshire it just doesn’t warrant that weekend trip to save a “few” bucks.
3. There will be more car accidents because the smokers of New Hampshire are “digging” around in their ashtrays to “find” that 1/2 finished cigarette
4. More people will be injured in pedestrian accidents because they saw a 1/2 smoked cigarette on the ground and stopped to pick it up.
5. Our health insurance will go up because we have more overweight people due to everyone having to quit smoking.
6. We will have to add more police to our forces because of 2 things. #1. More people will argue because we know how grumpy we get when we can’t have a cigarette and #2 There will be higher crime rates. Houses will be broken into just to get cigarettes, stores will be robbed, not for money but fot cigarettes and our cars will be broken into, not for just a carton or pack but for that small unsmoked 1/2 cigarette in the ashtray.
Now just to let eveyone know (except my Dr.) I am a smoker! Am I bias against this? No! I think that this will really hurt the “Small” business like Smiley’s because #1 we will not be able to afford the inventory and the insurance that it cost to insure this inventory. #2 We will lose some business from the neighboring States because the difference isn’t big enough for them to drive here especially with the cost of gas these days.
I am also angry!! They can’t find another source for this income? Why do we always have to go after the smokers? Raise the taxes to make it fair to every citizen in the State of NH. I am not sure what they could or would be but I would like some suggestions…
Until September 30, please please call all of your friends, your relatives in other States and ask them if they need a few cartons of cigarettes and then go out and buy them….that will work until the State realizes that if we all worked our asses off not to have this increase they will threaten us again with an increase.
Post your thoughts……….
By The Way some of this is in jest and the work of my overactive imgaination…..
Lyn
I have been told often that I don’t “mince” words. I just want to say that everyone has an opinion however it can take you 5 secs or 5 mins to explain your opinion. I choose the 5 second rule. Why? Because life is too short to pretend to be someone you are not. I say it like I see it, I am who I am and you will always know where you stand with me!
I hope to write about different topics in the news and elsewhere. These are my opinions only unless otherwise stated. I will respect your opinions as long as you are respectful in how you deliver them. Feel free to write your comments!!!
Feel free to start any topics that you want……
As always, please try to remember that this is a Family site…
Thank you!!
