Subj : Solar TV Battery Test II To : Nancy Backus From : Barry Martin Date : Tue May 05 2020 10:45:00 Hi Nancy! NB>>> Exactly... it is possible for a product to actually be improved, NB>>> in a way that is useful.... ;) But often it's only hype... BM>> Most of it is. I don't go around looking at the darker side of things BM>> but seems most of the 'new & improved' is for the manufacturer's BM>> benefit. NB>> Often merely even a chance to charge more for the same product and get NB>> away with it... ;0 BM> Possibly and probably right: the 'new and improved' isn't the same as BM> the original and so could be charged at a different rate. OTOH it BM> might not be too good an idea to change the product and change the BM> price: I'm thinking a price decrease could be interpreted as not as BM> good as the original, a price increase interpreted as an opportunity to BM> explore other brands as if the original had to be improved maybe it BM> wasn't so good after all. NB> Likely any price increase would be hidden.... It might be the NB> same price per container, but the net weight or volume has NB> decreased slightly... thinking that the customer is less likely NB> to notice that sort of thing... ;) Yes: keep the price and container the same but less contents. BM>> Wide mouth in a Thermos is great for soup, stews, etc.; remember BM>> reading a 10% increase in the opening of items like toothpaste, BM>> ketchup, etc., caused the consumer to use more, so good for the seller, BM>> not necessarily good for the buyer as caused more to be used when not BM>> necessary. NB>> If one doesn't realize that more is coming out the opening... NB>> eventually the buyer could figure it out, though, and go back to NB>> using the original amount, just squeezing a little less... :) BM> True, though I'm recalling the study stating the consumer was using BM> more because of the increased flow, not adjusting back, and so the BM> sales increased. I'd assume some consumers would realize the flow BM> change and so cut back, but overall appears most kept the squeeze BM> constant and so used more. NB> Maybe after the results of the study came out some more customers NB> changed their usage as well... ;) I would think a few would do a "so that's why the bigger opening!" and adjust their usage but the majority shrug it off and continue as they were. BM>>> As for the lack of digital coupons, Clorox and the like don't need to BM> May be better to not entice the average consumer with a sale or BM> coupon than to deal with the 'negative publicity' of implying the BM> product would be available at a discount (sale/coupon). NB> BJ's still has coupons available (although they just shifted to NB> all done digitally or clipless instead of having paper coupons), NB> but they have a disclaimer right there with the coupons that due NB> to the current crisis, there might be disruptions in the supply NB> or not sufficient goods on the shelves, and that there won't be NB> any rainchecks for the time being... So they are trying to NB> deflect any negative publicity issues, obviously... Which to me is good: "if we can't get it we can't sell it to you". Not all that great from the consumer side to not have the raincheck but if the promotion is going on currently the discount is paid for by the supplier; if a raincheck then the discount is probably paid from the store's bottom line and right now they're probabky in the red due to all the other expenses like plastic bags (no consumer re-usables), masks, extra/specialized cleaning supplies, barriers..... BM>>> I was telling someone last week's Hy-Vee digital ad had over 1,000 BM>>> items while this week's had a little over 400. And their 99› orange BM>>> juice (limit two) was sold out. (But I did get the last roll of Angel BM>>> Soft toilet paper, plus I had a dollar off digital coupon!!) NB>>> Win some, lose some... ;) BM>> Right now I would have preferred the orange juice over the toilet BM>> paper but my mind may change later! NB>> Depending on what you were out of at the time... BM> That does tend to alter my needs perception! NB> Yup... And that reminded me: the coffee-flavourd M&Ms were a restricted-time offering. I was on eBay for something else (ended up not buying anywhere) and someone was selling just-expired packs (expiry April 17th or something) and someone else had listed packs with an expiry the end of May. Either one would have been OK but I wasn't sure of the quantity: looked like a single pack at $9.99 - so ten dollars. Uh, no. OK, so free shipping, but still seemed rather high for a little packet. I'm not spending my stimulus check on candy! ¯ ® ¯ Barry_Martin_3@ ® ¯ @Q.COM ® ¯ ® .... Come to our site: we have Cookies! --- MultiMail/Win32 v0.47 þ wcECHO 4.2 ÷ ILink: The Safe BBS þ Bettendorf, IA --- QScan/PCB v1.20a / 01-0462 * Origin: ILink: CFBBS | cfbbs.no-ip.com | 856-933-7096 (454:1/1) .