If Amazon does, in fact, enter the tablet market with a low cost Android tablet this fall they might be able to change the playing field to a lower margin one where Apple would be less able to compete. Could a low cost Amazon Android tablet present one of the first serious contenders to the iPad? Based on the latest Retrevo Pulse Report, it appears that consumers are ready to buy a low cost tablet and are very keen on one from Amazon.
Carrefour has totally reinvented shopping for its customers, and the Carrefour planet concept offers them a new shopping experience centered around making purchases in comfort, friendliness and fun. The new stores boast a festive atmosphere of discovery, specialist offers organized into key areas, lower prices, brand new services and new technologies.
In a friendly and animated atmosphere, Carrefour planet has a range of products that has been completely rethought out and is better suited to the expectations of its customers, organized into key areas:
THE MARKET AREA, with a varied range of extremely fresh products, tastings held on a regular basis, cooking lessons, an expanded delicatessen area, freshly cut fruit and vegetables or sushi being prepared.
THE ORGANIC AREA, with a wide variety of Organic products, Carrefour brands as well as other specialist brands, tastings held on a regular basis and discounted prices so that everybody can enjoy organic products…
THE FROZEN FOOD AREA, with an extremely wide range of frozen products, reworked customer flows with an offering that is organized into different areas that follow the order of a traditional meal, closed freezers for greater comfort and cooking demonstrations.
THE BEAUTY AREA, in an environment that has been given a complete makeover for the well-being of its customers. They can purchase their beauty products at a leisurely pace and get expert advice, as well as enjoying services such as rapid make-up applications and express hairstyling. Among the other innovations is a virtual mirror which customers can use to test make-up products ‘live’ at interactive terminals.
THE FASHION AREA, which has been re-organized to include the whole world of fashion, showcase new collections and provide a new range of services, including free advice and alterations.
THE BABY AREA, which brings together everything new parents need under one roof, from food products to nappies, as well as pushchairs, clothing and furniture. Mothers are pampered and can enjoy access to a free birth list service and have their more bulky shopping carried for free, as well as benefit from the advice of a pediatric specialist.
THE HOUSE AREA, is split into 4 sections (“Kitchen and Table”, “Home Deco”, “Practical Home” and ”Home Accessories“), with a whole new selection and many color-coded ranges.
THE LEISURE – MULTIMEDIA AREA , brings together the Culture and multimedia areas, organized according to brand. All the latest technologies are showcased, including 3-D TV, touchscreen tablet computers and e-books. A whole new digital store has been created offering customers the opportunity to sign up for digital subscriptions and services, as well as a completely dedicated Apple area.
For certain categories, exclusive partnerships with major brands mean that customers can discover a new offer: for example, Virgin will have a wide selection of cultural products in the Vénissieux store, Réserves Naturelles will have its own dedicated area in the beauty world for make-up, accessories and costume jewelery.
Because the comfort of customers as they do their shopping is a priority for the new banner, specialist advisers will be available in each area to welcome and support customers as they make their choices.
Carrefour Planet stores have been implemented so far in France, Spain, Italy & Greece
Late Friday afternoon, an employee of the Whole Foods Market in Toronto sent this epic resignation letter to the entire company.
The resignation letter claims that the food chain ignores its own business philosophy, amongst other things.
In a statement, a spokesman for the health food retailer said: “We disagree with this former Team Member’s statements, and we wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.”
“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”
Dear Whole Foods Market,
My experience at Whole Foods was like an increasingly sped up fall down a really long hill. That got rockier with every metre. And eventually, just really spiky … With fire, acid and Nickleback music. I was hired about five or six years ago. I appreciated and respected what the company said it’s philosophies were at that time. The “core values” essentially. However, it didn’t take long to realize what complete and utter bullshit they are:
Oh, you don’t recycle properly? (Caring about our communities and our environment)
Oh, you throw out enough food to feed a lot of hungry university students. (Caring about our communities and our environment)
Oh, you’re asking me to put latex gloves on the sales floor so customers can throw a pair out for every handful of gummy bears they take? (Caring about our communities and our environment)
Oh, you’ve installed massive television screens all over the store, sucking up energy and polluting the environment with tacky advertisements. (Caring about our communities and our environment, Supporting team member happiness and excellence)
Oh, you waste an absurd amount of energy, ink and paper in your offices for useless bureaucratic nonsense. (Caring about our communities and our environment, Supporting team member happiness and excellence, )
Oh, you just write off 10-20% of the product that you buy for your bulk department because the bins look nice. (Caring about our communities and our environment).
Oh, you sometimes intentionally order too much just to guarantee a full shelf, knowing full well the product will most likely be thrown out? (Caring about our communities and our environment)
Oh, you don’t actually audit or evaluate each product you sell? (Caring about our communities and our environment, We sell the highest quality natural and organic products available)
Oh, you buy poorly made, ugly t-shirts for your employees that will just be thrown in the trash and pretend they’re gifts when they’re really just advertising tools? (Supporting team member happiness and excellence, Caring about our communities and our environment)
In May 2000, a small group of enthusiastic, experienced and ambitious merchants, specialized in personal care and home care, decided to join forces and develop their own organizational concept which led to the creation of Drogerie Koliber in Poland (Koliber stands for Hummingbird).
After six months, in November 2000, the Group had already 15 members, which allowed the association to be created.
The sales activities started on 21 March 2002 by issuing the first newspaper advertising, which still appears regularly at the end of each month.
During the years 2002-2005, the potential of the Association grew both quantitatively and qualitatively so that during the Assembly Election Reporting and that received on 25 May 2005, a resolution was passed to establish a capital company.
Koliber increased the number of outlets during 2010-2011. Currently the chain has 74 stores, and since Emperia acquired from individuals who are shareholder, 100% of the share capital and entitling to 100% of the votes at the general meeting of shareholders, 27 new stores joined the list.
Koliber drugstores also work actively to strengthen and increase their brand awareness among Polish consumers.
You can read more about other Polish drugstores in this old post on my blog.
A wonderful example that brands and location-based networks will get married and this will be the final business model to FourSquare, GoWalla and all the rest … as i mentioned in a previous post here.
In Germany, a billboard for the GranataPet brand dog food lets consumers (or actually, their dogs) get a sample by checking in via Foursquare. As this video shows, once you check in, dog food comes out of a dispenser at dog level. As detailed, the checkins are noted on a distant server that is connected to a black box in the billboard that controls the dispenser.
Few minutes ago, i was reading a blog post by Ibrahim Lahoud called I’m a son of a beach. Let me enjoy it. Unfortunately 2 weeks ago, I went almost through the same for few hours in Jounieh and i would like to add 2 other funny things that took place on that day.
1st is this lifeguard, going in circles around the pool and suddenly stops in front of me, his face to the pool and start waving his feet into the pool, one time the right foot, then the left foot. After watching him for few seconds, this is the conversation that took place:
Me: excuse me, i need to ask you a question
Lifeguard: sure
Me: but please promise me not taking it personal
Lifeguard: sure
Me: is it normal for a lifeguard walking around all day long, to stand by the pool and wave his feet into the pool where people are swimming?
Lifeguard (laughing): but people are going into the swimming pool with their feet
Me: yes people are going into the swimming pool with their feet, but “WITHOUT THEIR FLIPFLOP”
Lifeguard: ohhh you are right, i never thought of this
Me: maybe you should start!
The 2nd thing happened exactly at 18:00, when the boss waived to some lifeguards and this was the sign that the day is over and people have to leave and suddenly you could hear a roaring voice, that was 5 inch hose backed up by 300 horsepower sending water in all directions, in Lebanese simply called “CHATEF”.
So i left.
So back to the open letter.
On the way back to my car, i thought of writing a letter to the municipality of Jounieh asking them:
1- If they are checking on the hygiene of the pools, where people and mainly kids spend most the day or who is doing this check and how often?
2- To allow all native citizens of Jounieh (Ghadir, Sarba, Sahel Alma & Haret Sakher) to have free access to the beaches and private resorts within their jurisdiction. At least on an initial stage until all beaches are accessed anytime and freely by any living Lebanese.
So i decided to post it here on my blog, in case any member of the Municipality Googles or monitor the words “Jounieh” and “Municipality of Jounieh” or simply this goes viral! :-)
Carrefour has totally reinvented shopping for its customers, and the Carrefour planet concept offers them a new shopping experience centered around making purchases in comfort, friendliness and fun. The new stores boast a festive atmosphere of discovery, specialist offers organized into key areas, lower prices, brand new services and new technologies.
In May 2000, a small group of enthusiastic, experienced and ambitious merchants, specialized in personal care and home care, decided to join forces and develop their own organizational concept which led to the creation of 
The sales activities started on 21 March 2002 by issuing the first newspaper advertising, which still appears regularly at the end of each month.
Few minutes ago, i was reading a blog post by Ibrahim Lahoud called 
