...Differentiating Between Market Structures in Trader Joe’s ECO/365 Differentiating between Market Structures in Trader Joe’s Trader Joe’s is a grocery store that offers upscale grocery fare such as; organic produce, nutritional supplements, and health foods. Trader Joe’s was founded by Joe Coulombe and started in 1958 as a small chain of convenient stores in Greater Los Angeles Area called Pronto Markets. Since then, Trader Joe’s has expanded and now has around 375 stores in 30 or more states ("Trader Joe's Company Competition", 2012). Trader Joe’s focuses on providing customers with great quality foods that are hard to find, but at a great value that will save customers money. Trader Joe’s has its own specialty line of private label products, their stores are about 12,000 to 15,000 square foot, and have no service departments. This makes it possible for Trader Joe’s to keep costs down. Some of the products sold include, organic foods, unusual frozen foods, gourmet foods, imported foods, vegetarian food, imported and domestic beer and wine. In addition, Trader Joe’s sales non-food items such as; household cleaners, personal hygiene products, pet food, vitamins, and plants. In addition, many of Trader Joe’s products are environmentally friendly ("About Trader Joe's", 2013). Below is an evaluation of Trader Joe’s market structures, competitive strategies, and recommendations. Market Structure Trader Joe’s market may be viewed as a monopolistic...
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...Job Satisfaction Trader Joe Kimberly Love Dr. Thomas Schaefer Business 520 Leadership and Organizational July 20, 2014 Trader Joe’s founder had a perception for his stores after vacationing in the Caribbean. He perceived that the customers would try new things while on vacationing. Also realized that less is better. Many time customers buy more when there is less to choose from in that store. Their attention is only selective when there is not a big variety of supplies. Trader Joe case describes the business practices and how they reinvented themselves. Trader Joe’s set themselves apart from the 7- Eleven style store they had and they became top competitors to Whole Foods and Dean and Deluca giants. The case gives a description on the history of the retail chain and various aspects of its unique business practices. The retail store offered a selection of exclusive, which were mostly private-labeled products, and replaced poorly performing products with new ones. Trader Joe’s is a small supermarket chain which offers a limited selection of unique food products at reasonable prices. It sales most of its products under the private label 'Trader Joe's' and its variants. T.J. targets its stores at highly educated and travelled, but not necessarily wealthy, segments of the population. Trader Joe has a team of experienced buyers, who does extensive traveling and research before bringing new products into the stores (Palmeri, 2008). Trader Joe also avoids the...
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...supermarkets tend to sell products grown or manufactured locally. So what sets these regular supermarkets apart from one another? Aside from price differences and a few differing product offerings from store to store, there aren’t very many differences. This is where stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s come in and break the “boring” grocery store mold. Unlike other chain supermarkets and grocery stores, Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s are specialty foods stores. They offer a variety of the freshest foods and ingredients grown both locally and from around the world. These stores are also very popular for their sustainability efforts that range from the organic products they sell to the paper bags they use when bagging customers’ purchases. These companies are also very well known for not only satisfying their customers, but they pride themselves in how they treat their employees. Although both of these stores have become more popular over the years and have generated considerable profits, Trader Joe’s has made its way to the top of the best grocery stores list and its loyal customer base is continuing to expand. In a 2014 survey of more than 27,000 Consumer Reports subscribers, Trader Joe’s...
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...[pic] TRADER JOE’S Description: Trader Joe’s has become a multi-billion dollar national chain partly through its ability to find cheap real estate, skip name brands and smartly manage its supply chain. It’s also due to its workforce management practices. Below, excerpts from a book Trader Joe’s Adventure, review the company’s management compensation, encouragement of multitasking, screening and wages, careful use of money, fun culture, sense that its people are its brand, and communication style. Learning Objective: Our focus with this case is on immersing students in the fundamentals of organizational culture. Organizational culture is defined as a complex set of shared beliefs, guiding values, behavioral norms, and basic assumptions acquired over time that shape our thinking and behavior; they are part of the social fabric of the organization—its genetic code. As such, culture drives the organization and guides the behavior of everyone in that organization—how they think, feel, and act. In other words, the culture forms a behavior template. Davis and Landa succinctly captured the essence of culture when they say, The factors which define culture are in part internal, deriving from the unique character of the organization and, in part external, determined by the background and experiences managers and employees bring to the enterprise. Culture is a major determinant of productivity; it shapes organizational responses to external pressures; and suppresses or enhances...
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...Team D’s real life experiences of personal values that drive actions, behaviors as it is aligned between personal values, actions and behaviors. Team D will analyze the degree of alignment between Trader Joes organization stated values and the organizations actual plans and actions. This paper will explicate the differences of degree of alignment between Team D’s group members individual values and the organizations values of Trader Joes; as reflected by Trader Joes plans and actions. Trader Joe’s was established in the 1950s as a convenience store. In 1967, Trader Joes changed its course and created larger grocery stores that offered hard to find, great tasting food (Our Story, 2012) with the Trader Joes brand name. The idea was to have innovative products that customers could save money on. Trader Joes does not believe in carrying an item that sits and does not sell. Doing this will eliminate product waste and different products can be brought in that will be higher in demand. This also saves both Trader Joes and the consumer money. Trader Joes vision is “great food plus great prices equals value” (Our Story, 2012). Trader Joe’s does not charge a suppliers fee to stock products on shelves like other grocery stores. This saves also saves the consumer money. Trader Joe’s two main goals are great products and great prices. This is important because consumers want to save money on products, yet eat...
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...1. Examine the approach Trader Joe’s uses to promote a positive work environment for its employees. Determine at least three (3) ways in which Trader Joe’s is able to increase job satisfaction and performance. By making employees a priority and showing appreciation for them, Trader Joe’s has managed to retain loyal employees. Many retailers claim that their employees are top priority, but unfortunately do not treat them as such and do not provide an environment conducive to their growth and development. In an effort to increase job satisfaction and performance, Trader Joe’s has designed jobs that focus not only on actual work/retail experience, but they seek employees who possess “soft skills” such as, ethical, ambitious and overall happy/pleasant personality (Hunt, Osborn, Schermerhorn, Uhl-Bien pg.w-100). In addition to acquiring quality employees, Trader Joe’s encourages their staff and has created a work environment in which employees are trained to be extremely knowledge about the store and its products, thus employees are then able to engage customers creating a positive experience for them. It is the goal of Trader Joe’s to nurture their employees through training; as a result, they have a higher job performance rate. In a huge effort to show how much Trader Joe’s values their employees, those who work for them are considerably compensated much more than other retailers. They provide starting benefits, to include medical, dental insurance, company paid retirement and...
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...Case Study #1 – Trader Joe’s: Managing Less with More Due Date: No later than 9:40 AM Thursday, February 7, 2013 Remember the importance of deadlines, both in and out of class. Please do not ask to hand in the assignment past the due date. If you miss this one for some reason, there will be another. Thanks! ------------------------------------------------- Directions (use this as a checklist): * Read Chapter 1 thoroughly * Read both cases. One is about Trader Joe’s and the other is about Chobani Greek Style Yogurt. * Answer each of the four questions with significant thought and further research. Rushing through this the last minute will show loud and clear. * Your paper should be a total of 1,600 words (more is fine) and typewritten double spaced with 1” margins. * Please use no larger than 11 point font (this helps conserve paper). * Please conserve paper and fill each page (similar to the second page) * Please check for spelling and grammar * Please edit thoroughly. Any sloppy and haphazard papers will not earn full credit. * Each answer (if you want to divide 1,600 words by 4 questions, this should be 400 words for each answer, but you can decide how you want to allocate your words). * Remember that you can print (do so 48 hours in advance) in Cloud Hall 111. * Get started this week. I think you’ll find that managing your time is as important as managing any other precious resource. * Have a great time! I hope...
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...Steven White BA914-E1 Organizational Behavior Case 1A – Trader Joe’s 1. Trader Joe’s has built their business on knowing and connecting with their customers. They place this same belief in their hiring process. They strive to attract friendly individuals with strong family values and experience in a retail environment. Trader Joe’s believes in providing their customers with a friendly face, knowledge of their product lines, and developing a personal relationship with the locals shopping at their stores. They create job descriptions that highlight a more light hearted and emotional approach to working for them. This allows them to attract a more dedicated, friendly individual. This type of dedicated employee is more likely to have more positive interactions with their customer base. 2. A good manager is the foundation of an evolving, growing company. Following the management process can propel employees and the company as a whole. Trader Joe’s focuses on each aspect of this process to maximize their success. a. Planning - Based on this article the planning process for Trader Joe’s starts before the hiring phase. They researched early on about how to connect with potential employees in a feel good approach. This fosters a good relationship for a new incoming hires from day one. b. Organizing – Trader Joe’s sees a value in their employees. By providing a comprehensive benefit package for its employees they help their employees organize their...
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...Trader Joe’s No average Joe Trader Joe’s is an American privately held chain of grocery stores founded by Joe Coulombe. Trader Joe’s have been successful business for long time with their unique innovative strategy of selling natural and organic food products with only one brand of an item for low price. Their unique culture of relaxed beach environment and helpful knowledgeable employees makes their customer to stay loyal to the brand. Eighty percent of Trader Joe’s has in-house products that differentiate them from competitors and hard to imitate. Trader Joe’s target young educated people who want to eat healthy for low prices. They can really expand their business by investing in marketing, social media, loyalty- card program and building parking garages and gain bigger broader market segment in food industry. This also will help them competitive advantage over their competitors as they will have solid brand image and be successful over the long term. SWOT Analysis The strengths of Trader Joe’s are selling organic & fresh grocery at low prices, introducing new products to their stores frequently and offering friendly customer service. Trader Joe’s sell natural and organic food at cheaper price than its competitors. They buy in bulk one item rather than buying lot of similar items, which gives them competitive advantage over other supermarkets. Trader Joe’s introduce 10-15 new products every week and had special season items and; thus customers liked trying new...
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...Case Study 1 Trader Joe’s Keeping a Cool Edge The average Trader Joe’s stocks only a small percentage of the products of local supermarkets in a space little larger than a corner store. How did this neighborhood market grow to earnings of $9 billion, garner superior ratings, and become a model of management? Take a walk down the aisles of Trader Joe’s and learn how sharp attention to the fundamentals of retail management made this chain more than the average Joe. Ruaridh Stewart/Zuma Press From Corner Store to Foodie Mecca In more than 365 stores across the United States, hundreds of thousands of customers are treasure hunting.1 Driven by gourmet tastes but hungering for deals, they are led by cheerful guides in Hawaiian shirts who point them to culinary discoveries such as ahi jerky, ginger granola, and baked jalapeño cheese crunchies. It’s just an average day at Trader Joe’s, the gourmet, specialty, and natural-foods store that offers staples such as milk and eggs along with curious, one-of-a-kind foods at below average prices in thirty-odd states.2 With their plethora of kosher, vegan, and gluten-free fare, Trader Joe’s has products to suit every dietary need.3 Foodies, hipsters, and recessionistas alike are attracted to the chain’s charming blend of low prices, tasty treats, and laid-back but enthusiastic customer service. Shopping at Trader Joe’s is less a chore than it is immersion into another culture. In keeping with its whimsical faux-nautical theme, crew...
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...Trader Joe’s is a privately owned American specialty grocery store chain that specializes in private labeling and providing a unique and fun shopping experience for their customers. The chain comes from humble beginnings as a convenience store in southern California. Joe Coulombe founded the first store in 1958, but at that time it was called Pronto Markets and it was a convenience store in the greater Los Angeles area. In 1967, the name was changed to what we know it as today by Joe himself. This is when he also decided to change the direction of the business away from convenience store products into more of a grocery supplier (“Our Story”). This change was sparked by the rise of the 7-11 convenience stores. Coulombe was worried that those stores would put him out of business so he decided to take a different route and venture into the world of the grocery store (Moskin). The store is known for its’ hawaiian shirt clad employees and the fun, beach and tiki theme that plays heavily into the decor of the store. Coulombe has said that he was inspired while he was sitting on the beach trying to decide how to best handle the new 7-11 competition (Seattlepi). That is where his ideas of tiki torches and hawaiian t-shirts were born. He changed the focus of the store towards low priced gourmet items without any frills to keep it simple. He made his stores small to help keep prices low (Seattlepi). The concept of making the shopping experience a fun and tropical adventure is where Joe...
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...and Job Satisfaction Trader Joe’s By: Earl Kenneth Remo Jr. Dr. Christopher McGrath Business 520 Leadership and Organization Friday, October 24, 2014 Trader Joe's once began with the founder Joe "Trader Coulombe, while vacationing in the Caribbean, he launched a very unique store brand to compete against 7-Eleven and Pronto Markets. Based in my hometown of Los Angeles, California, Joe decided to revamp his business from Pronto Markets to Trader Joes in Pasadena back in 1967. Now, Trader Joe's is one of the best produce markets in all of Los Angeles. Me and my family have been shopping there since 1997. Matter of fact, our favorite location is 3rd Street and Fairfax Avenue in Farmers Market. They have the best fresh produce that you cannot even think of. I see how employees continuously stay consistent within the company. Trader Joe's uses a friendly, flashy, aggressive, customer-oriented approach to promote a positive work environment for its employees. Employees where Hawaiian shirts, great customer service in which employees will demonstrate and sample the product to its customers on a daily basis from their workstation. The employees have a "Do what we do" mentally at every store, every day and the employees do not have to change prices of the products regardless what holiday or special day it is. The culture of the company, its product knowledge, customer and community involvement is what management cultivates its store employees. Trader Joe's promotes from within...
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...Started in 1967 by Joe Coulombe, Trader Joe’s began as a convenience store but quickly migrated to a more novel design for adventurous food and beverage shoppers. Initially, Trader Joe’s was comprised of 17 stores in the southern California area. By the early 1980s additional food products were introduced as the number of stores grew to 26. In 1988 they expanded to northern California. The combination of innovative products along with a service-oriented culture has created a loyal customer base that continues to grow nationally. Today, TJ has over 270 stores in 22 states with revenues exceeding $5 billion. Coulombe sold the business in 1978 to the Albrecht family, owners of a multi-billion dollar retail chain in the EU. However, the company remains private. The Albrechts are passive investors—operating control was left in Joe’s hands who continued as CEO until he retired in 1988. John Shields, whose background includes retail and merchandising, and who provided the operational know-how to expand the business, became CEO, a position he held until 2001. Dan Bane is the current CEO. Trader Joe’s offers an array of products that are distinct from those sold in traditional supermarkets. They do not carry national brands, but rather a host of food and beverage products along with a number of healthcare selections. Products include cheese, wine, ready-to-prepare foods, frozen items, produce, and ethnic choices, of which 75 percent carry the Trader Joe’s label. Most products are offered...
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...------------------------------------------------- UGBA 115: Competitive Strategy Trader Joe’s Midterm Case Analysis ------------------------------------------------- Jean Carlo Hoyos The Industry The grocery industry in the United States is currently an attractive industry (a.k.a. profitable). This attractiveness derives from the relative low threat of new entrants, low supplier and buyer powers, and low threat of substitutes. The main factors driving these results are the low concentration of suppliers and buyers, the significant barriers to entry due to high up-front investment costs (for infrastructure and distribution channels) and scale economies, low availability of substitutes, and the threat of retaliation from incumbents (by lowering price, for example). However, it is important to note that there is a heated rivalry among incumbents due to low seller concentration, high price sensitivity from consumers, dynamic price changes and strong exit barriers. Refer to Exhibit 1 for a detailed observation of the forces influencing the industry’s attractiveness. The industry offers opportunities and poses threats in several areas. In the economic environment, the rising oil prices increases costs in the supply chain and/or distribution channels. In contrast, the several free-trade agreements with different countries open the doors for a variety of products from abroad at potentially lower prices or higher quality. Also, the proliferation of high end and low...
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...Marketing Mix Thelma L Woods MKT/421 October 13, 2012 Dr. Bea Bourne Marketing Mix The marketing mix elements will be discussed about the chosen organization. The type of elements will be explained in detail about the organization’s type of products, the location of the company, pricing, and the organization promotion tactics. The effects of the marketing mix will be provided, along with the ways the elements are performed. The organization will be identified along with the industry the company is in. The organization selected is a store called ALDI. This store is in the Food and Beverage industry in the retail and distribution category. ALDI is a discount chain grocery store that started in 1976 with 1,000 stores in 31 states. The stores are in 17 countries. According to "ALDI" (2012), " These stores carry about 1,400 regularly stocked items” (Corporate Information: Corporate Policy). The uses the company’s purchasing power to fill the stores the most redundant purchased household and grocery items. The merchandise sold in ALDI stores must be similar or exceed the national brands by appearance, performance, or taste. Most the product throughout the stores are ALDI selected brands. The store presents a different approach to grocery shopping by storing the shopping carts in one location and using a quarter for a deposit to access the cart. ALDI accepts payments in the form of cash, debit cards, and Electronic Benefits Transfer cards. Customers purchase bags if needed...
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