Woolworths steals Frankie's ideas

[AndyD]

Hmmm...This is exactly why 3 directors of Walmart are said to be worth more than the lowest 30% of the entire American population...There comes a point where Capatalism breaks down, when there is nothing left excent the entire population working their asses off to enrich a couple of fatcats who are not particularly bright, but positioned to gobble up the little guy.

I'm not condoning the system and the recent recession is proof the uncontrolled capitalism results in short term profiteering at the expense of 99% of the population. But from the Wollies perspective they're on a playing field with other competitors so their hands are tied for the most part.

[adrianh]

We want our cake and eat it. Woolies can destroy an entire small business because they feel it is their right to put the exact same product on the shelf, which they have manufactured very efficiently by their huge automated factory, yet we want to step the tide of rampant unemployment...We are cutting our own noses off simply because we are happy to make a couple of their stockholders filthy rich. We want to keep our own jobs on the one hand but we condone what large corporates do to other on the other hand.

Huge corporates should be throttled in some way so as to allow for the development of small business.

[tec0]

In the end the consumer needs to wake up. If they can do this to someone why not do it to someone else. Who is going to stop them? Most corporations have armies of lawyers ready to twist every law abuse every flaw and destroy every person regardless.

It is not about us anymore, the working person is just a tool to them. We cannot stop this unless if we want to. The power is always with the people.

I am no longer a customer. It is my choice and I am still allowed to exercise my choices. Other people can too...

[Newretailer]

Adrian, my mind has been changing in the same line as yours. I think capitalism in the beginning was good. You work hard, you could go places and reap the rewards. I still think ethical capitalism is the way to go. Unfortunately, big business has turned capitalism into a greedy monster that never gets satisfied. As you said, a couple of fat cats at the top are rich beyond comprehension and NOT through their own hard work, rather through unethical business practice and screwing everyone along the way. Business ethics have fallen by the wayside.

Woolworths tried to distinguish themselves from other retailers by preaching high ethical values. The reason people are so angry is that they succeeded and were trusted, but now we are seeing cracks. They are also making a big hoo-haa about creating jobs in South Africa with their reusable shopping bags and other ventures. They are hoping this will cover up the fact that they stopped buying clothes from South Africa and had a hand in the demise of the South African textile industry.

Whatever complaints we have about South African labour, South African produced goods are generally high quality. We used to buy all our clothes from W because of the excellent quality. We now buy no clothes from them.

I think people do care about quality and ethics. Years ago I worked for the Edgars chain. Sales House was aimed at the black market and stocked more expensive items than Jet. It was well known that the black market wanted good quality and would rather spend more on something that will last.

I am of the opinion that we need to make a stand, not just against W either. If we all just keep on saying it is done all the time, nothing will change. Much as I dislike Facebook and Twitter, it has finally given the average citizen a voice and means of communication and banding together. It has given us a way of being heard, allowing us to break through the previously impenetrable wall of call centres. I have had excellent, quick results by taking complaints to Facebook

Tec0, I have decided to give W a miss for a long while. Checkers is calling me

[Newretailer]

I'm not condoning the system and the recent recession is proof the uncontrolled capitalism results in short term profiteering at the expense of 99% of the population. But from the Wollies perspective they're on a playing field with other competitors so their hands are tied for the most part.

Andy, Pick & Pay and Checkers are both stocking the original Frankies brand. Why could Woolies not do the same?

[wynn]

Even as small businesses we are still part of the 99%

Perhaps just a small email to the directors of W telling them we are not impressed will jerk them out of their arrogance, one wont cut it but an avalanch will do the trick.

Oh and refuse to buy the product.

[Blurock]

It doesn't matter whether this is legal or not. Such unethical behaviour is just wrong. I have been getting fed up with Woolworths for a while now. I think it is time for me to find alternatives.

The big corporates very often bully the small guys into submission. Why? Because they can. They have more money and therefore better legal representation. Our legal system is good, but just too far out of reach of the average citizen.

It is up to the small guys to stand up for each other. I have also had my moments with Woolworths. I now have even more reason to close my account which I have not been using anyway.

(I wonder why the food MD appeared on E-TV news dressed as a pirate?)

[adrianh]

@Newratailer - Work DOES NOT equal wealth. Cunning use of other people's money = wealth. Ask any banker. Don't think for one moment that your direct hard work will lead to wealth. We are fools who have been led to believe that we need to consume to be happy, buy a new car every 3 years, get the latest phone, buy, have, buy. God forbid we don't wear the IN clothing brand or the right handbag etc. The problem is that consumerism has gotten the better of us due to credit and insurance. We buy a R500K car over 5 years and it doesn't really matter if it gets damaged or stolen because insurance will cover it. In 5 years time it will be obsolete anyway so we have to buy another. Why do people beg on the street, because they have bought into the same idiotic ideals. They leave the rural areas where they can grow food to come to the cities to buy MacDonalds. We grow vegetables in the back yard, why don't they, because they believe that Capatalist Consumerism is the way to go. I love technology but our technologies are making us redundant. We hardly need people who work with their hands, they have been replaced by knowledge workers and automation. Isn't it odd to think about, we automate, which put people out of work, so that we can create more products to sell to people who can't afford the products because they are either out of work or buy on credit.

What is the bottom line: I think that there is a revolution coming, and hopefully people will realize that the revolution is NOT TO HAVE MORE, BUT TO HAVE LESS.

[IanF]

Woolworths are shooting themselves in the foot with this even when that foot is stuck in their mouth. Here is website woolworse slating them. While I copy good ideas I try to add my own twist. Here we have marie biscuit necklace. Before we added these to shop we found out that blue label marie biscuit is trademarked and not marie biscuit. Woolsworths seems to have copied all the names from Frankies. If I was Frankies I would have gone the route of we are doing so well that even Woolworths has copied us instead of stocking our product.
Adrianh

What is the bottom line: I think that there is a revolution coming, and hopefully people will realize that the revolution is NOT TO HAVE MORE, BUT TO HAVE LESS.

This is so true lets hope it happens, as small business owner it strikes home!

[Newretailer]

Adrian, I think more and more people are starting to share your viewpoint. Consumerism has gotten out of control.

I think the Occupy Wall Street movement is trying to show the big boys that they cannot just go on and on. Whether they will have an impact or not in the long term, I don't know. I just know at some stage something has got to give.

[tec0]

Well sadly for some stupid mixed-up and sad reason I cannot gain access to YouTube clips anymore. I use to download them via free software so that one can watch it again without killing one’s cap. These days it seems that is also over.

So how was the discussion from the Woolwords side on 702?

[gac]

Gotta say I am also disgusted by this saga but cant say I'm surprised. Unfortunately society is no longer based on fundamental moral and principle any longer. A handshake nevers seals a deal any longer and somebodys word can no longer be taken as irrevocable. Of course W is going to deny it but the truth always comes out regardless of whether they win the legal battle and the people will know. So go ahead W's sweat it out, throw the vast sums of shareholder money you have at the problem to fend it off but we already know you're guilty.

[adrianh]

Unfortunately society is no longer based on fundamental moral and principle any longer.

It never was!

[tec0]

Well it all comes down to what you one believes to be right and what one believes to be wrong. Someone may think they are doing right and yet in the eyes of another it may be wrong.

[gac]

Moral & Principle

adrianh - there was a time when moral & principle were a treasured thing and although there were transgressors, they were exposed, dispised and isolated.
It seems we have been so desensitised to this type of behaviour that it has been become accepted as a norm rather than an exception and therein lies the danger. The very fact that people like us are discussing this matter suggests that moral & principle does still hold some value, however for me there are too few of us that recognize it for being wrong. Lets never allow ourselves to accept that moral & principle is no longer important enough to be treasured.

tech0 - agreed that some may defend themselves by claiming a different understanding of right and wrong, however there cannot be more than 1 acceptable understanding. Inside all of us is a spiritual "button" that glows red when we try to defy the truth and what is right. Individually we all know whether were getting a green or red signal. Occassionally we misread it and act wrongly initially, which is a human failing, but that red signal comes along at some point and that is the opportunity to put our actions right. Sadly too few are "man" enought to accept their error and fix it and instead they obstinately continue their charade. Those with criminal intent have a perverse ability to block out the truth and there are unfortunately many such pittiful beings against which we need to guard ourselves and stand up against with contempt. In the end truth prevails.