Woolworths steals Frankie's ideas

**Dave A** · 21-Dec-11, 11:04 AM

By the looks of things this was run by the legal department before they went for it, but I wonder if it was run past marketing?
Or their ethics committee?*

I was happy to give Woolies the benefit of the doubt, until I heard they'd been approached a year earlier by Frankie's. That's pretty suspect!

*if they have one

**Newretailer** · 21-Dec-11, 12:17 PM

Dave, it was not even a year , but in June this year. Plus they told them their product was not suitable for Woolworths. It will be interesting to see how this play out.

**adrianh** · 21-Dec-11, 02:35 PM

You guys must listen to Bruce Whitfield's Money Show at 18h00 - 19h00 toninght on 702 & Cape Talk. Woolworths promised to go live on air and have their say.

**AndyD** · 21-Dec-11, 09:00 PM

From a business point of view I don't see any IP theft so it's a matter of them having chosen a prefered supplier and it wasn't Frankies.

They're mistake is getting caught preaching one thing and doing entirely another. In this country they don't have the monopoly on this kind of behaviour to say the least. The general public are pretty used to hearing about it so if their pr machine spins it as a misunderstanding by Frankies along with the obvious sour grapes then it'll probably all blow over quite nicely.

**adrianh** · 21-Dec-11, 09:14 PM

From a business point of view I don't see any IP theft so it's a matter of them having chosen a prefered supplier and it wasn't Frankies.

This is what Microsoft made us believe every time they destroyed a little company. The big shark just gobbles up the little guy and we say its cool, no problem, its ok for the little guy to go out of business because a big guy simply rolls over them. 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 excenp 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.

You know I've always been a capatilist but I'm starting to have my doubts about the system. A system that deems it perfectly acceptable to roll over anybody they like because they have the cash to do so. I don't profess to have answeres but I do know that the crap is starting to hit the system in a very big way.

I think that Woolworths are a bunch of thieves that simply rolled over a little company. The rubbish that woman spoke on radio tonight simply proves it.

**AndyD** · 21-Dec-11, 09:24 PM

Originally Posted by adrianh

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** · 21-Dec-11, 09:46 PM

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** · 21-Dec-11, 11:14 PM

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** · 22-Dec-11, 06:21 AM

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** · 22-Dec-11, 06:24 AM

Originally Posted by AndyD

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?