Comments on: Stupid Recession-Fighting Business Tricks

By: Phil Wrzesinski

Phil Wrzesinski — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:54:47 +0000

I run a highly successful independent brick & mortar toy store (http//www.toyhouseonline.com). We keep looking for ways to charge less and give our customers more for free. Generosity creates lots of word-of-mouth. Hmmm… Maybe that’s why we’re highly successful??

By: Tina Woodall

Tina Woodall — Fri, 01 May 2009 02:16:22 +0000

I was shocked when a very popular fast food chain charged me $.27 for a cup of water. The cashier was apologetic, but apparently it was the new policy at this restaurant. I don’t know if this was a store, franchisee or corporate level change.

I found it so amazing since fast food chains are trying to go ‘upscale’ bistro. Don’t know why this so shocked me, but I actually don’t want to go back to this place again.

By: Brett Owens

Brett Owens — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:32:34 +0000

These are absurd, hilarious- one more about when US Airways was charging $2 per beverage?

Technically due to high oil prices at the time, but it seemed nuts to me that they would enrage all of their customers for a lousy $2.

Best part of it was they tried to advertise it like it was a positive thing – posters saying “coffee, water, etc starting at $2″ – wow what a deal.

By: Lou Wasser

Lou Wasser — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 21:18:14 +0000

If the issue is important to you,send the owner the following letter.

“Dear Mr. Restaurant Owner:

As usual, the meal here at La Bella Ristorante was just fine. The service was really excellent too.

Problem is your recent addition of a $1.00 charge for “filtered water with ice,” per person, discouraged me from ordering the mellow cabernet I customarily order with my meal. And when my friend, who was with me, saw this ‘filtered-water-with-ice’ charge, he felt obliged to downgrade his usual veal parmagiana order to the spaghetti and meat balls.

The gain to La Bella Ristorante on our dinner for two is $2.00, based on the additional water charges. The loss to you is $6.25 (the price I would have paid for cabernet) and $5.95 (the difference between the veal parmagiana and the spaghetti and meatballs).

La Bella Ristorante’s total net loss this evening = $12.20 ($6.25 plus $5.95)for food and wine MINUS $2.00 for water — or $10.20.

I shudder to think of the overall loss to you over the next six months if everyone who eats in your restaurant decides to make the same budget adjustments my friend and I made this evening.

I want to see your business continue to grow, and I want to continue to bring my friends here.

If you’d like to talk about this some more, why not phone me at 555-5555?”

Who knows? You might pick up a copywriting client even if you lose the battle of the water charges.

By: Jodi Kaplan

Jodi Kaplan — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:35:55 +0000

That reminds me of a post Seth Godin wrote last year about Whole Foods. He ordered iced tea. When told the ice was extra, he balked. The cashier nodded understandingly – and instead of giving him the ice for free, she gave him HOT tea. Why make the customer happy when you can nickel and dime them to death instead?

Full post here:

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/08/the-bitter-tast.html

By: Kevin Stirtz

Kevin Stirtz — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:51:01 +0000

I would ask that these charges be taken off my bill. And I’d ask if they charge everyone these extra fees. If the restaurants owners 84 year old grandma had dinner there, would she get charged extra for bread and butter? Probably not. And if not, then they shouldn’t charge anyone.

By: Jim Logan

Jim Logan — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 23:41:06 +0000

Here’s a story about restaurants doing the opposite: http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/adtrack/2009-04-26-tgi-fridays-bargain-meals-ad-track_N.htm

Here’s the money quote: “Friday’s executives insist that beyond being a recession response, the $5 menu is a way to drum up interest in nine new salads and sandwiches.”

By: Jim Logan

Jim Logan — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 23:37:25 +0000

My guess is it’s a financial decision made outside of marketing altogether. The idea is to increase revenue by adding a surcharge for miscellaneous items. Someone in “corporate” must think it’s a great way to raise revenue void of consequences, which of course there are.

I’d likely find another restaurant. And tell friends to do the same.

By: A Sure Way to Alienate Customers in a Recession « HEADLINES FROM FLOYD

A Sure Way to Alienate Customers in a Recession « HEADLINES FROM FLOYD — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 22:12:44 +0000

[...] (Source: Bob Bly’s blog) [...]

By: Ken

Ken — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:15:17 +0000

I probably wouldn’t say anything to them…but I would say plenty to everyone else I came into contact with.
And the only dumber thing I’ve seen a business do during recession is to stop marketing themselves altogether.