Friday was my Birthday!  (way cool and btw, Happy Birthday to Ron Griffin too, my twin brother of different mothers) And for my birthday i finally did it! What you ask??? I broke down and bought TIVO! So, what's the big deal?

As much as i enjoy proving myself right, alas i am right again at the expense of the customer.   Yet another industry has demonstarted that they just don't get it!  We, that's the papal 'we' for all of us cusomers, don't really care which network our favorite show comes on.  I for one, don't even know which channel is which network anyway. 'We' simply want to be able to turn on the TV and see our shows, So what were they thinking when they decided to put two of my top ten against each other? (Grey's Anatomy vs CSI)  I can tell you what they were NOT thinking about...ME! Big Mistake! Where was the ME factor in that decision? I could have told them it would be WAY in the ClaClunk points.  So I, like many before me, have gone the way of TIVO. 

Maybe i have found my solution but the thing that bothers me most is that i am now creating a new problem for retailers and their suppliers.  I will no longer be watching the ads.  Ok, maybe this is no great loss if they are not telling me anything new or if i have already made up my mind about what to buy but there is the missed opportunity of telling me things that i don't already know.  Yes, there are things that i don't know! For example without an AutoZone ad (catch this Ken Brame    I might not know that when the 'Check Engine' light comes on, i can take my car to AutoZone and they will tell me what is wrong FOR FREE! How will AutoZone put this message in front of potential customers now?

During the recent Global POS and Store Operations Summitt, we all learned how David's Bridal (thanks Veronica Smith-Katz) is doing just this.  They are forming partnerships and alliances with other retailers.  Did you know that David's can help you select flowers, plan your honeymoon, book a band? They can even help you pick restaurants (thanks also Veronica for my Birthday dinner, used your coupon)  David's is able to offer all of this becasue they have partnered with other retailers to showcase products and srevices that complement their business and that hlep thier customers (did you hear that, ChaChing 200pts) have the best wedding expereince they can have! 

Retailers, it's time to put on your thinking caps too.   If some 73% of buying decisions are being made at the shelf, or in your store, how might you use this information to enhance 'your' customer's shopping expereince too???   

Yours Truly:

The Shopper Next Door