Why We Dont Read Reasons and Solutions

Studies conducted by the National Endowment for the Arts show that Americans, in general, dont read much literature. The question is, Why not? There are lots of excuses people give as the reasons why they havent picked up a good book in months—or even years. Fortunately, for every one of them, theres often a solution. Excuse #1: I Dont Have Time Think you just dont have the time to pick up a classic? Take a book with you everywhere and instead of picking up your cell phone, open the book—or e-reader. You can read while standing line, in waiting rooms, or during a train commute. If longer works seem overwhelming, start with short stories or poetry. Its all about feeding your mind—even if its only one bit at a time. Excuse #2: Books Are Expensive While it may be true that owning books was once considered a luxury, these days there are numerous sources for inexpensive literature. The Internet has opened a whole new arena for readers. Literature, both old and new, is available on your handheld device for free or deeply discounted prices. Of course, the most time-honored method for getting access to books of pretty much every description at little or no cost is your local public library. You can pick and choose without having to purchase. You can borrow the books and read them at home or read them on the premises, and with the exception of late fees or damages, its usually free. The bargain section of your local brick and mortar bookstore is another place to find reasonably priced books. Some places dont mind if you read while youre sitting in the store in one of their comfortable chairs. Another great resource for inexpensive books is your local used bookstore. You buy books cheaper used than new, and you can also trade in books youve already read—or books you know youll never get around to reading. Some of the major discount retail chains have book sections that sell remaindered books on the cheap. (Remaindered books are new books. Theyre just the excess copies left over when a publisher orders too many for a print run.) Excuse #3: I Dont Know What to Read The best way to learn what to read is by reading everything you can get your hands on. Youll gradually learn which genres you enjoy reading, and youll begin to make connections between books, as well as to understand how books can connect to your own life. If you dont know where to start, or you find yourself stuck for ideas along the way, find someone who enjoys reading books and ask for recommendations. Likewise, librarians, booksellers, and teachers can help point you in the right direction. Excuse #4: Reading Keeps Me Awake at Night People who love to read often find themselves so engrossed in a book that they stay up practically all night reading. While its not the worst thing in the world, nor is falling asleep while reading, it can make for a groggy morning—and some pretty strange dreams. Try to schedule reading for other times besides bedtime. Read at lunch, or for an hour when you wake up. Or, if you are going to be reading all night, make sure you limit it to those evenings when youre going to be off work the next day. Excuse #5: Cant I Just Watch the Movie? Yes and no. You can watch a movie instead of reading the book on which its based, but quite often, they have very little in common. Case in point: The Wizard of Oz. Almost everyone has seen 1939s classic musical starring Judy Garland as Dorothy, but its a far cry from the original series of L. Frank Baum books on which its based. (Hint: Major elements of plot and important characters never made it to the big screen.) Thats not to say that the movie isnt anything but wonderful, but as someone in Emerald City so aptly pointed out, Its a horse of a different color. There are countless classics that have been turned into movies including Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice, Sir Arthur Conan Doyles Sherlock Holmes, Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Jack Londons  Call of the Wild, Lewis Carrolls Alices Adventures in Wonderland,  Agatha Christies Murder on the Orient Express, and J.R.R. Tolkiens The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings trilogy—not to mention that wizardly kid brought to you by the fertile mind of J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter. Go ahead and watch the TV series or the movie version, but if you want to know the real story, read the book on which the movie was based—before you watch it. Excuse #6: Reading is Too Hard Reading isnt always easy, but it doesnt have to be hard. Try not to be intimidated. People read books for many reasons, but you dont have to feel that its an academic experience if you dont want it to be. Entertainment is one of the best reasons for reading. You can pick up a book and have an unforgettable experience: laugh, cry, or sit on the edge of your seat. A book—even a classic—doesnt have to be difficult to be a great read. While you may find that the language in books such as Robinson Crusoe and Gullivers Travels is a bit hard to wrap your head around because they were written so long ago, most readers have no problems with Treasure Island. Its true that many famous authors wrote books that are tough to get through for people who havent studied literature, however, lots of them also wrote things that are much more accessible. For instance, if you want to read something by John Steinbeck but think The Grapes of Wrath is a little out of your league, start out with something like Cannery Row or Travels With Charley: In Search of America instead. Ian Flemings James Bond isnt a tough read, but did you know Fleming also authored the classic childrens book Chitty Chitty Bang Bang? (Which is nothing like the movie!) In fact, many books written for young audiences are great places to start your reading experience. C.S. Lewis Chronicles of Narnia, A.A. Milnes Winnie the Pooh, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach, both by Roald Dahl are books beloved by kids and adults alike. â€Å"I have a passion for teaching kids to become readers, to become comfortable with a book, not daunted. Books shouldn’t be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful; and learning to be a reader gives a terrific advantage.†Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Roald Dahl Excuse #7: I Just Never Got Into the Habit No? Then make it a habit. Make a point of reading literature on a regular basis. Start with a few minutes a day and make a commitment to continue. It doesnt take much to get into the habit of reading. Once youve got a good start, try reading for longer periods or with a greater frequency. Even if you dont enjoy reading books for yourself, reading a story to your child can be very rewarding. Youll be giving them a great gift which will prepare them for school, for life, and it can also serve as an important bonding experience they will likely remember for the rest of their lives. Need more reasons to read? You can make reading a social experience. Share a poem or a short story with a friend. Join a book club. Being part of a group will give you an incentive to keep reading and the discussions may actually help you gain a better understanding of literature. Its really not that difficult to make books and literature a part of your life. Start with something manageable and work your way up. If you never read War and Peace or Moby Dick, thats fine, too.

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Book Report...

The brutality that slaves endured form their masters and from the institution of slavery caused slaves to be denied their god given rights. In the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Douglass has the ability to show the psychological battle between the white slave holders and their black slaves, which is shown by Douglass own intellectual struggles against his white slave holders. I will focus my attention on how education allowed Douglass to understand how slavery was wrong, and how the Americans saw the blacks as not equal, and only suitable for slave work. I will also contrast how Douglass view was very similar to that of the women in antebellum America, and the role that Christianity played in his life as a slave and then†¦show more content†¦This is the start of the process that extracts a brute from a child. Throughout the narrative Douglass uses the word brute, to form the image that slaves were nothing more than beasts. This is only one of the numerous examp les in which Douglass creates the image of a dehumanized slave though the use of his vocabulary. Douglass states, I was broken in body, soul, and spirit. My natural elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark that lingered about my eye died; the dark night of slavery closed in upon me; and behold a man transformed into a brute! (Douglass 73). Douglass makes it clear to the reader that slavery degrades a man, and makes him loose his manhood. According to Douglass, slavery transformed humans into beasts. Douglass was no longer a man; he was in every essence an animal transformed by the brutality of slavery into a mindless worker. Divine further supports the idea by saying, The plantation was seen as a sort of asylum providing guidance and care for a race that could not look after itself (Divine 237). Slavery as an institution created animals from men; it bleeds the humanity from humans and formed beasts in its wake that need no thing but a comparatively small amount of cultivation to make him an ornament to society and a blessing to his race. By the law of the land, by the voice of the people, by the terms of the slave code, he was only a piece of property, a beastShow MoreRelatedNarrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass Essay1027 Words   |  5 PagesThe Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Book Report The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave was written by Douglass himself, giving a detailed description of the slaveholders cruelty. Douglass was born in Tuckahoe, Maryland, and he makes known that he does not know his specific birthdate, â€Å"... no accurate knowledge of my age, never having seen any authentic record containing it.† (47), but it was approximately around 1818. Once being enslaved, and then escapingRead MoreNarrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass1068 Words   |  5 Pages Frederick Douglass: Narrative Of The Life Of F.D Frederick Douglass wrote several books, but one of his best selling books was: The narrative life of Frederick Douglass. This book talks about how crucial Frederick’s life was since a child. His mother was Harriet bailey, a dark skinned women who was a pure breed African. His Father was a white man, rumors were circling that his master was his father. Since a newborn he was separated from his mother, which means that he couldn’t remember how herRead MoreStruggle for Independence in the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, â€Å"An American Slave†1006 Words   |  5 PagesStates’ culture of slavery was fostered for a lifespan of forcible enslavement. For all Slaves, this was the normality which was callously endured. In his work, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, â€Å"An American Slave,† Frederick Douglass argues and exemplifies that his fate was destined outside of the walls of slavery. In Douglass’ book, he narrates his earliest accounts of being a slave. At a young age, he acknowledges that it was a masters’ prerequisite to â€Å"keep their slaves thus ignorant†Read MoreThe Hypocrisy of American Slavery, Through the Eyes of Frederick Douglass1587 Words   |  7 PagesThe Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself is a powerful book in many respects. Douglass invites you to vicariously witness the monstrous atrocities he experienced during the antebellum period; a time when said atrocities were not only encouraged, but looked highly upon. Throughout his narrative, Douglass expresses his exponentially growing anger and fortitude. When the reader arrives at The Appendix, it soon becomes that much more apparent that theRead MoreLife Is No Easy Task1091 Words   |  5 PagesINTRO: The life is no easy task, life isn’t fair, no one argues with that. Looking in history, the group of people who have t he hardest life are the slaves. Slaves went through trials and hardships throughout their lives, not because of their choices, but because of the actions and choices their masters made. Frederick Douglass writes of his life as a slave. As a young boy, he lived with a Mistress who was teaching him to read. When the master found out, the husband, he forbade her from continuing;Read MoreTrickery in Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass1880 Words   |  8 PagesAfrican-Americans and thus they do not survive. In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass, Douglass harnesses the ability to conform to the world of trickery and conveys his journey to freedom. Through his appeal to pathos, use of dramatic asides, and application of anecdotes, Douglass expresses the necessity of slaves to play the game of trickery to survive in the world of tricksters. Effectively establishing an appeal to pathos, Douglass emphasize his raw emotions to the readerRead MoreNarrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass Essay1760 Words   |  8 Pagesmay include books, articles etc. Now, this brings to our discussion - is Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass a primary source? Even though people may different opinions about the autobiography of Frederick Douglass being a primary source, Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass is a primary source because it mentions his purpose for writing, it clarifies the arguments made by Frederick Douglass, and finally, it illustrates the credibility of the author. Frederick Douglass is a formerRead MoreSlavery in America1124 Words   |  5 Pagesher life as a slave and gives the female perspective under the alias Linda Brent in the novel Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. She states that everything she says in the book is completely true. There are stereotypes of black women during this time: being looked upon as sexual objects and being promiscuous. Jacobs’s attempts to resist the stereotypical images of black women are unsuccessful, even with the presence of her well respected grandmother. Women Slaves Like Frederick Douglass statedRead MoreThe Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass2047 Words   |  9 PagesFrederick Douglass was an African American social reformer, orator, and writer. He became the leader of the of the abolitionist movement after escaping from slavery and publishing his autobiography, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. His narrative showed white anti-slavery sympathizers, how slaves were brutalized by the slave holding system. Harriet Jacobs was an African American writer who escaped from slavery and was later freed. She became an abolitionist speaker and reformer. JacobsRead MoreThe North And South Regions Of The United States1391 Words   |  6 Pagesregions produced substantial amounts of money creating a powerhouse in their specialized objectives. Although, each region was similar in a sense, many differences eventually brought these two regions to a Civil War. Soon after the War of 1812, life changed for many people in the country. The United States experienced an economic boom, something that wasn’t seen in the new country ever before. In the North, economy way skyrocketing to new heights as they developed a free labor economy. This

Wal-Mart’s Positive Effect on a Community Free Essays

When it comes to shopping for clothes, groceries, and other belongings; there is one question customers must ask themselves. Do you shop with your head or your heart? Shopping with you head refers to looking for discounts and saving as much money as you can while, shopping with your heart is going to a local store and paying extra to support a family owned business. Most respond with saving money and getting discounts. We will write a custom essay sample on Wal-Mart’s Positive Effect on a Community or any similar topic only for you Order Now Wal-Mart is one of the largest employers in the United States and their inventory includes groceries, pharmacies, automotive and hardware supply areas. It is a store that provides plenty of things you need in one place at the lowest prices. Low income, middle-class or upper class; Wal-Mart helps the majority of the community. Although many people believe Wal-Mart shuts down and overruns small businesses, what Wal-Mart brings to the table is that it employs a vast amount of jobs. I am for Wal-Mart because I believe the lives of people in less fortunate communities benefit from these stores, instead of the common belief that they suffer for them. Their slogan of â€Å"Save money, Live better† is exactly what they are able to do for their customers. The best feeling you can get when shopping is coming out of a store and getting all the items and goods you desired for a manageable price. Wal-Mart gives you the opportunity to achieve that feeling. With the low prices for large quantities, these huge stores help out the whole community (especially rural areas). The Case for Wal-Mart,† by Karen De Coster and Brad Edmonds clarifies,† If the truth be told, Wal-Mart improves the lives of people in rural areas because it gives them access to a lifestyle that they otherwise would not have- a gigantic store showcasing the world’s greatest choice of products from groceries to music to automotive products† (633). I absolutely agree with Coster and Edmonds statement that customers should be obligated to buy brand labels accessories for discounted prices. Wal-Mart gives discounts, up to seventy percent off, prices all year around- unlike other supermarkets or clothing stores that only have seasonal discounted times. Wal-Mart gives shoppers the chance to go into their stores and purchase close to anything they can think of at lower prices then Wal-Mart’s competition. When all is said, Wal-Mart improves the lives of everyone in a community because it allows consumers to buy goods for relatively cheap prices. Unlike any other retailers, Wal-Mart employs people for jobs not careers. There is a possibility to climb the ladder within the company, but working at Wal-Mart doesn’t really jump-start to any other job opportunities. But the fact is that Wal-Mart does provide a vast amount of people. The number of different departments and employees that are required to run one Wal-Mart store hires a great number of people. With the amount of people needed for each section and subsection at these stores, Wal-Mart has the ability to give many people jobs. Wal-Mart has been one of the most successful anti-poverty programmers in America. It provides entry-level jobs that unskilled workers badly want – there are often five or 10 applicants for each position† (Urbach). Wal-Mart is also beneficial with giving high number of jobs because most of the jobs that they are hiring don’t need a high school or college degree. For areas with high number of people who don’t have diplomas, Wal-Mart gives the opportunity to them by supplying them a steady supply of money. These are unskilled workers that aren’t exactly looking for job progression, but are looking for any job they can get and keep. It’s the perfect combination of a company that needs to hire a great amount of people, and the kinds of workers that don’t really have many other options. Wal-Mart’s geographic position is very helpful and convenient to many communities. These mega-stores may seem like they just follow whichever area is large enough to hold their enormous square footage, but actually they are positioned in just the right place. The fact that most are within short driving distance to other supermarkets, makes it worth for the consumers to go to Wal-Mart first, see what they have, and then from there go to the other stores. People who shop at Wal-Mart, trust that they will be able to find most if not all of their shopping list. Even if it is farther than another store, people are willing to go the extra mile or two to get the savings they would not be able to find anywhere else. Wal-Mart’s slogan sums up how their customers shop and enjoy the savings, â€Å"Save money, live better†. I couldn’t agree more. With people being able to save money, community’s benefit immensely. Especially low-income communities, Wal-Mart is good because it gets money into the citizen’s pockets and encourages them to spend more than they would or could have before. â€Å"This then allows them to have some money to invest in productive assets or to buy those other things that will make their lives more comfortable and enjoyable† (Urbach). Customers of Wal-Mart aren’t just happy because of the deals they get by shopping at those stores. What makes Wal-Mart customers the happiest is knowing that from the money they saved, they have extra to spend on other things. Many nonbelievers against Wal-Mart state that it will shut down small businesses and affect the economy in a negative way. Putting a Wal-Mart in a striving community is a positive. One reason is because it drives up competition. What we strive for as human beings is competition. It is a life essential tool for business. Opposing common belief, â€Å"after a new Wal-Mart is built, other small businesses sprout up nearby and cash in on the new retail traffic† (Gruss). Studies have shown that other businesses and companies do better and grow when Wal-Mart is in close proximity to them. Critics of Wal-Mart have understandable reasons to question this huge corporation; they don’t want to have to lower their prices to compete with Wal-Mart’s. Instead of trying to battle with them, they claim that Wal-Mart is bad for communities and small businesses. But there is proof that small businesses open and flourish once a Wal-Mart is opened. Wal-Mart’s drive up competition that encourages people to go to multiple stores to compare to the prices they offer. Wal-Mart has over 1. 2 million employees and more than 3,600 stores nationwide. The fact is that everyone has shopped at Wal-Mart once in there life. To be accused for ruining small businesses and communities is non-sense. Wal-Mart is the number one place to buy all your goods without spending too much money. And with that savings, customers can afford to save for other necessities they need to pay off. Employing huge amount of people and creating jobs in the economy has helped the United States. Americans love Wal-Mart and Wal-Mart loves America right back. How to cite Wal-Mart’s Positive Effect on a Community, Papers

Trader Joes Case Analysis free essay sample

Social media is a new aspect being brought into companies. Companies are using social media as a gateway for market research. The research collected helps strategist determine the best way to produce new products, reach new target markets, and notice trends within customer purchasing patterns. Trader Joe’s currently does not have an official social media, yet fans are creating fan-based accounts. Trader Joe’s is missing out on the opportunities social media can bring value to any company. Issue #2: Secrecy with supplier could be broken. Trader Joe’s and their suppliers agree on a mutual secrecy to keep the media out of their business but also to keep customers and competition anticipating Trader Joe’s next move. Trader Joe’s does this so the customers and the industry are surprised with what products they are offering in their stores. If secrecy were to be broken, then Trader Joe’s suppliers could move their business to other companies within the supermarket industry. Issue #3: Lacking technology to enhance shopping experience. With the golden technology age that is occurring right now, companies are finding ways to bring technology into their businesses to enhance the customers shopping experience. The new technology has enabled companies in the supermarket industry to have price scanners in the store, self-checkout lanes, and some are beginning to use the Internet to bring the shopping experience right to the customers’ homes. These methods have shown superb results for companies with faster lines, shop-pricing products in store, but ultimately technology is bringing more value to the customers. Recommendation In order for Trader Joe’s to solve the weak social media use issue, I recommend that Trader Joe’s promote an employee who has the skill and knowledge to take on full responsibility of social media. Being more engaged in social usage would help Trader Joe’s business and improve their, already stellar, customer satisfaction. From the SWOT Analysis (Appendix G), Trader Joe’s has an opportunity to learn more information from customers. As stated earlier, companies use social media to gather customer information. The information gathered ranges anywhere form buying patterns to simple, overall satisfaction from their shopping experience. Customers who ‘follow’ social media accounts can electronically send a message to the account and customers can vent any feelings they have towards the company managing the account. The feelings are usually positive feelings but negative feelings are quite common. From customers’ responses, companies can learn more about customers and figure out a way to improve the problems or enhance the already established system. If Trader Joe’s were to follow this strategy, then they will see a huge increase in overall business and customer satisfaction. Trader Joe’s keeps all business transactions with their suppliers a secret. From the Five Forces Model (Appendix C), it is stated the reason behind Trader Joe’s business a secrecy- to keep competition clueless. Another reason Trader Joe’s keeps business a secret is so Trader Joe’s can buy new products from suppliers in bulk at a cheap price. Appendix H discusses more finance issues that Trader Joe’s implements to achieve products in bulk at a cheap price. For secrecy between Trader Joe’s and suppliers to stay strong, I recommend that Trader Joe’s and its suppliers keep a close relationship. By not keeping a close relationship, suppliers can take their products to other companies and the suppliers can charge a higher price. The suppliers still continue business with Trader Joe’s because the suppliers understand how loyal Trader Joe’s is to their company. If secrecy were to be broken, suppliers and Trader Joe’s could potentially experience a decline in sales. To avoid this decrease, Trader Joe’s and its supplier need to maintain a close relationship. It is amazing how technology has improved shopping experiences for customers. Technology has produced price scanners and self check out lanes. These technological breakthroughs have resulted in faster wait time in lines and also less crowded lines as well. Trader Joe’s has experienced customers being unhappy with how long the wait lines are. The PESTEL Analysis (Appendix B) takes a deep dive at this breakthrough. In order to keep customer shopping experience positive, I recommend that Trader Joe’s installs self-checkout lanes to improve customer shopping experience. If they do not follow with this tactic, then Trader Joe’s customers will begin to have negative feelings about shopping there. Industry and Competitive Analysis Appendix A: Dominant Economic Characteristics Market Size and Growth Rate: The supermarket industry contains retail outlets in various shapes and sizes. The retail stores in the industry are comprised of supermarkets, such as Wal-Mart and Kroger, and premium players such as, Whole Foods at the high end of the market, and â€Å"hard-discounters† such as Dollar General and Aldi at the low end. Whole Foods has more than 330 stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Whole Foods stores contain 21,000 SKUs and store sizes average roughly 38,000 square feet. As of 2012, Whole Foods achieved an 8.4% increase in same store sales growth. Dollar General operated the largest number of small discount stores in the United States, with over 10,000 locations in 40 states. Dollar General stores offer 10,000 SKUs and operate in a 7,200 square feet of selling space. From its 2012 Annual Report, Dollar General reported same store sales growth of 4. 7%. In 2011, supermarkets sha re of grocery sales in the United States fell to 51%; just a decade ago, supermarkets accounted for two-thirds of all grocery sales in the nation. Scope of Competitive Rivalry: Supermarkets traditionally operated on very thin profit margins. As a result, companies shed employees in order to become more cost competitive. Product Innovation: Most companies in the supermarket industry get ideas for product innovation from customer trends. The trends allow companies in the industry to grasp what wants and needs customers are currently evoking through purchasing patterns. Economies of Scale: Large purchases, in bulk at cheap prices, from supplier enable Trader Joe’s to allow everyday low prices. Learning/ Experience Curve Effects: The different companies within the industry are creating value for the customers by following trends. Appendix B: PESTEL Analysis Political Factors: The supermarket industry is faced with the challenge of tariffs. Tariffs are trade barriers, in which, can complicate trading for firms as they outsource their resources. As a result, the tariff can cause companies to leave that market if the cost of the resource, after the tariff is processed, is not profitably suitable for the firm to operate. Economic Conditions: The unemployment rate has an affect on the supermarket industry. If the unemployment rate is too high, then this will cause firms in the industry to cut prices in their overhead. If this continues, then firms may sell some of their chains to private equity investors. Supervalu was faced with this same experience in January of 2013. Supervalu sold five of its grocery chains to private equity investors due to them having to release employees to maintain cost competitive in the industry. As a result, Supervalu lost half of the company size. Sociocultural Forces: The new trend of consumers wanting to live a healthy lifestyle has made a huge impact in the supermarket industry. Whole Foods, a premium company in the industry, offer products that meet the needs of this new healthy trend. Whole Foods has experienced an 8. 4% increase in same stores sales growth, as of 2012. Technological Forces: In the recent increase in technological use by companies, companies in the supermarket industry have been able to offer customers self-checkout and price scanners. These break-through findings have reflected how consumers are waiting less in long lines. Environmental Forces: Bad weather can impact the farming industry, which will result in a impact in the supermarket industry. If farmers are unable to farm crops or other resources that companies in the industry rely on, then the companies in the supermarket industry will face a reduction in sales. Legal and Regulatory Factors: Wage legislation has affected the supermarket industry by employees unsatisfied with the amount of pay they receive for the amount they work. This will cause an increase towards the unemployment rate, which could potentially affect companies having to cut costs. Appendix C: Five Forces Analysis Rivalry among Competing Sellers (Strong): The rivalry among competing sellers is strong because Trader Joe’s offers more differentiated product offerings among other companies in the supermarket industry. Trader Joe’s doesn’t look at trends to decide which products to sell, instead Trader Joe’s will routinely change out different products.10 to 15 new products will be replaced on the shelves with the 10 to 15 that are lacking the most in sales. The differentiated product offerings, also, creates brand loyalty set by the customers. The new products contain attributes that are more appealing or better suited to their needs. Competition from Potential New Entrants to t he Industry (Moderate): Competition from potential new entrants to the industry is moderate. There is a possibility that competition in the industry such as Whole Foods premium stores or a Wal-Mart or Target super store could open in the area at any time. Trader Joe’s offers unique products that other stores do not; this is why the competition is moderate and not high. Trader Joe’s customers are also very loyal and would not consider trying a different grocery store even if Trader Joe’s was in a price war with other companies competing in the industry. Competition from Producers of Substitute Products (Moderate): Competition from producers of substitute products is moderate. One can be in any city in America and easily find a grocery store. Throughout different regions in America customers can choose if they want to shop at a high-end grocery store or at a low-end. High-end grocery stores’ products have better performance features, such as taste, than do low-end grocery stores. What gives Trader Joe’s an advantage over other grocery stores is the customers experience while shopping at Trader Joe’s. If asked from a customer, employees are trained to show a customer where a certain product is in the store instead of pointing them to a aisle. This customer shopping satisfaction has created strong customer loyalty. Supplier Bargaining Power (Weak): Supplier bargaining power is weak. Trader Joe’s and its suppliers keep their business with each other a secret. The reason behind this is that it keeps the media out of transactions made between Trader Joe’s and the supplier. With the media not present in buyer and supplier transactions, competition is clueless in their decision making because they have no idea what Trader Joe’s is doing or what products they’re about to release. Customer Bargaining Power (Weak): Customer bargaining power is weak. Customers at Trader Joe’s are very loyal to the brand. Regular customers at Trader Joe’s always come back to view the new products that Trader Joe’s has to offer and the customers are not price sensitive. Appendix D: Drivers of Change Trader Joe’s is operating in the supermarket industry. This industry is very cost competitive and competition amongst companies within the industry are starting to witness a gap between premium brand grocery stores and low-end grocery stores. Premium brand grocery stores consist of Whole Foods, while low-end grocery stores consist of companies like Dollar General and Aldi. These two different types of stores offer various products at various prices. For example, Whole Foods concentrates in the organic and naturally grown market of the industry and have higher prices on their productsbecause the quality of the food you are purchasing for is much higher than Aldi’s prices and quality. The difference in products and prices is the reason for the grocery store gap. Companies caught up in the middle of the gap are strategically trying to get themselves out of the gap. Some companies can’t make it out of the gap because switching to the new products would be very costly for their company. Appendix E: Current Strategy Trader Joe’s has expanded relatively close to 400 stores nationwide in 37 different states. Trader Joe’s mission statement is emphasized around seven core values. The seven core values are: integrity; product driven company; create WOM customer experience everyday; no bureaucracy; national chain of neighborhood grocery stores; KAIZEN! ; the store is their brand. A strategy that has worked effectively for Trader Joe’s is the secrecy within the company. Trader Joe’s doesn’t let the media know about their business with its suppliers. Secrecy is also desired by the suppliers; because the suppliers are providing Trader Joe’s a much lower cost version of their branded product, which might be selling at higher prices at Whole Foods or other retailers. The secrecy strategy has kept customers patiently waiting, wondering what Trader Joe’s will offer next. The customers enjoy the wait because they are thrilled to see what new products Trader Joe’s will release. When the new products are open for sale there is a huge demand for them. Appendix F: Competitor Analysis Competitor Identification, Description Strategy: Below is a table identifying Trader Joe’s competitor, a description about the competitor and what strategy the competitor implements. Competitor Description Strategy Wal-Mart Large discount retailer Everyday low prices Dollar General Low-end grocery store Simple necessities (toilet paper, laundry detergent, paper towels, etc. ) Whole Foods High-end grocery store Organic and natural foods Key Success Factors: 1. Strong network of suppliers 2. Everyday low prices 3. Superior customer and employee satisfaction 4. Wages over minimum rate Weighted Competitor Strength Analysis: The table below is an analysis of Trader Joe’s KSFs weighted against Trader Joe’s competitors. Trader Joes Wal-Mart KSFs Importance Score Weight Score Weight Supplier Network Trader Joe’s three biggest advantages are its customer loyalty, customer service, and everyday low prices. Weaknesses: The stores that Trader Joe’s own are very small compared to other stores within the industry. Another weakness is that Trader Joe’s has a very limited product selection. Trader Joe’s is constantly testing new products. When Trader Joe’s finds 10 to 15 new products, Trader Joe’s has to take the last 10 to 15 lacking in sales and replace them with the new products. Opportunities: Trader Joe’s has an opportunity to use more social media sites. Trader Joe’s doesn’t have any having official Trader Joe’s social media sites, besides the fans websites made by fans. Trader Joe’s is sitting in a good position because everyone nowadays has above par skills with social media. Trader Joe’s can promote from within an employee who has the knowledge and skill to operate Trader Joe’s social media outlets. Threats: The biggest threat Trader Joe’s faces if a big grocery chain, like Wal-Mart or Target for example, were to discover Trader Joe’s suppliers and enter market with same strategy that Trader Joe’s currently uses. This could potentially ruin Trader Joe’s business. Appendix H: Financial Analysis Trader Joe’s purchases each brand new item in large amounts. By doing so, Trader Joe’s is able to save money because they are buying new products in bulk. Once the purchase is made, Trader Joe’s pays its suppliers immediately rather than trying to stretch out its account payable for as many days as possible. With success in the financial realm of their company, Trader Joe’s has been able to have 400 stores nationwide and earn revenues larger than $10 billion in the past year.