Unlike many companies, Whole Foods Market does very little traditional advertising. Their strategy instead has always been to use a more grassroots approach and to try to reinvest as many dollars into the local communities and causes instead. The little advertising that they do is on a local and/or regional level. According to Bill Tolany of Whole Foods Market, responses to customer comments make up 85% of all the Tweets the company sends out. 10% of the Tweets are content-based and 5% are promotional. Tolany said customers who are more knowledgeable about food are more likely to be Whole Foods customers. So, the company makes efforts to help people learn more about ingredients, locate recipes and pick up health tips. Notice, this information serves to benefit customers not, blatantly advertise for the company. Whole Foods makes itself more approachable by encouraging customers to interact with them through social networking.
Most of their retailing products comes from the store individually, but they also have different major types of retail operations.
In a book Brandwashed, it explored the many strategies retailers use to encourage us to spend more than we need to--more than we intend to. Without a shadow of doubt, Whole Foods leads the pack in consumer priming.
Let's pay a visit to Whole Foods' splendid Columbus Circle store in New York City. As you go down the the escalator you enter the realm of a freshly cut flowers. These are what advertisers call "symbolics"-unconscious suggestions. In this case, letting us know that what's before us is bursting with freshness.
An consumer who makes the decision of purchasing and buying Whole Foods Market products would be one who likes to eat organic and have an health way of eating or lifestyle. Also, someone who likes or promotes recycling or the "go green" movement. Whole Foods Market also attracts middle to high income families being that most of the products in the store are expensive. That is where most of the stores are developed, in middle-high income families.These kind of people probably work office jobs, the type of person would be business savvy. When entering into the store, you mostly see middle-aged Caucasians. If a person doesn't want to spend a lot of money, but still wants to eat organic foods, they can go to Trader Joe's or Fairway Market for cheaper alternatives. Also, a person can go to local farm or grocery markets even though it would be much cheaper the quality probably won't be the same or there won't be as many options to choose from.
There are thousands of consumers who want to eat high-priced natural foods and be rewarded with both good health and psychic income from the experience,” said Gene Hoffman, president/CEO, Corporate Strategies International.
Whole Foods Market is planning on furthering on opening over 1,000 stores in North America alone and develop stores globally. Even though in 2005, the company isable to oen a store in Lo ndon.
In January 2008, Whole Foods Market chain stopped offering plastic bags to customers in over 270 stores. Well how were they to carry food you say? And this is where the marketing comes in, because they caused so much controversy, attention and confusion. Instead they offered up brown steady bags and/or reusable bags.
Also, as of April 2011, the company started using post-consumer recycled materials. By using enviromental friendly forms of packaging they shift the awarness of the fact that their company is making changes by joining '365 value' which is an PCR company.
Since 2008, Whole Foods floral program has put more than $2.3 million into community projects through an 10% premium. In 2011, group of Whole Foods Market team traveled to South America, visiting farms, meeting growers and seeing the benefits of our Whole Tradeflower program. There are over 700 farms that helps the local communities. Through their efforts they have numerous projects, including education scholarships, home loans, school improvements, dental services, community computer centers, music education, laundry services and more.
There are rarely any organic stores or markets. Okay, well there are a some. But very few. Whole Foods Market just happens to be a overly popular organic store, with over 320 stores global. That's 17 less than Trader Joes, there competitor. There market strategy or plan is social networking. And that's where the money comes in. By interacting with millions of customers, displaying the latest products, and showing the discounts/sales that are available they lure people in to buying their products or keep them updated on projects. 9/9/12 at 4:44pm
Update Revised 2/9/2012 at 2:37pm
Whole Foods plans on opening a store in downtown Detroit in May. They plan to triple store count to 1,000 and boost sales by opening locations.
