Getting started with CPG data

If you’ve been interested to learn more about the basics of consumer packaged goods data from sources like Nielsen and SymphonyIRI, you need to check out the new CPG Data Insights blog, written by Sally Martin and Robin Simon.  They’re just getting started but have some great info on some of the basics.  One post that might be of interest — and helpful if you’re just starting with syndicated CPG data — is The 4 Key Dimensions in Every Nielsen/IRI Database.

Do we shop in data deserts?

Mark Hurst, founder of customer experience consulting firm Creative Good and the amazing Gel Conference, wrote about his experience shopping at Williams-Sonoma recently.  Judging by this photo he posted, there’s a real shortage of information — what he called a data desert.  (And I’d say Mark has nice taste in cookware!)

What’s missing is data. Look closely and you’ll see that several of the pots have no label below them. Others have no price. And, this being a retail store, there were no customer reviews. I also had no way to compare Le Creuset to other brands, and no way to understand which product type – copper? cast iron? steel? anodized? – would work best for me.

And I was standing alone. No one at any time approached to offer help, even though I was circling the cookware section. (This might have just been a momentary lapse, as I’ve seen helpful staff on other visits.) Overall the store lacked information on its products – call it a “data desert” – which led me to pull out my iPhone and open the Amazon app.

Within two minutes I had read a half-dozen customer reviews and compared prices. The skillet was a good choice, and as it turned out, Amazon was $10 cheaper and offered free shipping. A couple of taps later I had ordered the skillet from Amazon – and avoided standing in a checkout line. As I walked out, I couldn’t shake the thought that within a few years there might not be a Williams-Sonoma store across from Central Park.

This is maybe less of an issue in grocery retail … for now.  For the higher-priced items that supermarkets love to sell in order to increase basket sizes, there’s no doubt shoppers will shop around.  And it’s really easy to do that today, more than ever. 

Can supermarkets add something that online stores can’t?  Advice from an in-store chef or nutritionist, an iPad with beauty product tips, or — Amazon-style reviews on the shelf like what Mark suggests?  Maybe? 

It’s catching up with retailers like Best Buy and Williams-Sonoma who sell big ticket items, and I’m sure that with the advent of grocery delivery services like Peapod, FreshDirect, and others, it’s coming to grocery too.  There’s a big opportunity to create a data oasis for shoppers.

You've got questions, I've possibly got some answers

While I’ve been away from Shelf Talk for a few weeks now, I did answer some questions on Quora, a really cool community where people ask questions and others provide answers.

I stumbled upon a few that are related to the consumer packaged goods industry and took a stab at them:

• Are value, supermarket brands really made in the same factory as the big brands?
• What proportion of a grocery retailers revenue comes from slotting fees and other manufacturer promotional incentives?
• What have been the winning strategies for the major U.S. supermarket chains?
• Why would a grocery store refuse to honor a manufacturer’s coupon?
• How much is spent annually on CPG trade promotions in the USA?
• How do brands know what is happening in the store?

If you’ve read some of my posts here on this blog, you might recognize bits and pieces of the answers already.

And, here’s where you can see my profile and follow me: http://www.quora.com/Scott-Sanders

How to succeed in environmentalism without really trying

Organic food, LEED-certified buildings, and hybrid cars have very minimal real impacts on carbon emissions.  Even more negligible is the impact of compact fluorescent light bulbs, reusable shopping bags, and “perfect” recycling compliance. 

I was lucky to see Graham Hill, founder of the environmental blog Treehugger, talk about “how to easily cut your carbon in half while saving time and money” at the Gel Conference a few years ago.

While not directly related to the retail business, supermarkets are a major factor in our country’s environmental impact and many, if not most, have undertaken ways to reduce their footprints.  I found it very enlightening to hear some concrete numbers around what changes we can make to truly have an impact on our carbon emissions.

In short, the average American emits 20 tons of carbon per year.  Here’s how you can get the quickest savings:

1. Become a weekday vegetarian.  Savings: 1 ton of carbon and $365 per year, plus 6 hours of time and improved health.
2. Be a conscious flyer: avoid cross-country and intercontinental flights.  Savings: 1 to 10 tons of carbon per flight, plus $700+ and hours and hours of travel time and stress.
3. The easiest! Buy green power: sign up for renewable energy sources from your power company. Savings: 4+ tons of carbon, depending on where you live, but it will increase the price of your power bill.

It’s an easy 20 minute video to watch, with the first 8 minutes as background on the problem followed by more on the three solutions above.

Just a few steps can cut 50% of your carbon impact.

More details and a fantastic talk at Gel 2009’s video page.

Chicken Soup for the Soul - in soup form

Remember those Chicken Soup for the Soul books — and the many variations?

Oh, there’s Chicken Soup for the Couple’s Soul, Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul on Tough Stuff, Chicken Soup for the Grandma’s Soul, and, of course, Chicken Soup for the Prisoner’s Soul.

And now, there’s Chicken Soup for the Soul … Chicken Noodle Soup!  Why did it take so long to come up with this idea? 

I love this brand extension and hope it does well.