Is This A Little Desparate

heskpesk

There was recently a post about success with complementary letters to companies. Heres a rather interesting reply to a letter I sent concerning a positive experience with their product:

Dear Colin,

It is lovely to receive such lovely positive comments! We really appreciate
your support and loyalty and value your custom.

I would like to ask your help as one of our very valued customers.

We are a small company competing in a very competitive and aggressive market
place and recently, unfortunately some supermarkets (ASDA and Somerfield)
stopped stocking OzKleen products altogether and we have not been able to
convince them to stock it again.

Furthermore, Tesco have recently reduced distribution of Bath and Kitchen
Power and delisted Carpet Power, as have Sainsburys.....we don't know why as
the products are very popular and loved by many people such as yourself.
Morrisons should be stocking Carpet Power, we hope, at least temporarily.
We are doing everything we can to try to convince the supermarkets to take
them back but at the moment it seems to be falling on deaf ears.....this is
why I am thinking we need some powerful consumer voices to demand that the
stores no longer stocking take OzKleen back in where it used to be or make
it available everywhere!

I am hoping to ask with your help as many people as possible to write to the
head office to the right people their wish for the OzKleen products to be
stocked and sold where they are not.

If you do have difficulty finding the product(s) it would be great if you
(and as many friends and family as possible) are able to write to the Head
Office of your preferred retailers requesting that they stock it with your
reasons and comments - don't tell them that I suggested this or gave you the
above information!! Saying that you now have to do your weekly shop in a
competitor supermarket that stocks OzKleen should tug at their purse
strings!!

I have attached the addresses of the supermarkets for you. The best way to
get to the correct person is to send something to the Buyer for Household
cleaners and the CEO - they really need to know what consumers really think
as they very often forget...the more people who can write in the better. I
really think that old fashioned letters are the best way if at all possible.

Thank you again for your loyal support and we look forward to serving you
for many years to come and with your help to hopefully making sure that the
products are widely available in the UK.

Kind regards,

ahsar32

He could have at least offered a couple of free products in return.

xxlaurissaxx

OMg what a cheek! Id tell them i would do it for a price! (Free goodies for life) hahaha

saintscouple

heskpesk wrote: »

......... don't tell them that I suggested this or gave you the above information!! .......

Perhaps the title of this thread should be 'Can all retailers look away now!'

They should designing new packaging, improving perhaps the products, and more importantly giving their valued customers free products in exchange for feedback, as in consumer research.

heskpesk

ahsar32 wrote: »

He could have at least offered a couple of free products in return.

Thats what I thought!! I may have taken him up on his offer if he had bribed me lol Im easily bought!!

I know this thread perhaps does not belong on this forum but was keen to share and it does not meet Freebies criteria or garb it while you can- so hoped you enjoyed reading!!

red

Maybe it is worth pursuing - it could be that they did not want to offer anything upfront as it could look like they were paying you to write on their behalf or bribing you into it, which would not look good on them.

They MAY have done it this way to try to generate some interest, some people may write (most will not) and some may get in touch to ask if there is something they could get back in return...maybe?

cwp500

ahsar32 wrote: »

He could have at least offered a couple of free products in return.

It is a cynical and manipulative ploy to try and garner sympathy and artificial support by means of viral marketing.

The best thing to do IS to send it to the supermarket(s) concerned but on the premise that you dont ever want to see their products again as you have completely lost trust in this manufacturer.

How would they like them apples?

Clowance

I think the supermarkets are the bad guys here, why are they not stocking a popular product? Probably because the company cant pay whatever they charge to stock the xxxx thing, thats why. Obviously ozkleen are out to make a profit too, but I do see that they couldn't bribe someone to write. Maybe they should have enclosed a gift for the compliment letter originally sent, then the consumer would have been well disposed to them and may have written to the supermarkets as suggested.

I don't use it myself so have no idea if the cleaning product works but I am tired of the manipulation all the big supermarkets use to get us to buy high profit items.

A_fiend_for_life

Quite agree if its a good product the supermarkets would stock it sounds like the supermarkets or buyers are trying to force the price down - strange that nearly all the supermarkets have stopped stocking it. Sounds like collusion unless there is another reason. Since they have been delisted and they've made their unhappiness quite known, perhaps they should look at speaking to the Office of Fair Trading or Competition Commission. Very surprised at the response from such a company though. Sounds quite high risk stance to take.

On another note: they do have a competition page though see top right of home page and a list of suppliers.

Not used them myself though. I tend to use soda crystals costs about 50p for 1kg and very versatile. Good with out of date lemons too.

Lady_E

I really like this product (works a treat to bring up my stainless steel sink) but I have not been aware of any difficulties in purchasing it at my local Tesco. My mum buys hers at Sainsbury so I am puzzled at the suggestion by the CEO that the supermarkets are not stocking or redcing the range.
If I were the OP I would be tempted to write back and acknowledge receipt of his letter and perhaps mention that you had put a note on the MSE forums and perhaps he might like to take a look !!!
If I write a good review about a product I would hope that the company realises that they have won me over, but there is nothing like a thank you to keep me sweet, a few money off vouchers would not have gone amiss and have done his KARMA the world of good

Sarahsaver

cwp500 wrote: »

It is a cynical and manipulative ploy to try and garner sympathy and artificial support by means of viral marketing.

WHich clearly has WORKED!!!:rotfl: