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"Not a lot of room" in this case is basically zero. FYI to those unfamiliar with Aldi: their (grocery) stores are fairly small, run in a seriously minimalistic
by ctdonath 11y ago
"Not a lot of room" in this case is basically zero.
FYI to those unfamiliar with Aldi: their (grocery) stores are fairly small, run in a seriously minimalistic manner. Products are usually presented either on their shipping palettes, and/or still in volume cases - customer does some of the unpacking. Most products are "made for Aldi" or otherwise sourced from bottom-price manufacturers. Variety is nearly nonexistent. Typically (at least in every store I've seen in USA) there are only two employees at any time - one acting clerk, other stocking/cleaning. Credit cards are not accepted; before debit cards, it was cash only. Aldi seemed the last store to use barcode scanners, clerks having literally memorized the codes for every product in the store and could process checkout nearly as fast (sometimes faster) than barcode scanning. Stores are very clean & simple.
You'd be hard-pressed to beat that cost-cutting business model.
- vermontdevil 11y agoDon't forget $0.25 deposit for shopping cart and bags are extra.
- joezydeco 11y agoWhich keep the stores and parking lots remarkably clean. That simple deposit keeps all the carts up front and organized. Lack of free bags inspires people to take the packing boxes with them.
- vermontdevil 11y agoYeah - not criticizing it. Thought it was sensible. Also keeps costs down as people wouldn't abuse the carts.
- Oletros 11y ago> Don't forget $0.25 deposit for shopping cart Here in Spain, almost all of the shopping carts from every chain works with deposit, the coins accepted are 50 cents, 1 euro, 2 euro And almost no chain gives you free bags
- Someone 11y agoMany countries or cities have policies that make giving away plastic bags expensive or even against the law (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase-out_of_lightweight_plastic_bags https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase-out_of_lightweight_pla..., http://www.eupackaginglaw.com/packaging-and-recycling/free-plastic-bags-set-to-be-history-in-the-netherlands-106884.htm http://www.eupackaginglaw.com/packaging-and-recycling/free-p...)
- pbreit 11y agoPossibly, but it would seem like there would be ample opportunity to compete on a number of other dimensions that would resonate with most humans. What you describe sounds a little like Trader Joes (some relation to Aldi) except that there are tons of happy employees around.
- Zigurd 11y agoWIthin a short drive from me there's a Wal Mart, with a grocery section, and an Aldi, right next to each other. I tried the Aldi out of curiosity. I don't know if Aldi screwed up their format for America, but it was baffling to shop there. Heavy on the canned food. Confusing layout. Etc. Trader Joe's gets the "limited selection" thing much much better. Wal Mart caters to ethnic shoppers better. I don't think it works in America.
- BossHogg 11y agoIt has been working in America for decades. Also, Aldi owns Trader Joe's.
- joezydeco 11y agoThere are actually two Aldi companies. The Albrecht brothers split the company in the 1960s over an argument about selling cigarettes. Aldi Nord owns Trader Joe's and Aldi Süd owns the North American grocery stores.
- Someone 11y agoAlso (https://customerservice.aldi.co.uk/faq https://customerservice.aldi.co.uk/faq): Q: "Why is my local Aldi store not listed in the phonebook?" A: Because phones cost money for subscriptions, and store personnel that picks up the phone doesn't bring in money. No, that's not what their FAQ says, but generally believed to be true. Shops also don't have toilets for customers, and I remember a story about a shop that didn't have one for its personnel, either, but that may have been an urban legend.