Wegmans food Markets sells Obama Posters (Yes, a noob vanity asking your freepage)

self sister moose cheese | 1/12/09 | self

[PfluegerFishin]

I recently enetered my favorite Wegmans Grocery markets to find a stand at the checkout selling four different styles of Obama posters - One in the traditional Che style.

This company has always been apolitical - yet seems to have shifted now that the family patriarch passed on several years ago.

I went to the website and complained, expecting nothing.

This is what I got.

_______________________________________________

Hello,

Thanks for your email regarding the sale of Obama merchandise.

As with some other major events in recent years that have provoked customer interest, we seek out informative, commemorative, and collectible products that we expect will fulfill our customers’ interests.

We are in the business of selling products our customers want to buy, and based on the overwhelming success of newspaper sales after the election, we recognized this as a historic event that is of interest to our customers. You will also see product offerings and displays at a variety of retailers such as book stores, mass merchants, houseware retailers, TV and online retailers.

Carrying this product does not represent an endorsement of any particular ideology or political positioning on our behalf.

Thanks again for writing and for the opportunity to respond. We appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback with us.

Michelle Consumer Services Specialist

_____________________________________

I replied with

Thank you for your response

Understand that your marketing position carries the ramifications of lost sales, not only by this family, but others that see your marketing of Obama political memorabilia (posters) as a tacit endorsement of a particular political party or ideology....which is certainly a private business prerogative.....just understand, the potential profits of 40 or so posters was chosen over the fact that I'll be spending the annual thousands of my allotted family food expenditures, and those of my relatives, will be spent elsewhere. Simple marketing math would see the fiscal impact to the company over any potential profits from the Obama posters in question.

At what point did you become a retailer of political merchandise instead of a grocery merchant?

______________________________________________

If you would like to chime in, go here

http://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ContactUsView?storeId=10052&catalogId=10002&langId=-1

Thanks Freepers

[PfluegerFishin]

yes - this is series - something about a moose and my sister

[NewJerseyJoe]

I always liked Wegmans markets. This is a shame.

[CaribouCrossing]

Shootin’ from the hip here, but in my opinion this probably isn’t a big deal. I voted for President Bush, twice. If I had gone to the local grocery store and found a display of Bush posters, I wouldn’t have been upset at all.

Guess what I’m saying is that a new incoming president, no matter which party they are from, gives people a way to make money off that event. Good for them, but I sure won’t be one buying any Obama wares.

[DooDahhhh]

Thanks, I will not go near the place
!

[SkyDancer]

I’m wondering how long it will take for this Obama trash to show up on eBay ... countdown begins in ...3...2...1

[Guns are GOOD]

Lots and lots of people and places are selling obama crap. They’re making money. That’s ok.

[Army Air Corps]

You have not come to love Big Barry? Oldthinkers unbellyfeel Big Barry.

[TruthWillWin]

I’ve never heard of Wegmans markets. Must be a chain from back east or south?

[ThomasThomas]

If you could corner the market in your area on Obama mania and make a good profit on it would you pass the opportunity up?

[AGreatPer]

If people want to throw away their money on that kind of stuff I have no problem. Free enterprise.

I saw Obama Christmas cards at Rite Aid. No one was buying them.

[Gone_Postal]

the higher they prop him up ...the harder he will fall....

[gramho12]

I shop at Wegmans from time to time. The man was elected President, and the first black president at that. Half of their customers probably voted for him.

Can't get too upset over this. That's what the free market is all about.

[stylecouncilor]

I wonder if you can pay for them with Obama coins.

[Joiseydude]

Must be a chain from back east or south?

It's mostly NY, NJ, PA, MD and VA.

[saquin]

If this was during the election I could see being upset because it would seem they are taking sides but now that he’s been elected and is the incoming president, I don’t see what the big deal is.

[death2tyrants]

I’d sell them too if it made my store money. Especially if my competitors were doing it. I see those Obama shirts at Wal-Mart, which is funny because Obama kept criticizing Hillary during the primaries about serving on Wal-Mart’s board. His whole campaign was just a bunch of meaningless feel-good platitudes. I’d bet most of the people wearing those shirts don’t even know what socialism is. The website http://www.howobamagotelected.com/ exposes this further.

[CaribouCrossing]

Nope. I can’t love someone that I do not respect. Obama has done nothing to earn nor deserve my respect. From what he has said and done, I find no reason to believe that my opinion of him is going to change.

[geege]

Can’t wait!!!!

[windcliff]

Good idea.