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.

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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?

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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

[fhayek]

They also sell lime flavored beer. Won’t get anywhere near THAT either. Everywhere you go you see special Obama magazines for sale, or Obama t-shirts. I think when Kennedy was elected, Catholics all around the country scooped up Kennedy memorabilia. I, as a consumer, get to make the final decision about buying this stuff, so I won’t get too worked up about it.

[PfluegerFishin]

its a fortune 500 - huge Northeast chain - based in Rochester NY

[LibFreeOrDie]

The Stop & Shop supermarket chain in New England is selling Obama books, magazines, and calendars. I don’t see them flying off the shelves, at least in whiter-than-rice New Hampshire!

[GSWarrior]

I’ve seen Obama tote bags for sale...God bless capitalism.

[RebelTXRose]

Western New York - It’s a very nice chain. I haven’t noticed the posters and I was just there this evening. I’ll be looking next time I go.

[Cementjungle]

Redistribution of wealth, one dollar at a time. As for me, I’ll pass on these wonderful products.

[Hyzenthlay]

I agree... heck, after 9/11 you could find all kinds of posters with American flags and NYC skylines and firefighters and such with Bible verses printed all over them. It’s all capitalism, and attempting to make an extra buck off the election. Especially if you consider that these are probably primarily marketed to the college kids that voted for them - I noticed that one was designed in such a way that it would look ‘cool’ on a dorm room wall as opposed to like a ‘lame’ inspirational poster.