Whole Foods Delivers a Whole Experience
Monday, January 21st, 2008 | by Rajan Sodhi | 
6 Comments |
I hate shopping for groceries. Hate it. No wonder my fridge is usually half empty. Yesterday, that disdain turned into pleasure as I experienced the Whole Foods in West Vancouver. What I originally planned as a 10 minute in-and-out dash, turned into a full hour of gazing and sampling. The food presentation is exquisite, combined with the pleasant scents of fresh baked goods and ready-made meals tickling the air. The aisles are filled with items I’ve never seen before. Many of the healthy and whole variety that got me reading the packaging with pleasant curiosity. At the checkout counter, the young gent engaged me in a lively conversation which seemed more real than the usual forced “hello” and “thank you” and “goodbye” I’m used too. I applaud businesses that understand the value of turning a usually uneventful task into a memorable customer experience. I’ll be back.
6 Comments
January 21st, 2008 at 7:42 pm
We call them Whole Paychecks in my neck of the woods
There’s one a few blocks away from my apartment; it’s always crowded. I agree – they offer not products/services, but an experience.
January 21st, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Lol! I can definitely see that, Isabel. Hope you’re keeping well.
January 23rd, 2008 at 3:16 am
I feel the pain when it comes to grocery shopping. It’s one of those painful yet necessary chores that has to be done. I’ve been to a Whole Foods a couple of times and I agree, it’s quite a pleasant experience.
January 23rd, 2008 at 5:56 pm
Whole foods does offer quite an experience. They have also done a fantastic job of designing their stores and creating the experience that appeals to the type of shopper that visits their stores. I also see that they appeared on Fortune’s Top 100 places to work. I guess if you can get past their CEO behaving unethically (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/310932/whole_foods_ceo_bad_ethics_or_bad_marketing.html)
While you can fault him for ethics it is clear that they have a good product.
January 25th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
I wonder why you hate shopping for groceries, because most people find grocery shopping enjoyable. I am sure glad that food presentation pulled its magic in you. There is something about food that is visually appealing to the eye that makes tending for food quite enjoyable.
February 11th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Yeah wholefoods cost a whole lot. My friend called it wholecheck. I love there stuff but it just cost to much. Anyways, love your blog. I am in the automotive business. I am trying to start my own businesses right now. I am in the business of repairing mercedes benz cars in los angeles. My rates are cheap by any standards. My web site is http://www.mercedes-mechanic.com. Thanks.
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