tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118571.post-63033861695477531552008-04-10T00:31:00.000-07:002008-04-10T22:00:29.360-07:00Breaking the Rules - Line Extension strikes again<DIV>Have you been to the grocery store lately? My wife does most of the shopping. I'm with her, but usually just following along behind not paying attention.</DIV> <DIV><BR>But this week I did some shopping. I'm on vacation and was looking to do a little grilling outside of our place where we have been staying. Swung by the grocery store to pick up a few things.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I wanted some A-1 Steak Sauce. Went to the sauces isle and stared at a wall of A-1 products. If you want to get a feel for what I was looking at, check out their website <A href="http://www.kraftfoods.com/a1/bn/c_marinades">http://www.kraftfoods.com/a1/bn/c_marinades</A></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>That link is just the 11 Marinades that they have. But there was so many products that I couldn't find the A-1 steak sauce that I normally buy. You know the one. Brown square bottle, brown liquid inside.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I did find the steak sauces after looking and almost walking away, but then I was faced with a half dozen of their different sauces. All I wanted was the simple brown bottle with the white label with the Read A1 on the bottle. I finally decided that it wasn't there or they had changed their labeling and I began to walk away because I didn't know what to buy. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>It was my 11 year old child that spotted what I was looking for. It was all the way on the end, set back a bit. I had completely missed it.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>As I walked to the checkout counter it made me realize how close A1 had come to losing a small sale simply because they had to much product for me to choose from. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Is the line extension of their product helping them to sell more sauce? I don't think so. I think it is harming their brand and causing people like me to not be able to find what is familiar and comfortable. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV>Richard Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06711443052326619281noreply@blogger.com