Wednesday, October 26, 2011

What we have here is a failure to communicate..

Greetings from The Big Apple. While I am toiling away at work, yesterday I popped into Whole Foods to pick up something and alas, they don't carry it anymore. You realize what you are being told, but somehow you stand there and wait, hoping the employee adds, "Just kidding."

This phenomenon started with the Freesia scented lotion at Bath & Body Works. I don't even remember when that product first hit the shelves. Was I in 8th grade? Was I 19? I just remembered the lovely scent and uber-glossy store. And I was hooked. And then they stopped making it. So I switched to the White Tea & Ginger scent. And had a new favorite. And then it too was discontinued. And then the Grapefruit lotion. And then it was discontinued. So, I wised up and stopped buying lotion from Bath & Body Works. But then I got hooked on their sugar scrub. As in hooked since the day it came out. (And incidentally, I have never been without this product since that first purchase. I have tried dozens of sugar/salt/citrus peel scrubs including the most over the top version from Natura Bisse. NONE is as great as B&BW Sugar Scrub.) But I got hooked on the grapefruit peppermint version. DAMN YOU Bath & Body Works...why do you discontinue this pioneer and fabulous product. Luckily I found other faves but one day I was buying my recent fave Black Currant Vanilla and a young girl working in the store told me they were discontinuing it soon. So I stocked up. To the tune of 10-15 tubs of it. Later to learn, no in fact, she was not correct. And now I have gobs of this tucked away under our bed because there is simply no room under the vanity.

But the point is this, its hard to get attached to a product and see it go by the wayside. This has happened to many products I love including Crest Weekly Clean toothpaste, my first favorite Aveda shampoo, and a cocoa powder I love to use for baking.

Oh, I get the thought track on why products are discontinued but to me, can I be the only one who loved it? Doubtful. And no one gave me the warning shot or I could have scads of Crest Weekly Clean under the bed with the sugar scrub. What we have here is a failure to communicate. Company, you need to let me in on your marketing strategy and plans to make me frown. I would have at least given you a little cash boost there at the end.

And one day my husband brough home Breakstone's Zesty Blend Sour Cream with Jalapeno. I don't like sour cream. And when I use it, I use fat-free. The quickest way to ensure JohnnyMac isn't participating in whatever has been prepared is to include anything fat-free. But I was out of fat-free and tried this new product. And I LOVED it. JMac laughed and said, "that is because it is not fat-free." But the jalapenos add the perfect spicy cartwheel to this amazing Mexican dish I had prepared.

So now I love the spicy sour cream. And use it in a variety of ways. Until literally, one month later I can no longer find it on the shelf. What is the meaning of this? Of course, you already know. Discontinued. How did I find out? I went to their website and found nothing. But Facebook had all the update I needed. Good thing you are super-savvy and hip Breakstones so I could read about why you aren't making this product anymore via your Facebook page.

When I exclaimed my discontent, my husband, always so logical, simply said, "Or you could just add sliced jalapeno to regular sour cream."

My response: Really??? No one likes a know-it-all.

I think companies should be kind enough to warn when products are going to hit the bricks. It would allow me to extend the life of some of my favorite products. Althought, I need to locate a better storage facility then under the bed.

14 comments:

Michael said...

I had to laugh as I read this, as I've been guilty of stocking up on items that I've been told are being discontinued only to find out they aren't. (although maybe the lotion was saved by your huge purchase)

I guess it's another aspect of getting older. Longer history with products and as we watch the life cycle, we see them pulled over time as their profitability diminishes. It doesn't help that a product needs such a high level of success to matter to these giant corporations. Although their size does force them to bring new products to market, so I suppose it's a catch-22.

Slamdunk said...

I hope you are able to locate an underground source then. Since we guys are just proud to use soap now and again, our stockpiles involve the light bulb types that are currently being phased out.

Urban Earthworm said...

I'm with you. I have gone all over looking for discontinued products. Then there is that thrilling moment years later when they suddenly, out of the blue, bring it back! Followed immediately by trepidation. Will they snatch it away again? Such, cruel, evil teases. No one likes a tease.

brokenteepee said...

eBay - home of most discontinued products. Probably because someone DID get the word

vanilla said...

Here in Smalltown, America it is shelf-space that is the culprit. One market, i.e., no competition. They introduce item, I like. I continue to buy, but apparently no one else does, so item discontinued. Shelf-space.
(Probably you cosmopolitan types cannot even imagine this scenario.)

Secret Mom Thoughts said...

I'm totally with you. As soon as I find a product I like, they discontinue it. So frustrating.

PS I also have a stock pile of Bath and Bodyworks lemon vanilla body gel. Also discontinued.

Jean said...

Which Aveda shampoo did they discontinue that you loved? They did that with a lot of my favorites.
I hate when this happens :(

Talia said...

Amen. How about the ever elusive lipstick color. Once I find one I like and looks good on me, I guarantee the company will discontinue the color. Grrrr.....

Liza said...

My Favorites: Freesia (yes, me too) and Burnt Vanilla Sugar. Gone, gone, gone, all gone. And so is my business at Bath and Body Works. Not a good marketing strategy as far as I'm concerned.

ipenka said...

Haha, I totally imagined you in a dark alley scene with a shady character:

"Hey, pssst. I got some of the good stuff, check it out. I'll give you a good deal."

*Opens trench coat to show various discontinued B&BW products*

Kir said...

I felt exactly the same way when they got rid od Peach Necter and Banana Coconut...I buy exotic coconut now...and pray they make good smelling peach stuff every summer...but I do miss those early loves!

Have a wonderful time in NYC..can u seee me waving from here???

Suzy Q said...

White tea & ginger is still available online. On sale now: buy 3, get 2 free. Making me a happy girl, although I nearly had a heart attack when you said it had been discontinued!

So. Cal. Gal said...

What I find is that they discontinue the good items because they've come up with some sort of crap that they think is better. Like websites (Facebook, anyone?) revamping their website to make it "better", which only makes everyone hate it.

Ed said...

Girly stuff yada yada yada.

It does piss me off when companies constantly change stuff or discontinue products.

Since you are talking about girl products...I used to LOVE the smell of Guess perfume. I'm talking the old triangle shaped bottle with the question mark on it stuff. Just one whiff could make me hard. (probably helped that I had a girlfriend who wore it all the time) Anyway, I bought my wife a bottle of Guess perfume Christmas before last, and it wasn't even close. That shit sucked. Evidently they changed the product in the late 90's after the company sold. They shouldn't even use the name Guess. The answer to THAT question is "Shit?"