Buy low price into sharp weapon, group buy Sequela reputation risk not to be underestimated

With stunning value of cheap, restaurant group purchase in the past two years in the urban white-collar workers quickly leap red. However, the booming group buying has attracted many people's concern, that group buying for the catering industry is just thirst, in a short period of illusory happiness, is a long and real pain. Catering enterprises in the enjoyment of group buying to bring high popularity at the same time, but also to take a lot of word-of-mouth risk, and consumers of "low price equals low quality" of the general understanding of food brands will also be a disaster, which makes many well-known restaurant enterprises have to choose carefully.

Group Buying Tool

Very low discount, very popular.

"No regiment does not eat", "No regiment does not gather", many urban white-collar workers have shouted out such slogans. Data show that in December 2011 alone, there are 1.057 billion yuan in sales from local service group purchase, including food and beverage group buy the highest sales, reached 521 million yuan. How prosperous is the popularity of restaurant group buying? Just log in to several group buying websites, you can truly appreciate.

48 Yuan to enjoy the original price of 148 yuan Northwest Fat Beef hotpot Double A/b package, has attracted 7313 of people to buy, 8 stores general 16 yuan to enjoy the original price of 31 yuan, 6461 people have bought, 3 shop GM 69 yuan to enjoy the original price of 116 Yuan Beira Italian Pizza double package, 2476 people have bought ... For ordinary catering businesses with an average daily passenger flow of dozens of to one hundred or two hundred people, a successful group purchase can increase the volume of traffic in a short time.

Sichuan Hotel general manager Guo Shunli so far to the only one to carry out a group buying activities fresh memory, "at that time, Sichuan Hotel just moved from the palace to the new address, many old customers do not know, and the original contact method can not immediately switch changes, so think of the network on the group to buy consumers." A short time can quickly gather popularity, and also save a certain amount of advertising spending. As a result, in a website just hang out 389 percent of the group purchase information, and then attracted netizens and Sichuan hotel fans of the hot. With no other promotional co-ordination, over 2,750 packages were sold in 12 hours from 8:30 A.M. to 8:30 in the evening. Finally, due to the cooperation of the website Alipay "Traffic jam", only to stop the activity.

Low price showmanship is the killer of the restaurant group, but will the price be losing money? A well-known group buying site staff said that most group buying businesses will not lose money, because the merchants involved in the group are basically fixed costs, and small changes in the cost of the enterprise. Take catering as an example, regardless of customer patronage, venues, personnel and other fixed costs to pay, and the increase in the cost of a customer is actually very small. Moreover, the catering group purchase is generally in the form of a designated package, procurement, distribution relatively simple, raw materials are often able to make full use of, although it seems that the discount, profitability is guaranteed. In her view, because this kind of new consumption pattern breaks through the dining room time limit, can bring the huge passenger flow in the short term, plays the very good promotion function, specially suits those who has the promotion need, but cannot afford the high advertisement expense small and medium-sized service enterprise.

"Regiment" sequelae

Word-of-mouth risk not to be underestimated

By carrying out group buying activities, catering enterprises can let more consumers into the store. However, it is a great test of the ability and wisdom of the catering business to be able to get every customer a satisfactory experience. Now, in the online "bask" experience has become a lot of consumer habits, an unpleasant consumption experience by the network amplification, the damage to the brand can not be underestimated.

In fact, if the catering business can only afford dozens of or hundreds of meals during normal meal time, and a certain group purchase coupons set out thousands of, and customers in the same time, will be far beyond the carrying capacity of the enterprise, seat difficult, food quality, service capacity decline and so on, the problem must breed, Such group buying will be a disaster for both businesses and consumers.

Mr. Wang has been in a group buying site spent 72 Yuan group of a restaurant club, the original price of 252 Yuan double package, the results to the shop only found that the store all the customers with coupons together, give a small custom. "A plate is a mouthful, it is not worth more than 70 yuan." "Mr. Wang is not enough to eat, the original price to buy another, and found that the weight is several times larger than Just Eat." "It's not a miniature to sell," he said. ”

A purchase of the original price of 464 yuan in Beijing, a restaurant characteristic barbecue 4 people, in order to always unable to subscribe to the seat and worry. He told reporters that because it is a 4-person package, so everyone booking time is concentrated on the weekend. Previously, he had called several times to make reservations, but the store had been full and unable to book, and then simply couldn't get the phone. He angrily said that the store also carried out a number of group buying activities, only its own site sold more than 1200, plus other group purchase, how can I book a seat?

Miss Xu, a publishing company, enjoyed a sumptuous meal at half price for a seafood cafeteria, but she felt "discriminated against everywhere". Not only did the store ask her to make an appointment two days in advance, but guests could only dine after 7 o'clock in the evening, and the buffet dinner had actually been available from 5 o'clock in the afternoon. Even more make Miss Xu angry, after the shop, although there are several tables in the vicinity of the dining area, but the waiter does not allow her to take a seat, not to let her sit to the distance from the dining area of the designated seats.

The quality of the dishes is shrinking, the service is not in place, is to make group buying customers dissatisfied, but if the provision is the same service, those who spend the price of eating customers in the heart of the same imbalance.

Not long ago, Mr. Gu happily invited a few friends to a restaurant to eat, but the waiter a word to make him very uncomfortable, "you are group buying?" Originally, the shop before a burst of buy, the price is extremely cheap, to eat a lot of customers are group buying, and like Mr. Gu they did not participate in group buying, only in accordance with the price of consumption. The same dishes, more than others several times the price, who can be happy?

Dyspepsia

Brand catering companies at a respectful distance

Restaurant Group to bring the word of mouth risk, so many brand meal enterprises began to buy at a respectful distance.

"We only in the opening of individual new stores will do group buying, really let consumers, in order to attract customers a wide range, but usually do not do group buying." "Meizhou Dongpo Group executive general manager Guo Xiaodong said, as a private catering enterprises, the interests of customers, employees should be protected." The current price is just set aside a reasonable profit margin, do group buying will lose money. In his opinion, generally are new restaurants or business is not very good restaurants need to buy to pull the popular, and Meizhou Dongpo shop business is basically in saturation, and group buying will disrupt the normal operating rhythm, so it is not suitable for such as Meizhou Dongpo normal operating restaurant.

Old Jin Yang Restaurant general manager Lu Wenhai also not interested in group buying. He told reporters that the new branch of the South four ring because of the position is relatively biased, has been a group buying promotion, but the head office has never been a group buying. "Often have group buying website want to cooperate with us, some simply suggest, put 148 yuan a town shop famous dish" fragrant crisp duck ", the regiment buys an purchase to sell 48 yuan. That's not demeaning, but if that's the case, the customer thinks we have to make a lot of money. These unreliable suggestions were Lu Wenhai rebuffed. In Lu Wenhai view, catering enterprises Most important is genuine, group buying mode is not suitable for normal operation.

Xuanwu Gate Business Hotel has been engaged in restaurant group buying, but food and beverage manager Yanping that "no effect." In addition to the temporary lively, to the restaurant financial settlement brought no small trouble, in the long run, group buying did not pull a large increase in customer. In his words, "the coming or coming, usually do not come or not."

In the well-known catering expert Xia Lianyue, Restaurant Group is not a business model, but a phased sales model, can be seen as a marketing innovation, suitable for some of the uneven peak season of enterprises, as well as new enterprises to open visibility. But do buy a lot of concessions, catering enterprises themselves are not willing, and in the specific operation also has a certain degree of difficulty. Grasp well, you can do business, grasp the bad, but it will be detrimental to the development of enterprises. The average profit rate of the catering industry is also around 10%, if the perennial discount no profits, then the enterprise can not develop healthily.

Solution

Let the traveler become a loyal customer

Although there are all kinds of malpractice, but it makes the catering industry marketing radius break through the time, space, resources and other traditional factors, in a short period of time for the enterprise to bring a large number of passengers. Industry insiders pointed out that if they can fully tap and use these valuable resources, will be able to add more chips for the future development of enterprises.

So, how should catering enterprises make use of this marketing tool? Experts suggest that we should work innovative dishes, experiential marketing and customer relationship management.

Many catering enterprises will regularly update the menu, the introduction of some innovative dishes, but the taste of these innovative dishes, whether it can be acceptable to the vast number of consumers? Buying a new dish offers an excellent way to study. Since group buying is based on an internet platform, it will be more convenient for businesses to collect information from a variety of consumers. And through the study of these reliable firsthand information, businesses can also be targeted to improve the new dishes.

Never met the two people will not love at first sight, regardless of what the buyer embrace the mentality involved in group buying, after all, let the business to obtain a "close contact" of the rare opportunity, but also for the business experience-type marketing to create the conditions. If businesses can be in contact with consumers in all aspects of good service, so that consumers get the perfect experience, will be expected to turn these passers-by into loyal customers.

Group purchase brings a large number of customer effective information, should become a business in-depth excavation of the valuable wealth. Because of the limitations of group buying, the group buyers must be in the consumption of the legalization of the purchase certificate, including personal contact methods. If the merchant will collect these massive information and carry out proper CRM, it will lay a good foundation for the future enterprise marketing and publicity.

Experts also warned that the best business can be from the combination of dishes on the group buy customers and ordinary customers have strict separation. For example, for group buying customers to provide the package combination, should not be in the store on other menu repeat sales, in order to avoid the traditional customers "suffer" feeling, or even a certain degree of superiority, feel that they are more than buy customers more attention. Commercial newspaper reporter Xu/wen fan/photo Gio Jian/Comics

Interview with President of Beijing Culinary Association Jiang Jun

Group buying can not become a long-term business model of catering enterprises

How should catering enterprises use online group buying? Yesterday, Beijing Cooking Association president Jiang Jun accepted This reporter interview, said, catering enterprises to promote the group buy to be cautious, should be based on the characteristics of the enterprise and the development phase of moderate use group buy marketing.

Meal companies do not blindly follow the group

Business newspaper: At present, the catering has become the main group purchase site products, but also the most favored by consumers of the project, how do you see the impact of group buying on catering enterprises?

Jiang Jun: Group effect can be in a short period of time for enterprises to bring high passenger flow, if you want to improve the visibility, establish Word-of-mouth, group buying is a good choice. For enterprises, the main value of group buying is the great advertising effect. Therefore, enterprises to do group buying can not blindly follow suit, to clear their own goals.

Business Report: In your opinion, what kind of catering enterprises are suitable for group buying?

Jiang Jun: Hope that the rapid increase in attendance, expand sales of catering enterprises can be used to promote the use of group buying, but its own business to do a good business, there is no need for the fun, fashion group group buying activities.

Group Purchase standard meal mode hinders vegetable innovation

Business newspaper: As we all know, buy a small risk, we understand the general is in the consumer side, then in your opinion, the catering enterprises themselves will have the development of the disadvantages?

Jiang Jun: I think the biggest drawback is hidden in the purchase of the standard meal mode. At present, some catering group purchase duration is particularly long, the standard meal may become the focus of the kitchen after this time. Cooks are too busy making food labels, and there is less incentive to develop new dishes and improve technology. Long-term no innovative dishes, the taste of dishes for a long time did not improve, it is bound to the vitality of the enterprise and competitiveness caused harm, so that business into a rigid.

Long-term group buying I'm afraid to think twice

Business newspaper: Group buy the effect of a lot of catering enterprises to buy as a attract passenger flow, to do low-cost advertising panacea, then catering enterprises can buy as a daily marketing method?

Jiang Jun: Group buying is not a long-term business model. The small size of the catering business itself, the average profit margin is low, if the purchase of such a benefit of the model is likely to be unbearable. The result is either to bear the loss or to shrink the weight and quality of the dishes, the consumer, also pits their own reputation; large-scale enterprises, although the average profit rate is higher, but rising rents, food prices and employment costs are eating away at corporate profits, long-term to do group buying I am afraid to think twice.