Final Report

Comms 318: PR Research

Cara Christensen Amberly Asay Angie Hatch Kate Keenan Bev Storrs

Executive Summary

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
a. The purpose of our research was to determine why the love group was called the

love group. We wanted to find out why the customers loved GPDB and what the benefits were for them. Once we found out what the customers loved about GPDB then we could use it to sell to the swing group and all of those interested in organic foods.

b.

We were able to find the answers we needed to in our research questions. Of those

the questions asked were: How satisfied are you with the Green PolkaDot Box customer service? How manageable the website is on a scale of 1-10? What the biggest factor keeping you from shopping at Green PolkaDot Box? What categories of product do you purchase most?

c.

We conducted research through a number of different methods. We conducted a

very useful focus group made up of members of the love group. We also helped conduct a survey with 500 different types of customers. We also did some social media analytics associated with those talking about GPDB and organic foods, those who were the biggest advocates and those who were most influential in the organic food world.

d.

In our focus group we were able to determine that the customers were pleased with

GPDB and bought products their number one out of convenience and two because of the products offered through GPDB. In our survey and the statistics we ran, we found that those who shop for groceries online and shop at GPDB, shop exclusively at GPDB. We found that shipping costs are not as much of a concern as the client originally thought and

should focus their efforts on other aspects. We found that GPDB currently has a great reputation and one that their customers are proud of.

Introduction to Research

INTRODUCTION The most basic need of Green PolkaDot Box is to bring in more revenue so they can become a profitable company. They are still a fairly new company, and the methods they have used to bring in more business in the past have proved to be unsuccessful and unprofitable. For example, at one point they gave out free memberships. Doing so left them with 17,000 members, but there are only a few thousand of those customers who make regular purchases. The issue with Green PolkaDot Box is that they are trying to become a leader in online groceries, but the concept of online groceries has not yet gained worldwide popularity. They also have to compete with similar companies, such as Whole Foods, who pride themselves on their supplies of organic and healthy foods. The goal for Green PolkaDot Box is to become a leading voice in the organic foods market and increase the number of customers making regular purchases. Our group will be focused on the love group, which consists of individuals who purchase from Green PolkaDot Box regularly. Research questions that will be asked are: -How satisfied are you with Green PolkaDot Box customer service? -How manageable is the website on a scale of 1-10? (1 being difficult to navigate, 10 being easy to navigate). -What is the biggest factor keeping you from shopping at Green Polkadot Box? -What categories of product do you purchase most? The methodology we will use will include a few different components. We will conduct background research to better understand the market of organic foods, and the history of Green PolkaDot Box. We will contact individuals given to us from Green PolkaDot Box in order to assemble a group with which to conduct a focus group. We will analyze their

responses and determine what opinions appear most frequently. We will also produce a survey, then analyze our results in order to determine what we learned through the survey.

Background Research

BACKGROUND RESEARCH
Background on Organization The Green PolkaDot Box company was first created in 2007 with the focus of providing affordable, organic products to everyone. Rod Smith, along with his wife and five children, helped create Green PolkaDot Box with that vision. The companys overall goals focus on providing customers with accessibility to clean, organic, and specialty foods. They also specialize in catering to customers with unique dietetic needs like specific allergies, vegetarian or vegan food preferences, and gluten-free products. The Green PolkaDot Box has also earned a respected reputation for providing non-GMO products. Green PolkaDot Boxs products range from household cleaners to harvest fresh produce to supplements. Smith and family created Green PolkaDot Box to provide customers with products that fit into their lifestyle; whether they suffer from allergies or simply prefer healthy alternatives. By being an online-based store, customers are able to shop at their own convenience and accessibility which regular grocery stores or even other health-based grocers dont offer. Since the early 2000s the organic food industry has grown rapidly. With people becoming more and more concerned about their health, the search for health foods has increased as well. Specialty stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joes have had major success with the health food craze, the Green PolkaDot Box distinguishes itself from the group. The Green PolkaDot Box capitalizes its market by providing health-conscious products delivered to your doorstep. They also have huge support and experience positive publicity in providing non-GMO food. Their website also allows customers to search for

food based on specific allergies, diseases, and organic preference. The main idea behind this company is to provide the public with health conscious products conveniently, right at their fingertips. In the past, Green PolkaDot Box tried to gain customers by providing free memberships. Although there are 17,000 people signed up for a membership, only a handful are actively buying from the site currently. For a company with such a small net sales figure, $980,000 for the last fiscal year, Green PolkaDot Box must retain the good members they have, and gain more active members in order to make a profit and expand. Green PolkaDot Box has received praise and support from many health-conscious and mommy blogs. The exposure from the blogs has created a positive response and new members have joined because of this. Mike Adams, whose blog NaturalNews is influential in the health community, raves about Green PolkaDot Box and their services. Currently, Green PolkaDot Box offers a free trial membership for 30 days. Potential customers have the option to shop and buy products without a membership for 30 days with hopes that they sign up after the trial.

Research on product/service provided Green PolkaDot Box is a family owned, online membership grocery shopping company, similar to Costco or Sams Club, that specializes in organic and specialty foods, as well as earth-friendly household and personal care items. The company offers a lowest price guarantee, and have also made a stand against products that contain any GMOs, MSG and preservatives.

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Green PolkaDot Box offers three different membership options: the Charter Membership, the Club Membership, and the Rewards Membership. The Charter Membership costs $1,000, gives the member $2000 in shopping privileges and sets their membership for life. The Club Membership costs $50 per year and gives the member a $50 credit to begin their shopping experience. Finally, the Rewards Membership costs $125 annually and gives the member access to a $75 credit for their initial purchase, plus access to additional deals and rewards. At the end of this year, the Rewards and Charter Memberships will not be available, and the Club Membership will be the only option. Green PolkaDot Box offers shelf-stable groceries for the health-conscious consumer, including baking supplies, breakfast foods, beverages, soups, canned goods, legumes, condiments, grains, pastas, ready-made organic meals, sauces, snacks and superfoods. They also offer personal care items like shampoos, and other hygiene items and lotions, and baby care items. They also stock cleaning supplies and kitchenware, vitamins and other supplements, gardening supplies, seeds, and composting materials. Another service that sets Green PolkaDot Box apart from other online grocers, is their new Harvest Fresh Program, that ships fresh, organically grown produce to the customer in a refrigerated box. There is an auto ship option connected with this service so that consumers can get their produce sent to them on a weekly basis. Employees of Green PolkaDot Box recently conducted a survey of their customers regarding this service, and it has been met with differing attitudes. Many people like the idea, but many customers are single or live in small families who dont consume enough produce to value the auto ship option. Also, many live in produce-rich regions and go to farmers markets to purchase their produce because they value locally-grown produce.

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Resources and Personnel Green PolkaDot Box has a personal relationship with each of its vendors, and secures a special lowest price from each of them as a result of their strong relationship. There are many bloggers who blog about Green PolkaDot Box, as well as dietitians and food-conscious opinion leaders. Mike Adams from Naturalnews.com has featured the company on his site, and directs his consumers to Green PolkaDot Box. The CEO of Green PolkaDot Box is Rod Smith. The company is family owned and run, and all of the management is run in-house. They have a team of programmers that is working to develop the website into the most user-friendly option for online grocery shopping. Customer service for Green PolkaDot Box prides itself on being legendary, and it is run by Sariah and her sisters. Customers always talk to a real person. For any orders that are less than satisfactory, points are added to the consumers Green PolkaDot Box account so they can receive the correct product. Background on Issue & History of the Issue The history of the issue in the case of Green PolkaDot Box is online grocery shopping and organic foods. Online shopping is not a new idea and many companies sell products online. It is convenient and easy for the tech-savvy generation. However, shopping online was not always a common occurrence. Online grocery shopping was a rough market at the beginning. Some learned to roll with the punches while some failed to adapt. Organic foods are a prevalent issue with a growing public right now because the idea to an overall healthy lifestyle is growing. People want to put the best things into

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their body to get the best out and best health possible. In the last few years, there have been a few companies that have attempted to find success in the online grocer industry. Some of which are the following: Webvan (failed online grocer): Had an overly aggressive business strategy Put too much money in investments too quickly Leaders in the company had little to no experience in the grocery world Had no market research/didnt know their audience. Offered customers their groceries within a 30 minute window of their choosing,

which was unrealistic due to the time required to pull items from the shelves, the orders arriving late at night, and varying driving times required Groceries were more expensive They underestimated the difficulty of capturing a market They did recognize that an online market exists and would be able to thrive if

handled correctly In a mere 18 months, it raised $375 million in an IPO, expanded from the San

Francisco Bay Area to eight U.S. cities, and built a gigantic infrastructure from the ground up (including a $1 billion order for a group of high-tech warehouses). Webvan came to be worth $1.2 billion (or $30 per share at its peak), and it touted a 26-city expansion plan. But considering that the grocery business has razor-thin margins to begin with, it was never able to attract enough customers to justify its spending spree. The

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company closed in July 2001, putting 2,000 out of work and leaving San Francisco's new ballpark with a Webvan cup holder at every seat. Companies like Tesco and Peapod have entered the delivery market and not only

survived, but also thrived in the grocery delivery arena. Grocery Gateway (long standing successful online grocer in Canada): Focused on growing slowly Found a market that wanted their products in this way and capitalized Mission statement - As of August 25, 2004, Grocery Gateway is being operated

by Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Inc. A family-owned independent business since our founding in 1956, Longo's hallmarks of quality, freshness and personal in-store service have earned us a reputation we're proud of. At Longo's we're dedicated to exceeding your expectations by offering the best food experience to every customer, every time whether in our stores or at your door. "Grocery Gateway has succeeded where other online grocers have failed because

of our focus on proving our model works in the Toronto market, and not expanding too quickly," Al Sellery, Grocery Gateway's president and chief executive, said. Peapod (successful online grocer): Did not own warehouses in the beginning Partnered with existing groceries to grow in community Used local supermarkets to fill orders Use a centralized warehouse plan now (independent warehouses)

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Strived to keep balance between automation and people Human element is key to customer satisfaction Relied on external alliances and customer relations Implemented technology gradually Focused on concentrated markets From the beginning, Peapods focus was on groceries. Their go slow attitude and partnerships were keys to success Did not stray far from their original area/market This is where Peapod earned its experience. With Royal Aholds help, Peapod

developed a more profitable model and gained a solid hold on the e-grocery business.

Currently, Peapod is still expanding operations but e-commerce purists could

argue that this company is not truly a pure play e-grocer since they never strayed too far from Aholds traditional storefront infrastructure. Organic Foods The way products are grown and processed in order to meet requirements Safe soil, no modifications and must remain separate from conventional products Not allowed to use synthetic pesticides, bioengineered genes (GMOs), petroleum-

based fertilizers and sewage sludge-based fertilizers Benefits of organic food Fewer pesticides Fresher

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Organic farming is better for environment/ soil Organically raised animals not given antibiotics, growth hormones or fed animal

byproducts Better taste, truer flavor Reduce toxic load from bodies Reduce off-farm pollution

Factors contributing to the issueResearch on the effects of online shopping: Interface design and the interaction between computer and consumer are critical to business effectiveness over the web. A key aspect in retail is store layout, in our case virtual store layout. A test was conducted in Greece and the UK to see how different layouts manipulated their behavior. Their results showed that customers prefer a hierarchical/tree structure, provided only by the grid layout, which appears to be the easiest to use. Customers planned shopping behavior is also helped by them being able to reach any place in the store directly, either from the homepage or from any other place in the store. Racetrack and freeform layouts engage subjects for longer. Web grocers benefit from growing numbers of women surfing the Internet. "Women make the majority of [food] purchases and household decisions, so it's no surprise that they are utilizing the Internet as a tool for daily living," said Kenneth Cassar, director of strategic analysis for Nielsen//NetRatings.

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Consumers today have fewer security concerns and are willing to complete financial transactions over the Internet, as shown by online banking. One busy consumer, Cummings said, There is a huge tradeoff to pay for convenience. Factors contributing: bargaining power, growth, cost structure, competitor analysis. Consumers are time starved, wanting to be organic and healthy. Convenience: You can shop at your desk at work, on the phone, waiting on the train. You can take advantage of specials on bulk goods, and not have to worry about taking it home. All you have to do is answer the door, unpack your groceries, and return to your daily business. Savings: It is difficult to compare prices when you are in a supermarket, either because there are too many distractions or there isnt time in a crowded aisle. Online you can see clearly and easily whats on special. You can even just shop from the sale section. You can look at everything in your cart and the prices and make better decisions about what to keep and discard. You dont even have to put things back on shelves if you dont want them. Healthiness: Online grocery shopping offers so many ways to inspire healthy decisions. It is a lot harder to get distracted by junk food or other things you dont want to buy. You can search for and view only the things on your list, or look only on the seafood, organic, or grains page. You can always look over your cart one more time before you purchase anything. Past Research

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The popularity of organic food has grown substantially over the last decade. Research has been conducted in a variety of ways to study consumer trends in purchasing organic foods, and consumer attitudes towards organic foods. Some of that research has found the following: Organic food is one of the fastest growing areas of the food market in Europe, Northern America, Australia and Japan with sales being in excess of $114.5 billion in 1999. Although organic food sales still account for only around 1 per cent of the total food market, many countries are showing growth of 20 to 30 per cent annually (Leatherhead, 2000). A more recent study found, The organic food industry has been growing rapidly and now accounts for about two per cent of the world's retail food market. The organic industry (food and non-food) reached $10.8 billion in consumer sales in 2003 expanding by 20 percent in 2004 to reach $12.7 billion ([25] Scheel, 2005; [24] Organic Trade Association, 2004). Previous studies on the organic food market diverge in the level of stress that they place on socio-economic variables versus product attributes such as taste, freshness, quality, safety etc. Yet, a common outcome of these studies is that organic food purchasers are likely to be highly educated (college and above), young, and to have relatively high incomes ([8] Govindasamy and Italia, 1999). According to existing research, organic food is perceived as food without chemicals and growth hormones, food that is not intensively produced and is grown as natural (Soil Association, 2000; Makatouni, 1999; Davies et at, 1995). Consumers purchase organic food mainly for health reasons; in view of being better for the children

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because of lower pesticides and fertiliser residues (Soil Association, 2000, Makatouni, 1999; Latacz-Lohmann and Foster, 1997; Morris, 1996; Davies et al, 1995; Tregear et aL, 1994). Moreover, better taste, being like home-grown, being free from BSE, genetic modification and food additives are motivations for buying organic food. The main reasons that prevent consumers from buying organic food are: high price, lack of availability, satisfaction with conventional food, lack of trust, the limited choice and lack of perceived value (Soil Association, 2000; Makatouni, 1999, Mintel, 1999; Morris, 1996; Davies et at, 1995; Roddy et al, 1994; Tregear et aL, 1994). Previous research has shown that measurement of consumer attitudes and belief structures becomes more reliable and predictive of consumer behaviour when the focus is on specific products rather than in broad product categories in general (Bredahl, 1998). The life values which were revealed to be factors in consumer attitudes towards organic food are: (1) values that are centered around the human being (2) values that are centered around animals' well-being; and (3) values centered around the environment. Regarding the first category, values that refer to human health, well-being, and feelings and desires are included, such as responsibility for health and wellbeing of self and family, feeling relaxed and satisfied, nostalgia, longer life, happy life. Moreover, these values can focus either on the individuals (longer life, feel relaxed and satisfaction) or on the family unit (responsible for family health and well-being) or on the society unit as a whole. In this category the most frequently mentioned value was that referring to the

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health-related factor and, in particular, for being responsible for health and well-being for self and family. While definitions differ, many agree that organic products refer to products made without the use of conventional fertilizers, pesticides, hormones, or genetically modified components, (Valentin, 2011). Yet, buyers of organic products are generally less price-sensitive, more socially conscious, and tend to object to major retailers business practicese.g., the way they treat small farmers. They may have negative image that repulses them from buying organic foods from those stores, (Valentin, 2011). A MORI poll in 1999 found that one third of the public buy organic food (SA, 1999). In an NOP poll in August 2004 this had increased to 77 per cent of all households buying some organic products, (SA, 1999). Historically, organic food was only available in selective locations, such as health food stores. However, supermarkets have gradually increased their number of organic product lines in response to changing consumer preferences and the development of the organic supply chain, (Pearson, 2011). Based on the research we conducted, we developed possible questions that would help to better understand our love group. These questions included: How satisfied are you with Green Polkadot Box customer service?

How manageable is the website on a scale of 1-10? (1 being difficult to navigate, 10 being easy to navigate). What is the biggest factor keeping your from shopping at Green Polkadot Box? What categories of product do you purchase most?

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We believe these questions will help identify our groups needs and self-interests. By answering these questions, we hope to help create a solution for Green PolkaDot Box.

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Primary Research

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PRIMARY RESEARCH
Qualitative research and analysis i. Describe qualitative methodology a. How participants were selected: The process of selecting participants involved contacting Sariah Smith for the email addresses of our targeted public, and sending each GPDB member on that list a short screening survey. Since our group was the love group, we asked Sariah for a list of email addresses of clients in the Utah area who made purchases at GPDB two or more times per month. This list consisted of 72 people. Once the list of emails was provided, an email was sent out informing the clients that we are BYU students in the public relations program who are working closely with GPDB. We also told them that we were holding a focus group for GPDB to better understand what customers like and dislike about the company, and included incentive and logistical information about the focus group. Attached to the email was a survey, which asked questions about each client, including their name, age, occupation, gender, marital status, how often they purchase from Green Polka Dot Box, what would be the best way to contact them and if they would be a part of the focus group. From this information, we followed up with those who said they would be willing to participate in the focus group in the manner they had previously specified. The follow up included a reminder of the day, time, location and incentives. b. How interviews were conducted: The one interview that was conducted was via email because one of the women who wanted to come to the focus group was out of town. We asked her the same

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questions that we asked in the focus group, and she answered them and responded in a reasonable amount of time. c. How the focus group was conducted: The focus group was conducted by Amberly, and Cara was her assistant and also took notes. It was held in the Tanner Building in conference room W139, on Wednesday, September 26 at 7:30 pm. The actual discussion began at about 7:35, and the focus group lasted approximately 55 minutes. Green Polka Dot Box provided organic snacks and drinks. d. Description of focus group We had four people attend the focus group and give feedback about Green Polka Dot Box. The four participants were; Connie Self, an organic enthusiastic Doula, and early investor in GPDB; Tracey Christensen, a young mother who recently lost a sizeable amount of weight, and Suzy and Tim Hayes who are both in the workforce and are extremely health-conscious as well. The focus group lasted 55 minutes, and the discussion included asking if the clients do any other online shopping, asking how Green Polka Dot Box fits into the each clients lifestyle, what groceries they purchase the most frequently, who they talk to about the company, why they shop there and what keeps them coming back. The discussion deviated a little bit from the main questions that were asked, but it was still structured, and these were the main points. Each participant was active in the group discussion and gave helpful feedback about Green Polka Dot Box. e. Incentives used

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We had two different incentives for our focus group. First, each participant was promised a $50.00 credit to their Green Polka Dot Box member accounts as a thank-you for their feedback. The second incentive we used was a gift certificate to Studio 1030, a Paul Mitchell Signature Salon in the basement of the Wilkinson Student Center at BYU. These gift certificates included services like free haircuts, free scalp treatments, free nail shellac or 50 percent off any service. Studio 1030 donated the certificates. Each participant chose the certificate they preferred. f. How interviews were transcribed and analyzed Cara conducted the e-mail interview and the responses were included within the transcription of the focus group itself below each question that was answered in the focus group. The transcription of the focus group was then divided into 12-minute intervals and each interval was assigned to a team member who transcribed that section. After each section was transcribed, Kate formatted it and made sure each section was finished. Cara and Amberly then did the analysis of the transcription, and Kate and Angie identified primary and secondary themes that occurred within the focus group. Bev wrote up the descriptive paragraphs about the focus group and incentives used. ii. a. Provide analysis of qualitative data. Interviews: Misty does no other shopping online for food. She likes GPDB because she is vegan and they offer a lot more choices for her dietary needs than regular supermarkets. She talks to friends who are local business owners and other vegans about GPDB. Misty is a very niche type of customer, and one that GPDB should continue to target.

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b.

Focus Group: The focus group we held with the love group was very informative. We

discovered that some of the frequent shoppers, shopped as often as they did because they are shareholders in the company, and thus they are invested in the companys success or failure. Focus group attendants loved a lot of the products that are offered from GPDB, but had some frustrations with some of the details in the actual ordering process on the website. They were concerned that some products are not always available. They were frustrated that their favorite products go away without explanation or warning. They also wanted to be able to pull up their previous order. When asked if they would recommend GPDB to their friends, they all said that they hadnt done so yet, and they agreed that they wouldnt do so immediately because they feel that the company and website are not up to par enough and sharing the information is confusing.

ii. We found three main patterns in the reasons that members of GPDB gave for purchasing GPDBs products. The first reason is the cost-effectiveness and competitive pricing of the products, the second is convenience of shopping in the comfort of their own home, or wherever they happen to be, and finally the health benefits of the products themselves. Our focus group participants love the whole concept and are behind the company 100 percent, they are, however looking for a stronger, more reliable ordering system. If we are going to convince the swing group or attract new customers to GPDB, it will be important to strengthen the aspects of the organization that the love group loves,

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but it will also be important to address the issues that the GPDB love group brought forward. When Green PolkaDot Box presented the issues they are currently facing, they suggested a solution of getting current customers to purchase more at one time, or just to purchase more often. However, in our focus group we discovered that what the loyal members of GPDB order is already a lot of (if not too much) food for their families, and they make these purchases because they want to support the company. Thus far, GPDB has not targeted the right group of people who will help them increase their sales. Rather than asking their loyal customers to double what they are already spending, the key to GPDBs success is going to hinge on reaching the right network of health-conscious people who value organic foods that do not include GMOs.

iii.

Using the constant comparative technique of Thematic Analysis, identify

primary and secondary themes. Describe the themes and use quotes (data) from interviews and focus groups to support your thematic analysis. Be selective with quotes. a. An important aspect of Green PolkaDot Box is its convenience to provide

healthy, organic food to customers. Its main mission is to make shopping easier and to provide the best products for its customers. The focus group provided many key themes that are important to understand how Green PolkaDot Box should do better serve its customers. Here are the themes broken down into primary and secondary messages. b. Primary

1. Desire to find a good deal.

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A common theme throughout the focus group was the customers frustration in finding good deals for organic foods. They noted that GPDB is able to meet those specific needs and gave ideas for what they should do better. They said that GPDB should improve its produce selection because so far it is still easier to buy organic produce locally. Tracey: "I'll often shop specials on GPDB so that but the things that I know that's the best deal that I could get without having to go to a bunch of stores." Misty: We eat a LOT of produce in our family, so I was hoping for fresh and inexpensive but organic produce. Tim: Mine was just okay, trust related, okay Rob so you say you can beat Costco pricing. That was number one. Connie: The green leaf lettuce, that is really normal. For $1.89 I can get that if I go to the health food store and I will pay exactly that for a bunch of green leaf or red leaf lettuce or baker romaine for $1.99. If you go to Costco and buy the big bins for $3.99, it goes rotten so fast. I find that two days later its rotten for me so I dont buy it anymore. I dont like the wait. Its a cheaper deal. 2. Convenience of shopping/receiving product Many reasons why customers shop at GPDB is because of its convenience. They are able to shop for healthy, organic products from the comfort of their own homes. They love that the food is delivered to their doors, and agree that it does save them time. All participants agreed that they like the convenience and how the food comes in the box. Connie: "I live rurally, so it's hard for me to got to the store, and I LOVE coming home to a box of groceries on my front step. I just love it, that I didn't have to drive somewhere to get it." Tracey: "My kids love it. It's fast, and I do like being able to shop online because I can do it at any hour, in any form of attire, so that's nice." Tracey: Well I do love the convenience. My kids think it is just like Christmas.

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Suzy: For us, we are super busy professionals, so time is a big thing. It's convenient, I can do it wherever, whenever, in whatever city I happen to be in at the time. Suzy: I know every few days, you know, they just buy all their groceries, and probably it takes more time, and a lot of it, for me it's a huge time saver and I love it for that reason. 3. Reasons for buying elsewhere Green PolkaDot Box is interested in why its customers still feel the need to shop elsewhere when they order two or three times a month. Participants shared that GPDB doesnt have everything they normally want to buy, and sometimes it is just easier to run to Costco or the local grocery store to pick up those things. They like what GPDB has to offer, but feel the selection isnt strong enough for them to stop shopping at other places yet. Connie: "Yeah but I don't only shop there, I can't get everything I need, I wish I could." Suzy: "I don't, I mean, it depends on when. I buy a lot, but I find the little things, if I'm making some kind of specialty dish, I go and I get what I can fresh. You know, for example, lemons, I'm not going to buy two pounds of lemons every month. Or if I need some herbs or stuff like that, I'll just go and get it at the store. That's about my limitation. I think as far as making specialty dishes, I think that that's - they don't offer that." Connie: Because even myself, I think I order $100 a month, because there's stuff that's not there, so I'm still going to Costco, I'm still going to, you know, Smith's and I'd rather not be because that's so far out. 4. Suggestions for improved online services Participants love the convenience of online ordering, but believe that some problems need to be fixed in order to make the experience better. They like the idea, but believe it can be enhanced to improve ordering. Tim: Wouldnt it be great if you could pull up your old order?

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Suzy: I re-order a lot, we have our favorites and we try to order something new every order. Every time. I wish we could label our favorites so I can go in and look at our favorites list, you know its overwhelming. And because its like drag and drop into your basket it never works. I dont know if I will ever order any of the produce. Who knows maybe it will all change? Tim: One thing in the past is that there needs to be some, showing of how big it is. There is no dimension of size on the internet. It has to be visual. It must be visual measurement. Like even if you bring in a ruler. Suzy: But they could make another deal with FedEx. They should negotiate making small packages less shipping costs. Tracey: My big frustration is that I dont know the whole buying system of the company, but when I find something that I like and I go and its not there then it is frustrating. So I have my favorites. Then I do get frustrated because I am going in and trying to find everything that I like. 5. Who they talk about GreenPolkaDotBox with It is important for GPDB to understand who its current customers are talking to about its services. GPDB wants to expand and continue to grow its little company. Knowing who its current customers are talking to about its services can only help. The members of the focus group, with the exception of Connie, had not talked to a lot of people or shared a lot about the organization yet because of the confusion and lack of control of what they can share with people. Tracey: I have talked to my family, and I kind of also was waiting for this whole program to be set up, not because I like how its setup, I haven't really talked to everybody about it, but I have talked to certain members of my family who I know would dig it. Tim: I don't talk to many people about it. Mostly because I've been waiting for the produce thing to kick in, and trying to describe it, it takes some time. Connie: I've talked to my friends, I've talked to my family, I've given away brochures, I've gone door-to-door and stuck those things on the doorstep, and got zero from that. I had some people sign up. I have given away free memberships, and they don't buy a thing. And so one of the things that I'm discovering is that I think it's really hard for people to change their habits.

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6. Suggestions for new services/promotions It is crucial for GPDB to maintain the customers they already have, and also gain new members as well. In order to grow, GPDB needs to be open to customers suggestions to how to make its services better. Focus group participants discussed the promotions and services that they believe would benefit the company. Suzy: But something else I would like to ask about is the possibility of doing a gift box for someone else. I love that idea. I would send that out for gifts for people I know would enjoy it, just a mini one. Tim: Heres a thought you could send out and order a gift box to determine what they want. You could give them a link saying heres your gift certificate and you choose the contents of your basket. And then they have to have that Green Polkadot Box experience. Tracey: I feel that I should be in control of the information that I give to my friends. It's going to come across better and it'll come across as way less pushy, way less MLM, that people would be way more receptive to it if I am like "Oh my gosh this rocks, it's so easy and try it out, let me show you how to do it." But I just think it will be a big turn off- I don't want my friends to have a bunch of GPDB initiated communication, because then they'll hide it- they'll block it and they'll be done. Tim: ... So if he does send us emails or newsletters or here is the specials for the month, there might be a section of that that indicates here are your health benefits for the stuff thats in this newsletter or summarize it really really short. Connie: What I was hoping was that I would have a little red sign saying Welcome to Green Polkadot Box, your friend Connie referred you here. And then I could give them out and have them check out Green Polkadot box and then tell people. And if they wanted to put stuff on Green Polkadot Box saying that would be fine but I dont want them emailing me. If only I could choose c. Secondary Messages:

1. Consistency of product/service Participants like how they can rely on their GPDB order to be accurate and arrive on time. They are confident that GPDB will deliver their food in a timely matter.

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Suzy: "If it lands on my doorstep, I can get someone to get it, or I can time it when I'm going to be home because I know that their delivery is pretty accurate when they say it's going to arrive." Tim: It's pretty fast. 2. Quality/uniqueness of the product Participants agree that GPDB has a great selection of products that cater to the specific needs and wants of the companys targeted publics. They agree that their products are great and GPDB does a good job picking the products for their customers. Connie: I want all non-GMO foods, and Rod said that he's really serious about that, making sure they are all non-GMO foods. Suzy: Most importantly, its quick. I mean I would not go home and eat that for dinner. But in a car or on the river, we were quite happy. Its just really fast food. Tracey: Ya, like if youre celiac or need gluten free. I like that. Like how you can shop for only gluten free items. 3. Favorite products GPDB chooses products that are unique and very specific to certain customers needs. Participants like these products and keep ordering from GPDB because its products are the best in the health food market. Suzy: I love all the frozen foods. Im not really sure about the breaded snacks. I really like Pamela's gluten free. Tim: My favorite is the meal in a can- Salmon del Four. Tracey: I eat a lot of the nutrition bars they offer. Like the ones over there are really good. Tim: Ya, those are good. These are the coconut almond ones and we like those ones. Suzy: Ya there are things we like and we eat. We have tried everything to some degree. Oh and the shampoo for dogs, we love that. Its the best. I really like it though for our dog. Ive also used some of the facial products and I like some of the creams and some

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of the cleansers. The laundry detergent I like a lot. Eco Clear, the steel magnolias. I like that one. 4. Political Justifications GPBD caters to people who are interested in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. An issue that was brought up in the focus group was the idea of healthy living around the country. Participants discussed what people think of this issue and the fact that people arent educated about where their food comes from. Connie: What is really frightening is that 60% of our population is obese, 25% of our military cant get in because they are obese and cannot serve they are rejected because they are overweight, this is the United States, we should be healthy and active. We got to get our act together. It is political. Suzy: As you can tell people who are really in the loop and want to educate themselves and then there are people who are ignorant and dont want to listen. And we came here tonight instead of listening to our political program, we are kind of boycotting the other media because we are sick of their one sided message. I am so tired of being controlled. 5. Suggestions for practices Participants were disappointed with some of the products that didnt align with GPDBs goal of providing healthy food for its customers. They were frustrated that some products were misleading and how many products were full of sugar and fattening. Connie: There are still a lot of sweet and fattening things at GPDB. There is plenty of it. Maybe they should start labeling really great snacks that are low in calories. Tim: I would almost say that every single product needs to have a health benefit. Tracey: I know they already have symbols for no MSG, no trans-fat and organic. But those cookies they have on there still have a ton of sugar even though they are organic. They need to have symbols that are for no sugar and low fat so that people know. People dont care until they start thinking seriously about it. Connie: In the title of the items, it should say organic. Like instead of dried cranberries, say organic dried cranberries. Because right now I have to click on the picture, to see the tiny little word organic. It should be right on the name of the product, and be more

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clear that the product is organic. The product descriptions could also be better. Like if it says 50 ounces of laundry detergent, how many loads is that? iv. Provide a transcript of your focus group and interviews as an appendix to the

proposal. Our transcript is at the front of the appendix v. If participant observation is involved, describe what you were looking for, how

you observed, and your conclusions. a. We didnt do participant observation, aside from the fact that there were two of us in

the focus group. Cara took notes on the things that were key to the focus group, and Amberly led the focus group. All of the participants spoke and gave their input on each of our questions. All had different angles, but Connie, Suzy and Tim were all shareholders and it was obvious that they really wanted their concerns to be heard. Conclusion: Overall, the love group is behind the business plan of GPDB, and they believe in the companys potential and the health benefits of eating organic and specialty foods. They also value supporting an emerging business. The main things that the love group like about GPDB are the convenience of purchasing their groceries online and having them delivered to their homes, the competitive pricing of the products, and the overall health benefits of the products that GPDB stocks on its virtual shelves. They raised concerns about the consistency of the products offered, the flaws of the ordering experience, the amount of superfluous correspondence from GPDB, and the transparency of the health benefits or non-benefits of some products. Another key finding, was that most of the members of the love group purchase from GPDB twice a month or more,

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but really could not commit to much more than that because they had no need of more food than they were already ordering.

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Social Media Analysis Research

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Social Media Analysis and Research

1. Of those talking about this online, who has the most influence? Any future campaigns should look to target the top 10 or so influencers online talking about this topic. The top influencers over the last 2 weeks have been: 1. Forbes-forbes.coma. Oprahs influence http://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor... b. Forbes is a leading source for reliable business news and financial information. Lately has been recognized for Oprahs recent announcement of the release of her line of organic products. 2. BET-bet.com a. Snoop Doggs Organic food initiative in Jamaica b. BET.com is home to all the latest celebrity, music, fashion, entertainment and African-American news. The online chatter about organic food is primarily driven by celebrities, and BET specifically is following Snoop Doggs campaign that is teaming up with Reeds Ginger Brew to create sustainable, organic community gardens in Jamaica. 3. National Posta. nationalpost.com-Lots of discussion about Canadas organic food certification system b. In Canada, there is no mandatory laboratory testing of products to ensure organic-labelled food is actually farmed without pesticides, leaving the organics industry in the hands of the honour system. 4. Readers Digest a. http://www.rd.com/slideshows/13-things-you-didnt-know-about-organic-

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food/ b. Article about what to do before you buy organic or natural foods. Readers Digest encourages people to see what today's food experts have said about making smart food choices. Readers Digest has a large audience that reaches a wide demographic of people who are health-conscious. 5. Black Enterprisea. Oprahs influence b. Information regarding entrepreneurship, technology, personal finance and other minority business issues. A lot has been written about because of the launch of Oprahs organic food line and natural beauty products. 6. Funkmasterflexa. inflexwetrust.com is a website for a DJ and his music, as well as a forum for celebrity news and gossip. b. Funkmasterflex DJ retweets Oprah about organic food awareness a lot. 7. CTV British Columbiaa. bc.cbvnews.cab. Canadian news source that covers the issues regarding Canadian regulation of organic food, and how it is basically the honor system there. 8. Lisa Lampanellia. insultComic.com b. She is a comedian who has a sarcastic sense of humor. She includes Oprahs influence on organic food in her comedy routine. 9. Inhabitat-

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a. inhabit.com is a New Yor City-based blog that is devoted to the pushing architecture and design in the home towards a more sustainable and smart future. 10. Soil Association-UKa. soilassociation.org is the United Kingdoms center for organic food growers, geared toward taking care of the planet and growing organic food to eat.

The top 10 on one particular day differs in type from the overall top ten, so here are the top 4 results from November 27 as well:

11. Derek Markham-NaturalPapa.com, writer for Treehugger.com and Discovery. a. Derek Markham he is a digital dad, blogger and created NaturalPapa.com to share his observations on fatherhood. Now he writes about homebirth, homeschooling, natural health, natural foods, manliness and relationships.

12. OrganicLiveFood-Organic Whole Food-Seattle organic resturants.com a. Seattle Organic Restaurants offers Seattle residents the latest and best restaurants specializing in whole foods, natural foods, vegan and organic foods. 13. EPPS_Nina-ZenaWarriorPrincess-Administrator at Cornucopia Movie Productions-retweets OrganicLiveFood a. ZenaWArriorPrincess has a large web presence due to her work done with

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the EPPS. She retweets OrganicLiveFood a lot. 14. AM640-radio-640toronto.coma. Canadas number one station for talk radio. They reach a large audience and talk about the Canadian issues surrounding organic foods. b. The most important influencers that GPDB should focus on, are probably Forbes, BET and OrganicLiveFood. Forbes was the number one influencer, and from our research we found that a lot of our Love Group were business people who value a healthy lifestyle. Since Forbes is a publication geared toward business news, this would be a good publication to target. BET is another good influencer to target, because of the volume of traffic driven by black celebrities like Snoop Dogg and Oprah. Since they are endorsing organic foods, it would be beneficial to have their endorsements as well. OrganicLiveFoods is a restaurant conglomerate in the Seattle area that promotes and specializes in organic and specialty foods. We found that most of the chatter about green grocery was in the Pacific Northwest, in the Washington area, so this would be a good influencer to target because it reaches a wide demographic of people who are already health conscious. 2. Where across the nation is there the most chatter online about green grocery? The West Coast has the most chatter regarding online green grocery. The Northwest (primarily Washington and Northwest Oregon) has the highest concentration followed by the Bay Area in California, and Los Angeles, California. These regions are known for being health conscious and have a climate that allows for active outdoor

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living. Inhabitants of these areas turn to healthy lifestyles.

Overall, there is a positive reaction to online green groceries. While the West coast has the most concentration of green groceries, the rest of the country seems to have a positive opinion of it even though they are not as aware. It seems that only in a matter of time for the rest to join the online green grocery trend. 3. What is the tonality of the conversations online? And for those negative conversations, what is driving the negative discussion? Sentiment of organic foods is 22% positive and there are 5% negative responses. o The topics that are driving the negative discussions are: Organic food is expensive Organic food is tasteless

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The stigma of Organic Food Eaters being uppity Questioning the reality of value of choosing organic. Recent research findings have stated that organic is not as healthy as it was once projected to be.

4. Create a word cloud that shows the terms most often used in connection with green grocery. The term most often used was organic food. This phrase was then broken down into key other phrases including organic food in less than 8 hours and organic food without telling anyone. These phrases help to see what is being talking about more specifically and how to target publics more effectively.

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5. What is driving the most conversations online about green grocery? Is it corporate announcements (if so, who?), is it simply opinionated individuals or is it some research or news article? For the top 10 overall, the conversation seemed to be driven by corporation endorsing pop culture. Some of the pop culture includes celebrities like Oprah and Snoop Dogg. Corporations respond to the organic trend with pop culture supporting its claims. However, we also found that in the top 10 for November 27, there were many opinionated individuals who voiced concerns about online green grocery. It was interesting to compare individuals ideas with that of corporations. Looking at the top influencers for online green grocery, the conversation is primarily driven by the actions of celebrities and their endorsements of organic foods and green grocery shopping. Since these people are already endorsing organic foods, it would be beneficial to GBDB to seek out endorsements from celebrities as well. 6. Which online medium has the most conversations on this topic? Twitter, Forums, Blogs, etc? The most conversations on the topic of organic food and green grocery are on Twitter. The top 4 most conversations were from four different specific Twitter handles, and Twitter itself. o Twitter: @Green Festivals @Occupy Canda @certifiedhealthnut @savpr

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o Other online mediums: yahoo.com Forbes amazon.com linkedin.com craigslist.org

7. Based on an analysis of the online discussion, where should GPDB look to become more engaged online? TWITTER-the top three most common online discussions are via Twitter handles. It is important to reach out to twitter more in order to get customers and potential customers engaged and feeling that they are heard and valued. By being where the customers are, GPDB can become more aware of what their customers are talking about and what theyre interested in. 8. What suggestions do you have for standing out and becoming a thought leader in green grocery? GPDB needs to establish what their voice is online, and ensure they are appealing to a wide variety of people. If they portray themselves as uppity and above everyone else, they may damage relationships with potential customers. They need to appeal to everyday people, who already value living a healthy lifestyle. GPDB needs to embrace the use of social media by creating a Twitter and a Pinterest account, and updating the Facebook page to be more informational and userfriendly. It will be important to have someone who is completely devoted to managing the social media, and who knows how to create messages and respond

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quickly and efficiently to comments.They need to find positive ways that their product stands out from others, and provide useful information. GPDB also needs to pursue the use of channels alongside social media, that will help convey the mission and vision to GPDBs target demographic. Celebrities and well-known publications that already feature green grocery and organic food are a good place to turn.

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Survey Research

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SURVEY RESEARCH In order to create our survey, all the survey leaders first met with their team and created questions which applied to their sample. My group had the love group. These customers buy from Green PolkaDot Box more than once a month. We created our questions based on what we learned from the focus group and our analysis. We recognized that our questions would not apply to all the groups in the survey because they were specialized for people who are members of Green PolkaDot Box. After the groups had established their questions, we met together and put them into a Qualtrics survey. We then met with Sariah, Professor Plowman and our lab TA to go over the survey. During this time, we changed some of the questions to fit the needs and wants of the client. We also explained the necessity of the questions she did not think were needed because they did not fit the audience she wanted. This was the last meeting where all the survey leaders were involved with the client and the survey. Although we were kept informed, it was easier to have one person dealing with the client. Alisha Gallagher, was survey leader for her group, and also worked with the Bradley Lab for GPDB, made the edits the client requested and sent them the final copy of the survey. The client wanted multiple items changed from this draft. The changes were made when thought necessary, but some questions the client did not agree with stayed on the survey because they fit the audiences different groups focused on. The sampling methodology was originally going to be a simple, stratified, random sample, but the client did not feel this would fit their needs so we added several qualitative questions. After some speculation, it was decided to send the survey to all of

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the members of Green PolkaDot Box as well as people who would be interested but were not members and then break down the surveys randomly after they were completed. This survey was administered through Qualtrics by email. The sample selection for this survey was all the members of Green PolkaDot Box and the emails acquired by the group who studied non-members. This group of people was very large and totaled to about 17,000. Since each group waited until they had at least 100 participants from their group, we would say we have a decent margin of error of 95% which is acceptable for this situation. Since we sent the survey to the entire population of Green PolkaDot Box members, I would say that the sample demographics and the populations demographics are identical. This is also seen with the people who were not members because we sent the survey to the population of emails we had for this group. iii/iv. After the survey was completed, the responses were recorded and then analyzed. We decided to focus our results on those participants who answered that they had ordered from Green PolkaDot Box more than 4 times. We established these participants as our love group and measured our results against this group. We thought that this would be the most effective and provide the most information to help our client achieve their overall goal of the company. The results from the survey provided information that was beneficial to help understand more about the love group and why they act the way that they do. Green PolkaDot Box wants to understand why these loyal customers keep ordering from the company and what factors have an impact on their actions.

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The research questions we came up with as a group included: How satisfied are you with Green PolkaDot Box customer service?

How manageable is the website on a scale of 1-10? (1 being difficult to navigate, 10 being easy to navigate). What is the biggest factor keeping your from shopping at Green PolkaDot Box? What categories of product do you purchase most? These questions were created to help focus our survey results for our love group. With these guidelines, it was much easier to see how the love group was affected. We could then use those results to see how we could help Green PolkaDot Box reach the love group. In order to better understand the behaviors of the love group, we created a separate frequency based on question 10 which reads, How many orders have you placed at the Green PolkaDot Box? We then separated and relabeled the never order groups at 1.00, ordered between 1-3 at 2.00, and order 4 or more times as 3.00. This new frequency was then measured against other questions to better understand the love group. The following questions are questions we believed had the best results to help better understand the love group.

a.

One question that was we decided to measure the love group against was question

5, On which website do you frequently shop for groceries? We ran a Chi-Square test against our new frequency group and where they shop online for groceries. We ran a ChiSquare test because they primarily are used to test a hypothesis. The results showed other websites used to online shop and the expected and actual count of participants who

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answered. Amazon, Green PolkaDot Box, and I dont shop for groceries online were highlighted with red bars since they were statistically significant. They all had standard residual values above 2/-2. This is beneficial to our love group because it shows that majority of the customers who shop for groceries online primarily shops exclusively at Green PolkaDot Box. This also shows, however, that if they were to shop elsewhere Amazon would be its biggest competition. The graph below demonstrates this test.

b.

Another question that we thought was relevant to our love group was question 6

which reads, Do you have any concerns about shopping for groceries online? Check all that apply. These options include freshness of perishable foods, shipping costs, delay in product arrival, I prefer to physically handle the food, it may increase the carbon footprint, I need to see the expiration dates, I dont have any concerns, and other. After running a Chi-Square test, the categories that were statistically significant for our love group were both shipping costs and delay in product arrival.

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The shipping costs proved significant because the actual count for those that said shipping was not a problem was much higher. This shows many more people than they expected didnt find shipping costs a problem. It is important because it shows that shipping costs are not as much as a concern as they thought and should focus their efforts on other aspects of the companys services. The chart below shows the expected count and actual count for shipping costs.

The other statistically significant response was the delay product arrival response. The actual count for those who thought it wasnt an issue was less than the expected count. This is important because it shows that more people didnt think that it was an issue, when they thought it should have been. Green PolkaDot Box should use this information to understand better the love group and their actions. The graph on the next page shows these results.

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Both of these response shows what they thought the love group would respond is different from what it really is. This information is valuable because it helps Green PolkaDot Box to understand their target audience better.

c.

We also thought it was beneficial to run a test against question 20 which reads, On

a scale of 1-10, how likely are you to refer a friend to the Green PolkaDot Box (1 being very unlikely, 10 being very unlikely). We thought the love group would be a good group to see if they were referring friends to this company. By running an ANOVA test, which allows us to compare means of more than one sample, we discovered that the love group significantly had a higher rate of referring friends to Green PolkaDot Box than those who ordered less. Although other groups said they would refer to friends, the love had the highest mean of 8.75 referral rate. A mean of 8.75 shows us that when we totaled and averaged the results of the love group, 8.75 out of 10 would refer Green

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PolkaDot Box to their friends. This shows Green PolkaDot Box has a great reputation and one that their customers are proud of.

d.

One last test that we ran which was beneficial was based on question 13 which

reads, On a scale of 1-10, how easy is it to navigate the Green PolkaDot Box website (1 being difficult to navigate, 10 being easy to navigate). We ran another ANOVA test and thought the love group would have more of an impact than other groups. However, there was no statistical difference between groups on this question. The means for the groups were 7.5, 7.75, and 7.4. The averages were very close and didnt have any real significance. We thought that website navigation would have more of an impact depending on which groups ordered more. e. We also tested Question 11 which reads, Why do you continue ordering from the

Green PolkaDot Box? Select top two reasons: Convenience, Price, Product Selection, Reliability, Product Quality, Trust in the Green PolkaDot Boxs mission, I do not order from the Green PolkaDot Box, and Other. We ran a Chi-Square test against our new 53

frequency to see which the reasons the love group chose most. The results show that the love group continues to order because they trust Green PolkaDot Boxs mission and Price. These are important because it helps Green PolkaDot Box understand why loyal customers keep returning to shop. It also shows the areas which it can improve on as well.

Although we ran many different tests comparing our results, we found these questions to best represent the love group. The tests we ran showed significant results for the love group. Based on our research questions and the data gathered, these results best suit the clients needs. Each question that was tested proved to be statistically significant and invaluable for Green PolkaDot Box. The results we gathered will help to better reach the love group and to understand how they can use them to better their company. The ultimate goal is to increase customer transactions and that will then increase company profit. We ran the rest of the test, but did not find them statistically significant. However, they will be included in the appendix.

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Strategic Recommendations

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STRATEGIC RECOMMENDATIONS
Synthesize the background and primary research to develop a SWOT analysis. Strengths: o o o o Weaknesses: o o o Strong customer loyalty to Green PolkaDot Box Customers understand the company goals Customers have an appreciation for company values They are already trying to live healthy lifestyles The Love Group has a skewed opinion because they do love it They are biased because some are heavy investors in the company Many of the members of the love group are financially invested in the company and are supposed to purchase food weekly

Opportunities: o Birthday and gift package promotions-an idea brought to us by the love group o Increasing the referral rate and making it beneficial for users o Spread the good news of GPDB by word of mouth o GPDB has a great opportunity to expand their customer reach, especially those with food allergies and restrictions. Threats: o The decline of the organic trend, which is rapidly occurring and past advocates are turning their backs on organic (Dr. Oz) o The high cost of the products o People shopping at local markets o Other online shopping has been made available (Amazon.com, etc.) Situation Analysis The Green PolkaDot Box has become a mecca for organic food lovers and people with dietary restrictions alike. The simplicity and delivery service GPDB offers is one that other retailers cannot compete with. Loyal customers love GPDBs ideas and their companys goals. The convenience and quality of this company is one their customers love. However, there is a lack of awareness of the services and products GPDB offers in the organic food world. The organic community is unaware of the business itself, and customer-buying behaviors are not as frequent as GPDB would like. Many local markets and grocery stores are providing organic food options and services. Seattle, Denver, Portland and Los Angeles are some of the top cities for organic

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selling food options. Customers are frustrated with the inconsistency of products and the website itself. If GPDB fails to fix these problems the customers of GPDB will be frustrated with the business and be less likely to purchase and be advocates for the company. Core problem/opportunity statement: If GPDB does not retain current customers and expand their customer base, then the company will be in financial danger and may close their doors. Make recommendations (strategies and tactics) based on the research. Strategy: To establish customer loyalty and advocacy by interacting with customers through special online promotions. o Make mini Birthday or gift Green Polkadot Boxes available for current customers to send to their friends and family as the perfect birthday or special occasion gift. o Offer Holiday Specials to get more people to buy and use for their holiday dinners. o Describe the specific health benefits of products that are on special so that people are interested in buying them. o Combine with health-awareness times of year and give weekly specials that match up with the themes. In 2012, there were many health-awareness months, weeks and days that GPDB could offer themed promotions for. January 8-14 National Folic Acid Awareness Week March 27 American Diabetes Alert Day April 2-8 National Public Health Week April 7 World Health Day May 1-31 National Celiac Disease Awareness Month

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May 13-19 Food Allergy Awareness Week May 13-19 Womens Health Week July 11-17 Mens Health Week September 1-30 Fruit and Veggies- More Matters Month September 1-30 National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month September 13 National Celiac Disease Awareness Day September 1-30 National Cholesterol Education Month September 1-30 Whole Grains Month October 1 Child Health Day October 16 World Food Day More details about health observance days can be found at http://healthfinder.gov/nho/nho.asp

Strategy: To raise awareness of the GPDB and the products they offer through Awareness Events. o Set up a booth at SLC farmers markets and markets around Utah, but also expand to other cities with health conscious audiences such as Los Angeles, Portland, and Denver (Have examples of the different types of products and services, and make it possible for people to sign up and make their first purchase there and then) o Make possible for customers to host a GPDP Dinner Party made with organic food from the site. o Host a recipe night with food and take photos. (Combine with social media tactic number 1). o GPDB sampling, maybe open a support group for those with similar dietary restrictions and discuss meal options with them. o Research found that most of the online chatter about organic food is driven by celebrities. GPDB hosting a concert at Gingers Garden Cafe in Springville, UT would be an excellent tactic. Get the band to endorse the company and have examples of the products there as well.

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Strategy: To raise awareness of GPDB and the products they offer through social media. o Launch a photo-recipe Contest using products from GPDB and the winners recipes are featured on the website. o Create a twitter account, and create at least 2-3 meaningful Tweets about relevant topics per day. o Facebook page revamp- Utilize the Facebook page better to make it more user friendly and relevant to the company. o Create a Pinterest account and post photos of food and/or recipes regularly. o Link social media badges to the GPDB website so people can follow them on social media and receive custom notifications about promotions and related information.

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Conclusion

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CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM PRIMARY RESEARCH

a. After reviewing the research we have done for the love group, it is clear there are

three main reasons this group continues to shop at Green PolkaDot Box. The first reason is the cost-effectiveness and competitive pricing of the products, the second is convenience of shopping in the comfort of their own home, or wherever they happen to be, and finally the health benefits of the products themselves. However, the love group is looking for a stronger, more reliable ordering system on the website and they are ordering the maximum amount possible from GPDB. We also found that the frequent shoppers are often shareholders in the company and are deeply invested in the success of GPDB. The key to making GPDB successful is focusing on the right audience. Rather than asking their loyal customers to double what they are already spending, the key to GPDBs success is going to hinge on reaching the right network of health-conscious people who value organic foods that do not include GMOs. Some information we found valuable from the research how the ordering process works. There were frustrations with the details in the actual ordering process on the website. Some of the products are not always offered and the customers favorite products are discontinued without warning. Customers would also like the option to pull up their previous orders. Even though the survey showed the love group had the highest recommendation rates to friends, our focus group said that they hadnt done so yet and would not recommend GPDB until the company and website were up to par. GPDB members said the main reason they still shop at other locations is GPDB does not always have everything they want to buy. They also said it is sometimes easier

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to run to Costco. Another large factor was the produce selection offered on GPDB was not large enough and it was easier to buy organic produce locally. Our research showed that customers who shop online primarily shop at GPDB, but Amazon.com is their biggest competitor. The research also showed that most customers did not find shipping costs to be a problem. Customers were not concerned with a product arriving late,which was originally expected to be a larger issue. Finally we found that the love group continues to order because they trust Green PolkaDot Boxs mission and price. This will help GPDB know what to focus on to persuade others to shop with Green PolkaDot Box.

b. The research which was performed for Green PolkaDot Box was useful, but there were also drawbacks as well as strengths to performing primary research. The strengths to performing our own research was we were using their clients. This was useful because when we conducted our focus groups, the people participating purchase from our client on a regular basis. These people were extremely familiar with the ins and outs of the company and knew the problems that needed to be fixed and stated them clearly. Our survey was also helpful because we were able to create questions with our same audience in mind. We had already conducted the focus group and knew of some problems, which needed to be fixed. The purpose of the survey was to gather numerical data to reinforce our previous research, which would help us pinpoint the needs of Green PolkaDot Box. The weaknesses and limitations of conducting our own research had to do with resources, but also included our client. We were limited to working with the email list

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which was provided to us from Green PolkaDot Box. Another limitation we had was the questions which ended up on the survey. They were not best suited for what the client wanted. This happened because the client wanted specific questions on the survey as well as in a certain format. Overall, the research we conducted was effective and helpful to the client, but there were weaknesses and limitations we had as a class and as a group.

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Appendix Focus Group Transcript

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Focus Group Transcript

Participants: Connie Self Age: 57 Gender: Female Marital Status: Married, no children Occupation: Project Manager Number of purchases from GDBP each month: 1-2 Tracey Christensen Age: 42 Gender: Female Marital Status: Married with children Occupation: Health Coach Number of purchases from GPDB each month: Bi- monthly Suzy Hayes Age: 46 Gender: Female Marital Status: Married, no children Occupation: School Administrator Number of purchases from GDBP each month: Monthly

Tim Hayes Age: 46 Gender: Male Marital Status: Married, no children Occupation: Small business owner Number of purchases from GDBP each month: Monthly Misty Amodt (E-mail) Age: 42 Gender: Female Marital Status: Married with children Occupation: Homemaker Number of purchases from GDBP each month: 1

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Transcription: Amberly: The first question is, do you do any regular other online food shopping? Tracey: No Misty: No Connie: No, I'm waiting for Rod Suzy: Yes. Amberly: Where? Suzy: One less wait- for chicken, and we also do Beyond Organic, and there's another company Amberly: What do you get from the other? Suzy: Um, the thing we like about beyond organic is that everything is all organic, all grass fed, all beef. And we have a connection with the owner of that company as well, so that's why. Amberly: So how does GPDB fit into your lifestyle? Misty: I like it - there is more variety for me as a vegan by choice Connie: I live rurally, so it's hard for me to got to the store, and I LOVE coming home to a box of groceries on my front step. I just love it, that I didn't have to drive somewhere to get it. Tracey: My kids love it. It's fast, and I do like being able to shop online because I can do it at any hour, in any form of attire, so that's nice. I'm not, like, a coupon shopper, I'm not a person that can stand to go to ten different stores, so there are times when i can do that when, because I can recognize that it's a good deal, but I'll often shop specials on GPDB so that but the things that I know that's the best deal that I could get without having to go to a bunch of stores. Suzy: For us, we are super busy professionals, so time is a big thing. It's convenient, I can do it wherever, whenever, in whatever city I happen to be in at the time, and if it lands on my doorstep, I can get someone to get it, or I can time it when I'm going to be home because I know that their delivery is pretty accurate when they say it's going to arrive. Tim: It's pretty fast.

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Amberly: This is kind of a similar question, do you buy all of your groceries at GPDB? You said that you purchased soap and detergent as well. Misty: no Connie: Yeah but I don't only shop there, I can't get everything I need, I wish I could. Suzy: I don't, I mean, it depends on when. I buy a lot, but I find the little things, if I'm making some kind of specialty dish, I go and I get what I can fresh. You know, for example, lemons, I'm not going to buy two pounds of lemons every month. Or if I need some herbs or stuff like that, I'll just go and get it at the store. That's about my limitation. I think as far as making specialty dishes, I think that that's - they don't offer that. Amberly: Okay, so who do you talk to about GPDB? Misty: Friends who are either vegan or who own local food businesses Tim: I don't talk to many people about it. Mostly because I've been waiting for the produce thing to kick in, and trying to describe it, it takes some time, so, rather than getting into it because we have an MLM state of Utah, there's a prejudice, so I'm waiting to go hey, look, you can buy it less expensive here, you know, I'm waiting for it to be more benefit. Suzy: I would agree with him. In terms of explaining it, it's confusing. Um, and how it works, and also there have been some glitches with the website and things like that, so we've just kind of been waiting for the website. Tim: But there's still glitches. Suzy: Yeah there's still glitches. Amberly: we'll get to that for sure. Tracey: Okay, well I am not a shareholder, I was bummed because I was too late to be a shareholder, however I have emailed with Rod a bunch of times, and I did the trial program of the charter system. But I have issues with that, but who do I talk to about that? I have talked to my family, and I kind of also was waiting for this whole program to be set up, not because I like how its setup, I haven't really talked to everybody about it, but I have talked to certain members of my family who I know would dig it. Cara: So would you say you talk to people who are interested already? Tracey: People who I know are interested in eating healthily. Amberly: Connie have you talked about it?

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Connie: I've talked to my friends, I've talked to my family, I've given away brochures, I've gone door-to-door and stuck those things on the doorstep, and got zero from that. I had some people sign up. I have given away free memberships, and they don't buy a thing. And so one of the things that I'm discovering is that I think it's really hard for people to change their habits. You go to the grocery store, you're there anyways, you buy your stuff, so why would I do that when I'm going to the grocery store anyway? And I think that's the biggest thing, is that it's hard for people to change their habits, and even I find that. For the produce, you know, it's limited selection, so if I'm going to be gone, or I find that you know I could do less, and we couldn't really eat all that produce. And we have lemon juice every morning, and so I can buy all those lemons, that works every week. but it's um, in talking to people, you know first of all, is it MLM? No it's not MLM, okay well that's good, but then there's still, there's resistance, it feels like work to them. And my friends that live rurally, or far away, that makes more sense to them, but if they're going to the grocery store anyway, I think that's going to be the biggest hurdle, which I did no think about, is to just change people's habits. We've gotta figure out thathow do you get people to do something different? And that's the biggest challenge that they face I think. Because even myself, I think I order $100 a month, because there's stuff that's not there, so I'm still going to Costco, I'm still going to, you know, Smith's and I'd rather not be because that's so far out. Tracey: I think you're right, I think that's very true, you have to be coming, because people shopping online, the food is going to take longer. Partially because it's the convenience. Suzy: It's automatic gratification, and it's planning. It's like, I have all this food right now, what do I do with it? If you're not kind of thinking, okay, I'm going to buy this so I could prepare this. So maybe like recipes or something like, that you could use with different products would be helpful for those people who don't plan, and aren't really in that mindset. I know every few days, you know, they just buy all their groceries, and probably it takes more time, and a lot of it, for me it's a huge time saver and I love it for that reason. Tracey: It can be a time saver for most, and then if you need to pick up one thing, Connie: And that's more doable than spending an hour in the grocery store. You walk in there, it's like I go to Costco and Smith's, and I feel like I'm disappearing into this metropolis for five hours, and I will avoid that as long as possible. Going into Smith's on my way up the hill is one thing, but disappearing into Costco-land.. I spend hours in there, and I buy way more than I usually eat and so this saves me money. But, we'll get there. Amberly: And then you said that you didn't like some things about the system, but you didn't say what things. Tracey: I think that I'm probably just confused about it, but um, to me, at least the email when he finally said okay, so the trial, or you've got it set up so you can say and tell your

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friends, it was a really complicated process, and then you know, give us all your friends' names because we're going to pose things to them, I don't like that. I feel that I should be in control of the information that I give to my friends. It's going to come across better and it'll come across as way less pushy, way less MLM, that people would be way more receptive to it if I am like "Oh my gosh this rocks, it's so easy and try it out, let me show you how to do it." But I just think it will be a big turn off- I don't want my friends to have a bunch of GPDB initiated communication, because then they'll hide it- they'll block it and they'll be done. Connie: Yeah people get so many emails, and so much stuff anymore that they just have to be mindful of that. Amberly: Okay, so why did you first begin shopping at GPDB? Misty: We eat a LOT of produce in our family, so I was hoping for fresh and inexpensive but organic produce Connie: Well I, my big thing, first is that I'm out to do in Monsanto. I am really frightened that only ten companies in the world control all the food. That is a very frightening concept, and just in terms of our own well-being and controlling our own little world, you know my family and my community, and 10 companies, that is a frighteningly small number for the whole world's food production. I mean, I'm not talking about little tiny farmer's markets, but in terms of all the food that is in all the grocery stores across the world. So I was on board for that immediately, because I've watched all the food eats and all the different films on what's happening. And the whole seed thing, that farmers can't clean their seeds and re-use them in our country anymore, Monsanto is like, outlawed, I just can't believe what Monsanto is doing to our country in terms of our own food production, it's really frightening, so I want all non-GMO foods, and Rod said that he's really serious about that, making sure they are all non-GMO foods. I cant believe what we are doing to our country. So I was on board for that immediately and all the different films on what has happened. Farmers cant clean their seeds and reuse them in our country anymore. I cant believe what we are doing to our country. I live rurally, even educating people about that they want to know. I keep finding more people who are interested in that (referring to organic food) if I can convince them that we have to do is get them to I dont have a lot of options here, I am kind of mad at whole foods. I am really excited for to get better and better and have more stuff. So I can only rely on them. What is really frightening is that 60% of our population is obese, 25% of our military cant get in because they are obese and cannot serve they are rejected because they are overweight, this is the United States, we should be healthy and active. We got to get our act together. It is political. Suzy: As you can tell people who are really in the loop and want to educate themselves and then there are people who are ignorant and dont want to listen. And we came here tonight instead of listening to our political program, we are kind of boycotting the other media because we are sick of their one sided message. I am so tired of being controlled.

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Amberly: So why did you start shopping here? Tim: Mine was just okay, trust related, okay rob so you say you can beat Costco pricing. That was number one, Suzy: I also think we are health conscious. Tim: I was lucky that I got to get into the business side of it, in my mind people will say, is it cheaper? Tracey: I lost 32 pounds earlier this year, I didnt want to eat the old normal way, so when I saw someone posting about it. The health, the convenience and the price are the reason I shop here at GPDB. Amberly: What keeps you coming back? Misty said I like supporting this company. Tracey: Well I do love the convenience. My kids think it is just like Christmas, my big frustration is that I dont know the whole buying system of the company, but when I find something that I like and I go and its not there then it is frustrating. So I have my favorites. Then I do get frustrated because I am going in and trying to find everything that I like. Tim: Wouldnt it be great if you could pull up your old order? Suzy: I re-order a lot, we have our favorites and we try to order something new every order. Every time. I wish we could label our favorites so I can go in and look at our favorites list, you know its overwhelming. And because its like drag and drop into your basket it never works. I dont know if I will ever order any of the produce. Who knows maybe it will all change? Tim: One thing in the past is that there needs to be some, showing of how big it is. There is no dimension of size on the internet. It has to be visual. It must be visual measurement. Like even if you bring in a ruler. Tim: We still come back because we are invested in it, Amberly: If you werent shareholders do you think you would still purchase at gbdp? Connie: I can see how it would be easy to fall away because I still go to the grocery store. I think it would be easy because you go to the grocery store anyway, one day I went to the grocery store and I bought a ton of spaghetti sauce and I bought eight bottles and because you know, that is going to last me for awhile.

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Tim: I think you gotta, you need that reminder or a thing that is like okay here are your specials. Are you ready to reorder? Order today. Tim: Although I already do get emails from rod and I accept it because rod is a friend and again I am like oh no not another email from GPDB. You want me to take 30 minutes out of my day today and just kind of like- I appreciate the way he phrases things, he is articulate. The frequency is too high in their dilemma mode. Connie: I sent him an email saying ok now I am worried about it. Suzy: I appreciate honesty though. Connie: I do I like that they arent trying to hide anything. Tracey: I dont know I might not use the membership right now. I dont know. Tim: Heres another thought for me is that. You know, two weeks ago there were three of us got in this huge debate about organic foods are not as strict, as whatever like oh my gosh. Now if rod could address that. There needs to be someone monitoring the nutritional websites, and I do that for my own business. And they can just pick out of it just go recent studies indicate that coconut water does Blah. Then Im more apt to receive an email and go, oh thats nice. Ok, Im getting an essential nutrient by taking GPDB fruit and heres what it does for the body and its measurable benefit. So if he does send us emails or newsletters or here is the specials for the month, there might be a section of that that indicates here are your health benefits for the stuff thats in this newsletter or summarize it really, really short. Tracey: And thats much easier to forward too. Youd be more likely to go, oh ill share that with somebody. Cause its useful. Tim: So if youll send that to them and make it really short it would help. Tracey: They should also say different families favorite snack food. Cause thats like oh what is everyone else eating, what does somebody else like and have pictures of it. Then I can be like oh ya, I can see my kids eating that. That information would be good. Amberly: What are your favorite products? I heard you mention Spry Gum. I see you all agree to that. Tracey: Ya, ya Suzy: love all the frozen foods. Im not really sure about the breaded snacks. I really like Pamela's gluten free. The spices are a little funky, they are too much. I wont buy them anymore Tim: My favorite is the meal in a can salmon del four

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Connie: They have salmon, they have beans, salad mix. We just took those home with us Tim: Im on the road 200 days out of the year and I just keep those with me. Throw them in a pack. If Im starving, Im not going to grab junk food, Ill have those. Connie: It keeps you away from the junk. Tracey: Do you warm them up? Suzy: No, you can eat them right out of the can. They come with a spoon Tim: They come with a spoon and sea salt and pepper. You pull the top, eat it and chuck it. Suzy: Its sort of like a tuna fish can. Tim: Except that its salmon. Tracey: But its tasty? Its not just the fish? Connie: No because its pasta and vegetables, and its a whole little meal. Its like a pasta salad with salmon. And its good. Quite tasty. Suzy: Most importantly, its quick. I mean I would not go home and eat that for dinner. But in a car or on the river, we were quite happy. Its just really fast food. Connie: I was really glad when they started carrying organic. Organic is very important to me, I dont care what the studies say. I know my experience and I know what I dont want to put in my body. So organic is important and for a long time they didnt have any organic nuts. Now they do. Now its starting to be winter, but during the summer, I eat so much fresh fruits and salads. So now Ill be eating my grains and cereals and nuts in the mornings. Ill get almond milk again so Ill start buying more products like that instead of summer stuff. Its a challenging business. A lot of them dont do well. Tracey: One of the thing that I dont care for is the sodium content in some of the food. Tim: Oh ya Tracey: Especially in the Asian foods. Oh my gosh, its like 720 mg. I threw them all in the garbage. I couldnt eat them. Suzy: Those bean chips are horrible. We eat a lot of the chips, but those ones are just bad. Tracey: I eat a lot of the nutrition bars they offer. Like the ones over there are really good.

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Tim: Ya, those are good. These are the coconut almond ones and we like those ones. Suzy: Ya there are things we like and we eat. We have tried everything to some degree. Oh and the shampoo for dogs, we love that. Its the best. I really like it though for our dog. Ive also used some of the facial products and I like some of the creams and some of the cleansers. The laundry detergent I like a lot. Eco Clear, the steel magnolias. I like that one. Amberly: Earlier you said we need to be changing peoples habits. Our job is to figure out how to make people do what we want them to. And so, you said you changed your lifestyle and you have changed to try to live a healthier lifestyle. So what motivated you to do that and how do you think we could motivate other people to live like that? Connie: I think its like what he said. If people get the information it will work. They may have heard organic doesnt make any difference. Well, here is why it really does. We need to counter what is in the news today and really educate people in a fun, simple, concise way. Suzy: Another thing is, they havent really found a specific target market. And so they need to find some way to tap into the health food market because its not like a group of people. Athletes are a good way. Its also a good way to get a lot of money because they care about their bodies and they take care of their bodies because they can tell the benefits. Thats a huge group to tap into. Connie: And I also think families. When we talk about educating, I dont think people know that 60% or Americans are obese or overweight and that child obesity is a huge, huge issue. And theyre offering solutions. There are still a lot of sweet and fattening things at GPDB. There is plenty of it. Maybe they should start labeling really great snacks that are low in calories. Tim: I would almost say that every single product needs to have a health benefit. Tracey: I know they already have symbols for no MSG, no trans-fat and organic. But those cookies they have on there still have a ton of sugar even though they are organic. They need to have symbols that are for no sugar and low fat so that people know. People dont care until they start thinking seriously about it. Suzy: The other thing that has become really popular are health coaches. Well now it is going more towards online nutrition coaches and health coaches, trainers that are online. If somehow they can get in that because it is becoming very popular to be online for coaches. Its very popular back east Tim: I think thats a really good idea. Maybe Rod should bring on two people. The first could guide people through their first order. It could say, this is what other families or couples have liked and maybe you would like it too.

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Tracey: I think thats a great idea. It would help me to do that. Tim: And then also they need to have another person on staff to monitor what is going on in the industry. So every day there is another global announcement on one of the main websites. All these are would be little bits of information that could be posted on the site. So someone goes to check out and it says, just so you know this is happening back east. This will be like, oh my gosh, they are actually monitoring the food industry and Im getting updates with my membership. Tracey: They need to work on social marketing. I mean, there are no tweets going on. 80% of people have twitter accounts or Facebook. Its a great way to connect with people. Look at the offers on Facebook. They offer free stuff and information. That could be huge for them. Tim: I agree, its a great corporate market. It could get 2-3 boxes ordered a day and publicity for them and their staff. Suzy: It could just be one or two good tweets a day about them and people who find it interesting would be like, oh I want to follow them. So theres a company, and I could put you in touch with them. They control a bunch of social media in the area here and in Salt Lake and you could get them involved in the training and networking that comes along with that is just awesome. They could kind of tell them about whats going on and about how companies are using those. It could also show how companies who have someone full time updating their social media can affect them. Suzy: Even if its just every half hour, you could send out the tweets in prime time. Amberly: Is there anything else in the concerns area that anyone wants to bring up? Connie: In the title of the items, it should say organic. Like instead of dried cranberries, say organic dried cranberries. Because right now I have to click on the picture, to see the tiny little word organic. It should be right on the name of the product, and be more clear that the product is organic. The product descriptions could also be better. Like if it says 50 ounces of laundry detergent, how many loads is that? Suzy: It needs to be quick, so information can be found more quick. Because people just dont have the time. Connie: Ya, because even clicking on the picture takes me time, and I dont want to do that. I just want to be able to see right away that its organic. Organic dried cranberries, then I can also check the labels for sugar and other ingredients. Thats my main thing, it should be its own category. Tracey: Ya, it might be its own category, but I dont shop by category.

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Amberly: Do you mean the different categories you can shop by on the site? Tracey: Ya, like if youre celiac or need gluten free. I like that. Like how you can shop for only gluten free items. Connie: But there needs to be a little symbol so people know what theyre buying. Because Im in to all of this stuff, but even I dont always recognize those things, so other people arent going to know either. Suzy: And if youve spent a lot of time on it. Connie: Ya. Suzy: But for me, if I go to baking, and the list comes down, it jumps away before I can click on anything. Tracey: Mine does too! Suzy: It like requires speed and coordination. Its weird. Tracey: Ya, so you go to click on it, but its so weird. You have to hold it and try to click it, but maybe youll get it on the first time. Connie: But they just need to have their labels be more clear. So it says organic raw vanilla bean, organic cow powder, organically grown rice. Ill assume, but Ill always check. All the labels should just say organic. And, theyre getting more stuff. Suzy: Ya its fun to see more and more things. I see more on there each month. But do you know how long its going to take for them to sell produce too? Connie: Theyre working on it right now. Right now they have 500 people committed, for $25 a month or more. I just signed up today for $25 a month. But my question is if I can regularly change the address my products are sent to. Because sometimes we travel and I want it to go wherever I am. So, those are my questions. But, I want it to work. I have to get into a rhythym of when to shop and when I need to get groceries. So I can commit to $25 a week, but I cant do more than that. Cara: They just did a survey about the possibility of providing produce. Did you guys participate? Connie: Well, I clicked on the survey, but its actually a pitch to get me to commit to ordering $25 a month of produce. Its not really a survey, like did you get it on time? When you got your produce, was it good? So they need to fix that, thats not right. Its misleading.

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Suzy: But something else I would like to ask about is the possibility of doing a gift box for someone else. I love that idea. I would send that out for gifts for people I know would enjoy it, just a mini one. Tim Ya maybe they could have pre-made cards. So, you could just send it with, heres thinking of you. You could even throw a birthday thing in there. Tracey: Ya I would love that. It would help the company, and save me time. You could even send it as a wedding gift. And you could make it a $25 minimum. Tim: And we could send the best stuff, that we like. Tracey: And they could have different sizes available, like small and medium. And you could just drag and drop the items you want into it. You could just order how much would fit into the box. Suzy: Maybe GPDB could make it half price shipping if youre sending it to someone else as a gift, in a small package. You could get more out of my pocket that way. Connie: Well right now its at having to spend a minimum of $25, and for free shipping you have to spend $75. Suzy: But they could make another deal with FedEx. They should negotiate making small packages less shipping costs. Tim: Well maybe if the package is being sent to a third party, they could make it half price. Suzy: And, its basically free marketing on our dollar. Theyre not having to pay a cent other than just to negotiate something with FedEx and a smaller package. Connie: Ya, put that in that they need to negotiate for a smaller package, or they wont remember. Amberly: Were recording our meeting, so dont worry, GPDB will know what is discussed. Connie: Well were the love group, imagine what the hate group is saying! Tracey: Well, they need someone monitoring their social media, so they can counteract negative messages that may be out there, because even for myself as Ive googled. Connie: Also, because my one sister, shes never eaten healthy a day in her life. She drinks like a fish every night. You know, the doctor told her she almost died. But, shes drunk every night for 20 or 30 years. But, when her lab results came back her liver was totally fine. But anyway, my point is she got all excited about organic foods because she

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learned she could get 20% more nutrition. So, she could justify spending more because shes trying to lose weight. She likes that she can get more nutrition while eating less calories. So, you have to counteract other opinions that are out there. Suzy: And that can be the pesticide thing as well. Even it was justified. Like saying sulfur is a necessary part of your diet. Tracey: But with whatever is said, you have to check the media source. And you have to validate the research too. Tim: But GPDB should respond when negative things are said about them, because no one is responding. GPDB should monitor what is being said about them and organic food. They could provide a summary of what has happened this week. Suzy: They could pull together small companies to help each other, so theyre not over run by larger organizations. Connie: Well I got some grapes from the produce. My last produce order was warm when I got it. Ive never had that happen. It always came in the ice box still frozen, it was amazing. And this time everything was melted and it was warm and my grapes were already going moldy. And some of the oranges were moldy and the lettuce too and it was bad. I was so busy I didnt call and tell them, and I didnt order again for a while. And it came really, really late in the day and it was not Fedexed it was the other guys. IN fact I was bummed to order from them again because it came at like 7 at night. Tracey: Do you feel like when you get produce it is a good value for your money? It what you get Connie: Sometimes I would pay a little more I think, but I look at it and I can see that its 2 pounds and so for the grapes right now, two pounds will get me. Yes I kind of look at it and measure. I kind of, you know, weight it in my own mind. Like two pounds of organic grapes, and even there, it does say certified organic. So two pounds for $4.99, thats $2.50 a pound, thats about as cheap as I can find organic grapes and they are often $3.49 or $3.99 a pound. So I know thats good value. A 4 pound bag for $3.99, thats pretty good. Maybe I could find it a little cheaper once in a while somewhere. Tim: What about farmers markets? Do you shop there? Connie: Yes, well I dont shop there since I moved, well I do up in Eden, theres slim pickings. Tim: Theres a lot of farmers markets on the Wasatch front. And I dont know, Ive not compared, so Im curious. People can go up to

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Tracey: In the summer, the pricing for me personally and how much we are able to save because of our traveling and schedules and what not. Thats our biggest challenge. Its probably too much for when were home and when were not. Tim: But Im curious do you guys have any feedback on pricing on veggies, fruits and veggies. Can anyone say theyre better than Costco Amberly: I dont know on the produce, I know on all the other stuff, Sariah said it was all the cheapest. Im not sure Connie: The green leaf lettuce, that is really normal. For $1,89 I can get that if I go to the health food store and I will pay exactly that for a bunch of green leaf or red leaf lettuce or baker romaine for $1.99. If you go to Costco and buy the big bins for $3.99, it goes rotten so fast. I find that two days later its rotten for me so I dont buy it anymore. I dont like the wait. Its a cheaper deal. Tim: If they cant figure out the produce segment then theyve got some problems because they need that. Amberly: I know that they are working on improving that. Suzy: It would be nice if they had some fresh herbs. Another thing that Ive asked them about is like all there granolas are really expensive. The 6 oz arent so bad but the 12 oz are. I can go buy bulk for so cheap and they said that they would do bulk eventually and that would make a big difference. We have some interns working with us on the building lot and we provided all the food and hes like I cant order that its too expensive. Ill just go to the health food store and pick it up myself in bulk. Its fine with me because we can use that money for something else, but thats an issue. Tracey: Whats your company? Suzy: We have a mountain foundation, we make movies without Raising money thats the challenge. Money is always the biggest challenge. Amberly: Do you guys have any questions or suggestions for them? Anything you want to add? If you think of anything while you're sleeping Tim: I believe that we havent talked at all about the network part of it. Members are saying theres an interesting thats a big asset to them to tell your friends and heres how you do it. we can help you and heres some promptings. Okay I can tell Ive been sitting here for an hour ( all voices jump in) Suzy: Theyd all make more money if they did this Connie: What I was hoping was that I would have a little red sign saying Welcome to Green PolkaDot Box, your friend Connie referred you here. And then I could give them

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out and have them check out Green PolkaDot box and then tell people. And if they wanted to put stuff on Green PolkaDot Box saying that would be fine but I dont want them emailing me. If only I could choose Tim: Heres a thought you could send out and order a gift box to determine what they want. You could give them a link saying heres your gift certificate and you choose the contents of your basket. And then they have to have that Green PolkaDot Box experience. Suzy: I tell you the problem with that is people dont use their gift cards, Its a time issue. But if you give them something that arrives on their porch, and then there like oh my gosh its a Green PolkDot Box. Tim: They like to see things on their porch. Suzy: Yes they do. They created what in the world is this. Where did this come from? Oh my gosh this came for me. I love this. Tracey: Weve been trying to give her to buy something for her daughter. Just do it and three months later she had never done it. Mondays the new month and were going to place an order for her and send it because shes just too busy because shes a new single mom and making it all work. Suzy: I think its a little intimidating. Its taken me a little while. Tim: What if you send it to them and they get that expressed and sign it with a coupon saying and for you next gift next month or when you want to reorder the next reorder is on us too. Suzy: Thats a good idea. Tim: And its free. Its the same amount or whatever. Suzy: Yep. Thats a whole order. Maybe like 25 dollars. Tracey: Maybe even 5 bucks off. People do anything for 5 bucks off. Time: With a coupon credited to your account for your referral and theres Connie: I think thats a really good idea like once a month there was coupon for me. Order today or order by Friday and use this coupon. Tracey: And especially or even if you dont buy products. I know when things are starting to expire. They have things in the warehouse expire anyways you know and they want to move things that arent moving or whatever. Connie: (chatter) Give them away. They should give them away

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Tracey: Right. As a freebee. Anything that expires you can put in for free Tim: One other thing, when the boxes come they create quite a mess and I dont know what the solution is. Connie: I want to give all that stuff back. Suzy: When they deliver. Tim: And recycle area and go oh my gosh but I guess you just pack stuff in my own business I just use theirs. Suzy: Im always like whos moving whos moving when I see those boxes. If I could leave my packaging from the previous order and when they delivered that one and pick up that one it would be so cool. What about the other guys? The truck ones? Connie: I dont know. Amberly: Then your produce will be rotten. Just kidding. Tracey: I dont know if there is a good solution. Connie: We could save 10 dollars a month to have a green boxes picked up. I would drive for that. Suzy: I would pay 10 dollars for that. Tim: I wonder if they have a shredding machine (chattering and fading off) Amberly: Thank you so much.

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