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Dec
15
Smart Ideas – The Quality of Initiative
by Eric Lehner
.You know, it’s a real joy to witness the growing “buzz” of activity around Joanna’s Customer Service station. There is an increase in the sort of calls that reveal positive local connections are taking hold. Here is a small example, but typical of the growth of activity amongst the emerging network of independent Winning Colours retailers. It’s terrific when self-motivated people do positive things consistently, making success a natural outcome of good habits.
The Village Paint Supply store in Newburgh, New York received our custom designed counter display (with the carpet sample and blue paint stripe through the middle). Designing it, getting it there and following-up to ensure that it’s doing its job was our part in the equation. However, this is where the store took over. They have now asked for a second unit because they’ve made an arrangement with the carpet store in the same plaza to install another Winning Colours counter display there. The logic is clear – the carpet store is seeing people every day who have carpet issues, so their customers are a natural fit for carpet cleaning solutions that work. By putting Winning Colours on display in their carpet store, and directing customers to pick it up next store in the paint retailer, the carpet store is doing its customers a service. The paint store benefits as well of course. Everyone wins, including most importantly, the consumer. That initiative by the paint store and the courtesy of the carpet store has just doubled the exposure of Winning Colours on the strength of something as simple as a good idea.
How many other examples of cooperation, large and small, known and unknown, are still ahead as Winning Colours gains traction?
I think both post are half right, but put them together and add or change a couple of words, then they show the complete possibility lol.
Jeff is loading his boat.
he is getting ready for the run....
That approach is just different than what most people are accustomed too. We usually only think about the things in our homes that we save by using winning colours, but don't think about the possible savings we can achieve from buying discounted items that can be made good as new by using winning colours.
Scup has mentioned the value of savings related to winning colours many times when he cleans items that would otherwise have to be thrown away because of the stains on them. To add to his savings stories, let me tell you what some friends of mine have started doing to save money.
They have began shopping for their family's clothing at discount retailers like Dirt Cheap and Hudsons Salvage, where the clothing items are usually damaged or have a stain of some type on them. They will buy the stained items at a 70% to 90% discount, and use winning colours to remove the stains. These people aren't poor, and can completely afford to buy the items at Macy's, Dillards, or wherever they want, but they told me there is no need to pay full retail price when they can get the same items for a fraction of the cost, and the winning colours makes them good as new.
Dec
14
Winter Use for Winning Colours – Salt Stains in Car Interiors
by Eric Lehner
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Although Canadians got the first winter snow, about half of the U.S. mainland has now had some initial winter snow fall too.
Winning Brands receives plenty of anecdotal feedback about the use of Winning Colours by auto detailers, and consumers themselves, who use Winning Colours Stain Remover for removing salt stains from carpeting in the vehicle. It’s not an issue in California or Florida of course, but millions of drivers in the Northern U.S. know all about the crust that forms in rings on the carpet. The versatility of Winning Colours is terrific, because the new uses just keep coming.
The outdoor advertising above is the first recycling bin advertising to feature Lowe’s (this one at a traffic intersection in Canada). The manager at the Lowe’s closest to this location had asked for us to help altert motorists that Winning Colours was now available in their store too. This was installed Friday.
It’s a source of pride for Winning Brands when retail partners of this calibre are glad to let it be known that this product is available at their store.
http://winningbrandscorporation.com/blog/2010/12/14/winter-use-for-winning-colours-salt-stains-in-car-interiors/
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Any idea what chain of store that is in?
I believe we may not be very well know, but that seems to be changing given this exerpt from the CEO blog. Our time is coming IMO!!!
I’m travelling to a line-review invitation with a national banner. Such line reviews, for those who are not familiar with the process, involve a comprehensive review of what, specifically, a prospective supplier is suggesting when talking about a national listing. Is the supplier proposing that a competing SKU be removed from the retailer’s shelf? If so, which one? Why will the retailer be better off? How will the retailer’s business benefit? What is the competitive environment today in this category, from the perspective of the supplier? What does this possible new supplier commit to and how will they deliver on those commitments? It’s a highly detailed process and is reviewed by the retailer’s category management team. Winning Colours has been known for a while, because we have approached senior retailers diligently for a long time. Now for the first time, the invitations are emerging. This no doubt means that our brand is moving up the decision making ladder. Participation in such a review is not a guarantee of a listing. Most aspiring brands will not be selected. The process takes longer than people outside the industry would suppose. It’s also more sophisticated. The days of just getting a listing for personal reasons are long gone in the largest firms.
Dec
04
Weblog Traffic Since November 15th.
by Eric Lehner
.We are examining weblog visitation on an on-going basis to assess whether it is a useful communications tool for its intended purpose. Early indicators are encouraging.
Since measurement began on November 15th, there have been over 3,500 visitors (as opposed to “page views” which are much higher of course). It would seem that during the 3 weeks of measurement, these 3,500 visits represented approximately 500 different people who are checking in from time to time, with that number growing.
This does not include additional RSS Feed subscribers. RSS Feed is the tool offered on the upper left-hand corner of the weblog by which interested parties receive transmission of the posts to their e-mail accounts automatically without having to visit the blog. Therefore, once a person subscribes, they don’t need to return to the blog, but still get the primary benefit. Unread postings appear as an unread e-mail in the recipients’ regular e-mail in-box. A person may still return to use the “Search” feature for quick look-up of previous discussions. It’s easy to enter a term like “Canadian Tire” and get all the relevant posts organized for a quick scan.
We’ll keep reviewing.
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No problem raising concerns, and given the differing views maybe something Eric needed to address. The only problem I see is the way the question was posed to Eric, and I'm glad he posted the question as it was asked, so everyone could see the BS he has to deal with lol.
What I find odd is the way the idiot worded the question to Eric, as if to imply things were'nt on the up and up lol.
Guess they were shut up again!!!!
As one of Karry's clients, Rona would be a nice addition given similar stores in Canada include Lowes, Home Depot, and Canadian Tire. Seems like a natural fit, and we now have access to them though the new distributor. Also Bed Bath and Beyond is one on their clients as well.
RONA is the largest Canadian distributor and retailer of hardware, renovation and gardening products. RONA operates a network of close to 700 corporate, franchise and affiliate stores of various sizes and formats. With nearly 30,000 employees working under its family of banners in every region of Canada and more than 15 million square feet of retail space, the RONA store network generates over $6 billion in annual retail sales.
Founded in 1971, Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. and subsidiaries is a chain of retail stores operating under the names Bed Bath & Beyond in the United States and Canada, as well as, Christmas Tree Shops, Harmon, Harmon Face Values and buybuy BABY in the Untied States. Through a joint venture, the Company also operates retail stores in Mexico under the name “Home & More”. The Company sells a wide assortment of merchandise principally including domestics merchandise and home furnishings as well as food, giftware, health and beauty care items and infant and toddler merchandise. The Company's over 1,000 stores principally range in size from 20,000 to 50,000 square feet, with some stores exceeding 80,000 square feet. The Company’s objective is to be the customer’s first choice for products and services in the categories offered, in the markets in which the Company operates. The Company’s strategy is to achieve this objective through excellent customer service, an extensive breadth and depth of assortment, everyday low prices, introduction of new merchandising offerings and development of its infrastructure. Shares of Bed Bath & Beyond are traded on NASDAQ under the symbol “BBBY” and are included in the Standard and Poor's 500 and Global 1200 Indices and the NASDAQ-100 Index. The Company is counted among the Fortune 500 and the Forbes 2000.
I also like the idea of incentives to sales representatives on a monthly/quarterly basis, and sent this idea to Eric many moons ago. The response I recieved back was they do what they are allowed to within the distribution network. I decided to check with a couple of people I know that have a vast inside knowlegde of distribution companies/sales representatives, and how many companies structure their incentive pay. Some of the things I learned were things I never thought about looking at it from the outside.
Most all large distribution companies already have sales bonuses or initiative programs in place within the company. Any outside programs (if allowed) must be coordinated through them. It didn't make sense to me why any company would have a problem with one of their vendors to offer sales bonuses to their reps. based on performance, but this was their response:
Many times it creates an internal rift of sales reps, because some have accounts that the product is more suitable for than others, thus creating a disadvantage to others.
Some of the competing vendors don't like the idea that other products may be recieving preferrential treatment over theirs.
There were other reasons, but this gives an idea that sometimes our suggestions and thoughts aren't as black and white as they seem.
I believe that was about right, but that was only those who participated in the CC (approx 80 to 100)....and I'm sure some people low or high balled their holdings, so not sure how accurate that would be.
This is one from a stock transfer company, but it is more for an issuer. It explains some of the stuff here.
http://www.columbiastock.com/issuer-faq/
There are some good links that explain all that stuff, let me see if I can find one right quick and post it.
Well it is very confusing at times, because most people look to pink sheet filings to determine information. Sometimes things get missed or misunderstood along the way.
The number of shareholders listed is not the actual number of people who own shares of a particular stock. Most of the shares held in street name are being held by brokerages, Cede & Co. list the brokerages as the shareholder. Thus the low number of shareholders listed. If you were to pull certs on your stock you would then be listed as the shareholder.
Street name is the term given to securities held in the name of a brokerage on behalf of a customer, usually done to facilitate subsequent transactions. Street name refers to beneficial shareholders who maintain their ownership through a brokerage. Street name holders are the opposite of registered holders.
Winning Brands could pull a NOBO list to determine beneficial owners.
P.S... I do not use boardmarks as a way of judging any particular stocks interest. 1. Because I personally at the moment have about 7 boards marked, but I read only 1, WNBD. 2. Because as per the last filing, we have only 300 stockholders...yet we have over 700 boardmarks...telling me the "boardmark" feature has absolutely nothing to do with how many people are watching this stock. With all the news, blogs, potential we have going here, theres no way 400+ people would be simply waiting on timing. Which leads to... 3. I believe the boardmarks at one point in time were pumped up by posters trying to artificially increase the number. Out of 700 plus people were really viewing us, why do less than 30 post on any single day.
Dec
01
Winning Colours Stain Remover Store Count
by Eric Lehner
.It is difficult for a consumer product manufacturer to know exactly where its product is sold. In our case, this is due to the following reasons:
Distributors, who are “intermediaries” in the supply chain that buy from the manufacturer and sell to independent retailers, do not usually provide the names of their accounts to manufacturers. This is because distributors worry that a manufacturer will bypass the distributor in order to sell directly to their retail account. In the case of Winning Brands, sufficient trust has been earned that this information is now increasingly provided by request, but not always.
When distributors do provide this information, it is not an automatic, nor recurring, event. We must request it, and must sometimes work hard to obtain it. When it arrives from several sources it is in different formats. Therefore, reporting periods covered by the distributors, and details, are not identical.
Retail chains have the right to determine which of their stores, within their banner, have inventory at any given point in time. It has happened several times that a larger retailer will provide the distributor with their list, at our request, and will state that the product will be availale in their locations in due course, but not necessarily everywhere immediately due to a roll out schedule that is not disclosed. In those locations, the product can still be ordered by consumers who walk into the store asking for it because the product is in the database of available SKU’s.
Some retail banners have outlets that are managed by their corporate headquarters, while others are franchised, or a mix.
Some distributors have minimum order requirements, causing small retailers to remain out-of-stock until the minimum threshold is achieved by combining an order of Winning Colours with other paint accessories.
There are stores that do carry Winning Colours that have never been reported to us.
There are stores that have purchased from a distributor initially, but may not have reordered for any number of reasons, including the fact that they do not deal with the distributor any more.
Store change hands and alter their product lines.
Stores go out of business.
In other words, the Store Locator function serves as a convenient tool for consumers. It approximates to the best of our ability the distribution of consumer “points of purchase” across the map. If this tool were not available, there would be no method for website visitors to learn about possible outlets near the consumer’s residence. It is highly beneficial for the consumer, and therefore for Winning Brands and its shareholders, that some mechanism exist for this purpose. Most consumer product brands do not even attempt to maintain such a record because of the challenge that this process represents. Retailers themselves only show their own locations on their websites; that would be of no value to visitors to www.WinningColours.com or www.WinningBrands.com.
Accordingly, it is a model that works well and serves an important need. I am proud of the work that our team does in maintaining this database.
Like all models that deal with large data streams that are originated manually, there is a certain statistical margin for error, therefore it is the general trend that matters from a shareholder perspective. We have developed a protocol to begin tracking numbers to reveal these trends.
As of today, the point of purchase locations in principal markets are as follows:
Canada 3,934
United States 1,251
Australia 222
New Zealand 217
The list above does not include locations internationally where tests are being carried out, nor our Ambassador’s locations. Please note that these numbers may go through short term dips from month to month. This arises from our culling the database periodically to adjust obsolete information.
The business goal is to increase the velocity, or turnover, of inventory in these locations. There are many factors affecting this. A number of techniques are being considered to foster enhanced efficiency in this regard. Some things are very basic, such as requesting better shelf locations (to avoid being placed up too high or down to low, or to increase the number of “facings” from one to two or three – perhaps even a merchandising display unit. Other initiatives can include co-op advertising, in-store demonstrations, conventional media support, etc.
Several things set Winning Colours apart from a simple product idea that either flies or flops within a short time. Firstly, the culture that governs Winning Brands relationships is one of long term planning and perseverance. People who deal with us understand that we are not a “here today, gone tomorrow” half hearted line extension. We are passionate about Winning Colours Stain Remover and it shows. Therefore, generally speaking, retailers are willing to work with us through the early formative period as we build up the in-store turnover.
Furthermore, Winning Colours Stain Remover is a terrific product. We produce and offer something really worth having in the home. As people discover what Winning Colours can do for them, the number of product fans grows. This happens within store staff groups too, and eventually advocacy for Winning Colours can be found within the stores themselves.
Additionally, the problems that Winning Colours solve, a myriad of spills and messes, occur in a large and constant quantity. What we do is not a “fad”. Society is not going to stop preferring “clean” to “grungy” any time soon. This means that we have a number of fundamental positives working for us as we strive to increase awareness amongst retailers and their consumers of the World’s Most Versatile Cleaning Solution.
We are confident that the store count will increase in 2011, that our consumer base will increase, that our production will increase, that our sales will increase and that by all measures that indicate a going concern, Winning Brands will become an increasingly attractive and successful company.
http://winningbrandscorporation.com/blog/2010/12/01/winning-colours-stain-remover-store-count/
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You know good and well that is the nature of this market. When they had the runs to .045 and .035 they were nothing more than momentuem driven, and logic tells you that they didn't have the fundamentals (speculative or factual) to sustain that share price. To compare a momentuem run of a three year high to current fundamental valuation is absured. As progress moves forward and speculation turns into fact, WNBD will be able to support and sustain a much higher fundamental valuation. The speculative momentuem runs will still continue, but they will start from a higher base.
Maybe you can direct us to some of the other (out of thousands) pink sheet stocks that have had 20,000% percent runs that have sustained that level. In particular any of them that aren't profitable, would be appreciated.
LOL good luck, that's why this is called the wild west of trading.
The problem with that line of thought is this, In this market the MM doesn't have to post the highest bid or lowest ask that he represents. All you see on L2 are the quotes they choose to display. Many times you can place a bid between the posted bid and ask (when there is a spread) and your bid will never be quoted on L2. I guess the best way to word it is buying between the POSTED bid and ask.
In my opinion, we will wake up one morning to a PR that will create the largest gap in this stocks history. Those sitting on the sidelines thinking they have plenty of time will either chase it or miss the move.
That's some good stuff compiled there ant. Sure gives us a glimps of what they are preparing for in the near future.
He may not need pull scup. Just think of the reasons for hiring a full time production manager. It's possible that many/all the Canadian Tire chain and Parts Source stores may be already in the bag for the racks deals. If that's the case, it will keep the little Canadian plant busy trying to keep products shipping if the test is any indication of how the other stores may perform.
I agree, and all the reports from some posters of dismal sales, and failed initiatives are just a part of the growth curve. These test, trials, and new initiatives through current retailers is where the data is collected to move forward. When adjustments are made which increase sales performance to a level 5-10 times higher than before, it gives leverage moving into additional retailers with proven success documentation.
You would think given the results of the test store, that if sales are being adjusted from the past performance average of approx. 6 bottles per/mo to the test period avgerage of approx. 60 bottles per/mo then there should be a significant increase in stocking orders lol.
Technical indicators on the chart are looking great, but if peeps would read the last three months of CEO blogs they would see the fundamental indicators are soaring higher than the technicals lol.
This blog is huge if you look beyond the surface. The parts source locations as you mention is something that was barely even talked about on the board, so this may come as a suprise to many here. Then you have to ask these questions....would they bring in additional personnel for rack distribution for Canadian Tire and Partsource if they were only going to do several locations. Next the is the initial order for stocking the racks. I'm not sure how many cases these locations stocked in the shelf setting, but from the results of the test location, the stores will need to increase their inventory 10 fold.
This is some exciting stuff here.
A Toronto based Canadian Tire store that agreed to take in the Winning Colours rolling display on August 18th found an immediate increase of the daily turnover from a few bottles per month to nearly two bottles per day. This was described in a Winning Brands store visitation report extract that was posted on a popular discussion forum. At the time, we reported that this change resulted in the elevation of sales from a couple of dozen in half a year to about the same amount in approximately a couple of weeks. But what has happened since then? Determining this was the purpose of today’s follow-up. That store has now sold 123 bottles (full sized 30.7 oz.) since August 18th – an increase in turnover that remains steady throughout the period and exceeds the business plan target for the brand on a per-store-basis.
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I do to scup, and I believe the racks alone could quadruple monthly/quarterly revenues by themselves in the current retail locations.
I guess Canadian Tire was impressed with the test of the cart which Eric Blogged about in October.
This blog is from Oct 12
A Toronto based Canadian Tire store that agreed to take in the Winning Colours rolling display on August 18th found an immediate increase of the daily turnover from a few bottles per month to nearly two bottles per day. This was described in a Winning Brands store visitation report extract that was posted on a popular discussion forum. At the time, we reported that this change resulted in the elevation of sales from a couple of dozen in half a year to about the same amount in approximately a couple of weeks. But what has happened since then? Determining this was the purpose of today’s follow-up. That store has now sold 123 bottles (full sized 30.7 oz.) since August 18th – an increase in turnover that remains steady throughout the period and exceeds the business plan target for the brand on a per-store-basis.
NEW BOLG
This should get attention of consumers.
Nov
30
Retail Support Strengthened
by Eric Lehner
.Winning Brands’ effort to provide practical field support to its retailers received a boost today with the first day in the field by Fred Lee, pictured below, based in Southern Ontario. Fred’s specific project for starters is to help Winning Brands introduce and install the Winning Colours Stain Remover floor display in those locations of our retail partners where it will be permitted – with a special early emphasis on Canadian Tire and PartSource.
Very early in his career, Fred worked at Canadian Tire, eventually building his business in the moving and relocation sector. He has recently sold his business and was thinking of retirement as an attractive option, but he seems to have been corralled by Winning Brands to help the company organize logistics and customer communications elements to make serious progress in the deployment of this key merchandising asset.
Fred has seen Winning Colours Stain Remover go from a product that he enjoyed using in the early days (when few people knew about it) to a product that so many people are starting to talk about. As a favour to the company, he is willing to hold off a bit on the “good life retirement” and apply his logistics savvy, business experience, and interpersonal skills to the project of deploying these displays effectively. Thanks Fred, a great deal, for being willing to take the lead in getting this done. It’s the sign of a successful person to want to keep busy even when they no longer have to! As far as Fred is concerned, this product needs to be known – so he is going to give a pre-retirement boost to a brand he belives in.
Fred Lee, Retail Support Winning Brands, is taking on the project of increasing the penetration of the Winning Colours Stain Remover floor display. The unit has been proven to be very successful for retailers who adopt it - the key is to organize the presentations and execute the implementation. Fred is taking the lead on this and today was his first day. Shown here at Canadian Tire in Brampton, Ontario.
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I guess the next logical step would be to watch and see if trades that go off between the bid and ask are the ones labeled as questionable/unknown however they label it.
LOL Tib, you may not want to put your mind in the same caliber as mine lol... oh I almost forgot what I was typing.
It certainly would be nice to know, and like I said I have only assumed it would be trades between the bid and ask....but I have been wrong many times before.
I have heard Gail say that several times, but I don't have I-hubs charting services so I've never paid it much attention. I may be wrong, but since it's practically impossible to determine what volume is dilutive I have always assumed the little green bars were trades that went off between the bid and ask....Therefore neither a buy or sell as it's commonly referred too.
You must have bought really high, and sold really low to have such hard feelings.
At a 50%-70% discount to the market price, then dilute them at any price.
Part of the growth cycle of the company IMO. The things that were considered news worthy a year ago are just part of the everyday events now.
Anybody that reads between the lines and reads the press releases can see that this company has many major failed or delayed initiatives.
Unless you are privy to inside information you have no idea of the status of the assumed failures you listed in your post. Some may be failures, some may be in taking longer to progress than others, and some you mentioned I have no reason why they are on your list, unless you wanted to make it look as bad as possible.
There will be failures in certain initiatives of every business, but they don't create disaster in companies with a solid foundation like WNBD. The point is: they have had many more successful initiatives than failures, and if you knew what it took to build a business you would understand this.