There was a confession bear on reddit a bit ago where a guy would put up ads on Craigslist for really cheap, popular items with a business's phone number in the ad. The guy apparently had to keep changing his phone numbers and it really hurt his bottom line. The business in question apparently bullied the OP as a kid, but still pretty diabolical.
How do I utterly destroy an upstart rival
- Thread starter NotTheGuyYouKill
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Ignore him and focus on diminishing the price advantage of his offerings.
Take the money you're making that he's not (because he's undercutting you) and put it into making your offerings more compelling. If you're able to fund ways to continually delight your customers more than him then you'll win in the long run.
Take the money you're making that he's not (because he's undercutting you) and put it into making your offerings more compelling. If you're able to fund ways to continually delight your customers more than him then you'll win in the long run.
That yearbook pic is as old as the Internet.
Cow Mengde
Banned
No he's not. This is business.
Phoenix
Member
Phase 1: Lawsuits as a delaying tactic. Its not going to be effective, but this almost always slows momentum - theirs and yours. Use discovery to determine how his business is able to work competitively and gather enough intel for the next phase.
Phase 2: Disrupt his supply chain by find people who can do the same job at the same price and offer that as a budget brand of your product. Force him to cut his margins while keeping yours intact at the higher end. Offer additional services, value so that you can differentiate.
Phase 3: Build a stronger brand. Apple doesn't win because it makes better products. Apple wins because people trust the brand - inherently, and will pay additional money for products that do the same thing because they trust the brand.
Phase 4: Brand Warfare. You don't need to go after him directly, but you need to make sure that customers view your products as superior. Do a lot of surveys to determine why they are choosing your competitor and go directly after them in that context.
Phase 2: Disrupt his supply chain by find people who can do the same job at the same price and offer that as a budget brand of your product. Force him to cut his margins while keeping yours intact at the higher end. Offer additional services, value so that you can differentiate.
Phase 3: Build a stronger brand. Apple doesn't win because it makes better products. Apple wins because people trust the brand - inherently, and will pay additional money for products that do the same thing because they trust the brand.
Phase 4: Brand Warfare. You don't need to go after him directly, but you need to make sure that customers view your products as superior. Do a lot of surveys to determine why they are choosing your competitor and go directly after them in that context.
Watch Da Birdie
I buy cakes for myself on my birthday it's not weird lots of people do it I bet
It's a meme pic.
And I'm pretty sure in this case the OP is supposed to be the one in the picture, since he wants to make his rival fail.
Take this a few steps further. Have a public demonstration of said employee showing off your rivals products. Make ABSOLUTELY sure he/she emphasizes your rivals company name. Then something goes wrong. HORRIBLY WRONG. Have him/her pretend to get cut with fake blood flying everywhere, then watch as Youtube videos get plastered everywhere showing off what exactly happened. Company name ruined. Sweep in and take over like a boss.
What kind of product are you selling? I'm trying to figure out if you could find a way to bundle extra services with your products. Is it a product that your customers are actively conscious of price and value or is it something that is just renewed every 12 months?
You could send out a message in industry papers talking about your commitment to competitive pricing. If you are dealing with business-to-business sales, you can use this as a chance to negotiate and lock down current clients to persuade them from incurring the costs of switching to your competitor's product line. Invest more in advertising. Talk about the advantages of your products and the originality of them.
It's really hard to give you advice without understanding every variable.
You could send out a message in industry papers talking about your commitment to competitive pricing. If you are dealing with business-to-business sales, you can use this as a chance to negotiate and lock down current clients to persuade them from incurring the costs of switching to your competitor's product line. Invest more in advertising. Talk about the advantages of your products and the originality of them.
It's really hard to give you advice without understanding every variable.
Deified Data
Banned
If he provides the better service, he should succeed. Why do you hate capitalism, OP?
Forsaken82
Member
Fire the person working for you who is leaking information to him allowing him to copy your product because clearly someone is giving him info...
Or you can just make a better product than he makes and won't ever have to worry. Market your product better. Make it better in every which way and he can copy all he wants. You establish yourself as the alpha company, no one wants the copy cat unless they are better.
Or you can just make a better product than he makes and won't ever have to worry. Market your product better. Make it better in every which way and he can copy all he wants. You establish yourself as the alpha company, no one wants the copy cat unless they are better.
The Abominable Snowman
Member
Ask homeless people to go over his place and loiter during the busy hours.
NotTheGuyYouKill
Member
I think I have a superior product, but a lot of people care more about the price and look than the actual quality of the material. That said, I think I have a better cost advantage than he does. What's problematic is that while I can price accordingly and beat him in the long run, I don't want to keep that kind of thing running too long.
I'm not going to manipulate anything, I just want to beat him. I never said I was the good guy here.
There are no good guys here.
Edit: That said, I do not at all want to do anything illegal. I just want to beat him fair and square. Cheating is not something I do, it's something he did.
What?
Aquamarine
Member
BronsonLee
Member
Look, just don't try and kill Tony Stark. It's a bad idea
NotTheGuyYouKill
Member
Building materials supply. I know I'm being vague, and I am sorry for that. That said, a lot of this stuff is definitely helping me work through some stuff.
I love capitalism! I want to be the one who wins though.
He used to work with me, so no one leaked info to him.
But I like the idea of becoming the Alpha.
Whatever man, Try to spin this anyway you want.
Already sent a an email to the authorities. I have a good friend who works there.
I have seen way too many small businesses get fucked over by the likes of you, not letting this shit fly. Good luck going under because of the legal costs you are going to have now, Karma is a bitch aint it?
What, ;p;
NotTheGuyYouKill
Member
ClosingADoor
Member
Well, I don't know if advise from a videogame forum is going to help you here...
BronsonLee
Member
This...this ends badly. I'm going to assume you're astoundingly mistaken here.
WAPPLE
Aquamarine
Member
NotTheGuyYouKill
Member
I really hope so.
If you want more clarification, my rival is a former co-worker that no longer works here but opened up his own business to compete against us.
We were once friends, but no longer.
I do not like him.
BronsonLee
Member
Dear Kraftwerk;
You are silly.
Yours,
Franck
You are silly.
Yours,
Franck
I think you're going to have a tough time knocking him out of business swiftly without pricing warfare.
I would probably go the route of messaging your commitment to competitive pricing and see if you can get the your competitor to back down. You have cost advantage.
Also, use this an opportunity to emphasize the quality of your products and the hassle of changing suppliers. Advertise, message within the industry, and be proactive in protecting your retaining your current clients even if it means giving in on price and quantity for the time being.
Eventually, your competitor will either have to move out or be bought out. That's my advice. Make sure you are careful with sending messages within the industry. It can be dicey. Just follow established guidelines for messaging competitors and clients on your intentions.
I would probably go the route of messaging your commitment to competitive pricing and see if you can get the your competitor to back down. You have cost advantage.
Also, use this an opportunity to emphasize the quality of your products and the hassle of changing suppliers. Advertise, message within the industry, and be proactive in protecting your retaining your current clients even if it means giving in on price and quantity for the time being.
Eventually, your competitor will either have to move out or be bought out. That's my advice. Make sure you are careful with sending messages within the industry. It can be dicey. Just follow established guidelines for messaging competitors and clients on your intentions.
NotTheGuyYouKill
Member
I don't like the lawsuits idea, I don't want to do that stuff.
But the rest of it, I like it.
This is a joke post right? If not it seems pretty sad and misguided.
ReturnOfTheRAT
Member
What is wrong with you?
Sure, here is a direct quote;
The scary language you use, and you literally said how much significantly bigger than him you are.
Me and my family came to san fransicso from Guan Jing in the Xianku province in the 50's. My parents worked their ass off to start a small business to support us through school. A decade later another came came and ran him out and made my dad declare bankruptcy,
His spirit was completely broken, and he is still a zombie all these decades later. He is just an empty shell. A husk of his former self.
Not going to let that happen again to another person.
You will rue this day, the day you made a thread on gaf.
Dynamite Shikoku
Congratulations, you really deserve it!
You're dealing drugs right
FalsettoVibe
Member
Please tell me you're kidding.
SteveWinwood
Member
oh my lord
:lizlemonbiggesteyeroll:
:lizlemonbiggesteyeroll:
BronsonLee
Member
Blargonaut
Banned
Cow Mengde
Banned
Let's give them some bad reviews on yelp!
NotTheGuyYouKill
Member
I know I can get into price warring, and that's what we've done, I simply don't like it. Doing so delays other plans that we're working on.
Edit 2: I edited my entire response out cause now I think Kraftwerk was just fucking with me.
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