Would love to see the best conspiracy theories out there as to why this is happening. All conspiracy theories welcome include those that know the actual info, you are welcome too! You can spill your guts here and we’ll all just pass it off as a conspiracy theory.
Ok here’s mine... I’ll use company A and company H for mine.
Company A: Hey what’s up, so did hear, we’re in the grocery business now, but guess what, people can walk in grab their stuff and it charges them... no checkout required.
Company H: Yeah that’s way cool, one of our previous CEOs used to predict that one day that would happen...I mean this was way before your company existed.
Company A: Cool story bro... so what we actually wanted to talk about was that we are buying out grocery chains right now, a to reduce the competition and b to be able to use some of the infrastructure already in place instead of building all new.
Company H: Oh, well we have infrastructure, 250 stores, 84,000 employees and the shortcut facilities , online fulfillment centers and we’ve even got this cool partnership with Mark Wahlberg... Wahlburgers... you heard of them?
Company A: You’ve got what? That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.
Company H: Wahlburgers? Actually we’re on the hook to build like 20+ more. I mean you know what, a lot of companies are merging, we love the opportunity to merge with you... we like to think of ourselves as cutting edge just like you!
Company A: I’m just going to cut the c-ap here, we’re buying you, for an absurd amount of money, all your stock holders will get rich. Who makes up most of your stock holders... is it really ALL your employees like your slogan says?
Company H: Oh no, that’s just a slogan... it’s mainly Store Directors... current and former.
Company A: woah woah, that’s ridiculous, ok here’s what you got to do to make this happen. First, cut out your store directors...they can’t have that many shares, especially at store level. Second, you need to cut your labor force by 50%
Company H: Wait, 50%? I mean I think we can come up with good plan to eventually get rid of store directors, but what about all the employees.
Company A: well have you seen our business model, we have zero front end employees, just lots of tech. How about just start telling stores crazy labor numbers to hit... and when they hit them, lower that number even more. Eventually stores will start begging for technology to help them stay afloat. Then we come in and the remain workforce will be replaced.
Company H: what about corporate staff?
Company A: well your executives will get a nice pay and a cushy office, and the rest of your staff, well they’re used to long hours and little rest, we’ll just absorb them into one of our many distribution centers, they’ll fit in perfect.
Company H: hey that sounds cool, is that it?
Company A: No, how about close those fulfillment centers, as our distribution centers are light years ahead of those... why don’t you go bake bread or something in them...we need a way to sell specialty bread...
Company H: Done! Is that it?
Company A: no, that Wahlburgers is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard of... do whatever you have to to get out of that mess.
Company H:... hold my beer