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Coke® Or Pepsi®?

By
Real Estate Agent with Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 BRE# 01494165

 

I do the shopping in the family. Feel a bit like the old commercial "I can bring home the bacon and fry it up in the pan." I don't mind. Every time my husband goes to the market he comes home with such practical things as smoked trout and granulated honey....don't ask.

This week I was stocking up on soda as my son was having a "movie night" party and teenagers need lots of junk food for this. I was picking up the 12 packs of Coca Cola® and Dr. Pepper®...and noticed the reduced prices of Pepsi® at the other end of the aisle. Many of our Mission Viejo Supermarkets seem to always have great sales on Pepsi products, sometimes half the cost of Coke®.

It's tempting! But one thing I've learned is that you are either a Coke® person or a Pepsi® person. Which makes me wonder why Pepsi® feels it's a good marketing tool to lower their prices so much. Don't they believe they have a loyal following without the low prices?

As a Coke® drinker (Diet Coke® to be precise), I've tried Diet Pepsi®....because of the price...but I can tell the difference. The Pepsi® products tend to just sit in the garage fridge until we are really desperate, often as replacement cans of Coke® products fill in the gaps in front. It's this brand loyalty that makes me pay more, sometimes twice as much, for the Coca Cola® and Dr. Pepper® rather than take advantage of the low Pepsi® prices.

As a Mission Viejo Real Estate Agent, I wonder. What do I do that keeps my clients coming back and passing up the other agents who offer rebates and discounts? Is it the quality of service? The practical perspective about the Orange County Real Estate Market? Of just loyalty? Would my clients consider me Coke®?

Seems to me that if we provide a quality product, we will have the business. We don't need to discount nor be afraid to state that commission percentage. I do not buy Pepsi because it's on sale....I buy Coke® because I love it.

Comments(89)

Tim Bradley
Contour Investment Properties - Jackson Hole, WY
Commercial Real Estate Expert in Jackson Hole, WY

We men come home with granulated trout and smoked honey for a reason. So we don't get asked to go shopping again. ;)

Apr 16, 2012 12:46 AM
Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

Karen,  I fully embrace your message and I get your point.  My thoughts on coke versus pepsi is a taste preference where price would not be an issue.  I see discounting a product and discounting a service in two completely different categories. The value we bring as real estate professionals cannot be compared to the value of a discount broker. We all know discount brokers have an offense and defense for their business strategy. At the end of the day, the quality of service people experience with their real estate agent is best measured when they have a bad experience ... which might be the same as the bad taste of pepsi when one's preference is coke!  Then suddenly, paying more is no longer an issue!  Fun reading post and comments. 

Apr 16, 2012 01:19 AM
LaNita Cates
REMAX of Joliet - Joliet, IL

I'm one of those odd people that actually like both. I can absolutely tell the difference but like both. It's like me liking Black Walnut ice cream and Cookie Dough ice cream. I'll take either!

Apr 16, 2012 01:22 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

I'm a Pepsi person and in our supermarkets, we see the sales between the brands alternate.  One week it's Coke, the next Pepsi.  Love how you brought this back around to what you offer that beats your competition no matter what rebate they offer.

Apr 16, 2012 01:25 AM
Elisa Uribe Realtor #01427070
Golden Gate Sotheby's International - Berkeley, CA
Opening the Doors to California Homes -East Bay

Wow, sounds like a great challenge would be for active rainers to see if they can make the switch from soda to no soda:) Coke has 10 teaspoons of sugar in ever can. 

 

http://newsburglar.com/2008/01/17/sugar-can-coke/

  • Drinking one Coke a day for a year results in the consumption of 32 pounds of sugar.
  • Drinking one Coke a day, instead of an equivalent amount of tap water, for a full year would cause you to gain 18 pounds.

Sorry, I'm a bit focued on the soda versus the correlations to brand loyalty:)
Apr 16, 2012 02:04 AM
Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner
Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 - Mission Viejo, CA
Orange County & Lake Arrowhead, CA (949)510-2395

Tim: Ah, that's the trick, huh? Very cute!!

Kathleen: I'm not really talking about the discount brokerages, but rather agents who feel they need to discount their commission to get the business. I think those are totally different things. When a seller asks about the commission....why not ask what you're worth?

LaNita: Yum, Black Walnut....

Chris Ann: We rarely see discounts in Coke...but it really doesn't seem to matter either way.

Elisa: I don't think sugar is the enemy, much better for you than the substitutes. :) Ironically sugar is healthier (in moderation) than artificial things. I think.

 

Apr 16, 2012 02:34 AM
David J. Stiles
Waynesville, NC

I have always been a Coca Cola person but after a recent trip to Ireland it is difficult to drink soda made with high fructose corn syrup.  Soda made with cane sugar is just so much smoother and better tasting.  Try to find a Mexican bottled Coca Cola at a local restaurant or wholesale food supplier.  You won't go back!

My wife just bought a SodaStream and the soda is excellent. The syrups are made with sugar and the calories per serving are actually much lower.  I probably won't drink a Cocal Cola again at home except for an occassional Vanilla Coke.

Apr 16, 2012 02:53 AM
Steven Cook
No Longer Processing Mortgages. - Tacoma, WA

Karen - interesting that your post came up when I opened up today -- just had a guest from the Netherlands at our home on Saturday.  He indicated that in his country, the tastes of these two drinks are reversed from what they are here.

The point that every person is going to have different tastes, and we need to find those who mesh with our way of doing business to be successful is a very good reminder.

Apr 16, 2012 03:23 AM
Robert Amato
Bob Amato of Empire Home Mortgage Inc - East Meadow, NY

Coke here Karen. In New York , coke and pepsi prices are within a few cents of each other. Interesting that in Cali there is such a big difference.

Apr 16, 2012 03:36 AM
Christina Sanchez Hood
Palo Alto, CA
#SiliconValleyHOODS | Inspired Living

Karen, I see Loyalty is truly the key point of your piece.  Love it and be loyal to it.  My simple breakdown of your post is that 'not all cola's are the same', much like real estate agents.  We each have our own flavor / personality that appeals or repels people.  When we have loyal clients, honor them and remember it is not about quantity of clients, it is about the quality of each client.  Good thoughts!

 

p.s. Coke, enough said!

 

Apr 16, 2012 04:02 AM
Marie Story
Coldwell Banker - Pinecrest (Miami) - Pinecrest, FL
Broker Associate, Pinecrest (Miami) Specialist

COKE

 

Always.  I’ve even been in restaurants where I’ve asked for a Coke and have been told they only have Pepsi and I’ll say, “I’ll have water please”.

Apr 16, 2012 04:18 AM
Dominique Britton
GoHomeToAtlanta.com Realty LLC - 678.250.5022 - Buford, GA
Experience the Difference in Real Estate Services

COKE!!!

Apr 16, 2012 04:57 AM
Karen Anne Stone
New Home Hunters of Fort Worth and Tarrant County - Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth Real Estate

Karen:  Of course I am kidding about the bowl of olives and the condensed milk.  I was just bouncing that off of Margie's comment in #24.  She said that is all that her husby brought home from one time he went grocery shopping for her.

I guess that is also a great way for any husby to make sure he is never asked to go grocery shopping again.  Clever ?  Mebbe so.  But... if it were me, I'd make him eat the olives and milk, or no sex for a week... LOL.

Apr 16, 2012 05:11 AM
Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner
Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 - Mission Viejo, CA
Orange County & Lake Arrowhead, CA (949)510-2395

David: I've heard about the Soda Stream too...I don't drink that much actually.

Steven: That's interesting, I've had Cokes overseas and have not noticed this. Except my Diet Coke is "Coca Cola Light"

Bob: I see sales all the time on Pepsi and very rarely on Coke

Christina: You are right on....and once we have that loyalty, we don't need to lower prices to keep it

Marie: I don't buy Pepsi for the same reason, I want to get what I enjoy

Dominique: Enough said

Karen Anne: Ok....that makes more sense. I'm not sure if I'm relieved because it was so odd, or annoyed that I was too dense to get it. :) Need some Diet Coke and Caffeine I guess.

Apr 16, 2012 05:36 AM
Bryan Robertson
Los Altos, CA

Great analogy!  I'm rarely permitted to do the grocery shopping in my house!  On the point, I do see a few buyers shift based on price but the service is seldom what they want.  Stay with what works and "let the buy beware".

Apr 16, 2012 07:35 AM
Michelle Francis
Tim Francis Realty LLC - Atlanta, GA
Realtor, Buckhead Atlanta Homes for Sale & Lease

Karen, 

You definately hit a nerve with this one.  I know why clients use me, I take care of them and get fabulous referrals.  I am not the cheapest, but I am good at what I do and look our for my clients. 

Now, about the Coke or other brand - in Atlanta it's almost impossible to find the other guy in some locations.  Coke - all the way.  (Not to mention that I have a ton of Coke - clients - working with a new Coke buyer right now.)

All the best, Michelle

Apr 16, 2012 08:13 AM
Marge Draper
Keller Williams Realty Palo Alto - Menlo Park, CA
REALTOR, Keller Williams Realty, Menlo Park CA

Karen,  I get your point.  It's the aftertaste!  I like the one I get with my Pepsi  -- warm, no ice, please.  I think my clients come back and/or call for advice because of the service I provide.  No cut rates here.  Learned that a long time ago!

Apr 16, 2012 08:19 AM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

I have a refrigerator out in my garage, that is primarily for the purpose of storing the beverages.  I keep just about every drinkable thing known to mankind out there.  Coke, Pepsi, 7 Up, Rootbeer, and Water.  I also keep the white wines chilled there.

In my family I have one family member who is a dedicated Diet Pepsi fan.  The kids all gravitate to the Root Beer or Orange Soda.  I tend to drink more water than soda.  I notice that the Pepsi and Coke tend to leave the refrigerator on special family get togethers at about the same pace:-)

I tend to stock up on soda when the brand goes on sale.  However, I don't think that maneuver is wise when selling or buying something really important, like real estate. . .Only the best shall do!

Apr 16, 2012 09:38 AM
Tibor I. Olah
Apex Results Realty Inc.Brokerage - Burlington, ON

Coke first choice at any price

Apr 17, 2012 12:48 PM
Kim Skumanick
Keller Williams Real Estate - Tunkhannock, PA
Great analogy Karen! Diet Coke (sometimes with lime) for me. You could write a second blog post entitled "Do you drink soda, pop,or coke?"
Apr 25, 2012 01:46 PM