random_skeins (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} random_skeins) wrote,@ 2006-10-30 21:18:00 |
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cops and fish market
I figured after driving 280 so much I'd discovered where all the hiding places cops use to catch speeders, but today I found a new one. Going north on 280 at Sand Hill, I'd previously seen cops hide out, but they were pretty easy to spot because the foliage didn't cover them completely.
Today, I did my standard scan as I passed the on/off-ramp, and detected no cops. It wasn't until I looked at my rear view window a quarter mile later I saw a cop hiding behind a huge bush or tree. I'm still not sure exactly where he was, but I think he was more removed from the highway than normal. I'll try and pinpoint where he is tomorrow.
It makes me wonder how many other spots are still out there I don't know about though.
In other news, Suzy and I occasionally eat at the Fish Market. They have a new promotion going on for their 30th anniversary. They give you two gift certificates when you are paying for your meal worth between $10 and $100. Here's the catch: they are sealed in an envelope, and are void if opened. On your next visit, you can present the envelope, and when you pay the manager opens it up and you discover how much your gift certificate is worth.
We did this and got $12 off our meal. They also gave us two more gift certificates, so now we have 3 more to use up. I had initially thought the majority of gift certificates would be for $10 off, but Suzy wondered whether the majority of them were actually $12 so people would feel like they didn't get the worst possible outcome. After thinking about it, I think I agree with her analysis.
I also wonder how this affects customer behavior. A couple things I can think of are that customers will be more likely to bring friends so that if they do get the $100 gift certificate it wouldn't have gone to waste. Another thing is that most people don't value saving $20 and getting $20 equally -- they are more likely to value the free $20 less. This might lead to people buying more food because it's like "free money."
It also helps keep the Fish Market in the minds of customers. I know I have a mental list of restaurants I go through when deciding where to eat. For various reasons, sometimes places (even ones I like) drop off that list for some reason, and once they do they generally stay off. This promotion helps keep it on the mental list of people I think.
One last thing I thought of is it's possible people will be more willing to try new items they normally wouldn't try because even if they don't like it, it's not like they had to pay for it (this is a variation on the "free money" concept).
I think it's a pretty clever promotion, and it's too bad I'll probably never be able to find out how effective it was (though I guess if I see imitations pop up all over the place I'll know it works well).
I figured after driving 280 so much I'd discovered where all the hiding places cops use to catch speeders, but today I found a new one. Going north on 280 at Sand Hill, I'd previously seen cops hide out, but they were pretty easy to spot because the foliage didn't cover them completely.
Today, I did my standard scan as I passed the on/off-ramp, and detected no cops. It wasn't until I looked at my rear view window a quarter mile later I saw a cop hiding behind a huge bush or tree. I'm still not sure exactly where he was, but I think he was more removed from the highway than normal. I'll try and pinpoint where he is tomorrow.
It makes me wonder how many other spots are still out there I don't know about though.
In other news, Suzy and I occasionally eat at the Fish Market. They have a new promotion going on for their 30th anniversary. They give you two gift certificates when you are paying for your meal worth between $10 and $100. Here's the catch: they are sealed in an envelope, and are void if opened. On your next visit, you can present the envelope, and when you pay the manager opens it up and you discover how much your gift certificate is worth.
We did this and got $12 off our meal. They also gave us two more gift certificates, so now we have 3 more to use up. I had initially thought the majority of gift certificates would be for $10 off, but Suzy wondered whether the majority of them were actually $12 so people would feel like they didn't get the worst possible outcome. After thinking about it, I think I agree with her analysis.
I also wonder how this affects customer behavior. A couple things I can think of are that customers will be more likely to bring friends so that if they do get the $100 gift certificate it wouldn't have gone to waste. Another thing is that most people don't value saving $20 and getting $20 equally -- they are more likely to value the free $20 less. This might lead to people buying more food because it's like "free money."
It also helps keep the Fish Market in the minds of customers. I know I have a mental list of restaurants I go through when deciding where to eat. For various reasons, sometimes places (even ones I like) drop off that list for some reason, and once they do they generally stay off. This promotion helps keep it on the mental list of people I think.
One last thing I thought of is it's possible people will be more willing to try new items they normally wouldn't try because even if they don't like it, it's not like they had to pay for it (this is a variation on the "free money" concept).
I think it's a pretty clever promotion, and it's too bad I'll probably never be able to find out how effective it was (though I guess if I see imitations pop up all over the place I'll know it works well).
