Battle of the giants...

OK, at least one of them is called by the above name, but I'm not saying which is which.  Somebody might just sue me out of my pants.  But their battles against each other is fought without guns and bombs or missiles.  They only use strategies.  They try to win hearts and wallets.  And of course, the bottom line; Hard Cold Cash.

In the beginning each occupy his own location and each try to exert and expand his area of influence.  One stayed north, the other stayed south.  One plays by a more gentlemanly rule.  Let's say they advertise a period of a few days and put up certain items at reduced prices.  They make sure they have enough stocks to last the few days throughout the period advertised.  Customers happily part with their money even though some of those items are not really needed at the moment.  They feel this giant is more trust-worthy as they are given a fair deal.  Most customers even become members of their card club.

The other uses little bits of tricks every now and then.  They also advertise certain number of days of sale with items on offer at reduced prices.  But a few hours after opening, the items are finished.  Customers who go through the aisles, the shelves and hunt diligently for those items end up frustrated.  They find only empty spaces in the shelves.  The spaces look too small to be convincing.  Customers started talking to each other.  Some are made to go a wild goose chase by some equally blur staffs.  Or they are told to go to a special counter. 

Sometimes they go home empty handed, or without those items they want.  They buy less.  But they never forget they feel like they've been tricked.  A few times of hearing "sale, sale (wolf, wolf)" and they begin say, "Oh let's not bother wasting our time.  Sell their fliers to the old-newspaper man.  Let's wait for the other hypermarket to put up a sales offer".

Soon, the other giant, knowing they're winning the war, decided to invade the other big guy's territory.  They put up an even bigger building than their enemy's and sent out their fliers and buntings.  On opening day, the whole area was jammed. 

So far, the story is on-going.  In the end, who's going to win the war?  Well, the end is not here yet.  But we're enjoy the shopping and watching the battle of the giants...