Elusive OXO-cubes.

More on those damned elusive OXO-cubes.

- Once more ‘I step into the breach’ my dear fellow OXO-cube lovers -

In May 2008 I put up a post called “Those damned elusive OXO-cubes”, for me [then] it was a ‘fun’ post just a little bit of a tongue in the cheek post, not for one minute did I imagine it would cause so much interest and resulting in over a hundred e-mails and a overall 60-ish comments.

I did try and reply to everyone of them although after a while the replies did become a ‘rubber stamp‘ reply, sorry about that.

I have never knowing been beaten in my life and surrender is not in my vocabulary.

At first I did make some mild tentative enquiries with my local Supermarket why they no longer stocked the cubes I wanted only to be told the manufactures couldn’t or wouldn’t supply them. I tried another two popular well known supermarkets to be told the same reason. I phoned the manufactures only to be told the retailers purchasers weren’t ordering them - funny that, one saying one thing and the other saying the opposite.

With so much interest being expressed from other people who said they too couldn’t find and purchase those elusive cubes generated me into in depth enquiry as to the real reason [s] why. Sorting through all the stupid and inaccurate replies I received, some abusive, some funny some genuine and some damn right offensive [comments edited by me - phone calls, e-mail replies and letters] I think the following [copy of comment] from the very sensible Blogger Mouse may well be true and to a degree accurate.

At 8/21/2008 05:41:00 PM , Blogger Mouse said... [My comment: Posted without permission.]

Booo! Got this reply today:

Dear

With reference to your recent email request address to Andrew Ward as to where you are able to purchase our Chinese and Mexican OXO Herb and Spice Cubes. We have been asked to reply on Mr Ward's behalf.

We are informed by the Marketing Manager for OXO that Retailer's sales diminished and as a result their orders to us reduced significantly. The OXO Spice Cubes are a relatively difficult product to manufacture and were no longer economically viable for us to make in small quantities so we had no option but to discontinue the Mexican, Indian and Chinese varieties. For this reason, it is unlikely that they will be reinstated. We are continuing to manufacture the Italian variety as we are currently still receiving sufficient orders from retailers.

May we take this opportunity of thanking you for taking the time and trouble in contacting us and trust that you will continue to enjoy our wide range of quality products.

May we assure you of our best attention at all times.

Yours sincerely

Melanie
Consumer Relations Advisor

This seems plausible, makes sense to me, however I think there are other factors as well, they are my assumptions and not facts so I’m not going to list them.

It was suggested because I had started the OXO-cube shortages that I should organise some sort of campaign and originate a petition to get them reinstated. I thought long and hard for this, I sort legal advice and spoke to members of my family, mostly the advice I was given was as there wasn’t much chance of getting them reinstate so best not to start unless I could persuade some ‘Big Guns‘ to be sympathetic to ‘our cause’.

I telephoned the local two Radio Stations also to the two Television Stations and asked them if they would be interested in informing their listeners and viewers [a slot in one of their consumer programs] about how the large manufactures were dictating what we the consumer should have instead of the consumer telling the manufactures what we wanted. Sad to report none of them expressed any interest, one station said there wouldn’t be much interest in anything like that.

A side note from me: If you reply or leave a comment I’m sorry I can not reply to them, the reason is last year when “Those damned elusive OXO-cubes” was at it’s height I was going to bed thinking OXO-cubes, waking up in the morning thinking OXO-cubes and spending most of my computer time with OXO. One good thing that, for me has come out this involvement with all those OXO-cubes questions and answers is I now make my own cubes.

The following [copy of comment] from the very sensible Baba is the latest comment received. [My comment: Posted without permission.]

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Those damned elusive OXO-cubes.":

Hi Mike
Like you I use flavoured OXO cubes if and when I can get them but I find that the supply has dried up. I am in the Borders of Scotland. A few months ago I managed to get Mexican and Chinese in Poundstrechers.
I cannot find either Indian or Italian Grrrrrrrrrrrrr
Sorry but there is no way I will give away or sell any of my stock and will use them even if the use by date has long gone. My nose works perfectly well and if they even smell bad I will know!!!
I am wondering if you have done anything about a campaign to ask OXO to get it together to bring them back.
I would definitely agree with the person who said that it was bad marketing or I would change it to NO marketing. I don't remember seeing any ads about them!! AND lack of investment to allow the public to 'get to know the lovely little spicy cubes' that work wonders in my cooking. I'd sack the lot of them

The OXO site is still not up and running and that's nearly a year since the first comment about it was posted. Looks like they could be going out of business.

many thanks.

baba.

OK some of you might say I was beaten by OXO, some of you might say I surrender to ‘them’ , no sorry I never engaged them in the first place. [My training is never engage the enemy unless you can win or have a superior force.

My OXO-cube posts. Mick.

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