The Archers - Freddie is getting OUT: will Russ hop it? Helen is falling DOWN: is Lee still in the frame? Tom is heading UP: will Natasha be the boost his sausage needs? (Thread no. 101

[DadDadDad]

We're still here and still discussing TA (The Archers). We welcome newcomers and old hands, so if you have a question or a point of view, please dive in. No spoilers - if you've seen info on future storylines, there's a separate Radio Addicts thread for that.

I loved all the name changes on the last thread. Don't forget to change back! (If you want to).

Who's going to get Russ out of LL? Freddie? Lily? Elizabeth? Or is it Freddie who will head off?

I'm trying to get my head round what the issue is for Pat on the online shop and to see how its business model will make a profit

More clumsy scriptwriting or basic lack of understanding by the LSWs of how small businesses operate?

If Natasha/Tom are creating the app using seperate money then that business should be charging Bridge Farm for usage. If Bridge Farm had been used to back the loan Pat/Tony would have to know/sign/whatever putting it up as security. Tom can't do that unilaterally.

So if the subsidiary has taken out the loan and the financial risk then it has to recoup somewhere. Bridge Farm gets an opportunity at no risk or development cost to itself so paying commission on usage seems entirely reasonable.

Maybe in Archersland the real life competition just disappears for the sake of the storyline? The same way that nobody ever said “Underwoods is so overpriced, I will be shopping for my next party dress in Debenhams”.

Aren't there already online organic suppliers anyway?

There some large commercial online supermarkets, often wrapping themselves in twee messaging whilst being subsidiaries of standard large companies.

I've seen an increase in more localised platforms (which I'm assuming is what they are developing rather than solely the app part) which focus on the rise in interest on local food/provenance.

So a farm or small producer like Bridge Farm would use the platform with its app to publish their own catalogue and services within a geographic area (or possibly further afield for items like artisan cheeses). I wouldn't assume Bridge Farm is the only customer for such a platform so another reason to segregate the financing.

Yes, clumsy. And anyway (assuming the chapel wasn't baptist) chances are her mum would have had her christened and that would be fine anyway - the CofE is ecumenical on this.
Still, I did quite enjoy Tom's reaction to the idea of having a Communist FIL. I now very much want Natasha's parents to pay a visit and stir up Susan, Clarrie and Jazzer (with Pat's blessing) to demand the creation of a workers' cooperative.

Bridge Farm gets an opportunity at no risk or development cost to itself so paying commission on usage seems entirely reasonable. But they didn't agree this in advance.And they have assumed that Bridge Farm wants to participate, sell their beef online etc.

Nor did they give Bridge Farm the opportunity to be partners. Or ask Pat and Tony or Helen to look over the business plan for advice, which would have been tactful. They have just forged ahead.

And they have assumed that Bridge Farm wants to participate, sell their beef online etc.

They had a farm meeting discussing selling their own beef (a good idea and I hadn't realised they didn't) and expanding the range in the boxes. Everyone agreed with that.

Tom and Natasha did assume Bridge Farm would be a customer for their platform. That was a risk they took. If Tony, Pat and Helen subseqently opted not to use it then they would outvote Tom. Bridge Farm itself has nothing to lose here - they get extra sales or they don't but they haven't had to invest in the platform.

Pat'n'Tony have been portrayed by the LSWs as knowing absolutely nothign about online sales (a nice bit of ageism) and Helen was reported as onboard with the solution.

I’m not businessy. But I think I get the commission issue. The farm is the app’s client. So the issue really is about Natasha/Tom steamrolling into separating parts of the business off. This is taking over from the veg box scheme as it is. Presumably Bridge Farm could decide it’s not a goer and it wants to develop its own app/ keep its veg boxes as are or develop in its own way? That would be fun. Bit like Alice not asking Adam about the robotic trial?

Bridge Farm gets an opportunity at no risk or development cost to itself so paying commission on usage seems entirely reasonable.
But did Bridge Farm want the opportunity?
There is no exclusivity so BF goods could be outshone/underpriced by a competitor. Has anybody thought through the match up between demand and supply? Who is actually going to (pay for the labour to) collate goods and fulfil the orders? Pat is not keen on being one more nail in the coffin of RL shops. etc etc.
The level of commission is a tiny concern compared to the nuts and bolts of the matter.

I want to know how T&N managed to secure a bank loan: I haven't heard Tom mention the word 'spreadsheet' since Natasha appeared on the scene!

That post took me ages to write . Meanwhile several posters popped me to it!

I corrected pipped 3 times!

R4 quite!

But did Bridge Farm want the opportunity?

But it really doesn't matter does it? Its not costing them anything and they don't have to take the opportunity. They could take it and then pull out if they don't like it.

They are taking zero risk in this. Helen runs the shop and is onboard with it. Its intended to expand sales around their box scheme which we have previously been told was struggling with a small customer base and no growth.

I got the impression the app is essentially some sort of off-the-shelf customisable platform ... I think quite a few organic outlets will simply have their own already, and wouldn't necessarily want to be associated with a larger brand.2

They had a farm meeting discussing selling their own beef (a good idea and I hadn't realised they didn't) and expanding the range in the boxes. Everyone agreed with that yes they did but its been a proces of steamrollering stuff through - they agreed, then they discover they'll be paying commission.

Next Natasha will be offering customers discounts on the beef and selling her own juice products at a premium.

I think quite a few organic outlets will simply have their own already, and wouldn't necessarily want to be associated with a larger brand.2
Good point. Natasha has a contract with some national healthfood store for her drinks: wouldn't they have some clause to stop this in its tracks?

they agreed, then they discover they'll be paying commission

Well seriously what did they expect? Did they think Tom/Natasha were investing their own money/loan just to give it free to the farm?

The farm meetings on all the farms (even Home Farm) have always struck me as massively unbusinesslike.

I don't see anything wrong with developing an independent platform. If there is a problem, its Pat and Tony not engaging with it or trying to understand it and the complaining that they don't understand. And to be honest with their history of innovative practice I put that down to more sloppy writing.

I got the impression the app is essentially some sort of off-the-shelf customisable platform ... I think quite a few organic outlets will simply have their own already, and wouldn't necessarily want to be associated with a larger brand

Yes I assumed it was a platform too. But the platform isn't the brand for sales purposes. A platform could be used by other businesses with their own identity creating their own online shop within the platform. It really doesn't matter if one is selling juice and another is selling turnips.

All Tom and Natasha are doing is trying to invest in a model which is growing in popularity for smaller businesses but targeting a particular sector.

What was ridiculous was that the demo focussed entirely on the front end of the app I.e. they demonstrated from the customer perspective. No demo whatsoever of how the orders actually appear on the system so that they can be fulfilled. There has to be an integrated “back end” for the farm to manage orders, process payments, receive customer enquiries, deal with complaints, give refunds and probably manage stock control and plan supplies ahead. Tony did allude to it a little bit when he pointed out that pricing up all the products was a big task in itself, but Tom and Natasha were almost giving the impression that it comes with a set of magic elves to create orders from the app- as a PP pointed out, this needs manpower and someone has to organise this. I suppose that is Tom with his Bridge Farm hay on though. Is Natasha going to help with it at all?
I remember when they offered the veg box manager job to Johnny and he could barely conceal his disappointment at being offered such a boring job (I think he decided to stay in at Home Farm doing Big Machinery work as part of his practical experience for his qualification). Is he fully qualified now?

Sounds like it might be something Susan could do? Which means they'll probably overlook her entirely. Or she'll be given the job and it won't work out and she'll be back in the dairy again.

Oooo can we take a punt on Susan’s Veg box job title please?

Online fulfilment manager? (Hum... that sounds exactly like a job title but after writing it I sniggered.)

Susan’s Veg box job title please?
Head of the Facilitation of Deliverables (population of dept = 1).

Thanks to Jessies typo, I now have a picture in my mind of Tom with his Bridge Farm hay on. Somhow this seems appropriate for Tom.

I loved "It's quite a step up from a snowdrop to a whole horse". There must be a use for that phrase in RL!