My English is not good, is what Nespresso doing anti-competition?

by chee Leng (on coffee makers)
(Singapore)

I am curious, not against Nespresso or any companies. I read that Saturn in Switzerland Vaud have taken all the Nespresso compatible capsules (ECC) from their shelves.

They have decided to stop selling them, after a Vaud's cantonal court prohibited the sale of capsules last Friday.

So, if you think that they are responding to the court order, then there is nothing new. But, they remarked that they do not think what they are doing is illegal but are stopping them for a while, and might relaunched them at a later date.

If they think it is legal, why stop selling them?

It is also interesting to note that even though companies like Microsoft and Google holds patents to so many technology, they can still be liable for anti-competition, but no one has that issue with Nespresso?

With their might, they are effectively suing everyone that gets in their way.

What's wrong with giving consumers some choices?

Nespresso does have some very good coffee, and I do not think consumers would just go for other coffee because of cost, but people do like to have variety from time to time.

I think an example of being open and doing it very successfully is Keurig. They too have refills and filters that allows their users to use other coffee, i.e. My Kap.

But, they reported growth in their k-cups year on year. Why? Probably, because they try to better themselves and get more brands, more variety to excite their users.

In fact, every now and then, you would hear news about this company partnering with Keurig or that company joining Keurig.

The range which Keurig offers is awesome and Starbucks is going to be one of their partners soon.

My $0.02:

Being open like Keurig allows them to go for multiple touch points, and people that do not like this coffee, can choose their own.

In the end, they would buy your products (keurig).

To be closed like Nespresso, if they do not like your coffee, they would buy other machines. You lose the business.

Things that folks in Marketing would try to argue would be terms like brand equity, positioning and so on. And that is the reason why they have Dolce Gusto (I guess). A lower priced version.

So, Nestle is trying to cater to the mass by launching by giving them cheaper alternatives. But, doesn't seem to work well in US and is hardly getting up to speed in Asia.

I think instead of suing all these companies, Nespresso should work with them to come out with a better solutions to awe their users.

Rather than spending time, effort and money to halt a movement that cannot be stop, why not invest in it to ensure that you are still part of the movement?

Apple, FB are the best examples of being open -it brought them great wealth. Microsoft is also trying to be open to get more wealth.

So, why is Nespresso still so fixated on being close? Probably there is a sacred cow so big that it would take some time to slaughter in their organization...