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MAY 17, 2004
How Aldi Satisfies So Many Customers "The next Wal-Mart?" (European Edition Cover Story, Apr. 26) on German discounter Aldi misses a fundamental dimension in trying to assess the success and growth of the company. Twice a week -- on Monday and Thursday -- Aldi offers a range of nonfood goods (sold as long as stocks last) at unbeatable prices, and this draws crowds to their stores because in independent tests this merchandise scores very high. One example, the latest Aldi desktop, was rated best of any computer ever tested in one of Germany's most prominent computer magazines. The same goes for their DVD players, bicycles, kitchen appliances, or what have you. Customers have been known to wait for Aldi's doors to open for two or three hours in the most bitter wind and cold in the hope of snatching up these offers. And Aldi has greatly increased the number of items on offer, so most customers do not go home empty-handed. Aldi also offers a full-satisfaction warranty on all its products, which is nearly unmatched in Germany. For all nonfood items, a full warranty applies for three years. (The standard in Germany is two years.) This has helped Aldi develop trust and a level of customer loyalty many others can only dream of. Victor Poncelet St. Avold, France Mismanagement At The ECB Has Got To Stop The job of any central bank should be to serve its people. Not so the European Central Bank ("Europe's beleaguered central bankers," Finance, Apr. 26). Not only did they not cut interest rates when the economy slumped in 2002 (even though they knew one percentage point of the inflation was artificially created by the euro's introduction) but now they act surprised. They let the German, French, and Italian economies crash. When the euro was exaggeratedly overvalued, the ECB didn't bother to print extra euros to buy dollars or yen to later sell them with a profit and to take some steam out of the euro rise. If they had, Germany, France, and Italy could have easily met the criteria of the stability pact. Instead, they lost money, which had not happened to any central bank for decades. The ECB and the Bundesbank for years have been doing a horrible job. Whoever pressed the emergency button on Deutsche Bundesbank President Ernst Welteke, let us hope he will find a way to do so too for the all the others who do not care about the unemployed or the economy. Jürgen Michelsburg Lehre, Germany Your story may very well be renamed "The banker who cried wolf." It is lamentable that it is happening on such high levels. Last year, people were still impressed by ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet. He was viewed as diplomatic enough to move ECB members yet committed enough to face off with Jacques Chirac. How times have changed. Confidence in Europe is low enough as it is. Exports suffer with the strong euro, even as the U.S., Asia -- even Japan -- start to recover. China is the new engine of growth, but the Europeans have much to offer. It's time for Europe to get its act together, and maybe the top is a good place to start. Athaporn Arayasantiparb Bangkok   When It Comes To Terror, There Is No Justification The letter from Rudolf Beer, "One man's terror is another's anti-terror" (Readers Report, Apr. 26, replying to "Fighting a new Cold War," News: Analysis & Commentary, Mar. 29) makes the hypocritical statement that the terror victims in New York, Madrid, Istanbul, Bali, etc., have to pay for the Palestinians' plight because the U.S. is supporting Israel. If such statements remain unanswered, it will be another triumph of the terrorists after the ousting of the Spanish government and the frightening threats to other European countries. Moshe Sne Kfar Saba, Israel Yes, Europe is in a different boat from the U.S. in the war on terror, unfortunately. I for one, and many more, would prefer not to be in the same boat as Europe and the likes of Mr. Beer. Are Turi Mosebakken, Norway
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