Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Senseo shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Senseo offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Senseo at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Senseo? Wrong! If the Senseo is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Senseo then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Senseo? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Senseo and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Senseo wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Senseo then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Senseo site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Senseo, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Senseo, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
Senseo is a registered trademark for a
coffee brewing system from Netherlands
company (law) Philips and
Douwe Egberts, a
subsidiary of Sara Lee. The two main characteristics of the system are its coffee pods (called pads in some countries) and its design.
History
The system was first introduced in the
Netherlands in February 2001, followed by
Belgium and France, Germany/Austria/
Switzerland and Denmark, United Kingdom and United States, and
Australia (in chronological order).
A new model of the Senseo machine - the Senseo New Generation - was launched in selected markets in 2007. This updated version allows the user to adjust the height of the mechanism to accommodate larger cups or mugs, has an indicator light function which shows when there is insufficient water for two cups (as opposed to the previous model which only showed whether there was sufficient water left for one cup), features a larger water reservoir and has an option which allows the user to adjust the amount of hot water used per cup. Senseo New Generation at the Dutch Senseo website
Blends
The main blends are mild, medium, mocca and dark roast and there is also a
decaffeination variety. The blends differ, according to general taste, in different countries. The special blends, Sumatra, Kenya and Brazil are blended from arabica coffees from selected plantations and are a little more expensive than the normal blends. There are also coffee pods with added flavors, called Milano, Sydney, Rio de Janeiro and Vienna. More recent varieties launched in selected European markets include Raving Reds, Summer Sins and Lusty Lime flavoured coffees and cappuccino.
Patent matters
A
European Patent Convention with the aim "to protect an assembly of pad holder and pad" Bird & Bird,
Bird & Bird helps win 5 year European coffee war. Dutch manufacturers triumph in patent battle against Sara Lee relating to Senseo coffee system. Press Release, August 31, 2006. Retrieved on September 3, 2006. , i.e. the Senseo coffee pods, was filed on September 30, 1998 by the Dutch firm "Sara Lee/DE N.V." EP0904717 - Assembly for use in a coffee machine for preparing coffee, container and pouch of said assembly on the online Register of European Patents (
epoline) The
European Patent Organisation granted on July 11, 2001. The European patent took force in a number of Contracting States of the European Patent Convention, including Belgium.
On
February 20 2004, the
Court of First Instance (Belgian law) of Antwerp,
Belgium, ruled in a
lawsuit between three Belgian coffee vendors,
S.A. (corporation) Fort Koffiebranderij,
S.A. (corporation) Cafés Liégeois and N.V. Beyers Koffie, versus Philips and Douwe Egberts over the European patent, and decided that the other coffee vendors were allowed to produce and market coffee pods that fit the Senseo. The Senseo creators had used their patent to get an injunction against the marketing of coffee pods by other coffee brands, and those others replied by seeking a declaratory judgment of non-patent infringement.
One consideration the Belgian judge offered for the ruling is that coffee pods already existed. That ruling ended the Senseo coffee pod monopoly, and following that ruling, practically every coffee vendor in the
Benelux countries started production of coffee pods. The Antwerp ruling affects the patents on the pods, but does not affect the patents on the Senseo machine itself.
An appeal in court changed this patent matter, and the new judgement was that the other coffee makers were infringing on the European patent in Belgium. "Douwe Egberts Regains Monopoly to Comercialise Coffee Pads for its Senseo Coffee Machines", Van Bael & Bellis on Belgian Business Law, volume 2005, No. 12, page 7
In the meantime, the European patent was
Opposition procedure before the European Patent Office by a number of companies including Kraft Foods and, on August 30, 2006, Sara Lee's covering the Senseo pads was completely revoked on
Appeal procedure before the European Patent Office by the European Patent Office. Suzanne Rotteveel, spokeswoman for Sara Lee in the Netherlands, said:
"
We're very disappointed since we invested a lot of time, energy and money. It's disappointing when you are not able to regain a part of that investment. (... ) what this ruling means is that we no longer have protection for our patent in Europe." Stephanie Bodoni,
Sara Lee Loses EU Patent on Coffee Pads for Philips's Senseo, Bloomberg, August 1, 2006. Retrieved on September 3, 2006.
References
See also
External links
- Senseo homepage
- Philips backgrounder Senseo® reaches 10 million happy users Philips press release (2005)
Senseo is a registered trademark for a
coffee brewing system from
Netherlands company (law) Philips and
Douwe Egberts, a
subsidiary of
Sara Lee. The two main characteristics of the system are its coffee pods (called pads in some countries) and its design.
History
The system was first introduced in the
Netherlands in
February 2001, followed by Belgium and
France, Germany/
Austria/Switzerland and
Denmark,
United Kingdom and
United States, and Australia (in chronological order).
A new model of the Senseo machine - the Senseo New Generation - was launched in selected markets in 2007. This updated version allows the user to adjust the height of the mechanism to accommodate larger cups or mugs, has an indicator light function which shows when there is insufficient water for two cups (as opposed to the previous model which only showed whether there was sufficient water left for one cup), features a larger water reservoir and has an option which allows the user to adjust the amount of hot water used per cup. Senseo New Generation at the Dutch Senseo website
Blends
The main blends are mild, medium, mocca and dark roast and there is also a decaffeination variety. The blends differ, according to general taste, in different countries. The special blends, Sumatra, Kenya and Brazil are blended from arabica coffees from selected plantations and are a little more expensive than the normal blends. There are also coffee pods with added flavors, called Milano, Sydney, Rio de Janeiro and Vienna. More recent varieties launched in selected European markets include Raving Reds, Summer Sins and Lusty Lime flavoured coffees and cappuccino.
Patent matters
A European Patent Convention with the aim "to protect an assembly of pad holder and pad" Bird & Bird,
Bird & Bird helps win 5 year European coffee war. Dutch manufacturers triumph in patent battle against Sara Lee relating to Senseo coffee system. Press Release, August 31, 2006. Retrieved on September 3, 2006. , i.e. the Senseo coffee pods, was filed on September 30, 1998 by the Dutch firm "Sara Lee/DE N.V." EP0904717 - Assembly for use in a coffee machine for preparing coffee, container and pouch of said assembly on the online
Register of European Patents (
epoline) The
European Patent Organisation granted on July 11, 2001. The European patent took force in a number of Contracting States of the
European Patent Convention, including Belgium.
On February 20
2004, the Court of First Instance (Belgian law) of Antwerp, Belgium, ruled in a
lawsuit between three Belgian coffee vendors, S.A. (corporation) Fort Koffiebranderij,
S.A. (corporation) Cafés Liégeois and N.V. Beyers Koffie, versus Philips and Douwe Egberts over the European patent, and decided that the other coffee vendors were allowed to produce and market coffee pods that fit the Senseo. The Senseo creators had used their patent to get an injunction against the marketing of coffee pods by other coffee brands, and those others replied by seeking a declaratory judgment of non-
patent infringement.
One consideration the Belgian judge offered for the ruling is that coffee pods already existed. That ruling ended the Senseo coffee pod monopoly, and following that ruling, practically every coffee vendor in the
Benelux countries started production of coffee pods. The Antwerp ruling affects the patents on the pods, but does not affect the patents on the Senseo machine itself.
An appeal in court changed this patent matter, and the new judgement was that the other coffee makers were infringing on the European patent in Belgium. "Douwe Egberts Regains Monopoly to Comercialise Coffee Pads for its Senseo Coffee Machines", Van Bael & Bellis on Belgian Business Law, volume 2005, No. 12, page 7
In the meantime, the European patent was
Opposition procedure before the European Patent Office by a number of companies including Kraft Foods and, on August 30, 2006, Sara Lee's covering the Senseo pads was completely revoked on
Appeal procedure before the European Patent Office by the European Patent Office. Suzanne Rotteveel, spokeswoman for Sara Lee in the Netherlands, said:
"
We're very disappointed since we invested a lot of time, energy and money. It's disappointing when you are not able to regain a part of that investment. (... ) what this ruling means is that we no longer have protection for our patent in Europe." Stephanie Bodoni,
Sara Lee Loses EU Patent on Coffee Pads for Philips's Senseo, Bloomberg, August 1, 2006. Retrieved on September 3, 2006.
References
See also
External links
- Senseo homepage
- Philips backgrounder Senseo® reaches 10 million happy users Philips press release (2005)
