Upon his hiring, CEO Ron Johnson was quick to implement his new strategy at JC Penney (Ritson, 2013). The executive felt the department store was outdated and developed ideas to combat the store’s declining sales. The new CEO planned to create a unique shopping experience while keeping costs low enough to entice customers all year long (Kinicki & William, 2013). Johnson ideas mirrored Porter’s forces by trying to limit new entrants threats while increasing the bargain power of buyers and combatting rivalry with his competitors. One of Johnson’s first moves was slashing the number of private labels JC Penney offered, as he felt these items offered no competition to JC Penney’s rivals. Instead, Johnson focused on offering more fresh ideas such
as a Martha Stewart line (Denning, 2013). This move shows Johnson’s use of Porter’s competitive forces as he hoped this would limit new entrant threats. If JC Penney offered new products specific to their store, it could hurt competitors. Following this implementation, Johnson decided to keep the initial prices low hopefully increasing the bargaining power of buyers (Kinicki & William, 2013). I think Johnson felt this would increase profits as customers would purchase right away, instead of waiting for a sale. Finally, Johnson combatted competitors by offering a unique area in the store, called the Town Square, to offer community based services. He felt if he could get customers in the store, they would make purchases while there. After his appointment to CEO, Ron Johnson, immediately knew the department store was struggling and began developing a new strategy. He offered new products at a low price. One completed, he hoped customers visiting the Town Square would make purchases, while getting free community services. By correlating Porter’s five competitive forces, one can see he tried to decrease the threats of new entrants and rivalry, while increasing the bargaining power of buyers.
Maxx benefits from chaos by picking up the pieces, merchandise at a discount, when other retail stores close, or have overruns, or unexpected changes in demand and in return pass these savings on to their customers who shop for value (Levine-Weinberg, 2016) This is the demand-side benefits of scale when the consumer rather pay less for name brand merchandise than to pay more for the same designer in the department store. The stores that where having difficulty in the retail market left themselves vulnerable by not defending their position and T.J. Maxx proactively attacks this opportunity with its purchasing power and passes the savings to its customers. This proactive process of attacking and defending is what Wee (2016) calls the holistic and balanced perspective of handling competition. Moreover, this business warfare strategy of attacking struggling competitors is called offensive marketing warfare strategy (Grewal, 2014).
Macy’s intended to deliver enhanced shopping experiences to its consumers through dynamic department stores and online sites. In this regard, the company developed a North Star strategy that allows it to improve its sales growth and to develop its existing core activities. The company’s consumer research monitors, analyze and anticipate their needs and wants based on the changing market trends. This allows it to strengthen its customer base and also helps it in identifying new markets and customers. Macy’s also identifies different styles and designs based on various occasions and events that allow it to capture the changing preferences of its customers. The company also celebrates various iconic events to interact with its customers which
JCPenney is a chain of American mid-range department stores that is based out of Texas that started over 100 years ago. JCPenny has been successful for most of its time up until the last three to four years. The company is trying relentlessly to overcome the lingering effects of the makeover that former CEO, Ron Johnson, had implemented in order for the company to take a new direction in hopes of increasing sales. The new CEO, Myron Ullman, has taken a close look into the markets demographic segmentation along with the income segmentation in order to attempt to return the retailer back to its old self, which is to appeal to middle-market customers. A couple issues of major concern for the company are the dissolving of Johnson’s Boutiques, the price of their products, and overall revenue.
There is a lot that goes into being a successful company, and making the Fortune 500 list is most every business owner’s dream. Sam Walton is credited with being the founder and first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Wal-Mart. Walton and other CEO’s of the company were able to shape the success of Wal-Mart by implementing strategies that would revolutionize the way retail stores do business, all while pushing Wal-Mart to the top spot on the Fortune 500 list. This paper looks at a few different strategies Walton implemented that ultimately benefitted the company to increase revenue. How did Wal-Mart become the retail giant that it is today? T.A. Frank of Washington Monthly gives a brief history of Wal-Mart in his article Everyday Low Vices.
Along with this innovation of trying to drive sales, the Popular Club began to find its brand image. The company’s focus was leisurewear for upper-middleclass customers, seeking the Ralph Lauren look at a much lower price. The company’s merchandise style was a combination of Ralph Lauren, on the high end, and the Limited, on the lower end. Popular Club wanted to signify a “preppy spirit,” in doing so they renamed the operation J.Crew. In January 1983, the company mailed its first catalog to its customers (http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/j-crew-group-inc-history/). This will be the beginning of a thriving company.
In 2002, CEO of Levi Strauss, Phil Marineau was faced with a tough decision: whether he should sell product at Wal-Mart. In the last five years, Levi-Strauss had lost sales and had to close US plants to move production to cheaper offshore areas. Levi's really needed to revive the brand image to gain back some lost sales and was using marketing to create new advertisements and product placement to broaden their target market. Levi's had tough competition on every level of the price-point spectrum, whether it be high end retailers like Diesel or Calvin Klein, middle vertically integrated retailers like Gap or American Eagles, and on the bottom, private-label brands like Wal-Mart and Target.
Youdath illustrates some of Kmart’s management changes, Charles Conway wanted to turn Kmart into an “Everyday low price destination,” making Wal-Mart Stores a direct competitor. Conaway cut back on advertising and the results were not profitable. After an unprofitable holiday season in 2001 the company filed bankruptcy. In 2002, James Adamson hoped to improve customer service and restock the shelves within the Kmart Stores. While Kmart was taking time to recover from filing Chapter 11, its rivals like Wal-Mart and Target were stealing its customers. When Kmart was focusing on random in-store discounts, Wal-Mart and Target were pitching low prices, broad inventories, hip products, and a pleasant shopping experience (2002).
Paco Underhill has created a way for stores to draw more customers in and spend more money by getting in the mind of the customers. I found some of Underhill’s theories to be true. Underhill’s theories have helped provide research of the actions of consumers inside of American Eagle, Meijer and Hollister, these theories include, the need for shoppers to acclimate to their surroundings, the way customers turn into stores, and by placing most used products in the farthest places away from the
My company of choice for this report is Macy 's. 'The Magic of Macy 's ', as the company advertises it, has inspired me to shop there, take advantage of their incomparable discounts and great online shopping experience. Macy 's, Inc. is one of the largest department store chains in the United States of America. Macy 's manages stores under the Macy 's and Bloomingdale 's brands. I enjoy shopping at both of the company 's store brands, Macy 's and Bloomingdales. Bloomingdales provides a more personalized experience
The purpose of this memo is to show the affects of how Albertson’s is trying to implement many strategies in order to try, and compete with its powerhouse competitor Wal-Mart. This memo will contain information on steps Albertson’s is taking to gain back some of the market share that Wal-Mart has swallowed up. It will also describe Albertson’s planned innovations that will be what determines their success. Lastly it will discuss how through IT as well as a successful implementation of satisfying consumers demands, will possibly allow them to compete with the ever so powerful Wal-Mart.
Johnson&Johnson has been a consumer products manufacturer since 1886 and it is divided into three divisions which includes medical devices, pharmaceutical products, and consumer healthcare products. They create products in order to help and care people around the world and assist doctors and nurses to provide the best care for patients. Johnson&Johnson creates consumer products such as Neutrogena, Aveeno, and over the counter medications such as Tylenol and Motrin. They also create medical devices for surgeries and other specialties such as wound closure in order to enhance patient care and bring greater precision in surgery. The business model that this company approaches is that it sells its products to hospitals, healthcare professionals,
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is in the discount, variety stores industry. It was founded in 1945, Bentonville in Arkansas which is also the headquarters of Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart operates locally as well as worldwide. It operated 1209 discount stores, 1980 super centers, and 567 Sam’s Club by January 31, 2006. It has also extended its operations to many international countries. It runs its retail stores in two forms: Sam’s Club and Wal-Mart Stores. The Sam’s Club sells assorted product lines such as hardwares, electronics, jewelry, and to mention a few. The Wal-Mart stores also offer similar products in addition to the following: health and beauty products, apparel for women, men and children, household appliances etc (www.yahoo.finance.com). The Vision Statement, Mission Statement, Values and Code of Conduct, Corporate Governance: Directors, Executive Management, Committees and Stakeholder will be the key elements that will discussed in this report as it relates to Wal-Mart. In addition to that, the major trends in the general/macro environment and industry will be analyzed.
This particular case is centered around the Human Resources strategy that was implemented by Johnson & Johnson in 1997. This strategy includes many key aspects of corporate culture, leadership and global strategy integrated into one single global human resources program. This program allowed Johnson & Johnson to diversify their current employees, raise the standards for future employees, redefine the standards of leadership within J&J and improve global management overall.
Analysis: With one of their main issues being sustained profitability, Wal*Mart is at a critical time in their life. They are no longer the hero, a place commonly reserved for competitors striving to be number one, because Wal*Mart is number one. No one can debate how effective they have been in getting here. Through their focus on superior technology and low cost leadership, Wal*Mart reigned supreme. They are redefining Porter’s five forces model in the discount retailing industry, and are in the enviable position of having first mover’s advantage. Yet this blessing is also a curse. By virtue of their efficient, effective system and its proven success, companies like Kmart and Target are watching closely and both emulating and improving upon this system. An analysis of the five forces model will show Wal*Mart’s main competitive advantages in supplier power and barriers to entry. A look into their distribution centers and how they have been instrumental in reducing supplier power will be followed by an analysis of how effective first mover advantage has been and where they must take it next.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is a renowned retail goods superstore that sits atop the Fortune list at number one. It would be very difficult to find an individual who is unaware of Walmart’s position as the largest brick-and-mortar retail chain in the world. The company has thrived over the past few years and is continuing to grow by effectively managing its store operations and distribution strategies. One of the major contributors to the business consistently meeting market expectations is directly attributable to their management approach. Walmart has revolutionized the way retail companies manage their supply chains in more ways than one. But, perhaps the most revolutionary was the practice of unprecedented coordination with suppliers (Chekwa,