J. Crew Swot Analysis Essay

In order to analyze J. Crew and their strategic plan we need to look at their operations from different perspectives. We will first look at the history of the company, including what they have done well and where they could have improved. We will then look at their current operations through a SWOT analysis, and how well there are meeting their objectives. We will look at their current issues including environmental factors, organizational factors, and market factors. I will then offer alternatives and solutions to my findings. While J. Crew started out as a small door to door sales company, they quickly expanded in to catalog sales in the 1980’s. Their move into catalogs was a good move at the right time and led to increased sales and helped develop the brand into what it is today. J. Crew developed their brand into a product that younger generations found

The recession is an environmental factor that J. Crew must overcome. So how would they do this? First the company would have to rely on their strengths including their brand name and customer following. One thing that they did not do well was rely on their strengths creating a weakness. They made a significant change to their brand losing many former loyal customers, and redoing their strengths. With the understanding of the company’s strengths and weaknesses they also had a unique opportunity to meet customer needs during the recession. They capitalized on this by opening their “factory” stores. These are the most popular styles made with more cost-effective fabrics, enabling the lower price point. Another treat was the rise in cotton prices, from increased demand due to the Chines stockpiling. This significantly affected the manufacturing costs and the company’s overall