Case Study: Michael Stores, Inc.

This  assignment  focuses  on  case  study  analysis,  where  we  were  expected  to  analyse  and  provide  executable  strategy  for  a  specific  corporate  retailer.  The  1997  case  relates  to  OfficeMax, a superstore that primarily carries office equipment and supplies to small business  and  consumer  markets.  However,  the  company  is  seeking  diversification  and  market  share  growth, with the prospect of a merger between the industry’s number 1 and 2 office supply  superstores, Office Depot and Staples.     The current merger process is under scrutiny from industry watchdogs, and the role of these  entities relative to the competitive

The retail sectors are specializing in the selling of products that the consumers need in specific times and places. However, it is hardly the retailer's responsibility to produce the goods. The retailers just act agents, as they get the products to the consumers. Industrial retailing will focus more on the sale of small quantities of the products to the buyers. Transformational processes are not integrated in the retailing processes, as the retailers neither produce nor manufacture any goods. Initially, retailing was just transacted in stores and shop. Presently, technological upgrades and developments have affected the retailing process positively, leading to the use of electronics to do transactions. In most cases, the retailers will transact with cash specifically during payment of the products (Retail Council of Canada, 2009).

The retail industry is a sector of the economy that is comprised of individuals and companies

After 40 years of dedicated service for the Kroger Co., it is with mixed emotions that I announce the retirement of Patty Johnson, District 1 Drug G/M Coordinator. Patty joined the Kroger Co. in 1976 as a cashier and has held many leadership roles through the years, including Lead Bookkeeper, HR for new store openings, District Accounting trainer, Key Retailing Specialist, FE Coordinator, Quevision rollout Coordinator, WiES Coordinator and Drug/GM Coordinator.

Canada’s department stores experienced significant success despite entering the retail market much after stores in Great Britain, France and the United States. After being established in the 1880’s and 90’s, they experienced rapid growth and eventually surpassed major international stores such as Macys, Fields and Wanamaker in sales and store size. This national market domination was far more prominent than anywhere elsewhere in the world (44). Their quick fortune was driven by the innovative use of catalogues and the opening of numerous branches during their heyday in the early 1900’s. This put primarily Eaton’s, but also Simpson’s and HBC, in the spotlight as globally recognized Canadian department stores. These great retail stores had a momentous effect on the Canadian

This article discusses the future and current condition of Sears Canada. A major reason for the decline in shoppers are the competition of online shopping retailers. This in turn forces sears to cut costs, downsize staff, refresh marking strategies as well as business models. Sears showed signs of progress when it introduced discounted luxury lines including apparel and more goods. Nevertheless, the company will run out of money faster then they can purchase goods. Mall landlords are also in a tight situation to find contenders to fill the empty Sears spaces.This in incredibly more difficult because retailers are more concerned increasing their online sales. Big foreign retailers are not interested in expanded to Canada. Sears had some success

Tim Murphy is the GMM, General Merchandising Manager, of foods for Costco Wholesale Corporation. He has been working for the company for almost thirty-four years. He did not get to where he is today without putting a great deal of work. Mr. Murphy began his Costco career as a front-end assistant. From a front-end assistant, he moved up the ladder. He became a front-end supervisor and worked his way to the Warehouse manager position. From there he moved to the buying office of Costco where he was a buyer for the sundries department. After working in that position for a few years he became the General Merchandising Manager. At his current position he oversees the entire food buying department for Northern California, Nevada, and parts of Oregon.

Trader Joe’s has internally created a brand for its company using a different strategy as compared to other supermarkets. Its approach of effective relationship-building program pleases customers through unrivaled customer service. This case study presents many factors that play a part in their customer relations strategy. Trader Joe’s does not focus on advertising. Rather, it focuses on effective internal communications with employees to build strong customer relationships. Trader Joe’s takes a progressive approach to internal communications by allowing their employees to bring their own creativity to the workplace, by providing them with the context in which their role contributes to the business success, and asking for employees

The grave, yet subtle, danger that large corporations put the world in is one that not many companies are committed to fixing. Large companies use substantial amounts of water, energy, fossil fuels, etc. and have almost depleted important resources. The Target Corporation has worked tirelessly to improve their environmental standings and therefore, increase the overall well-being of the world. Target, the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, with Walmart being the largest, has set goals year after year to change their consumption habits and increase their environmental sustainability. While Target has many environmentally friendly products and practices, the company has also committed some infractions, making many skeptical

In 1967, Sol Shenk founded Consolidate International, Inc. – a company that has grown into a profitable closeout retail chain called Big Lots. Consolidated Stores Corporation opened its first store, named Odd Lots in 1982, in Columbus, Ohio. Within just a few years later the company made its first initial public offering on the American Stock exchange, which is also when the name Big Lots was first introduced. The following year, the company’s shares began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CNS. As the years progress, Big Lots continued to grow rapidly and in 1993 the company had celebrated its first billion-dollar year thanks to its customers, associates, managers, and superior distributions system. (www.biglots.com)

Dillard department stores is one of the smallest retail chains in the nations, however, it is still a widely known department store. Dillard’s Inc. is a family owned and operated company which gives it some competitive edge over the larger, investor owned retail chains. The company operates about three hundred brick and mortar retail stores and about twenty-five discount stores in the United States. These stores are scattered throughout 29 states; mainly in the southeast, southwest, and Midwest. In addition to their physical store locations, Dillard’s Inc. ships to countries around the world through its website, Dillard’s Inc..com. Dillard’s Inc. also owns CDI Contractors, which is a construction firm that builds and remodels the company’s department stores. In addition to these business endeavors, the company owns several small online retailers such as countryoutfitter.com and scrubschopper.com (vault.com, 2016).

Under Armour is a company started by Kevin Plank in 1996 in a basement. The company went public in 2006 raising a total of $153 million as equity. From a small private company to a multi-billion generating organisation, Under Armour had to overcome numerous challenges including financial difficulties and sales growth. The founder started with premium quality sports clothes and today the company specialises in diverse sportswear and apparel. Through the development of new hi-tech gears, Under Armour, Inc. has been able to penetrate and establish itself in the sports apparel market. It is constantly coming up with new products and adopting innovative strategies to meet the growing needs of its customers as well as to stay ahead of its rivals. A brand which was hardly known a decade ago is today worn by elite athletes in virtually every sports – for instance, Michael Phelps, the Rio Olympic gold medallist, promotes the brand.

Retailers such as Anthropologie are creating experiences for their customers to foster a relationship between brand and consumer. With improved in-store experiences, applications for mobile devices, and customer rewards or loyalty programs, big-name companies aim to please the customer. According to our mission statement, “Anthropologie is a lifestyle brand that imparts a sense of beauty, optimism, and discovery to our customer…where innovative merchandising, customer centricity, and a curated array of products come together to create an unimagined experience” (“Anthropologie”). An integral part of upholding our mission statement is the leadership within the company and within each store. Without their diligent implementation of the company’s mission, the brand would never have the success that is has.

While interviewing with CBS, when asked about opening a brick and mortar storefront Jeff Bezos said “[t]he question we would always have before we would embark on such a thing is what 's the idea, what would we do that would be different, how would it be better... we don 't want to be redundant” (Farber, 2012). Amazon is not interested in opening a storefront simply because it is a venue where many of their competitors operate. Bezos is constantly looking for new methods for Amazon to be profitable in the long term; however he does not see stocking brick and mortar stores with inactive inventory as something that would be a wise investment for Amazon.

After a long trial, the Court found that respondent Amazon.com had broken an understanding it had gone into with offended party ToysRUs.com LLC ("Toys R Us"), by approving outsiders to offer toys on Amazon 's site. Finding that this rupture went to the substance of the parties ' understanding which as seen by the Court gave that Toys R Us was to be the sole outsider toy retailer on Amazon 's site. The Court allowed Toys R Us ' demand that the assention be ended and rejected counterclaims attested by Amazon, demonstrating out Toys R Us ' inability to keep up levels of stock sufficient to take care of client demand as they chose to give a window into a transaction in which the gatherings have, contending dreams of the structure of the exchange, and settle on contractual dialect that does not completely express those dreams, or purpose the parties ' clash. In determining this debate, the Court chose not to build its determination in light of the exacting significance of the words eventually acknowledged by each one side. Rather, it strove to discover their propositions in going into this Understanding, and to offer impact to those aims. In this manner, the Court observed that it was the parties ' proposition, under their understanding, to make Toys R Us the restrictive toy retailer permitted to market on Amazon.com. While it found that none of the wrongs Amazon supposedly dedicated, remaining solitary, constituted a specialized rupture of the parties ' understanding, the Court