Case Analysis of ZARA: Fast Fashion
Challenges
a. Limitations of Vertical Integration
Vertical integration, a distinctive feature of Zara’s business model, has allowed the company to successfully develop a strong merchandising strategy. This strategy has led Zara to create a climate of scarcity and opportunity as well as a fast-fashion system. However, Zara’s strategy creates some weaknesses. Their vertical integration has more advantages than drawbacks but it is important to recognize its limitations. Vertical integration often leads to the inability to acquire economies of scale, which means Zara cannot gain the advantages of producing large quantities of goods for a discounted rate. Higher costs are then incurred for the Inditex
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The close proximity of the distribution center to the American market will allow Zara to effectively interpret the particular American fashion.
The increased cost of product variety will increase cost due to possible changeover of production techniques to create different apparel lines but this cost is warranted since the monetary gain is much greater than the cost. Central distribution centers, however, will help cut some the cost of quick, high fashion since it can help streamline some of the processes and techniques used to create different apparel as they vary from country to country.
Implementations
To expand globally, Zara should focus on one country at a time. Our team concludes that United States should be Zara’s current focus on international expansion. United States is an open trade market with well formed trade regulations. This provides a safer business environment as compared to Asia countries. During the globalization process, Zara should maintain short lead time, quick inventory turnover, leading fashion brand and low advertising cost as its competitive advantage. Regional distribution center, vertical integration, outsourcing, eye-catching window displays are the key elements for Zara to continue to re-invent and innovate themselves to stay fresh in the apparel industry. Below you may find the implementation details for United States region:
Retail – In the short run, invest in prime locations in major
Zara’s value proposition is that it offers its customers cutting edge fashion at very affordable prices. It actively seeks out what styles are “hot” in the fashion world. After Zara has identified the latest trend it can have the
Zara’s value chain differs from the other traditional models a lot. The design and creation rely extensively on copying fashion trends observed at the fashion shoes and at competitors’ points of sale, which based on buyers and designers alike.
While moving to USA, Zara is faced with its competitors, GAP. With this opportunity, Zara can learn firsthand about its competitors and its customer in huge global market of fashion. USA is a risky market with vindicated retrospection (Martinez 1997). According to Zara, International expansion is study procedure which cannot be postponed; it can augment the knowledge and idea of the global market. Finally, internationalization comprises the risk and cost of different markets (Martinez 1997; McGoldrick
The basic strategy for fighting competition is to attract buyers at lower prices, more unique designs, high-quality design, efficient customer service and solid image brand. Thus bargaining power of buyer for apparel industry is high as the products falls under the basic needs in human lives. There is no much difference in terms of products offered by the apparel company, so if buyer is unhappy with the product or service they can easily switch to another brand. Thus, Zara are trying to strengthen its position in the market by using their unique strategy by giving priority to buyer to meet their special needs.
In comparison to competitors, Zara’s business strategy, in regards to strategic partnerships and cost of production, provide for a strategic competitive advantage. Zara, unlike its competitors such as Gap, Benetton, and H&M, does not use Asian outsourcing. Eighty percent of Zara’s materials are manufactured in Europe, with 50% made in Zara controlled facilities in the Galicia region of Spain near headquarters. Most of Zara’s competitors have 100% outsourcing to cheap Asian countries. Though the cost of production in Spain is 17-20% more expensive than Asia, Zara does have a competitive advantage over its competitors in regards to operations. The local strategic partnerships that Zara maintains with manufacturers in Europe allow for a product throughput time of 3-4 weeks from conception to distribution. To make this happen, the company designs and cuts its fabric in-house and it acquires fabrics in only four colours to keep costs low. The proximity of these suppliers gives Zara great flexibility in adapting their product lines based on up to date market trends and consumer behaviour. It also decreases costs of holding inventory. Zara’s competitors, through outsourcing to Asian countries such as China, sacrifice the benefits of proximity for low labour and production costs.
Quick response of Zara leads it to be successful in the fashion clothing industry. Zara adopts international strategy for its operation. With vertical integration, it benefits Zara in cost aspect, however, it involves some risks. Due to our anaylysis on Zara’s operations, some of the recommendations are made to facilitate its further improvements.
Zara is a retailing chain of Inditexthat specializes in high-fashion at reasonable prices. In the last 12 months, Inditex’s stock price has increased by 50% despite bearish market conditions. The 50% increase is due to the investor expectations of Inditex’s growth. Inditex’s growth can be contributed to the decisions it has made in creating a vertically integrated centralized process. The centralization of its vertically integrated operations in Europe provided it with its competitive advantage; however, I believe it will also make it fail if it decides to grow substantially into other markets. Financial Analysis compare to competitors In comparing Inditex financial performance against its competitors, it is apparent that Inditex is
As technology developed to be ubiquitous, the expectations of customers have grown correspondingly. Companies are now able to become global and complex easier than ever. Competition for consumer’s demands is growing on every front, forcing businesses to modify or create new business processes in a much faster timeframe than ever before. While ZARA originated in Spain, the company has stores in 86 different countries around the world.
Collaboration of chief tasks, strategic use of organizational resources and core competencies contribute to Zara’s competitive advantage. Zara follows vertically integrated supply chain so it exercises control over suppliers. Demand is easily met and manufacturing is easily achieved. It uses Vertical Marketing System (VMS). It has Zara successfully integrate design, production, distribution, and retailing and which has turned it into the world’s fastest-growing fashion retailer. Its design team is having skilled and talented and experienced staff and the designers are regularly updated by stores and sales staff which keep record of moving stock. Its in-house team of production department is also hardworking and producing clothes quickly as it is manufacturing clothes in small batch. The market survey said that people visit Zara often when compared to Zara’s competitors. Its employees wait for one week for selling its stock and meanwhile if stock is not sold then they just take it out from store and then design team try to make better design for customer satisfaction and the design which is not sold their production will be stopped and in this manner it will face only little cost but will be able to attract customers. So its vertical integration system is helping it to gain advantage. Its customers are well aware that its stock will be changing after every week so they visit quite often to this store as they know if they don’t visit regularly then they can miss good stuff and good designer clothes. In the market survey it has been revealed that in Spain top branded fashion store is visited by customers 3 times a year and whereas Zara is visited by its customers 17 times a year so it is clear that Zara is taking advantage of vertical integration (Christopher,
But based on the SWOT analysis, the shipping and circulation of products can be a substantial challenge to be able to Zara any time it gets into the overseas market. And it's going to difficult to help compete against the local companies in other country which include China. The nearby brands in China provides a a lot cheaper charge with pretty much the same quality, only definitely isn't fashionable enough. It is because of the centralized circulation structure of Zara. So that they can penetrate inside the foreign marketplaces, Zara need to set up subsidiaries for production inside foreign
In 1988, Zara opened its first abroad store in Portugal. The geographic and cultural proximity of the two countries facilitate the business. Later on, more stores were opened regardless of the geographic or cultural distance as the business grew bigger. While there were some areas or countries difficult to enter. For instance, Saudi Arabia, Andorra or Malaysia, countries predicted with small markets and low sales or great culturally distant, Zara franchised as their own subsidiaries regarding the product, store location, interior design, logistic and human resources (Flavian, 2000).
Zara brand products are part of the Inditex Group which was founded by Amancio Ortega. Zara brand products currently compete in what is called the fast fashion industry. Fast fashion is a trend in the fashion industry where companies produce and sell new clothing trends within the market as quickly and cheaply as possible (Fernando, 2015). This is made possible by new innovations within the supply chain management of these companies. Innovations are precisely the way Zara has become one of the top fast fashion businesses in the industry. By utilizing their core competencies along with efficiently managing their supply chain, Zara has developed a way to give customers what they want faster than anyone else (Hitt, Ireland, & Hoskisson, 2017, p. 100). Zara has done an excellent job at defining its business strategy and utilizing their core competencies to create value for their customers which is why they keep coming back. This also brings in new customers to purchase from Zara. The purpose of this paper is to examine Zara and various aspects of their business.
Working in the fast fashion industry, Zara has developed a unique fast return strategy of production in order to keep up with the current trend and maintain the excitement for the customers. Also, going to a market-oriented strategy, they are trying to focus on satisfy their customer wants and needs. Thus, their value chain process is very unique. The new products come in the store twice a week, which is an incredibly short amount of time. However, by replacing with small and frequent merchandise, they are able to keep the store fresh and deficient (Greg, 2). Moreover, it also benefits the retailer in
if supplier doesn’t supply on time may incur the company the loses of the clothes out of date fashion . Huge number of tons will be consumed faster than before because of this fast fashion. This was the possible disadvantage of the fast fashion distribution system. There are a lot of advantages that offset the disadvantages of the fast fashion distribution system. We may say here fast fashion requires innovation and brainstorming to get new designs overtime to be
There has been an increase in mortgage payments as the Bank of England has recently increased the base rate to 5.25%. Most importantly this has an effect on cash outflow, meaning consumers have less to spend on clothes this may leave to a decrease in sales for retailer. The value for the retailing industry has increased, leading to falling prices; die to the immense competition from low prices producers and retailers.