...Costco Case Questions 09/26/2013 Question 1: Competition in the North American wholesale club industry is high, with Costco being its leader at 56% of the market share. Main ways to compete are lower prices, more efficient operations, and reduced labor and overhead costs as well. Some of the clubs do the bare minimum in advertising while others, like BJ’s, spend more money on it (special Christmas radio advertisement and such). Out of the five competitive forces, the strongest is the rivalry between the competitors, because all of the players in this market attempt to offer high-quality products at lower prices. According to Figure 3.3, one of the reasons for rivalry amongst competitors to be strong is a relatively low cost to buyers to switch brands, and also if buyer demand is growing slowly, both of which are true in this case. All competitors in this industry are focusing on low margins on the products and high volumes of sales. Suppliers do have some power and influence on the wholesale club members, especially in the case with Costco, which buys some of its goods on the gray market and is known to sell some big-ticket items, but with globalization happening and more and more of suppliers being available around the world, they do not present a reason for concern as high as the rivalry between market players. Customers are always looking for lower prices and higher quality of merchandise, which Costco has been excellent at providing. BJ’s strategy is to give a better...
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...Question 1 What is Costco’s business model? Is the company’s business model appealing? Why or why not? Costco’s business model focuses on selling limited selection of products at low prices, often at very high volume and rapid inventory turnover. These goods are bulk-packaged and marketed primarily to large families and businesses. Costco does not carry multiple brands or varieties where the item is essentially the same. It provides members with a selection of only about 4000 items, this results in a high volume of sales from a single vendor, allowing further reductions in price, and reducing marketing costs. Costco also saves money by not stocking extra bags or packing materials; to carry out their goods, customers must bring their own bags or use the merchandise shipping boxes from the company's outside vendors. Costco’s business model is appealing because rapid inventory turnover, high sales volume per warehouse, low prices, reduced handling of merchandise, are all elements that create value to a Costco’s members, and make the company successful. Question 2 What are the chief elements of Costco’s strategy? How good is the strategy? The chief elements of Costco’s strategy are: Low prices: Costco’s pricing strategy is to cap the margins on brand-name merchandise at 14 percent (compared to 20-50 percent margins at other discounters and many supermarkets. The margins on Costco’s private-label Kirkland Signature items are a maximum of 15 percent. Costco’s strategy...
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...CASE 17 COSTCO CASE STUDY Case study questions 1. What generic business level strategy (Chapt 5) is Costco pursuing. Explain your choice. Companies that target one or a few segments and try to be the low cost player in that segment are perusing a focus-low cost strategy. Such companies tend to produce a more basic offering that is relatively inexpensive to produce and deliver. This helps to drive down their cost structures. Costco sells a limited range of merchandise in large warehouse type stores. A Costco store has about 3,750 SKU’s compared to the average 124K SKU’s at an average Walmart supercenter. Costco offers consumers the ability to make bulk purchases of basic goods like dog food and breakfast cereal at lower prices than found elsewhere. As of 2011, Costco maintains the number 1 spot in industry inventory turnover ratio, and number 3 in the retail sector. Thus, we can conclude that Costco definitely does a good job tailoring its products to the needs of the segment and, in doing so, is able to successfully undercut the cost structure Walmart achieves with their colossal economies of scale. 2. Describe four functional-level strategies that Costco has implemented to support their business level strategy. Label the function (marketing, production, R&D, etc - see Chapt 4) under which the strategy falls. Human Resources Strategy - Costco pays their employees substantially more than what other competitors in industry as well as the sector pay. Along those same...
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...WHAT IS THE ETHICAL DILEMA FACING WAL-MART & COSTCO? Tamika Goodman Mr. Sherlock-Prince Ethical dilemma is defined as a complex situation that often involves an apparent mental conflict between moral imperatives, in which to obey one would result in transgressing another. Ethical dilemmas are aften cited in an attempt to refute an ethical syste, or moral code, as well as the worldview that encompasses or grows from it. Wal-Mart pushes it’s slogan “Always Low Prices”. Wal-Mart is the largest retail operation in history. . This company is the world's third largest public corporation, according to the Fortune Global 500 list in 2012. It is also the biggest private employer in the world with over two million employees, and is the largest retailer in the world. Walmart remains a family-owned business, as the company is controlled by the Walton family who own a 48% stake in Walmart. It is also one of the world's most valuable companies. Costco Wholesale Corporation is the seventh largest retailer in the world. As of July 2012[update], it was the fifth largest retailer in the United States, and the largest membership warehouse club chain in the United States. Both Companies are very succesful in selling every day essential needs to customers, and both companies are competitors against each other. The ethical dilemma facing both compaines is that each company have there own ethical principles, core beliefs and values on how the company is...
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...Overview: Costco was founded by Jim Sinegal and Jeffrey Brotman. Costco opened its first warehouse in Seattle, Washington, on September 15, 1983. Siegal had started in wholesale distribution by working for Sol Price at both FedMart and Price Club. In 1993, Costco merged with Price Club. Costco’s business model and size were similar to those of Price Club. In 1997, PriceCostco changed their name to Costco Wholesale and all the Price Club locations were rebranded to Costco. Costco was the first company in the industry to grow from zero to $3 billion in sales in less than six years. Costco use the competitive strategy the best-cost provider in the wholesale club membership category. Costco has the purchasing power, high sales volumes, quick inventory turnover, and excellent customer service. The chief elements of Costco strategy are pricing, limited product selection and what the company calls “treasure-hunt merchandising, this is high end product that is acquired in the gray market from other wholesalers or distressed retailers looking to get rid of excess or slow-selling inventory. 1. What is Costco’s business model? Is the company’s business model appealing? Why or why not? The business model that Costco employs is that they are able to provide quality goods and services at the lowest possible prices. This business model is appealing as it firstly, allows Costco to generate high sales volume and rapid inventory turnover by offering members very low prices and select private-label...
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...also personal and professional growth opportunities and a motivating work environment” (Heneman 3). Hoovers.com states that internet search engine giant, Google, historically reports year-after-year revenue and net income growth. The total rewards management system is world renowned and the successful implementation of it is reflected in Google’s financial reports and consistent awards and recognition. The second company under the scope is US based retailer Costco which sells a variety of products from household appliances to bedding and groceries (Datamonitor.com). Costco Wholesale Corporation is often held up as a retailer that does it right, paying well and offering generous benefits according to Ann Zimmerman in her article Costco’s Dilemma: Is Treating Employees Well Unacceptable for a Public-Traded Corporation (Wall Street Journal). The conclusion will be drawn that both Google and Costco’s are leaders in both of their total reward management strategies and the implementation of it. But how? How did Google and Costco get to that point? People in the field of Human Resources recognize the many challenges associated with creating and implementing successful total rewards management strategies. In Implementing Total Rewards Strategies by total rewards management expert, Robert Heneman, Heneman says that “implementing total rewards programs raises daunting challenges. Practioners who ignore these challenges do so at...
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...Mexico. Its annual sales per store averaged $130 million whereas it’s closest competition; Sam’s club averaged $75 million per store. (p. C32-C33) 2. What are the chief elements of Costco’s strategy? How good is the strategy? The chief elements of Costco’s strategy are low prices, a limited product line and limited selection, and a “treasure hunt” shopping environment (p. C-35). The company’s strategy is appealing because they entice with low prices to attract more customers. Similarly the company is also based on the limited product or product selection as more products mean more confusion for the customer. This technique helps to create a good relationship with its suppliers. The strategy contains all of the criteria to make Costco one of the successful companies today. 3. Do you think Jim Sinegal is an effective CEO? What grades would you give him in leading the process of crafting and executing Costco’s strategy? What support can you offer for these grades?...
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...Wal-Mart’s insurance decides to kick in to pay. Regrettably because of this many employees are forced to seek government help in the form of Medicaid and other subsidized care in order to obtain and afford their medical needs. What is even more alarming though is the way Wal-Mart plans to right their employee healthcare wrongs. To offset their current health care plans, Wal-mart executive are proposing the cutting of “retirement benefits by at least $200 million (by eliminating flat 401(k) retirement contributions, which would cut the company’s retirement benefit cost from four to three percent of wage”(West, 2005). The reasoning behind why Wal-marts executives implement such ridiculous and unethical plans are unknown, but there is no question their sense of logic is more than a bit disturbing. As mentioned earlier, being one of if not the...
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...Costco Business Model And Elements Of Costcos Strategy, Management1. What is Costco’s business model? Is the company’s business model appealing? Why or why not?2. What are the chief elements of Costco’s strategy? How good is the strategy?Posted by Alena | Posted Date: 8/7/2011 12:03:45 PM | 1. What is Costco’s business model? Is the company’s business model appealing? Why or why not?Business Model is used to exemplify the methods and ways which we used to generate planned revenue. The Costco’s business model is to generate high sales volume and rapid inventory turnover by offering low prices on limited selection of national branded and select private-label products in wide range of merchandise categories. Costco’s offers these products to their members who are of two types’ business members and gold star members.This business model is tempting because it gives a test to Costco’s management to continue to devise strategies and methods through which they can keep hold of existing members and catch the attention of new members. Otherwise they will suffer failure because there will be a risk that discontented members will not renew their membership. This business model takes company towards total quality management.2. What are the chief elements of Costco’s strategy? How good is the strategy?Strategy is the organization’s pre selected means or approach to gaining its goals or objectives, while keeping in view current and future external conditions. Costco’s strategy’s elements...
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...srl Case 1 Costco Wholesale Corporation: Mission, Business Model, and Strategy he was prone to display irritation when he disagreed sharply with what people were saying to him. In touring a Costco store with the local store manager, Sinegal was very much the person-in-charge. He functioned as producer, director, and knowledgeable critic. He cut to the chase quickly, exhibiting intense attention to detail and pricing, wandering through store aisles firing a barrage of questions at store managers about sales volumes and stock levels of particular items, critiquing merchandising displays or the position of certain products in the stores, commenting on any aspect of store operations that caught his eye, and asking managers to do further research and get back to him with more information whenever he found their answers to his questions less than satisfying. It was readily apparent that Sinegal had tremendous merchandising savvy, that he demanded much of store managers and employees, and that his views about discount retailing set the tone for how the company operated. Knowledgeable observers regarded Jim Sinegal’s merchandising expertise as being on a par with that of the legendary Sam Walton. In 2006, Costco’s sales totaled almost $59 billion at 496 stores in 37 states, Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Mexico. About 26 million households and 5.2 million businesses had membership cards entitling them to shop at Costco, generating nearly $1...
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...Costco Wholesale Corporation 1. Describe Costco’s Business Model. Description must identify and describe model components. Costco’s business model was to generate high sales volumes and rapid inventory turnover by offering its members low prices on a limited selection of nationally branded and select private-label products in a wide range of merchandise categories. The components that stick out to me in this model are the low prices, brand names/select private label, and membership. A) Discuss how each component impacts profit generation. The principle business components that allow their business to generate revenues sufficient to cover costs are as follows: * Low Prices support rapid inventory turnover and high sales volumes. The higher sales volumes they generate then the better means they have when negotiating pricing with their vendors, and the potential to reach higher gross profit by the mass quantities they sell. Volume pricing, efficient distribution, and reduced handling of merchandise add to their overall effectiveness. * Brand names and select private-labeled products help to draw customers in because they know the brand names and understand what they are paying for. Discount pricing on top of this, even if it is still cheaper than the local grocer, will still make the shopper feel as if they are getting a deal. When a shopper gets a deal, they are often inclined to spend more and shop there again…both adding to Costco’s ability to generate sufficient...
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...Costco Wholesale Corporation | Table of Contents The Problem and Assumptions 2 The Problem 2 Assumptions 2 Qualitative Analysis 2 Quantitative Analysis 3 Industry Trends 3 Costco Strategy Expansion 3 Income Statement Industry/Competitor Comparison 3 Balance Sheet Competitor/Industry Comparison 5 Common-Size Analysis 6 Ratio Analysis 6 Statement of Cash Flow 9 Preferred Action Plan with Alternative Actions 11 The Problem and Assumptions The Problem Margarita Torres purchased shares in Costco Wholesale Corporation in 1997 and now it is 2002. She has decided to analyze her investment to see if Costco will continue to be profitable at a sustainable growth rate. The main question she needs to answer is how the company had been affected by growth. Had its operational efficiency changed? And how had it financed the growth and how its capital structure evolved? Assumptions For the year 2001 a recession occurred. This occurrence is considered when reviewing the financial numbers and statistics during this year. Qualitative Analysis The first step in analyzing Costco Wholesale Corporation is analyzing the relative qualitative data. Based on the data provided within the case the points below summarize how Costco is performing: * Industry: Wholesale clubs grew 12-15% in the 1990s and Costco is currently the largest wholesale club in the industry. * Strategy: Costco targets wealthier clientele of small business owners and middle...
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...ITT TECHNICAL INSTITUTE DATA MINING REPORT ONE AND TWO Shirly Mu, Todd Hughson, James Wall PROBLEM SOLVING THEORY ONSITE COURSE GS1140 INSTUCTOR LJILJANA MORRIS Today we are doing a project report on Costco. For Sol and Robert Price in 1976 they asked friends and family to help out with an opening price of two point five millon to open Price Club on July twelfth, they open their shop in an air hanger on Boulevard in San Diego, California. They were originally going to serve only small business. Mr. Price found out that it will be more beneficial to serve select customers. Costco was founded by James Sinegal and Jeffery H. Brotman. Costco opened its doors in 1983 in Seattle, Washington. Price Club and Costco later merged and renamed the business PriceCostco. And in 1997 due to its success the name was changed again to Costco Wholesale. (About History, 2014) Costco Wholesale stores headquarters are located in Issaquah, WA. The mission statement for Costco is to continually provide our members with quality goods and services at the lowest possible prices. (Farfan, 2014) There are three types of membership cards at Costco; Executive membership, Business membership and Gold membership. The one I have is executive membership this cost about one hundred and twenty dollars sounds like a lot but I’ll be able to get two percent back in my shopping. If I do not get back more than fifty five dollars back for the entire year they will give me that amount or the two percent of...
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...Wholesale Retail industry. The companies in question are BJ’s Wholesale Club, Costco Wholesale Warehouse Corporation, Wal-Mart’s Sam’s Club are the three major Retail Wholesale companies in the USA and international. Costco is the number one wholesale warehouse. Our class and specifically our team, Team A, learned about the entrepreneurial forms of business. We learned that the most popular forms of business are the Sole Proprietorship and the Corporation. Some major advantages of Sole Proprietorship are the owner is the business, and the ease of formation. There are several types of corporations such as Public v. Private corporations and Profit v. Nonprofit corporations. There are domestic corporations that are formed within the state. Foreign Corporation are formed in other states and alien corporations are incorporated in another country other than the USA. We also learned of Torts and Negligence; such as how companies must know when to protect themselves, when to contact an attorney, and which type of attorney to contact. We learned of Alternative Dispute Resolutions. We learned of arbitration, mediation, and when to choose each for the best results for the company. We learned how to administer a contract, learned of risk management, and discrimination in the workplace. Costco Retail Warehouse is the leader in Retail Warehouse. The management style of Costco is employee-oriented. One major difference in Costco management is Costco does not operate with a public relations...
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...ASSIGNMENT QUESTIONS: Costco Wholesale Corp.: 1. What is Costco’s business model? Is the company’s business model appealing? Why or why not? Costco business model is meant to maximize efficiency by depending on a high sales tied with quick inventory earnings. Costco’s concept is base on offering members the lowest price on a limited selection of national brands, the warehouse format maintain a low cost rate as they buy and sell items in bulk. Costco memberships keep customers loyal, because it accumulate most of its profit from membership fees, they’re able to sale their goods at a very low markup price. Overall Costco’s business model is very appealing, while being positioned to grow its business for the foreseeable future, it has many benefits. Example, efficiency inventory combine with quicker inventory turnover will reduce Costco cots of selling goods. High sales volumes combine with quick inventory allows Costco to sell and receive cash for goods before it has to pay for any of its merchandise, which allows Costco to finance a large percentage of its inventory through the payment terms provided by its vendor rather than having to maintain a sizable working capital to pay for its merchandise. It’s high end target product result in bringing in high-end consumer into its stores which is another reason it’s appealing. 2. What are the chief elements of Costco’s strategy? How good is the strategy...
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