Cmpetitive Intelligence Reprt - Market Snapsht Explanatins f Numbers Suggestins and Tips The infrmatin cntained in the tw sectins f the Cmpetitive Intelligence Reprt fr each gegraphic regin is f the highest imprtance in helping yu and yur c-managers make cmpetitively astute decisins fr the upcming perid. Yu will, almst certainly, spend mre time wrking with infrmatin n the Cmpetitive Intelligence Reprts than n the screens/printuts f any ther reprts. The Tw Sectins f the Cmpetitive Intelligence Reprt There are tw menu items that prvide cmpetitive intelligence: (1) a 1-page Market Snapsht fr each gegraphic regin shwing the cmpetitive effrts f all cmpanies fr a particular year, strategic grup maps, and lists f yur cmpany s cmpetitive strengths and weaknesses and (2) a Cmpany Analysis breakut shwing the cmpetitive effrts fr any cmpany f interest fr all years t date and graphs f its ftwear prices. MARKET SNAPSHOT f Cmpetitive Effrts f All Cmpanies fr a Gegraphic Regin (available fr any year). The Market Snapsht data shws the cmpetitive effrts f each cmpany in each f the fur gegraphic markets fr a particular year yu can readily switch frm regin t regin and year t year by using the menus n the left f the screen and chsing what regin and year yu want t view. Nrmally, yu will want t see the data fr the mst recent year, but yu can review the Market Snapshts shwing cmpetitive effrts fr prir years at any time it is useful. While yu are primarily interested in hw yur cmpany s cmpetitive effrt cmpares against the industry average (t see whether yu enjy a cmpetitive advantage r are at a disadvantage) n each factr that determines unit sales and market share, yu have the capability t see hw every cmpany stacks up against the industry averages (the data in the far right clumn) by clicking n the Cmpany Letter in tp right crner f the screen t change the cmpany being cmpared frm A t B t C t D and s n. COMPANY ANALYSIS: Decisin Trends fr Any Rival Cmpany f Interest. The secnd cmpetitive intelligence menu item prvides any cmpany s cmplete cmpetitive effrt (prices, S/Q ratings, mdels, advertising, rebates, etc.) in any gegraphic market fr all years t date, including trend-line graphs f its whlesale prices and S/Q ratings. Yu'll find this screen/reprt very handy in anticipating r guestimating the mves yur mst imprtant r clsest cmpetitrs are likely t make in the upcming year. Becming a shrewd pwer-user f the Market Snapsht and Cmpany Analysis infrmatin can help yu and yur cmanagers ut-manage and ut-cmpete rival cmpanies (especially thse cmpanies whse c-managers glss ver this infrmatin). It is well wrth spending a few minutes t explre the pwerful capabilities that have been prgrammed int the Market Snapsht (fr each gegraphic regin) and the Cmpany Analysis page fr any cmpany f interest (and mst especially fr clse cmpetitrs). The MARKET SNAPSHOT fr a Gegraphic Regin The Internet Segment. This sectin shws all f the market variables that impact internet demand and market share: retail price, S/Q rating, number f mdels ffered, whether r nt free shipping is ffered, advertising budget, and celebrity appeal -- custmer lyalty is als ne f the factrs impacting internet segment demand and market share, but since custmer lyalty is nt measurable r reprtable in numeric terms there is n listing fr it n the Market Snapsht page. The resulting nline rders, pairs sld, and market share percentages are then listed at the bttm f this sectin. Fr accunting purpses, internet rders are filled frm the warehuse first (befre any whlesale rders), s the nline rders and pairs sld lines will always shw identical numbers unless a cmpany des nt have sufficient finished gds inventry t supply internet rders (which als means that the cmpany wuld nt be able t supply any whlesale rders). The Whlesale Segment. This sectin shws all f the market variables that impact whlesale demand and market share: whlesale price, S/Q rating, mdel availability, advertising budget, rebate ffer, retail utlets utilized, retailer supprt expenditures, delivery time, and celebrity appeal -- custmer lyalty is als ne f the factrs impacting whlesale segment demand and market share, but since custmer lyalty is nt measurable r reprtable in numeric terms there is n listing fr it n the Market Snapsht page. The resulting retailer demand generated by each cmpany s marketing effrts is then shwn n the next line. Each cmpany s relative marketing effrt generates a retailer demand (number f pairs) fr their brand, but the number f
pairs each cmpany actually sells can be higher r lwer than initial retailer demand because f Sales Gains / Lsses (due t ut-f-stck cnditins). A cmpany experiences lst sales when it des nt have sufficient finished gds inventry in the reginal warehuse t satisfy ttal retailer demand in the regin. When a cmpany runs ut f stck, pairs sld in the regin will be lwer than the retail demand generated by its marketing effrt. Lst sales (due t inventry shrtfall) will shw n the Sales Gains/Lsses line as a negative number. If ne r mre cmpanies experience lst sales due t inventry shrtfall, then it is pssible fr ne r mre cmpanies t gain additinal sales (if there is inventry available in the reginal warehuse after fulfilling initial retailer demand). Sales gains (due t ut-f-stck cnditins experienced by ther cmpanies) will shw n the Sales Gains/Lsses line as a psitive number, but can ccur nly if ne r mre cmpanies runs ut f stck. Strategic Grup Maps. In additin, this reprt cntains strategic grup maps indicating hw each cmpany has psitined itself in the tw branded market segments (internet and whlesale). Cmpetitive Strengths / Weaknesses. There is a list f yur cmpany s cmpetitive strengths and weaknesses shwn at the bttm f the reprt page. Yu may als generate a list f cmpetitive strengths and weaknesses fr any rival cmpany (particularly thse cmpanies yu cnsider t be yur clsest cmpetitrs) by clicking n the cmpany letter buttn at the tp f the page. Using the MARKET SNAPSHOT fr a Gegraphic Regin Step 1: Make sure that yur cmpany is the ne whse cmpetitive effrt is cmpared against the industry averages in the last clumn n the right (if yur cmpany letter is nt shwing in the clumn head fr the last clumn head n the tp right f the bxed data, then click n the designated area in the upper right crner until yur cmpany letter appears). Later, yu can change the cmpany being cmpared and check the cmpetitive effrt f any rival cmpany f interest versus the industry averages. Step 2: Make printuts f this page and then print ut a page fr the ther 3 gegraphic regins, using the menu n the left t switch frm regin t regin. Just viewing the infrmatin n the screen is generally nt cnvenient, since having a printut in frnt f yu t refer t yu make decisins regarding yur cmpany s cmpetitive effrt fr the upcming year will prve far mre cnvenient. Observe that yu have data shwing yur cmpany s cmpetitiveness in all three market segments the Internet segment, the Whlesale segment, and the Private-Label segment. Step 3: It is strngly recmmended that yu g dwn the list f cmpetitive factrs in each segment (Internet, Whlesale, and Private-Label) item-by-item t see exactly where yur cmpetitive pluses and minus were and whether each plus/minus was tiny, sizable, r substantial. Start with the Internet segment and examine the size f the specific cmpetitive advantage/disadvantage yur cmpany had in the past year regarding price, S/Q rating, mdels ffered, free shipping, advertising, and celebrity appeal index. Keep in mind here that being abve/belw the industry average by 20% carries a much bigger impact than being abve/belw the average by 5% r less. Fr example, if yur cmpany s whlesale price in a regin was $55 versus an industry average f $50, then yur cmpany's cmpetitive disadvantage n price is greater than if yu had a price f $52 versus an industry average f $50. Or, if yur cmpany spent $5 millin n advertising (shwn n the reprt as 5,000) and the industry average was $4 millin (r 4,000), then yur cmpany s cmpetitive advantage n advertising wuld be significantly greater than if yur cmpany spent $5 millin and the industry average was $4.9 millin. The sizes f each cmpetitive advantage/disadvantage n each determinant f sales and market share therefre matter. The cmbined impact f hw yur cmpany s cmpetitive effrt cmpares against all the industry averages determines nline rders and pairs sld. Market share is calculated n the basis f pairs sld. If yur cmpany has the biggest market share, then yur cmpany had the strngest verall cmpetitive effrt visà-vis rivals. If yur cmpany had the lwest market share, then yur cmpany s verall cmpetitive effrt was the weakest amng all cmpanies cmpeting in that gegraphic regin during the year. Cmpanies with clse t an average market share have clse t an average verall cmpetitive effrt, all factrs cnsidered.
If yur cmpany s market share was nt the highest, see if yu can pinpint which factrs were mst respnsible fr why pairs sld and market share were nt higher in the Internet segment in this regin. Which specific cmpetitive factrs appear t have been mst respnsible in yur being ut-cmpeted by rival cmpanies with larger market shares? Careful analysis f the varius cmpanies regarding what size cmpetitive advantages/disadvantages result in what size market shares will prvide slid clues as t which cmpetitive factrs cunt mst and which cunt least in the Internet segment. Examine the tw strategic grup maps shwing hw yur cmpany is psitined vis-à-vis rivals based n price and S/Q rating (the vertical axis) and the prduct line breadth (the hrizntal axis) in the Internet segment. The sizes f the circles are drawn prprtinal t each cmpany s market share in the gegraphic regin. Yur cmpany s psitin n the strategic grup maps may vary frm regin t regin, as well as being different in the Internet and Whlesale segments (depending n yur cmpany s strategy and the strategies f rivals). Thse cmpany circles that are clsest tgether signify strng r clse cmpetitrs; thse farthest apart are weak cmpetitrs. Cmpanies that are mre islated, in the sense f nt having many ther cmpany circles clse t their psitins, face smewhat weaker head-t-head cmpetitin; cmpanies whse circles are adjacent t the circles f many ther rivals face tugher cmpetitin and may find it mre prfitable t shift t a mre islated, less cmpetitive part f the market-space. Lk at the bttm f the screen/page and take nte f yur cmpany s cmpetitive strengths and weaknesses in the Internet segment. Yur cmpany s list f cmpetitive strengths in the Internet segment shw up t 7 cmpetitive factrs where yur cmpany s advantage versus the industry average was meaningful. Yur cmpany s list f cmpetitive weaknesses shw up t 7 cmpetitive factrs where yur cmpany s effrt in the Internet segment was meaningfully weaker than the industry-average effrt. Draw cnclusins abut what changes in strategy and cmpetitive effrt yu may need t make t imprve yur cmpany s cmpetitiveness vis-à-vis rivals in the Internet segment in rder t imprve unit sales, market share, and prfitability. Generally, it makes gd sense t begin any effrt t imprve yur cmpany s Internet sales and market share in a regin by upping yur cmpetitive effrt and narrwing the gap n thse cmpetitive effrt measures where yu are farthest belw the industry average. But market share gains can be made by upping yur effrt n any and all cmpetitive measures (assuming that rivals d nt ut-strategize yu by upping their cmpetitive effrts by equal r larger amunts s as t preserve r enhance their wn sales vlumes and market shares). Keep in mind here that BSG Online is a cmpetitin-based exercise, where yur cmpany s Internet sales and market share in each gegraphic regin depend entirely n hw yur cmpany's verall cmpetitive effrt in the regin (as measured by the cmbined impact f all the cmpetitive factrs) stacks up against the cmbined cmpetitive effrts f rivals. Als, be alert t the fact that increasing prfitability is mre imprtant than increasing market share. Sme market share gains can be cstly and actually reduce prfitability. There is seldm any glry in capturing unprfitable market share. Repeat the analysis fr the ther three regins. Step 4: Next turn yur attentin t the sizes f the cmpetitive advantages/disadvantages yur cmpany had last year in the Whlesale segment regarding price, S/Q rating, mdel availability, advertising, rebate ffers, retail utlets utilized, retailer supprt, delivery time, and celebrity appeal index. Again, bear in mind that being abve/belw the industry average by a small percent des nt carry the same impact as being abve/belw the average by a large percent the sizes f each cmpetitive advantage/disadvantage matter. The cmbined impact f hw yur cmpany s cmpetitive effrt cmpares against all the industry averages determines retailer demand. If yur cmpany did nt have sufficient pairs available t satisfy retailer demand and still meet the minimum inventry requirements, then there will be a negative number indicating the amunt f Lst Sales. The amunt f sales lst by all the varius cmpanies then end up as Sales Gains fr ther cmpanies because retailers shift their rders t ther brands. Retailer demand less adjustments fr Lst Sales and Sales Gains result in pairs sld. Market share is calculated n the basis f pairs sld.
If yur cmpany has the biggest retailer demand, then yur cmpany had the strngest verall cmpetitive effrt vis-à-vis rivals. If yur cmpany had the lwest retailer demand, then yur cmpany s verall cmpetitive effrt was the weakest amng all cmpanies cmpeting in that gegraphic regin during the year. Cmpanies with clse t an average retailer demand have clse t an average verall cmpetitive effrt, all factrs cnsidered In assessing each cmpany s market share, remember that allwances must always be made fr any Sales Gains r Lst Sales, especially if the amunts are large, because the market shares fr such cmpanies wuld have been lwer/higher in the absence f these sales gains/lsses. If yur cmpany s Retailer Demand/market share was nt the highest, see if yu can pinpint which factrs were mst respnsible fr why retailer demand was nt higher in the Whlesale segment in this regin. Which specific cmpetitive factrs appear t have been mst respnsible in yur being ut-cmpeted by rival cmpanies with larger market shares? Careful analysis f the varius cmpanies regarding what size cmpetitive advantages/disadvantages result in what size market shares will prvide slid clues as t which cmpetitive factrs cunt mst and which cunt least in the Internet segment. Examine the strategic grup map shwing hw yur cmpany is psitined vis-à-vis rivals based n price and S/Q rating (the vertical axis) and the prduct line breadth (the hrizntal axis) in the Whlesale segment. The sizes f the circles are drawn prprtinal t each cmpany s market share in the gegraphic regin. Yur cmpany s psitin n the strategic grup maps is likely t vary frm regin t regin. Thse cmpany circles that are clsest tgether signify strng r clse cmpetitrs; thse farthest apart are weak cmpetitrs. Cmpanies that are mre islated, in the sense f nt having many ther cmpany circles clse t their psitins, face smewhat weaker head-t-head cmpetitin; cmpanies whse circles are adjacent t the circles f many ther rivals face tugher cmpetitin and may find it mre prfitable t shift t a mre islated, less cmpetitive part f the market-space. Lk at the bttm f the screen/page and take nte f yur cmpany s cmpetitive strengths and weaknesses in the Whlesale segment. Yur cmpany s lists f cmpetitive strengths/weaknesses in the Whlesale segment shw up t 7 cmpetitive factrs where yur cmpany s advantage/disadvantage versus the industry average was meaningful. Draw cnclusins abut what changes in cmpetitive effrt yu may need t make t imprve yur cmpany s cmpetitiveness vis-à-vis rivals in the Whlesale segment in rder t imprve unit sales, market share, and prfitability. Generally, it makes gd sense t begin any effrt t imprve yur cmpany s Whlesale sales and market share in a regin by upping yur cmpetitive effrt and narrwing the gap n thse cmpetitive effrt measures where yu are farthest belw the industry average. But market share gains can be made by upping yur effrt n any and all cmpetitive measures (assuming that rivals d nt ut-strategize yu by upping their cmpetitive effrts by equal r larger amunts s as t preserve r enhance their wn sales vlumes and market shares). Remember that ging after bigger sales and market share is nt nearly as imprtant as increasing prfitability. Sme market share gains can be cstly and actually reduce prfitability. Repeat the analysis fr the ther three regins. Step 5: Nw turn yur attentin t the cmpetitiveness f yur cmpany s price bids in this regin s Private-Label segment. Yu can readily see what price each cmpany bid, hw many pairs each rival ffered fr sale (a clear indicatin f what sales vlume they were ging after), and hw many pairs they sld. Cmpanies that ffered pairs fr sale but sld nthing lst ut in the cmpetitive bidding t lwer-priced bidders. A cmpany that sld nly part f the pairs ffered was the last cmpany t have their bid accepted, but the remaining demand at that pint was insufficient t allw the cmpany t sell all it ffered. The price bids by rivals in this regin, alng with their price bids in the ther regins, prvide gd clues as t what bid it may take in the upcming year t be a winning bidder. Anther clue is the Glbal Supply/Demand infrmatin n page 4 f the Ftwear Industry Reprt. Generally speaking, the mre versupplied the market in the upcming year, the fiercer the cmpetitive bidding will be t win private-label sales. If ne r tw cmpanies seem t be trying t dminate the private-label market in ne r mre regins, g t the Cmpany Analysis sectin f the Cmpetitive Intelligence reprts t view the price bids f each cmpany ver all
years t date this may prvide better clues as t their bids in the upcming year. Yu might als find lking at the price bids f sme ther cmpanies t be helpful. Again, yu will need t repeat this analysis fr all the regins. Step 6 (ptinal): Cnsider studying the cmpetitive effrts f clse cmpetitrs mre intensely (clse cmpetitrs are thse cmpanies clsest t yur circles n the strategic grup maps). Specifically, click n the cmpany letter link in the tp right part f the screen that allws yu t change the cmpany being measured against the industry average. Check ut the sizes f a clse cmpetitr s cmpetitive advantages/disadvantages against the industry averages and view its cmpetitive strengths and weaknesses n the bttm part f the screen/page. D the same fr ther gegraphic regins. This assessment f clse cmpetitrs may help yu decide what actins yur cmpany needs t take in the upcming year.