Answered step by step
Verified Expert Solution
Link Copied!

Question

1 Approved Answer

Please read my comment , Please answer both the questions in very detail manner Please read the case study and answer the following questions .

Please read my comment , Please answer both the questions in very detail manner

Please read the case study and answer the following questions .

Questions -

  1. Describe the practice of showrooming and state its impact on BestBuy sales.
  2. Describe BestBuy competitive advantage over Amazon and state the impact of the millennial customer segment on the growth of Amazon.

Case Study- Best Buy: Creating a Winning Customer Experience in Consumer Electronics

image text in transcribed
Abstract After a successful run for many years as a resilient consumer electronics giant, Best Buy was under intense pressure at the end of 2014. Even as competitors like Circuit City melted away, Best Buy had been able to withstand the onslaught of online behemoth Amazon and discount retailers like Target and Walmart. However, its competitive position was threatened as online shopping became more popular, particularly among millennial customers. With a new leadership team, Best Buy had recently undertaken bold initiatives to expand and refine its online presence and position itself for success. These initiatives had produced encouraging results, but Best Buy needed to do more to stem the loss of market share to Amazon and to become more relevant to millennial customers. To address these challenges, Best Buy approached the Kellogg School of Management to solicit ideas from student teams by sponsoring a Business Challenge competition. The teams came up with several strategic initiatives. Best Buy needed to evaluate these initiatives on two criteria: First, how well did these initiatives leverage Best Buy's privileged physical assets (stores, salespeople, and Geek Squad services staff) to create a winning customer experience? Second, how effective would these initiatives be in attracting and retaining millennial customers? Case At the end of 2014, Best Buy was one of the largest retailers in the United States, with over 1,400 domestic stores, a strong web presence, and a trusted brand name. Best Buy had held its own against the onslaught of e-commerce while many other electronics retailers such as Circuit City had gone out of business. Over the past few years, however, Best Buy's performance had flagged. The retail market was experiencing a rapid shift toward online shopping, epitomized by the rise of Amazon. Customers would visit physical consumer electronics stores such as Best Buy to try out products but end up buying from online retailers. This practice, called "showrooming," was a significant threat to Best Buy. The company had responded by offering a price-matching guarantee in 2013. Although the price-matching guarantee had reduced the threat from showrooming, Best Buy had to contend with lower profit margins and the continued perception that Amazon offered lower prices and more choice. Best Buy was also challenged by the growing influence of millennials, who preferred to shop online and had much higher expectations for a physical retail store experience. The millennial segment was growing in size and importance, but it was underrepresented in Best Buy's customer base. Best Buy needed to improve its appeal to millennials by creating an online as well as offline customer experience that would exceed their expectations. Under the leadership of recently appointed CEO Hubert Joly, Best Buy had taken the initiative to win in the changing marketplace. For all the strength of online players such as Amazon, Best Buy had powerful physical assets such as its stores, its vast employee base, and its Geek Squad service operation. How could the company leverage these privileged assets to create a winning customer experience? How could it improve its relevance and appeal to millennials? Best Buy had recently sponsored a business challenge competition at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. The company received recommendations from three winning student teams who suggested strategic initiatives in three areas-improving the in- store experience, enhancing the ownership experience, and offering a rent-to-own model. Although all these initiatives sounded promising, Best Buy needed to decide which would best deliver on its strategic objectives

Step by Step Solution

There are 3 Steps involved in it

Step: 1

blur-text-image

Get Instant Access to Expert-Tailored Solutions

See step-by-step solutions with expert insights and AI powered tools for academic success

Step: 2

blur-text-image

Step: 3

blur-text-image

Ace Your Homework with AI

Get the answers you need in no time with our AI-driven, step-by-step assistance

Get Started

Recommended Textbook for

Principles of Marketing

Authors: Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong

13th Edition

0136079415, 978-0136079415

More Books

Students also viewed these Marketing questions

Question

How to solve maths problems with examples

Answered: 1 week ago

Question

Explain Coulomb's law with an example

Answered: 1 week ago

Question

What is operating system?

Answered: 1 week ago