2013-04-29

SWOT


Strengths
  •            Generic brand positioning is powerful marketing tool nowadays.
  •            Simplistic and minimalist design attracts broad range of consumer groups.
  •            The brand idea is catching in the modern world.
  •            No direct competitor due to combination of product range and specific design.
  •            Sustainable consumption is preferable for consumers.
  •            Reasonable pricing.


Weaknesses
  •            Easily substitutable as the one of the core brand features is in its products’ design.
  •            The collections do not show much of new items and design.

Opportunities
  •            Consumers from emerging markets start paying attention to design and sustainable consumption.
  •            The brand philosophy could be applied to broader range of products.
  •            Further partnerships for co-branded products, such as Nissan Muji Car 1000.

Threats
  •            The ideas that the brand promotes could be easily used by other companies.
  •            Brand statement would not be attractive and clear for emerging market customers.
  •            Increasing competition at the organic products markets in developed economies.

2 comments:

  1. One of the threats caught my eye: if you suggest that Muji's business idea can be easily copied, how would you minimize this threat? Maybe it's of use to emphasize the country of origin, to show that the brand stands out of any other generic products?

    About Muji's reasonable pricing: definitely, it has such an advantage in Japan, but the choice of your entry mode has to consider sustaining such advantage over products presented in Russia, only then it'd be considered as your strength in the Russian Market. As I told Nikolay before, it'd be reasonable to check everything about the Polish operations of Muji, and maybe copy a successful market entry strategy to Russia (I believe, Russia and Poland are quite similar markets). I'd make your decisions much easier!

    Victoria ELiseeva

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    Replies
    1. Hi, Victoria!

      thank you for your suggestions!

      Yes, we are planning to emphasize on the country of origin when developing our positioning strategy. We have investigated that the COO effect has a posittive impact on the consumers in Russia. More specifically, the consumers associate with Japanese products quality, simplicity and minimalism. Also, the consumers like the design of Muji shops and products. So, we think, that COO will be one of the competitive advantages of our strategy.

      Poland is a good example to see how Muji entered the market, and which strategy was used. Actually, I am trying to find some information about Muji in Poland which we may consider while developing our stratey, but, honestly, there is not much info available in english that we may use. I am starting to translate Polish websites now)

      Tania

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