Consumer Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Consumer Behavior - Essay Example . A lot of say is also from the word of mouth approach which suggests that the friends and family circles play a very positive and vibrant role in the whole equation. When we talk about the consumers’ needs of understanding their own self in a better manner, we must make note of the self concept which discusses a person’s understanding of his own personality and what does or does not echo his personal statements. This could include issues like his mood shifts that can happen with the changing seasons, the attachment of peculiar feelings with certain colors and going out of the way to buy a certain piece of cloth which is usually not considered a viable option when it comes to buying by the masses. Thus the self concept is quintessential since it underpins his own notions related with the fashion needs and in what manner he can best fulfill the very same. As stated earlier, the people who are considered amongst the aspired groups by the relevant sets of consumers, who ar e about to make a potential purchase, are the right people to which these consumers can actually focus their symbolic wishes and aspirations. This aspired group could be consisting of those people who are looked upon at by the consumers with a sense of desire and yearning and the consumers always make sure that they buy this just to remain attached with the aspired group.

Progression of Morality Essay Example for Free

Progression of Morality Essay Throughout the centuries, morality has guided the beliefs and actions of families as well as societies. It has brought them together but it has also torn them apart. These beliefs continue to be a dominant force throughout many societies, affecting everything from what people wear to how they behave. The progression of morality has been a powerful basis for societies. The spectrum of greater access to the ideas and customs of different cultures, because of technology mass media and entertainment, especially television, has resulted in a diverse cultural blending. As cultural ideas move with people among cultures, some beliefs seem to have a greater effect than others. Blending of Morality In the 21st century, ideas from the West have been one of the dominant forces in shaping cultures in many parts of the world. The United States domination of the worldwide mass media has influenced different cultures significantly, leaving behind a legacy of western customs and ideas. The English language is also spoken globally, mainly because of Europe’s history of colonization in the Americas, Asia, and Africa. It has emerged as one of the premier international languages. English is the most common language used on the Internet and is responsible, in part, for the emergence of a dynamic global culture. Western business suits are standard uniforms among many people. McDonald’s hamburgers and Coca-Cola soft drinks can be purchased in many countries around the world. Many Disney characters are now commonly recognized because of Human World Views: HUM 360 Walt Disney theme park locations in Paris, Tokyo, and Hong Kong. These examples of common dress, food, and entertainment all originate from America and are incorporated into other cultures. Western influence has also affected ways of thinking as well in many cultures with the expansion of materialism. This American mindset of placing high value on acquiring material possessions seems to have been adopted by many people of different cultures. Conflicts of Morality There have also been many historical conflicts among people of different racial, national, linguistic, or cultural groups. Some ethnic or religious groups have had moral issues that reach back for decades and, in some, for centuries. Examples of such conflicts would be â€Å"the troubles† between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland (McKittrick McVea, 2002) and the hostilities between Palestinians and Jews in the Middle East. People caught in these conflicts, that have been characterized by terrible violence, sometimes suffered torture or massacres of their whole towns or villages. An exemplification of such extreme immoral behavior is the violence imposed on the Kurds, a nomadic group in southwest Asia. For decades, Kurds have wanted their own separate country. But because their traditional lands cross the borders of three nations, it’s been an unsettling issue (McDowall, 2004). The Turks have responded to the Kurdish nationalism by forbidding Kurds to speak their native language. The Iranians have also persecuted the Kurds, attacking them over religious issues. In the late 1980’s, the Iraqis used chemical weapons on the Kurds, known as the Halabja Massacre or Bloody Friday , killing around 5,000 people (Esteri, 2012). Throughout history and present day, morality has played an important role in bringing people together. It has also, at times, driven them apart. Morality guides the beliefs and behaviors of its members. Whatever emotions it prompts, morality remains one of the most powerful influential forces on mankind in the world. ?

Banning Cell Phones while Driving :: Law Legal Cellular Telephone

Cell phones have become a huge part of modern life.. Cell phones play a large role in our society from keeping track of the kids to calling for help in emergencies. As the popularity of cell phones increase, concerns over hazards and car accidents they cause has increased also. A law should be passed stating that all cell phone use be illegal while driving. Talking on a cell phone while trying to drive a car puts the driver, other drivers, and pedestrians in danger. The risk of a passenger, another driver, or a pedestrian being killed by a driver using a cell phone is 1.5 in a million per year. There are three dangers associated with driving and cell phone use. First, drivers must take their eyes off the road while dialing. Second, people can become so wrapped up in their conversations that their ability to concentrate on driving decreases. Lastly, people are constantly reaching for their cell phones to make or answer calls, making it impossible to keep both hands on the wheel. Adding to research that suggests that cell phone use while driving is hazardous, Progressive Insurance found that 46 percent of 837 drivers who used cell phones while driving swerved into another lane, 23 percent tailgated another vehicle, 18 percent almost hit another car, and 10 percent ran a red light. Of those surveyed, 90 percent admitted to using their phone while driving alone. Cell phone use while driving is basically the same as driving after drinking alcohol, both cause the driver to have poor speed maintenance, poor lane control, slow starts at signaled intersections, abrupt lane changes, sudden stops and cutting off other drivers. Driving while talking on a cell phone increases your risk of an accident from 34-300 percent same as driving drunk. Several states have attempted to pass laws to ban cell phone use while driving. Cab drivers in New York are not allowed to use cell phones while driving. On the other hand, those who appose banning cell phones while driving argue that when states issue drivers licenses, an individual motorist has been given the chance to be both responsible and capable of making decisions behind the wheel. Also, holding a conversation on a cell phone while driving is no more distracting than talking to a passenger. Lastly arguing that a driver should be able to chose whether or not to use a cell phone while driving and any attempts to legally prohibit this is taking away the personal rights of motorists.

“Of Mice and Men” during the 1930’s Essay

John Steinbeck wrote â€Å"Of Mice and Men† during the 1930’s when the Great Depression would’ve started. The dustbowl was wiping off all the good soil so all the farmers lost there jobs and they lost all their money. Also loads of people lost money in the Wall Street Crash when the stock market crashed. Many men had the dream like George and Lennie and work like them so they can get their fifty bucks or work up a stake to buy some land of their own. Many people were racist so Crooks had a very hard life even though he had nothing different about him but his skin colour. Also he is a cripple so he can’t do too much work except tend the horses. Candy is a bit the same because he has a busted hand and got a bit of compensation but nobody else would employ him so he has to stay there. Lennie is really dumb and even though he is strong no one would employ him because of his intelligence. He is lucky that he has George because it was George that would have probably got him the job. George is a very intelligent person who is a hard worker but can never live the life he wants to because Lennie keeps ruining it. Slim is a very good worker and is very efficient and is essential to the ranch. He is the only one who can speak to Curley’s wife and get away with it. â€Å"This is just a nigger talking’, and a busted back nigger. So it don’t mean nothing, see?† this shows how disrespectful Curley’s wife and other people can be to Crooks. Crooks are portrayed in the book as a black, enabled person who is beaten and tortured for fun. He has only a few human rights like being able to live and do what he wants to a certain extent but is beaten by the boss when it’s not even his fought and he is used for games. Just like when they set dogs on a bear even though the bear is chained up, one of the workers will have his hands or legs tied together so that poor old Crooks has a chance. Crooks is always mentioned by the Boss and the workers as the nigger, a bit like an animal, like you call a dog, dog when talking about it, they do the same to Crooks. They treat him like an animal. Smitty was the guy that had the fight with Crooks but lost. He said â€Å"If he coulda used his feet, Smitty says he woulda got the nigger† which proves the point that he was treated like a game. Crooks will never fit in the 1930’s because of all the racism with the KKK. He is also enabled so he has got two main problems with him that is why he is pushed around and beaten. Crooks is placed in the novel by Steinbeck to show another aspect of how not being strong, young, male and intelligent can cause loneliness and discrepancy about whether they can really enjoy themselves without a little bit of help. Crooks don’t like white folk as we see when Lennie goes into his room. He says â€Å"You got no right coming into my room† Crooks tries to get back at Lennie for him not being able to go into the Bunkhouse. He wants to make Lennie feel left out by saying things like â€Å"Sometimes he talks, and you don’t know what the hell he’s talkin’ about?† shows this in a way that Lennie doesn’t understand. Lennie is probably cautious of that because it’s true, he then tries to scare Lennie by saying â€Å"What would you do if George don’t come back tonight?† and Lennie gets all worried and scared. In the end Crooks stops doing it because he wants someone to talk to. He tries to act normal but his anger is let out he complains how â€Å"Books don’t keep a man company. They gotta have a person to talk to or they will go mad† shows this, he can’t control himself. He portrays a lonely man with no friends or anyone to talk to and it isn’t his thought. He is like an untouchable. The other characters in the book which are marginalized are people like Lennie, Curley’s wife and Candy. Lennie is marginalized because even though he is young and strong he is so dumb. People realize he’s so dumb they even play tricks on him, like when George is talking to Slim he says â€Å"He was so dumb one time I told him to jump into the water, he jus’ jumped and when we pulled him out he was so God damn grateful he was being all kind again† proves this, Lennie being so dumb must make it hard for George or anybody to have a real conversation with. Candy is left aside because he is unable to work properly because of an accident when he got his hand caught in a machine. Even though his $250 compensation he can’t move on with his life or move away so he has to stay at the ranch. You can tell that he’s lonely because when he over hears Lennie and George talking about their special little place their getting he jumps at the opportunity and says â€Å"How much do they want for that place?† shows that Candy is very interested in the farm. He even offers them every last cent he has to go with them and his will, will be left to them. He says he can’t wait and is thoroughly excited. He is just a useless old man, just like his dog a waste of space but seems very wise because he tells George and Lennie how he can cook, clean and wash and even tend chickens so he advertises himself as a slave just to get out of the ranch. Curley’s wife doesn’t fit in with everybody else because of her sex. There are no other women on the ranch so she has no one to talk to when all the men go out to work. This is why she always tarts herself. She just wants to be noticed a lot of the men say â€Å"You have Curley to talk to† but she just replies â€Å"all Curley talks about is how he’s gonna get some guy and lead with his left† so she shows that marrying Curley was a big mistake. She must have been drunk or just been let down and grabbed whatever she could. You can tell she is lonely because of the way she always asks â€Å"Have you seen Curley?† and trying to get noticed. She is a perfect example of Steinbeck using her character to show loneliness when she says â€Å"Standing here with a bunch of Bindle stiffs† and then says â€Å"and likin† shows that she shouldn’t really have to stay there and talk to them because she is young and beautiful but because she is a woman she can’t go out with the men. Curley’s wife is very different from many other people and the opposite to Curley because she wants to be Lennie’s friend. None of the other men implied that they don’t want to be friends with Lennie but you don’t hear in the book many other people talking to him except for George. This is because Curley’s wife knows that Lennie is interested in her because when they first met he â€Å"wouldn’t move his eyes away from her† and unbeknown to Curley’s wife Lennie says â€Å"She’s Purdy† and Curley’s wife tries to exploit this feeling by saying hello to him every time she sees him and lets Lennie stroke her hair not realising that it would cause her death. In the book Steinbeck makes most of the characters that do have the characteristics of being young, white, male and strong to succeed in the world like George and Slim. This because Steinbeck wanted to show the World that anyone not in that category would not survive like Lennie and Curley’s wife. He believed that this was realistic and that his book could have been a true story. George and Slim, these type of people would have survived because of the fact that they would have become so vital to the ranch, Slim already has. George will definitely become like slim because he is a good worker; he is strong, white and male but is also very intelligent so he knows where to be careful. You can tell that Slim is vital because Candy says â€Å"She’s been giving him the eye† and then says â€Å"if anyone can mess with Curley’s wife its Slim because he’s so damn good at his job† which shows that any other person messing with Curley’s wife, Curl ey would try to pick a fight with but he knows that the boss wont like that because of how essential he is to the ranch. George will become this way unless he moves because he has already shown a lot of his intelligence by saying to Lennie â€Å"don’t say anything† and how he explains to the boss when they first meet â€Å"He isn’t the smartest guy but he can sure back a packet of Barley quick† showing that he tells the boss about Lennie’s bad points but then over emphasized about his good points. He is also very smart right at the start when he says â€Å"Were gonna sleep here because I got a reason† and the reason is because he knows that if he goes tonight he’ll have to get up tomorrow and go to work when he can just stay here. Lennie doesn’t realise this and asks why. George knows better than to tell him the truth because he knows that Lennie might let it slip to the boss and he doesn’t want that so he says â€Å"I just like this spot† and Lennie doesn’t seem to care and just carries on getting fire work. To conclude this essay Crooks was placed in the book to show how bad racism is and to show how he was treated. Lennie, Candy and Curley’s wife are put in to show that if you’re not white, male, intelligent and strong you won’t be able to survive. Lennie got killed by George, Candy will die shortly because of his age but Crooks he will survive but with a wretched life of racism and it probably will not get any better in his life. The people that do survive are characters like Slim and George and they survive because they are fit into the elite category of being string, intelligent, white and male. Soon George will become indispensable to the Ranch just like Slim who â€Å"Is so God damn good at his job† unless of course they want to move, but where ever those two go, they will become very good at what they do. George’s whole life awaits him now because he hasn’t got Lennie to mess up things and can do what he wants like he says â€Å"I could go into town and buy a gallon of whisky and sit and play pool or visit a whore house. But I’m stuck with you† so really he should do a lot better without Lennie.

Developing Supply Chain to Deliver WOW Essay

Zappos.com is a privately held online retailer with an extensive product category mainly including apparel, footwear, handbags, and watches. Headquartered in Nevada, it primarily operates in the US with about 1,300 employees and revenues mounting to $635M in 2008. Thanks to its strength in offering an outstanding customer shopping experience and strong corporate cultures and values related to customer service, it was the largest online shoe retailer in 2008, with a positive growth outlook. However, in the face of possible economic downturn, its underlying insufficiencies in supply chain management and operations may pose a threat to the company’s long term profitability. Nevertheless, the opportunity of possible international expansion may well be exploited to improve sales and expand the business, but such decision still needs critical evaluation and feasibility assessment in whether Zappos can sustain its focus on outstanding customer service levels in such scenario. The online-retail industry in which Zappos operates is one in which the rivalry among existing competitors is high, as it is competing with both click-n-brick stores like Amazon, as well as traditional retail stores such as Footwear Inc which also have a strong focus on the shoe segment. However, the threat of new entrants is very low as a result of the high initial capitalization required for the start of business. There are a large number of buyers in the market. However, high price sensitivity and low switching cost strengthen the buyer`s position; continuing to attract such customers becomes one of the main challenges for Zappos during a likely scenario of economic downturn. Zappos will need to adopt strategies such as importing directly from foreign suppliers, committing to 5 day delivery through ground shipping as opposed to next-day air shipping, offering its own private label, and expanding its Powered by Zappos initiative. Company Value Chain: Problem Analysis External Analysis Porter’s 5 Forces The following is an evaluation of the external forces acting upon Zappos’ operations and their possible impact in the immediate and future performance of the company: Degree of Rivalry – HIGH: While Zappos is a pioneer player in the online retail segment, in practice it is not only competing with other online retailers, but with brick-and-mortar stores in the traditional retail sector which have substantial experience in the market. Many other players offer similar products to those carried by Zappos’. Bargaining Power of Buyers – MODERATE to HIGH: Given the many alternatives in the market, the switching cost for a customer to other retailers is very low. Consumers are becoming increasingly price-conscious, and with the small potential for differentiation in the non-fashion elite segment, the customer can easily find other similar product options, forcing retailers to offer lower pricing to remain competitive. Threat of New Entrants – MODERATE TO LOW: The barriers to entry in the industry are extremely high, based on the large capital investment required. However the online retail business is still on its growth stages, which may attract new players and investors looking to capture potential markets. Bargaining Power of Suppliers – LOW: Competition for both wholesaler / importer suppliers and direct manufacturers is intense and well established; therefore, the market itself drives the power of the many suppliers down. As discussed, there are many alternatives in the market such that no single supplier is dominant. Threat of Substitutes – LOW: There are no substitute products available for most of the products which Zappos may offer to the public, so such threat is unlikely. SWOT Analysis Strengths – Customer-Oriented Culture and Services – Zappos has strong company culture and values, which have a large influence on all aspects of the business, including the supply chain. Zappos is always looking for new ways to WOW every customer and always treat every employee like family. The employees consider Zappos a fun place to work. In addition, Zappos` commitment to customer service satisfaction is clearly demonstrated by their value propositions and represents their core differentiation strategy. These are free shipping, guaranteed 5 day delivery (WOWing the customer, where 49% of customers will receive their product within 2 days), a 365 day return policy and 24/7 customer service. Unique Products and Innovation – The core products that Zappos offers are designed to be distinctly different from the traditional shoes available in brick-and mortar stores. Zappos provides customizable product models and extensive product information to customers. For example, Zappos` site has a detailed discussion of gait that helps customers to determine which type of shoe is appropriate for them. Weaknesses – Presence Limited to Online Market – Although there are many online shoppers today and the number is still growing, Zappos is unable to reach the majority of retail shoppers by only having the online outlet channel. Relatively Low Profit Margin – The revenue of Zappos in 2008 is $635 million, but the company policy on product returns makes up 35% of gross sales. This is definitely crippling Zappos profits. High Dependency on UPS – Until 2008, Zappos has only one call center in Las Vegas and one distribution center in Shepherdsville, Kentucky. The distribution center is less than 30 minutes from the UPS hub in Louisville. This will make Zappos delivery highly dependent on UPS. Opportunities – Rapid Growth of Online Shopping – Online purchasing has grown consistently year after year; the opportunity lies in capturing new online customers and retaining them. Technology Innovation – In 2008, Zappos added more automation to its warehouse operations by installing a robotic system in which robots picked up shelves that contained the items to be picked, and brought the shelves to the workers. These new robots allow Zappos to ship a pair of shoes in as little as eight minutes. Technology advances will allow Zappos to increase the capacity and efficiency of its distribution centers, without having to build new centers. Build Strategic Alliances with Complementary Retailers – Zappos could build synergies with similar-size online retailers which offer complementary products in an effort to broaden its customer base and target audience. Threats – Economic Downturn – Customers will become more price-conscious in difficult economic times, which will ultimately drive Zappos strategy in order to remain competitive in such scenario. Competitive Rivalry – While Zappos is one of the pioneer players specialized in shoe-retailing, the trend is for established brick-and-mortar companies to start offering their products online, which may generate additional competitive pressures. Possible Security Breach for Online Retailer – Zappos must address possible security breaches to its servers. Problem Statement Based upon the previous analysis, Zappos faces two major problems which may be detrimental to the company’s long-term success. Our aim here is to synthesize them in order to formulate a series of recommendations that the company could implement to solve the mentioned problems. Problem 1: Supply Chain Management The first problem that the company faces within its organization is related to supply chain management. We have identified three different sub-issues within this topic in which Zappos has room for improvement: Imports from wholesalers as an intermediary between Zappos and the manufacturers – Due to the highly uncertain demand in the sector, having a wholesaler between Zappos and the brands that manufactures the product is a strategic problem for the company. When Zappos places an order, it is relying on the inventory that the wholesaler keeps in order to fulfill its need of supply. Furthermore, Zappos may find it difficult to secure its supply as the company grows, having no control over wholesaler import decisions. This is especially critical in a sector with unstable demand faced with global economic uncertainty. Zappos must devise supply chain-related strategies which provide the company with more flexibility in terms of profit margins in order to deal with more price-conscious customers in the future. Delivery to Zappos’ distribution centers from suppliers – The company faces a problem in relation to inefficiency of partially loaded trucks arriving to unload to Zappos’ inventory facilities. As the case highlights, significant numbers of partially loaded trucks (LTL) arrive to unload products generating unnecessary traffic in the distribution center, subsequently slowing down the unloading process. There’s a need for Zappos to address this issue, ultimately affecting its whole operation’s efficiency. Inventory Management – At this point, the company uses manual scanners to register incoming and outgoing stock from its distribution center. This may lead to inventory inaccuracies due to the high probability of human error to occur in the handling of the incoming and outgoing merchandise. It is of the utmost importance for Zappos to have accurate inventory information, not only in terms of its supply chain management, but also in maintaining customer service levels because of the potential of having inaccurate information on the website such that a customer may order a product which is actually out of stock. Problem 2: Growing the business Throughout the case it is been said that the company plans to expand. It is possible to grow the business in a national scale as well as internationally. The following issues need to be addressed by Zappos when evaluating company expansion: determining strategic locations for new facilities to store its inventory and achieve a good balance between supplier lead times and delivery times to the final customer. In addition, the company faces the decision of whether to continue having its distribution centralized in Kentucky. Moreover, Zappos needs to evaluate whether or not it is still feasible to use UPS ground shipping in the long-term. The company would also face a problem not only when trying to maintain its customer service levels and an efficient delivery, but also when trying to get new employees to share its corporate culture. Recommendations: Start Importing Directly from Foreign Manufacturers: Zappos should begin developing direct relationships with foreign manufacturers, especially with Chinese suppliers, starting by importing some products directly, instead of buying from North American wholesalers. This strategy has the following benefits: * Cost savings from purchasing the same products at lower prices, providing the company with more pricing flexibility at dealing with cost-conscious consumers in a difficult economy. * Distribution channel efficiency is increased by eliminating middlemen in the supply chain. In this sense, there is no need for products to be shipped from foreign suppliers to a wholesale distributor and from there to Zappos; Zappos can receive the product directly at their distribution center, reducing freight costs across the value chain as well as lead times. * A closer relationship with manufacturers might enable Zappos to obtain information regarding inventory levels, product availability, and or der status and timing. It is worth noting that even in cases where Zappos is still purchasing from a wholesaler (who in-turn imports from the manufacturer), the wholesaler can request the manufacturer to deliver directly to the Zappos distribution center, earning the lead time and cost benefits. Opt for Ground Shipping as Opposed to Next Day Air Shipping: Given the risk of failing to meet the next day delivery standards because of external factors, Zappos should only guarantee 5-day delivery. In this manner, the company will consistently overdeliver, with 99% of customers receiving their orders within 4 days. This strategy not only makes sense from a cost perspective, but it also goes hand-in-hand with Zappos’ culture of outstanding customer service. However, the option of next day air delivery should be made available to the customer for a premium rate. Sign a Contract with a Selected Trucking Company Specialized in Consolidation: In order to minimize LTL shipments to its distribution centers and mitigate the economic inefficiencies that LTL implies, Zappos should sign a contract with a major transportation and logistics company specialized in consolidation in order to handle Zappos order pick-ups from some of its remaining local suppliers, optimizing cargo capacity and delivering such products to the distribution center. This contract strategy would only be possible to implement in areas with high supplier concentration such as Southern California and Ontario. It is granted that such a strategy would require a long and difficult negotiation process between suppliers, the logistics company and Zappos; however, economies of scale benefits could be obtained from the large volumes to be handled and the cost savings distributed across the industry value chain. Search for Additional Partners and Expand â€Å"Powered by Zappos†: Powered by Zappos partners act as distributors of the products carried by Zappos. In this sense, finding new partners will generate additional revenues from both the fees of developing and running distributor websites and operations and from an expanded market base deriving from multiple websites offering Zappos products. Offer its own Zappos Private Label: Zappos could expand the business by offering its own private label; private labels offer the advantage of not purchasing from a third-party wholesaler which in itself is making a profit from the merchandise, allowing for more flexibility in terms of pricing and profit margins. Overall, by commercializing its own brand, Zappos can offer its private label merchandise at lower prices than the industry standards, while maintaining its profit margin. This strategy would be effective at dealing with price elastic customers in uncertain economic times. It must be noted that to achieve this, however, the company would need to develop internal design capabilities and source its private label through selected manufactures which meet their needs. In order to achieve the lowest supplier prices, supplier relationships would need to be developed through established contracts which may include exclusivity agreements. Based on the large volumes that Zappos handles through its established customer base, the strategy could also earn benefits from economies of scale and increased brand awareness. Do not Expand Internationally in the Short-Term: The huge capital investment required and the risk of affecting customer service levels makes international expansion undesirable in the short run. The company’s financial base must be strengthened further before pursuing such expansion, maintaining the focus on customer service that the company has been known for. Customer service is core to company values and culture and therefore cannot be compromised by any strategic decision. International expansion must be accompanied by the same training standards, staffing levels and passion for customer service at company call centers and order delivery must meet Zappos promise. This last factor could pose a special challenge, given that Zappos would be relying on couriers operating in different countries which may introduce a factor of uncertainty beyond Zappos control as to what levels of delivery performance can be met. Invest in an Automatic Scanning System for Inventory Control: In an environment where such accurate inventory information is required, the current manual scanning of goods entering and leaving the distribution center is inadequate. Errors in inventory control will inevitably have a negative effect on customer satisfaction in that the system may allow a customer to purchase a product that is in fact out of stock. A system which automatically scans incoming and exiting products (magnetic doorways or similar) guarantees inventory accuracy and goes hand-in hand with the core values of the company, making it a worthwhile and even necessary investment. Limitations * The capacity of the existing distribution center in Kentucky is unknown; therefore we are assuming that the current infrastructure will be enough to sustain the operations of the company to meet an increasing demand and market share in the short-term. * Suppliers which have their own fleet might be reluctant to agree to let Zappos do order pick-ups and deliver their products; however, our recommendation assumes that the suppliers are flexible in this sense. * A break-up of the company`s operational costs would be required in order to make better-informed strategy recommendations. The performed analysis is based on purely qualitative information. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. MGSC 602 Strategic Management of Operations Coursepack, Zappos.com: Developing a supply chain to deliver WOW, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Case GS-65, 02/13/09, page 276 [ 2 ]. MGSC 602 Strategic Management of Operations Coursepack, Zappos.com: Developing a supply chain to deliver WOW, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Case GS-65, 02/13/09, page 296 [ 3 ]. MGSC 602 Strategic Management of Operations Coursepack, Zappos.com: Developing a supply chain to deliver WOW, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Case GS-65, 02/13/09, page 273 [ 4 ]. MGSC 602 Strategic Management of Operations Coursepack, Zappos.com: Developing a supply chain to deliver WOW, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Case GS-65, 02/13/09, page 280 [ 5 ]. MGSC 602 Strategic Management of Operations Coursepack, Zappos.com: Developing a supply chain to deliver WOW, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Case GS-65, 02/13/09, page 276