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ASOS PLC
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Reference: HBS-716449-E
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Year: 1999
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Number of pages: 30
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Geographic Setting: England;United Kingdom
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Publication Date: Mar 31, 2016
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Fecha de edición: May 10, 2018
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Source: HBSP (USA)
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Type of Document: Case
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Industry Setting: Apparel accessories;Magazine publishing;Media & telecommunications;Technology;Web services
Description
Launched in 2000, ASOS was one of the world's largest online fashion specialists in 2016. Focusing on young consumers aged 16-25 years, the company offered over 80,000 items on its websites, many times more than the largest fashion stores, and added several thousand new lines every week. Based in the United Kingdom, ASOS shipped products to 240 countries and territories, and international sales represented more than 50% of total revenues. But when new CEO Nick Beighton took over from founder Nick Robertson in September 2015, he faced some significant challenges. While ASOS was large by online standards, traditional fashion retailers were building their own online sales capabilities, and Amazon was expanding its apparel offering. Meanwhile, new online competitors were emerging at a rapid rate. After ASOS issued several profit warnings in 2014, its growth had slowed to 18% in 2015. Beighton was convinced that ASOS's strategy was right and that the company needed to improve its execution to recapture its historical success. Some analysts were not so sure, and the stock price still had not recovered from its 2014 fall. ASOS' goal was to be "the world's no.1 fashion destination for 20-somethings." Did this lofty ambition make sense? And did ASOS have the right strategy to achieve it?
Keywords
Advertising
Age groups
Branding
Brands
Business growth
Business history
Business Models
Business strategies
Competition
Competitive Strategy
Corporate strategy
Crisis management
Currency
Customer relationship management
Distribution
Distribution channels
Expansion
Gender
Geographic analysis
Global market analysis
Globalization strategies
Goals
Growth
Growth strategy
Human capital
Infrastructure
International business
Internet
Logistics
Market segmentation
Marketing channels
Marketing communications
Marketing strategy
Order processing
Product positioning
Profitability
Region and geography
Retail
Revenues
Social marketing
Start-ups
Startup