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Developing Products and Pricing Strategy In Tandem

By Nathan L. Phipps May 24, 2019

The keynotes and breakouts were top-notch, covering everything from practical application of the Pareto principle to pricing, to harnessing the power of behavioral pricing. However, one of the breakouts that really captured my attention was by Jennifer Swain, the Head of Technology Practice at Fuld+Company.

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Strategic Movements: May 2019

By Tim J. Smith, PhD May 24, 2019

Tesla Model 3 sales volume underwhelmed expectations in Mid-April. SpaceX capsule was damaged in weekend engine tests, spewing smoke.  How to respond?  Elon Musk touted the future of self-driving cars and his strategy for deploying them.  If the truth is unpleasant yet you have fan followers, can he simply change the narrative by talking about a brighter future, again?

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Retroactive Rebates: Decision Inexactitudes

By Tim J. Smith, PhD April 30, 2019

Since rebates are accrued and paid to customers later, one could state that all rebates are “retroactive” in that they impact the effective pocket price captured after the invoice is issued, and generally are issued after the invoice is paid. But that is too broad of a definition of “retroactive rebates.”

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Channel Strategy in CPG

By Kyle T. Westra April 30, 2019

Forgoing traditional channel distribution didn’t stop Oatly from a quick expansion. The New York Times reported in January 2018 that “Oatly has spread from 10 locations in New York to more than 1,000 locations nationwide,” less than a year after it landed in the U.S. 1,000 locations pales in comparison to its footprint had they  teamed up with grocery retail.

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Major Marketing Implications In Fisher-Price Sleeper Recall

By James T. Berger April 30, 2019

The product in question is the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play sleeper. The product has been on the market since 2009 and Fisher-Price has sold some 4.7 million units, subject to the recall. Since the product was introduced, the Rock ‘n Play sleeper has been blamed for 32 infant deaths.

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Design Thinking and Corporate Strategy

By Nathan L. Phipps April 30, 2019

Design thinking is a problem-solving approach that uses a repeatable, iterative, and collaborative process to systematically find human-centered solutions that may not be obvious at the onset of the process. Design thinking has been applied to everything from product development, to creating a business model for selling solar panels in Africa or operating Airbnb.

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Strategic Movements: April 2019

By Tim J. Smith, PhD April 30, 2019

Ford is gearing up its Flat Rock, Michigan plant to produce an EV (electric vehicle) SUV (sports-utility vehicle).  Intended sale date of 2020. This is market is hot. Good luck Joe Hinrichs, President of Global Operations.

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Pricing Habits of Successful Entrepreneurs

By Tim J. Smith, PhD March 25, 2019

Entrepreneurs are generally entering a business landscape with less information, less skills, less resources than an established business. In fact, one should wonder how any entrepreneur can succeed against large, entrenched corporations they’re forced to share the market with.

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Treating Channel Partners Strategically

By Kyle T. Westra March 24, 2019

Common examples of channel partners include wholesalers, distributors, and retailers. All of these activities are necessary tasks for a functioning commercial organization. If the supplier doesn’t do one of these tasks, a channel partner must. Conversely, if a channel partner doesn’t, the supplier must.

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Amazon Stores

Strategies for Retail Survival in the Amazon Era

By James T. Berger March 24, 2019

In Winning in an era of unprecedented disruption: a perspective on U.S. retail, McKinsey and Company, the international consulting firm that specializes in retail, says the U.S. retail industry is experiencing disruption – in reinvention – at an unprecedented speed.

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