Strategies of Body Shop

Due to the advanced technology and creative mind of the marketers, the marketers need to face different challenges and issues in the twenty-first century. Now I want to have a brief introduction of different issues including Globalization, Consumerism, Price War, Green Marketing, Tailor-Made Products and Copied Product. After I will further elaborate the Green Marketing issue which illustrate the example of The Body Shop. Globalization Many companies changed from local competition to globalized competition. They have developed truly global operations, making and selling their product worldwide.
They are not only trying to sell more of their locally produced goods in international markets, they are also buying more components and supplies abroad. Even they are forming strategic alliances with foreign countries. Winning companies in the next century may well be those that have built the best global networks. For example, coca-cola company sells more than 200 countries. It is the world dominance of the soft drink market. Consumerism A movement to promote consumer interests, including improved safety standards, better dissemination of information, and greater value.
It is the protection of the rights and interests of consumers and avoid misled by the company. It is the belief that it is good for a society or an individual person to buy and use a large quantity of goods and services. For example, money back guarantee in slimming & beauty centre, voice recording in customer service centre, terms and conditions in bank. The consumers can complain to consumer council if they dissatisfy the services. Price War It is a situation in which companies or shops keep reducing the prices of their products and services in order to attract customers away from their competitors.

If competing companies are involved in a price war, they each try to gain an advantage by lowering their prices as much as possible in order to sell more of their products and damage their competitors financially. Sometimes lowering their prices is difficult to build up its specific corporate image. So the company needs to produce the product with high quality, superior performance and innovative features in order to enhance differentiation of the products and services. For example, telecom company, supermarket etc. Green Marketing It is the marketing of products that are presumed to be environmentally safe.
Green marketing incorporates a broad range of activities, including product modification, changes to the production process, packaging changes, as well as modifying advertising. It refers to process of selling products or services based on their environmental benefits. Such a product or service may be environmentally friendly or produced and packaged in an environmentally friendly way. For example, Hong Kong Electric, Central Light Power, The Body Shop etc. I will further discuss this part in detail as mentioned below.
Tailor-made Products. The products or services are made or provided and fully satisfy customers. Also, it creates superior value to the consumers. The consumers demand in high quality of products or services and less sensitive to the price. They are quality conscious. The company focuses on needs and wants of target markets and delivering satisfaction to the consumers. For example, Life Insurance, different plans can be given which can fully satisfy the consumers. Copied Products The company uses product concept to develop its product with innovative features, most quality and performance.
If the new products are sold in the market successfully, they will get first mover advantage. Whatever the product is success or not, they need to take risk before the company works on this product. Although it has first mover advantage, they still need to take risk that their products may be copied by others. For example, Samsung MP3, the logo of Gucci which is copied by Playboy etc. Today I want to focus on Green Marketing issues and give more details on how The Body Shop runs Green Marketing. Green Marketing of The Body Shop The Body Shop has always been recognizable by its green color.
The Body Shop has over 1,500 stores in 47 countries. It has successfully manufactured an image of being a caring company that is helping to protect the environment and indigenous peoples, and preventing the suffering of animals, whilst selling natural products. It is a leader in promoting greater corporate transparency. It has been a force for positive social and environmental change through our campaigns around five core values, Support Community Trade, Defend Human Rights, Against Animal Testing, Activate Self-Esteem and Protect Our Planet.
Anti-animal Testing Every one of the products is animal cruelty free and vegetarian. The Body Shop was the first international cosmetics company to sign up to the Humane Cosmetics Standard, supported by leading international animal protection groups. The Against Animal Testing campaign leads to a UK wide ban on animal testing of cosmetic products and ingredients. It supports environmentally responsible materials and technologies by promoting the use of renewable resources and sustainable raw ingredients.
In 2004, it was the first global retailer to join the Broad of the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil in which is to avoid animal testing. It worked with NGOs and plantations to protect tropical rainforests. During 2005, The Body Shop is awarded for achieving higher standards of animal welfare in the cosmetic category at the first annual rewards of the Royal Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in the UK. In 2006, The Body Shop wins PETA’s Proggy (Progress) awards for its ongoing commitment to avoid animal testing.
Environmental Protection. The Body Shop focuses on refilling, reusing and recycling. It minimizes wastes and use of resources through minimal packaging and use of recycled materials. It avoids using PVC. Most bottles contain 30% recycled content. This saves 10 millions virgin bottles a year and we are currently moving to 60% recycled content. Less than 3% of products are packaged in separate cartons. Every store recycles. The Body Shop Foundation is established in 1990 which funds human rights and environmental protection group. It continues to increase its positive environmental practices.
In 2001, The Body Shop UK region and service- centre head offices in Watersmead, it provided them with energy from renewable sources. In addition, a number of The Body Shop stores have now converted to green electricity. During 2002, it runs a global campaign with Greenpeace International on promoting renewable energy. It further its commitment to environmental sustainability through investment in renewable energy, funding of energy efficiency projects in the developing world and incorporating post-consumer recycle into its packaging.
Educating customers is important to let people know you’re doing whatever you’re doing to protect the environment, but also a matter of letting them know why it matters. Giving customers an opportunity to participate means personalizing the benefits of your environmentally friendly actions, normally through letting the customer take part in positive environmental action. The company needs to contact the local utility company to request an audit. Many companies offer an audit at no charge and provide recommendations of ways to reduce costs.
Also, they need to take the list of recommendations and create a plan of action to follow. By implementing sustainable practices, retail businesses can become more efficient and save money in the process. The small business owner may think the cost and trouble of going green isn’t worth the return, but the fact is each eco-friendly idea retailers adopt can make a huge difference to our planet. Have a meeting and share the new business practices with staff. Solicit input and offer employees incentives for submitting green ideas. Reward those staff members that walk, bike or use other alternative methods to get to work.