For this week's blog assignment, I have chosen to look at Mountain Equipment Co-op. I've been to their retail location several times to purchase backpacks and other supplies. Their store is in a central location located in downtown Calgary which is quite convenient.
The first thing I noticed when I entered their store is the wide selection of varied goods they have, from canoes to clothing, they have everything you need no matter what outdoor activity you want to embark in.
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| MEC logo from www.mec.ca |
MEC was started 40 years ago, by 6 climbing enthusiast who were unable to find the equipment they needed to climb locally. They decided to start a co-operative business where they could help other climbers and outdoor enthusiast get the goods they need. Today they have approximately 3 million members, all of whom bought a $5 share in the co-operative and 15 retail locations across Canada.
So what are the impacts of economic, technological, demographical, political, and global forces that affect MEC?
Well, MEC is a company that is very socially and environmentally responsible which can come with a price tag. Finding ethical sources for your goods is a time and resource consuming task. Ethically sourced products are also often more expensive to manufacture. In today's turbulent economy, consumers are looking for the best deal possible. However, MEC has done a great job of educating their customers and share holders of the importance of being socially responsible.
MEC has utilised technology in several different ways. They have always provided their customers with the most advanced products available and developed their own products to sell. They also utilize the internet and social media to market goods and inform people about their company.
MEC's key demographic is the outdoor enthusiast. Being that the company was started by like minded people, MEC really knows how to market themselves to their customers. This gives MEC an advantage with this demographic as they know what is important to them. With this knowledge they can focus on the products and services that matter most to their customers.
MEC has taken responsibility of ethically sourcing suppliers and distributors in the global market place that share the same political and social views. They have made it a priority to give back to the local communities and communities around the world.
By being socially, environmentally, and ethically conscious MEC has created loyalty among their target demographics. Having a very good understanding of what their customers need and value gives MEC an advantage over their competitors. Being a co-operative empowers their customers and creates brand loyalty that other retailers can not provide to this demographic. I feel MEC will continue to have a strong growth in the Canadian marketplace now and in the future.
So what are the impacts of economic, technological, demographical, political, and global forces that affect MEC?
Well, MEC is a company that is very socially and environmentally responsible which can come with a price tag. Finding ethical sources for your goods is a time and resource consuming task. Ethically sourced products are also often more expensive to manufacture. In today's turbulent economy, consumers are looking for the best deal possible. However, MEC has done a great job of educating their customers and share holders of the importance of being socially responsible.
MEC has utilised technology in several different ways. They have always provided their customers with the most advanced products available and developed their own products to sell. They also utilize the internet and social media to market goods and inform people about their company.
MEC's key demographic is the outdoor enthusiast. Being that the company was started by like minded people, MEC really knows how to market themselves to their customers. This gives MEC an advantage with this demographic as they know what is important to them. With this knowledge they can focus on the products and services that matter most to their customers.
MEC has taken responsibility of ethically sourcing suppliers and distributors in the global market place that share the same political and social views. They have made it a priority to give back to the local communities and communities around the world.
By being socially, environmentally, and ethically conscious MEC has created loyalty among their target demographics. Having a very good understanding of what their customers need and value gives MEC an advantage over their competitors. Being a co-operative empowers their customers and creates brand loyalty that other retailers can not provide to this demographic. I feel MEC will continue to have a strong growth in the Canadian marketplace now and in the future.
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| MEC logo from www.mec.ca |
Hi Jesse,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, thumbs up to a fellow tradesman working towards the Blue Seal.
Your post on MEC makes some great points. MEC provides a such a great customer experience, that customers will pay more for the high quality, ethically sourced materials.
When I lived in Chilliwack, I would drive 2 hours into Vancouver and pay three times as much, to purchase my hiking equipment from MEC. The customer experience was so superior to any other retailer, that I would not shop anywhere else.
Our book, Essentials of Contemporary Management, speaks about the building blocks of competitive advantage, and MEC has perfected two of the building blocks, quality and responsiveness to customers. The fact that they do it ethically makes it a great story.