Eliza

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McMaster-Carr – Delivering Supplies and Service
Eliza
Posted on December 9, 2015 at 9:53 pm
McMaster-Carr Supply Company, an industrial supply distributor, targets specific customers and aligns all aspects of its operating model around meeting these customers' needs.

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On December 14, 2015, Eliza commented on Blue Apron and the Race to Innovate Dinner :

Thanks for sharing, Sam! Like Feiran, I wonder how Blue Apron handles delivery. It seems like they would need to manage their own courier system rather than rely on UPS or FedEx. The logistics behind delivering small, perishable packages to homes seems pretty intense. That being said, I think this is such a clever idea given the busy working professional. It perfectly aligns with the current health craze on “real food” instead of packaged or prepaid meals. For that reason, the price is high but I sense that a certain type of person is willing to pay.

On December 14, 2015, Eliza commented on Rent the Runway: A Successful Fashion Forward Business :

Thanks for sharing! This seemed relevant to me because I just had my first Rent the Runway experience. I’m glad you touched on the convenience level for customers. While ordering from RTR, it seemed like the company had answered every concern I had – Will I get it on time? Will it be dirty? Will it fit? Will it be a pain to return it? RTR had all of these bases covered. It was a no-hassle experience that made dressing up fun.

However, I would be curious to see how they do with renting clothing outside of formalwear. I noticed this option on their website, and I don’t know if I would be inclined to rent a jacket from them. Formal dresses definitely fall in the “only wear it once” category but a jacket doesn’t. By offering different kinds of clothing, does RTR slightly change their business model? I also wonder how easy it would be for another company to start a similar business. Food for thought as RTR continues to grow.

On December 14, 2015, Eliza commented on Unilever: More Than a Just a Marketing Company :

Sinem – Great post. Like we’ve talked about, I want to intern at a large CPG company this summer. I hope to benefit from the excellent training in marketing they provide. One thing I continually “fret” over is whether some of these CPG companies are good for our world – environmentally, socially, etc. In Marketing class, we debated whether Unilever was “two-faced” for its Dove campaign considering Axe Body Spray is also owned by Unilever and sends a sexist message. However, I think the CMO’s quote that marketing and social are “two sides of the same coin” shows how Unilever is working to align its business model to its operating model. Indeed, its sustainability efforts have been a part of the products that it’s making and marketing. The deodorant example demonstrates this well.

Thanks for sharing!