Hals Hardware Case

1. Conduct a SWOT analysis for HHI’s proposed electronic commerce Web site. You can use the information in the case narrative, your personal knowledge of the retail hardware industry, and information you obtain by following links in the Online Companion or doing independent searches of the Web as you conduct your analysis. You should create a diagram similar to Figure 1-12 to summarize your SWOT analysis results.

Strengths
• Has a website (worldwide)
• Will include online shipping
• Customers can save money by not traveling to the store
• Have a strong reputation
• When hired salespeople go through a comprehensive training program
Weaknesses
• Cost of running the site
• Not having all of HHI inventory items available for sale on the website
• Not allowing customers to research and order items such as wheelbarrows and plants online and picking them up in the store.
• Competitors might have access to the website
Opportunities
• Active in their community
• Website will bring partnership with other websites of the same interest
• Expand services and features
• Increase the number of customers due to the website
Threats
• Competition from national hardware chains such as Home Depot and Lowes
• Competitors are larger and carry more items
• Competitors may offer lower price.

2. Based on your SWOT analysis, write a report of about 400 words that includes a summary of your assumptions and a list of recommendations for HHI. The recommendations should be specific and should address the content that HHI’s Web Site should include, the features that HHI’s should make available on the site, and how HHI might overcome any of the weaknesses or threats you identified in the SWOT analysis.

Hal’s Hardware, Inc is a regional chain of 14 hardware stores that are located in Michigan, Ohio, and western Pennsylvania. By far, Hal’s Hardware is thinking about expanding the HHI Web site to include online shopping. This will allow HHI customers to order and see