The International Market Selection Process: Skagen Designs

Skagen Designs: Becoming an international player in designed watches Towards the end of 2006 Charlotte and Henrik Jorst can look back at 15 hectic, but successful years. Their company was founded in an apartment in New York, from where its first marketing efforts took place. The two entrepreneurs started selling relatively expensive watches bearing a logo that American companies might use as company presents. During the Gulf Crisis it was, however, very difficult to sell watches in that price range. Therefore, in 1990 Charlotte and Henrik visited a watch fair in Basel in order to find a manufacturer who was able to produce the watches at a lower cost price. They found a Danish owned company, Comtech Watches, with headquarters in Aarhus and clock-andwatch factory in Hong Kong. In 1992 Charlotte and Henrik had an annual turnover of US$800,000, primarily through an advertisement on the back page of a big mail-order catalogue for Father’s Day. Since then events followed each other in quick succession. In 1995 the chain, Bloomingdale’s, included the Skagen Design watches in its assortment and other retail chains like Macy’s, Nordstrom and Watch World have followed. In addition, the watches are sold in big gift and design shops. In 1998 Skagen Designs had an annual turnover of almost US$30 million; in 2005 turnover had increased to approximately US$70 million.

Introduction

In this report, an analysis of the Skagen Designs company and their recent international expansion. We will speak about possible new market extension, we will argument our choices, and we will explain how Skagen Designs will enter those new markets.

We will also examine others product lines, we will explain how we choose future sponsor partners, and finally we will take a look at the opportunities and threats of the Internet and the e-commerce.

SWOT analysis

1.
Question 1: What screening criteria should Skagen Designs use in connection with its choice of new markets for its watch