Index


1

The market structure is changing as shares shift in the channels of distribution

2

Some companies in the industry have begun to replace their direct sales forces with independent distributors (or vice versa)

3

Fast growing competitors focus on the industry's large customers

4

Large customers are getting higher discounts

5

Medium sized customers are under pressure from both their larger and smaller peers

6

Distribution channels are undergoing a shakeout

7

Competitors are upgrading their channels of distribution

8

Industry customers are forming buying groups

9

Customers are consolidating their purchases

10

Customers are adding suppliers because incumbent suppliers failed them

11

Customers are taking on more suppliers because shortages have appeared

12

Customers are making significant changes in their supplier arrangements

13

Share is tougher to shift

14

New entrants are penetrating the distribution channels of the industry's leading competitors

15

Most share shifting in the industry seems to be coming from volume gained within existing customer relationships rather than from new customers

16

The industry leaders are losing share

17

Competition is beginning to focus resources on market segments as market growth slows

18

Competitors in Formerly Underdeveloped Markets Have Begun Meeting One Another

19

While still growing some competitors are losing share

20

New entrants are growing much faster than the market

21

Low end products are gaining share of the market

22

Price points are growing at differential rates as companies enter higher end niches to improve profits

23

Companies are trying to create upscale niches

24

Some competitors proliferate products around the heart of the market

25

One or more companies have introduced a better product at a lower price

26

The larger companies are squeezing out the smaller

27

Leaders Stress Quality to Offset Competitors' Lower Prices

28

Competitors are changing features of the product

29

Product innovation has accelerated

30

Competitors are emphasizing reliability in product quality

31

Some competitors have formed partnership services with their channels of distribution

32

Competitors are improving the product by emphasizing the customer's purchase process

33

The level of convenience offered to customers has increased

34

Competitors are aiming their marketing at narrower segments

35

The industry is seeing its first price wars

36

Foreign competitors are expanding with low prices

37

Customers are more price sensitive

38

Most competitors are offering low prices after a period where leaders held prices high

39

As large competitors match low prices, other competitors face difficulties

40

Large competitors are maintaining price levels as smaller competitors discount

41

Some competitors seek price increases more aggressively than others

42

Demand in the industry is falling

43

Revenue growth has been high, but has slowed

44

Competition is expanding with the appearance of discounters

45

Small discounting competitors have gained a market toehold

46

Demand continues to grow but margins are low and new entrants are taking share

47

New competition is entering a settled market

48

Margins are falling but competition continues to expand aggressively

49

Both new entrants as well as existing competitors have added capacity

50

Industry profits are low but downsized capacity remains

51

Demand has turned up bringing a tight market and more capacity

52

After high growth, demand has leveled and capacity has increased

53

Substitute products have grown in importance

54

Profits are under pressure despite demand growth

55

Technology improvements bring falling prices

56

The industry cannot pass on cost increases

57

Price wars are spreading in the industry

58

Demand rose quickly for some time in the past

59

Observers expect industry capacity reduction

60

The company believes the industry will be more diplomatic about adding capacity

61

Profits are high because the company is in a niche segment

62

Prices on niche products continue to rise while other prices fall

63

Prices are rising as the industry runs out of capacity

64

The industry has been able to preserve margins by increasing prices

65

The industry is adding new, more efficient capacity in the effort to reduce costs

66

The industry is reducing costs aggressively

67

The industry is consolidating through mergers and acquisitions

68

The number of industry competitors is on the decline

69

Part of the industry is automating to offset wage advantages of some competitors

70

Some competitors automate to become the lowest cost players

71

Outsourcing is a growing phenomenon in the industry

72

Some competitors are using growth to reduce their costs

73

Some industry leaders have lower returns than the smaller competitors