SWOT ANALYSIS | TOWS ANALYSIS The Body Shop

...However, to carry out a more in depth analysis we also used SWOT analysis or TOWS analysis, which is a measure of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the business, in order to see how the external pressures influence the business and how they can react to them.

This is about The Body Shop SWOT |TOWS analysis


Internal factors:

Strengths
  • Brand (name, image, ethic natural ingredients)
  • Experience, financial ... expertise of L’Oreal
  • Body Shop targets a niche market. By stating that it is not testing its products on animals and by appearing to have an ecological profile, it has appealed to customers with ethical issues. Being the only shop in the shopping centre that sells ecological
  • Increased awareness of organic and eco friendly products (89% avoid synthetic chemicals in personal care goods)
  • Lack of Marketing, guerrilla/viral strategy
  • Connection to political issues
  • Strong customer community
  • Strong social mission
  • Lack of shareholder "consideration"
  • The first to break the market



Weaknesses

  • Loss of trust from different... the supply chain (publication...)
  • Number of stores in the UK
  • Not "purple" in the US Market (they have been copied)

Opportunities

  • Increased interest of men in their

(The Metrosexual factor)

Threats

  • Slower distribution (because of the chemical legislation)
  • Unstable supplies of ingredients, materials and
  • On the other hand the collapse of banking institutions and economy indicates
  • tougher times ahead for anybody trading on the high street.
  • Exchange rate. The fall of pound indicates higher prices for imported ingredients and products
  • New legislation banning animal tested products and the marketing of such policy may raise the competition.


Strengths

The Body Shop International has many strong traits of strength that have catapulted them into the limelight throughout the years. Many of them are extremely unique to their business which also grips them into political controversy and "drama" as they undergo "business as usual".
Their first strong strength revolves around The Body Shop's lack of a traditional marketing strategy. Instead, their focus rests on a viral marketing strategy where consumers/customers take the burden of advertising upon The Body Shop and tell their friends. It is completely free and is proven.

Building on their lack of a marketing program – The Body Shop has built an incredibly strong community of customers as they build up their "trade" dollars. Entering the viral strategy requires customers that are willing to go out of the way to "trade" and to tell their friends about the entire experience and their incredible community supports this strategy.

Their strong social mission helps to build upon the previous strength as another strength. Not only is The Body Shop paving the way for corporate responsibility and community engagement – but they are building a clientele that wildly supports their views and once again will tell their friends about it. The fact that they are changing the world seems to be just a small afterthought.
The Body Shop has many other strengths that stay out of the norm of traditional business. Their lack of shareholder "consideration" helps them to maintain their mission without...

Source:Mintel national statistics