From Catalogs To The Web: The Evolution Of Airgun Products, Inc.

"Chapter XI: From Catalogs to the Web - The Evolution of API"

Founded in 1989 in the basement of founder Will Smith the company Airgun Products, Inc. was created to sells air guns and air gun-related products. It started as a one employer company in its first year and two employees during its second year. As sales increased throughout the years additional employees were hired. By 2003, API had about 12 employees as orders were growing steadily and the following year they had developed a broad product mix. In their inventory they products like air rifles, pistols, scopes, targets, and other air gun-related accessories. However, over the years the company has had some challenges in their selling strategies because they seem to be low on the

Their selling strategy are bundles and combinations of products. They attempt to sell all products together with other related products which has worked for the company really well in this niche because the products require special tools. This competitor has capitalized on this approach and have taken some market share from API. Competitor four is more of an importer for several brands of very high-end air guns and accessories from Europe. Based on how all these four competitors function, API should consider doing a SWOT analysis of all of these competitors and take a piece from all of them and learn how to be adaptable. At the same time the company should also consider their culture and remember their roots. Take actions like they did when they first started the company and keep that ambition going throughout the years to stay ahead of the

It seems to be working for their competition, so it would not hurt to go back into that strategy to gain back some of the market share. This can incentivize their offline customers to get online and find the combination options they saw on the catalog. This will be mostly the older generations that like to receive paper documents in the mail. It is important to note that that online customers and catalog customers are completely different. There are groups of people today who like to have physical items and enjoy reading and looking at magazines. Sometimes it can be within the culture or depiction of better quality services. For instance, in the Latino culture, shopping through catalogs are very popular within the older generation like Baby Boomers. They feel like they are getting a higher quality product that is very unique and uncommon to find. Companies like Princes House, Home Interiors, Mary Kay and Avon are catalog companies that are very successful within the Latino community in the U.S. The same way it can be for Airgun Products