Swisher Mower - 1979 Words

Situation Audit Swisher Mower is a lawn and garden company that manufacturers lawn mowers in its plant in Warrensburg, Missouri. The company’s flagship product is the Ride King. In 1996, Swisher was approached by a national merchandise retailer offering to distribute Swisher’s standard mower under a private label. The retailer offered to distribute the product line, but included several stipulations that would change the Swisher’s distribution methods of its product. Sales within the industry are predominantly determined by changes within the economy. If the economy weakens, overall sales within the industry decrease. This cyclical effect can hinder or expand sales for a company, causing many companies to adjust their business strategies.†¦show more content†¦Wisher primarily distributes its mowers in farm supply stores and hardware stores located outside metropolitan areas. 75% of the company’s sales come from rural areas, while 30% of sales regenerated from who lesalers and 20% from dealer sales. Much of the company’s brand awareness comes from co-op advertising through all sources of media. Swisher’s target markets are the Midwest and Southeast, where the Ride King and their private label Big Mow are primarily distributed. The company focuses sales on consumers with over an acre of land, as well as farmers with several hundred acres. The Ride King has a distinct advantage over its competitors, since it is the only mower that has one front wheel that can turn the mower 360 degrees without shifting. As the economy improves, Swisher can take advantage of increasing sales by selling more of its mowers in large retailers. Its retail price would make it the cheapest product on the market. As other brands have distributed their mowers under private labels to the growing mass merchandisers, Swisher’s sales could be quickly depleted. In order for Swisher to fully compete, it must be able to gain market share on other private l abel brands. Many of its competitors have an advantage, because they use front engine mowers, while the Ride King does not. With other manufacturers selling their mowers in the same locations as Swisher, Swisher must create more brand awareness within urban areas by