How do you make money when you tell your customers ’don’t buy our stuff unless you really need it?’” This was the question that Yvon Chouinard, founder of the clothing company Patagonia, asked himself as he considered developing a new partnership with eBay in which customers would buy and sell used Patagonia gear on eBay rather than buy it new. As he considered this new partnership, Chouinard would have to balance the environmental priorities upon which Patagonia was founded with its financial well-being. This is a two-part case. Part A presents the decision which Chouinard is considering, while Part B presents the decision that Chouinard chose. This case presents the decision about a potential partnership with eBay that Yvon Chouinard, founder of the clothing company Patagonia, chose to pursue.The A and B cases were written by graduate students Allyson Johnson, Courtney Lee, Steven Rippberger, and Morgane Treanton, under the supervision of Professor Andrew Hoffman.
Patagonia: Encouraging Customers to Buy Used Clothing (B)
by: Andrew Hoffman
Publication Date: March 16, 2012
Length: 6 pages
Product ID#: 1-429-231
Core Disciplines: Strategy & Management, Sustainability
Partner Collection:
Available Documents
Click on any button below to view the available document.
Don't see the document you need?
Don't See the Document You Need?
Make sure you are registered and/or logged in to our site to view product documents. Once registered & approved, faculty, staff, & course aggregators will have access to full inspection copies and teaching notes for any of our materials.
Make sure you are registered and/or logged in to our site to view product documents. Once registered & approved, faculty, staff, & course aggregators will have access to full inspection copies and teaching notes for any of our materials.
$3.95
Need to make copies?
If you need to make copies, you MUST purchase the corresponding number of permissions, and you must own a single copy of the product.
Electronic Downloads are available immediately after purchase. "Quantity" reflects the number of copies you intend to use. Unauthorized distribution of these files is prohibited pursuant to term of use of this website.
Teaching Note
This product has a teaching note available. Available only to Registered Educators. Please login to view it.
Description
Teaching Objectives
After reading and discussing the material, students should:
- Explore a company that has incorporated sustainability and CSR into the core of its long-term business strategy.
- Analyze how and why strategic options differ between public and private companies, and how these differences can influence the successful adoption or execution of sustainability strategies.
- Identify critical components of a successful sustainability strategy and the competitive advantages that such a strategy can confer.
- Discuss and analyze common business concepts such as “minimize costs,” “maximize profits,” and “maximizing business growth.”