Comments on: the english cut wars (cont.)

By: Terry Rock

Terry Rock — Thu, 09 Jun 2005 11:48:27 +0000

Hugh,
I think this is what you’re talking about:
http://www.emh.co.kr/images/productivity_frontier.gif
(comes from a 1996 Michael Porter article “What is Strategy?)
You’re saying that there clearly are competitive positions “on the frontier” where a) English Cut can make a tradeoff that b) satisfies a new set of customers. Being “on the frontier” means you are setting of best practice: no increase in quality can come without an increase in cost, no decrease in cost can come with a decrease in quality.
The interesting stuff happens when you are able to shift the curve out to the right, usually through new technology, but in a niche like yours, you could do things like substitute lower cost materials but use the same workmanship, or perhaps even scrimp a bit on workmanship but add to the experience… the effect is to shift the curve straight up — same costs, better quality.
It kind of all gets back to: are you the best or are you the cheapest? In this case, it is a bit more subtle: are you the best, given a cost level, or are you the cheapest, given a quality level?
If you arrange to come to Calgary, I bet I can help you sell some expensive and some cheap…

By: Sabots Shell

Sabots Shell — Thu, 09 Jun 2005 05:31:55 +0000

London Geek Dinner Pr

By: Richard Byrom

Richard Byrom — Thu, 09 Jun 2005 01:18:52 +0000

Enjoyed meeting you. This photo of you is proving to be pretty popular http://www.flickr.com/photos/richardbyrom/18101423/

By: Ugh!!'s GreyMatter Honeypot

Ugh!!'s GreyMatter Honeypot — Thu, 09 Jun 2005 00:17:13 +0000

Awesome evening at the Texas Embassy

By: Sean Winstead

Sean Winstead — Wed, 08 Jun 2005 23:24:57 +0000

This approach you’re discussing sounds like a High-Low play from The Marketing Handbook. You can leverage a reputation/product with known high quality to sell a lower-priced product that still has good quality but less options.

By: Guy

Guy — Wed, 08 Jun 2005 22:50:59 +0000

Forget Armani and M&S — for me the benchmark to beat is the Endurance range from Ted Baker. It’s the first suit that I feel good in, want to wear and it out performs the M&S and low end bespoke I’ve had. It even came with a free prize — I discovered the rather useful ‘passport pocket’, 12 months after owning it — no more passport panics at the airport. Didn’t realise you should rtm for a suit. Make me a suit as good as the endurance and I’ll buy.