Toys R us is a toys retail company founded by Charles Lazarus in 1957 Rockville, Maryland, United States, but now its headquarter is in Wayne, New Jersey, United States. The store chains have diverse demography as it has various outlets in Europe, Africa, Asia, Finland, Canada and Oceana.
Strengths
• The company is incomparable with its diverse range of toys and baby amusement products.
• Company chain hold 840 stores in U.S, operating in 34 other countries with 716 stores.
• Company popularity is also because of its amazing chain of franchises and licenses.
• The largest and very popular toy store of the world that is Time square is operating under the flagship of this company.
• In United States it’s the second largest retailer.
• Its very well developed e commerce site facilitates the customers to the full. These sites are very well managed and include Toysrus.com, Babiesrus.com, eToys.com, FAO.com and babyuniverse.com; orders are efficiently entertained through this site.
• The company is proving employment to 70,000 people around the world.
• Toys r us is a high revenue operating company touching approximately $13.646 billion
Weaknesses
• Toys r us is lacking the competitive advantage, its brand being the sole source, Wal-Mart has taken up its position being its biggest competitor providing attractive offers to the customers.
• Toys are not unique, they may be found at different brand stores in a better package.
• Sales depend upon the season and the product range is not that much attractive for the seasons other than Christmas?
Opportunities
• The company after getting positive response from Express locations planned to open more of them nationwide with almost 600 stores.
• Alliance of the company with its competitor Amazon has provided both the companies an opportunity to excel; it encouraged the company buying power but also with the risk of physical stacking.
• Toys r Us has gained popularity in its easily reachable charitable giving through a number of campaigns running side by side.
• The diversity of locations if introduced in Asian countries like China and India, that are emerging economies too would enhance the revenue of the company.
• The affiliated chains including KB Toys, FAO Schwarz, Kids "R" Us, Babies "R" Us, Scoops "R" Us, Bikes "R" Us and Geoffrey’s Toys "R" Us are providing equal opportunity to emerging markets as well as the company itself.
Threats
• Strong market competition with Wal-Mart as well as the other strong retailers.
• Attractive packages attract the customers more while choosing from all the good brands, so the packages need to be offered by the company.
• Low cost manufactures of toys like that of China is a threat to all manufacturers spending high costs or raw material purchase.
• The sudden closing of chains including 87 stores marked the label of unreliability over the company as a number of employees were fired.
• Pay disputes of the company for past two years place negative image of the brand as it was highlighted by the media.
References
• Times Square. Toys R Us Store – "The World’s Largest Toy Store!” Press release.
• Contact Us." Toys "R" Us Corporate. Retrieved on March 21, 2011.
• Official Wesites.www.toysrus.com/ www.toysrusinc.com. Retrieved on March 21, 2011.
• Valencia, Milton J. (2009). "Tweet the giraffe, star of ads and movies, dies at Franklin Park Zoo". The Boston Globe.
• Wolk, Martin (2006). "Toys ‘R’ Us wins suit against Amazon.com". MSNBC. U.S. Business.
• E-Commerce Times: Toys ‘R’ Us wins right to end Amazon partnership., March 3, 2006
• Ouchi, M. (2006). "Amazon waited to report impact of Toys R Us split". The Seattle Times.
• Laurie J. Flynn (2006). "Costs soar at Amazon; stock dives". International Herald Tribune.