The strengths and weaknesses derive from internal features and amongst others, may refer to financial highlights and previous expertise. The opportunities and threats are generated by the external environment and may refer to commercial trends and technological advancements. All these are presented in the following table: Table 1: SWOT for e-commerce at Blue Cut Fashion

Strengths

Weaknesses

1. International recognition and favorable image on the market, facilitating as such the penetration of the online market

2. Blue Cut Fashion possesses sufficient financial resources to engage in an electronic commerce venture

3. The existent logistics system could be extended to cover the delivery of the online sold clothes and shoes

4. Blue Cut Fashion employs dedicated workers which produce high quality products with increased attention to details

5. The management and marketing teams are dedicated to increasing the company's adaptability to change

1. Limited, if any, expertise in the field of electronic commerce

2. No it personnel to handle the operations, therefore the company will have to hire them, leading as such to additional personnel expenditure

3. Insufficient, if any, technologies to support web-based application, generating again additional expenditures

4. Blue Cut Fashion has been shown to encounter difficulties in quickly adapting to change, therefore they might find it difficult to absorb all the changes deriving from an online venture

Opportunities

Threats

1. Numerous technologies are being developed to support web-based applications

2. The it labor force is growing and becoming increasingly specialized, making it easy for the company to hire among the best developers

3. The electronic commerce is a growing business segment, welcoming all entrepreneurs

Through electronic commerce, the company would be able to penetrate new markets, reaching potential customers in all regions of the globe
5. E-commerce would increase consumers' interest moreover when it would allow an efficient spending of the time and would eliminate the crowdedness in the stores

6. Success registered by other companies with online strategies, such as eBay, Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Dell Computers (Goel, 2007, p. 2)

1. A major threat is being posed by the still insecure nature of online transactions, which could prevent potential customers from purchasing their products (Ghosh, 1998)

2. Previous failure of other companies in launching successful online strategies might discourage company officials. However, they could also learn from others' mistakes and not repeat them 3. The electronic venture poses threats deriving from the need to change the organization in terms of rethinking the revenues, reengineering the business, empowering the customers, capturing customer service and expanding globally (Korper and Ellis, 2000)

4. The particular nature of online purchases forces the manufacturer to deliver the products to the destination required by the client, increasing as such its expenditures

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