Typical Steps in Industry Analysis
Defi ne the relevant industry:
■ What products are in it? Which ones are part of
another distinct industry?
■ What is the geographic scope of competition?
Identify the participants and segment them into
groups, if appropriate:
Who are
■ the buyers and buyer groups?
■ the suppliers and supplier groups?
■ the competitors?
■ the substitutes?
■ the potential entrants?
Assess the underlying drivers of each competitive
force to determine which forces are strong and which
are weak and why.
Determine overall industry structure, and test the
analysis for consistency:
■ Why is the level of profi tability what it is?
■ Which are the controlling forces for profi tability?
■ Is the industry analysis consistent with actual
long-run profi tability?
■ Are more-profi table players better positioned in
relation to the fi ve forces?
Analyze recent and likely future changes in each
force, both positive and negative.
Identify aspects of industry structure that might be
infl uenced by competitors, by new entrants, or by
your company.
Common Pitfalls
In conducting the analysis avoid the following common
mistakes:
■ Defi ning the industry too broadly or too narrowly.
■ Making lists instead of engaging in rigorous
analysis.
■ Paying equal attention to all of the forces rather than
digging deeply into the most important ones.
■ Confusing effect (price sensitivity) with cause
(buyer economics).
■ Using static analysis that ignores industry trends.
■ Confusing cyclical or transient changes with true
structural changes.
■ Using the framework to declare an industry attractive
or unattractive rather than using it to guide strategic
choices.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Company Overview ....................................................... 4
Key Facts........................................................................ 4
Business Description.................................................... 5
History ............................................................................ 7
Key Employees.............................................................. 9
Major Products and Services..................................... 18
Products and Services Analysis................................ 19
SWOT Analysis ............................................................ 20
Top Competitors .......................................................... 24
Company View ............................................................. 25
Locations and Subsidiaries........................................ 30
Products and Services
Crossword also addresses a wider audience than existing stores with its unique product mix. There is
of course, the widest range of books for the young and old alike, along with magazines, CD-ROMs,
music, stationery and toys. With its large children's section and its focus on making the store a
friendly, safe, fun-filled place, Crossword attracts many families who normally don't think of visiting
bookstores. Services like Dial-a-book, Fax-a-book and Email-a-book enable customers to shop from
their homes; and when they come to the store, the unobtrusively helpful staffs assist them in finding
the right book, the right CD or the right gift for the right occasion. Facilities like the Crossword Gift
Vouchers, the friendly 'Return, Exchange & Refunds' policy, the Cafes within the stores and the
unique store experience make it easy and enjoyable for customers to shop at Crossword. Over
1,00,000 loyal customers are rewarded through the Crossword Book Rewards Program with points,
discounts, promotional offers and more. 'eWords', a monthly e-newsletter with reviews of new
books, news about in store events and bestseller lists, is currently mailed to these Members.
Crossword as a center for the community
Crossword aims to be a point of cultural and social interaction where authors and poets hold court,
where children are regaled, where people gravitate to be informed, to be entertained, even
enlightened. There are regular readings, discussions and debates on varied subjects from literature
and art to child sexual abuse, war and peace, business and management, travel, parenting and
health.
Among the numerous writers who have visited the store are Sir V S Naipaul, Arundhati Roy, Vikram
Chandra, Vikram Seth, Kiran Nagarkar, Andrew Motion, Michele Roberts, Shashi Tharoor, Shobhaa
De, Charles Handy, Ricardo Semler and Jack Canfield. Promotional events include pictionary
contests, quizzes, slide shows and the annual affair with Santa and his elves. Ian Anderson of Jethro
Tull came for a signing, so did Macho Man Randy Savage, the WWF champion.
Promoting books, writers and the reading habit
Crossword launched the Crossword Book Award in 1998 to recognise and reward the best of Indian
writing. There was one cash prize of Rs 200,000 in 1998 for the best original work of fiction in English
by an Indian author, and it was won by Allan Sealy for The Everest Hotel.
In 1999 we added a new category: Indian Language Fiction Translation into English and we also
increased the cash prize to Rs.300,000 for each category. The 1999 prize for the best work in English
Fiction went to Vikram Seth for An Equal Music. The prize for the best work in the Indian Language
Fiction Translation category was won by the author M. Mukundan and the translator Gita
Krishnankutty, for On the Banks of the Mayyazhi.
The 2000 prize for the best work in English Fiction went to Jamyang Norbu for The Mandala of
Sherlock Holmes. The prize for the best work in the Indian Language Fiction Translation category was
won by the author Bama and the translator Lakshmi Holmstrom, for Karukku.
The Hutch Crossword Book Award 2004 for the best work in English Fiction went to Amitav Ghosh
for The Hungry Tide. The prize for the best work in the Indian Language Fiction Translation category
was won by the author Chandrasekhar Rath and the translator Jatindra Kumar Nayak for Astride the
Wheel: Yantrarudha.
The Hutch Crossword Book Award 2005 for the best work in English Fiction went to Salman Rushdie
for Shalimar the Clown. The prize for the best work in the Indian Language Fiction Translation
category was won by the author Krishna Sobti and the translators Reema Anand & Meenakshi Swami
for The Heart has its Reasons. The prize for the best work in the English Non-Fiction category was
won by the author Suketu Mehta for Maximum City: Bombay Lost & Found.
The Hutch Crossword Book Award 2006 for the best work in English Fiction went to Vikram Chandra
for Sacred Games. The prize for the best work in the Indian Language Fiction Translation category
was jointly won by the author C.S. Lakshmi (Ambai) and the translator Lakshmi Holmstrom for In a
Forest, A Deer and the author M.Mukundan and the translator A.J. Thomas for 'Kesavan's
Lamentations'. The prize for the best work in the English Non-Fiction category was won by the
author Vikram Seth for Two Lives.
Recognition
Since its inception in 15th October 1992, Crossword has received wide recognition for its
achievements; articles on retailing in India invariably feature Crossword. It has been featured in
Advertising Age International, USA, as one of the Marketing Superstars for 1994. The Bookseller, UK,
has also described it as 'being on the cutting edge of retailing' in India.
Crossword won the Retailer of the Year Award - Leisure (Books, Music and Gifts Category) at the
Images Retail Awards 2007 and 2005.
Crossword was ranked the 6th most admired retailer in India by Businessworld for the year 2006; it
was the only book retailer in the top 10.
Crossword won the Reid & Taylor Award for Best Retailer of the year - Leisure & Specialty at the
India Retail Summit 2005
Crossword received the Federation of Indian Publishers Award for excellence in Publishing for the
year 2004 on 18th June 2005 at the hands of Shri Arjun Singh, Minister of Human Resource
Development.
The Promoters
Crossword Bookstores Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary Company of Shopper's Stop Ltd - India's
leading department store chain. The Holding Company inter-alia also acts as a Master Franchisee of
the Company.
The Crossword chain
Crossword, with fifty-four stores, across Mumbai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, New Delhi, Pune, Nagpur,
Vadodara, Kolkata, Chennai, Jaipur and Hyderabad as on today is India's fastest growing chain of
bookstores.
We could go on. But Crossword is really much more than words can tell.
"There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates' loot on Treasure Island…and best of all, you can
enjoy these riches every day of your life."
- Walt Disney
Institutional Purchases - Terms and Conditions
o On registration, we are pleased to offer discounts on Books and Gift Vouchers
o Payments need to be made via company cheques, demand drafts or payorders
within a week of delivery.
o Where books are being printed or procured especially for you, 100% advance
payment is required along with a purchase order.
o The orders will be fulfilled based on availability. For some procurements a
period of 6 - 8 weeks is usually required.
o Payments for Gift Vouchers need to be made on receipt of the Vouchers.
CROSSWORD :-
Books, Magazines, Music, Movies, CD-ROMS, Toys, Stationery…
Places :- Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Ghaziabad, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Mumbai,
Nagpur, New Delhi, Pune, Vadodara, Vishakapatnam.
Institutional Purchases - Terms and Conditions
o On registration, we are pleased to offer discounts on Books and Gift Vouchers
o Payments need to be made via company cheques, demand drafts or payorders
within a week of delivery.
o Where books are being printed or procured especially for you, 100% advance
payment is required along with a purchase order.
o The orders will be fulfilled based on availability. For some procurements a
period of 6 - 8 weeks is usually required.
o Payments for Gift Vouchers need to be made on receipt of the Vouchers.
