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• Case | HBS Case Collection | March 2018 (Revised September 2019)

  Chewy.com (A)

  Jeffrey F. Rayport and Matthew G. Preble

  In late 2013, Ryan Cohen, cofounder and CEO of online pet products retailer Chewy.com, faces a “bet the company decision”—whether to stay with a third-party logistics provider (3PL) for all of its e-commerce fulfillment or to take the function in house. Cohen worries that the existing 3PL may not be able to scale with Chewy’s projected growth or maintain the company’s performance standards for service quality and fulfillment. While Cohen is convinced that achieving scale is essential to making the business work, he is also keenly aware that neither he nor his cofounders have any experience in managing logistics. In addition, any move they might make to in-source fulfillment would likely destabilize the existing 3PL relationship, on which the viability of the fast-growing business depends. Cohen’s board members are concerned enough about the situation to pressure him to throttle back growth and maintain the 3PL. Cohen sees four possible options: stay with the current 3PL, add another 3PL to handle additional volume, stay with the 3PL and add a company-owned fulfillment center in a new region, or fully insource fulfilment as quickly as possible. In light of Cohen’s goal of reaching $500 million in sales by 2018, the board is divided about what to do, and the CEO is left with what appears to be a choice between two risky options as he attempts to move Chewy forward.

  Keywords: Pet Food; Pet Products; retail; e-commerce; Growth and Development Strategy; Service Operations; Decision Choices and Conditions; Retail Industry; Service Industry; Florida; United States;

  Citation:

  Rayport, Jeffrey F., and Matthew G. Preble. "Chewy.com (A)." Harvard Business School Case 818-079, March 2018. (Revised September 2019.)  View Details

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• Case | HBS Case Collection | September 2019

  Gina Wilcox

  Leslie Perlow, Jeff Steiner and Matthew Preble

  Citation:

  Perlow, Leslie, Jeff Steiner, and Matthew Preble. "Gina Wilcox." Harvard Business School Case 420-045, September 2019.  View Details

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• Case | HBS Case Collection | August 2019 (Revised September 2019)

  Dirk Nowitzki: Changing the Game

  Boris Groysberg, Sascha L. Schmidt and Evan M.S. Hecht

  NBA Superstar Dirk Nowitzki was unsure whether the 2018-19 season would be his last as an NBA player. He had not faced such uncertainty since 1998, when he had navigated a difficult decision regarding the timing of his move to the NBA. He also did not know what he would do when he ultimately retired, as playing basketball was all he had known for his entire adult life. His foundation in Dallas and in Germany provided grant money and strategic support to youth programs; he could become more directly involved in the foundation’s work. The Dallas Mavericks had made it clear that they would be open to Nowitzki transitioning to a role as some type of executive or coach, helping the Mavericks make decisions and/or develop their young players. Nowitzki was also intrigued by the idea of becoming an independent mentor for young, amateur players; after all, his mentor, Holger Geschwindner, had been instrumental in his development, and he liked working with young people. Keeping his various options in mind, how should Nowitzki plan for the next phase of his life and career?

  Keywords: Career Decisions; career journey; ＂sports organizations,; mentoring; Retirement; Sports; Performance; Training; Personal Development and Career; Sports Industry; United States;

  Citation:

  Groysberg, Boris, Sascha L. Schmidt, and Evan M.S. Hecht. "Dirk Nowitzki: Changing the Game." Harvard Business School Case 420-031, August 2019. (Revised September 2019.)  View Details

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