Internet & E-commerce

Exit Preparation/Positioning of Entrepreneurial Specialty Online Retailer: Estimating Market Size and Growth Outlook of a Niche Sporting Goods Market to Support the Sale Process
Conduct a 2-week market study to establish product and user profiles, market drivers and trends, competitive landscape, and channel dynamics, as well as to build a market size model establishing historical and projected market growth rates. Gotham undertook a bottom-up approach to analyze this niche market with no available market data, including: extensive secondary research; ~50 interviews with retail stores and industry experts; consumer surveys; and creation of 3 market sizing models. By enabling the client’s offering materials to show attractive growth prospects, the company was sold to a private buyer at an attractive valuation.
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Business Strategy Assessment of a Home Décor Importer & Wholesaler: Clarifying Channel Strategy, Inventory Rightsizing, and eCommerce Upside
Conducted business strategy assessment to chart the exit path for a PE-owned full-service home-décor importer and wholesaler. To this end, Gotham: analyzed channel profitability and modeled the impact of eliminating brick-and-mortar channels; developed a plan to optimize inventory levels and rightsize the fixed cost structure; interviewed customers to establish the company’s reputation/positioning; and visited competitor showrooms to profile key competitors. With a clear picture of internal opportunities and market and competitive dynamics, Gotham developed a plan to more than double EBITDA through structural cost reductions and accelerated eCommerce growth. The company launched an effort to capture these opportunities to position itself for a successful exit.
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Customer & Market Due Diligence Of Foodservice Distributor/DTC Fulfillment Services Provider: Deciphering Nascent DTC Frozen Foods Fulfillment Market
Conducted 3-week customer & market due diligence to establish: frozen DTC fulfillment market size and the ability to sustain COVID-19 bump; the target’s competitive positioning in the frozen DTC fulfillment market; and the target’s reputation/positioning with foodservice distribution customers. Gotham: mapped universe of 350+ frozen DTC food companies; built bottom-up frozen DTC fulfillment market model; conducted 11 DTC fulfillment customer interviews; established competitive landscape of frozen DTC fulfillment services providers; and conducted 13 interviews and 73 online customer surveys of foodservice distribution customers. Gotham’s findings enabled our client to move forward confidently with the potential acquisition.
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Operations Improvements at Large Direct Marketing Company: Capturing Sourcing and Inventory Opportunities
Assisted management team in capturing $10+MM in sourcing cost reduction and $20+MM in inventory optimization opportunities identified during operational due diligence. The effort included developing new sourcing function and processes, crafting a strategic sourcing approach including a business case for Asia Sourcing Office, re-sourcing 15,000+ China-sourced items ($100+MM spend), and creating robust inventory management approach/processes.

Operational Due Diligence of Leading Direct Marketing Company: Positioning the Buyer for a Fact-based Bid and Subsequent Rapid Savings Capture
Identified $14-29MM in relatively easily achievable savings (sourcing, freight, and catalog opportunities, along with a $26-37MM potential from inventory reduction), which collectively far exceeded management projections. Due diligence scope included China sourcing costs, outbound freight, catalog printing/mailing costs, call center operations, warehousing and inventory. Client, a mega-PE firm, won this hotly-contested auction. After deal closure, helped management team capture identified opportunities.
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