Timbuk2 Case Study Solution

1. Timbuk2 bags are basically unique in features, denoting how the customers are involved firsthand in their creation. The success of the company and of its products is actually credited to the key positive characteristics of the bags, which in one way or another, propel sales. On the other hand, it was also entailed that the new laptop bags manufactured in China still have the same features with those produced in San Francisco, although they might differ in some aspects such as degree of service. However, it is emphasized that the most important factors like price, quality and delivery speed are all but the same. Among the key competitive dimensions of the custom messenger bag include the following (A case study on the Performance of Timbuk2, 2014):
• Cost Position: Timbuk2 highly recognizes the importance of maintaining low cost manufacturing, deeming that this could hugely affect their overall pricing strategy of the bags. Furthermore, the company has also invested more on additional sewing machines in

However, in San Francisco, Timbuk2 has already worked effectively using the lean manufacturing system in order to organize and sort out all the important steps during the entire manufacturing process. In addition to this, it was also further identified that the lean manufacturing system is then followed by the mass customization. The batch sizes, however, are also reduced in order to effectively cater to the needs of the customers and deliver the customized bags in time. In China, Timbuk2 faces several challenges especially in channelling the products to other networks, considering that the bags produced in the country must have to be transported to San Francisco. Nevertheless, the production process is still the same although it is expected that more bags are produced in China because of its lower production cost (Cachon, Cattani, & Netessine,