STRATEGYMonths to result

Bargaining Power of Buyers

Understanding buyer power

Problem it solves

unclear strategic direction

Best for

Businesses operating in industries with significant buyer power

Not ideal for

Small businesses or startups with limited resources

Overview

Why this framework exists

This framework outlines the factors that affect the bargaining power of buyers in an industry, including the concentration of buyers, the significance of the product to the buyer, and the availability of substitutes. Understanding these factors can help businesses develop strategies to mitigate the bargaining power of buyers.

Core principles

3 total
  1. The concentration of buyers affects their bargaining power
  2. The significance of the product to the buyer affects their bargaining power
  3. The availability of substitutes affects the bargaining power of buyers

Steps

2 steps
  1. Assess Buyer Concentration
    Determine the concentration of buyers in the industry and how it affects their bargaining power.
    Pro tipConsider the factors that affect buyer concentration
    WarningFailing to assess buyer concentration can lead to underestimating buyer power
  2. Evaluate the Significance of the Product to the Buyer
    Evaluate the significance of the product to the buyer and how it affects their bargaining power.
    Pro tipConsider the factors that affect the significance of the product to the buyer
    WarningFailing to evaluate the significance of the product to the buyer can lead to underestimating buyer power

Checklist

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Examples

1 cases
The Aluminum Extrusion Industry

The aluminum extrusion industry faced significant buyer power due to the concentration of buyers.

OutcomeThe industry's profitability was affected by buyer power

Common mistakes

1 traps
Ignoring Buyer Concentration
Failing to consider buyer concentration can lead to underestimating buyer power

Origin story

How this framework came to be

Michael E. Porter developed this framework as part of his work on competitive strategy. He recognized that buyer power can be a significant factor in determining a company's profitability and developed this framework to help businesses understand and analyze the factors that affect buyer power.

Source

Traced to primary
Source · BOOK
Competitive Strategy
Michael E. Porter · 1980
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