W7 Discussion: Lululemon: Turning Lemons into Lemonade

Chapter 12: Lululemon: Turning Lemons into Lemonade: 12-5a Contributions to Communities Book Title: Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases Printed By: Kennisha Holloman ([email protected]) © 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning

12-5a Contributions to Communities

Lululemon takes its responsibilities to communities seriously. It recognizes that community

involvement will not only help gain new customers but also promote its mission of creating a

healthier lifestyle. For these reasons, Lululemon holds free weekly yoga classes taught by

fitness professionals. Lululemon shoppers who have attended the free yoga classes can get

a 15 percent discount on their purchases.

Additionally, while the practice of secretly observing customers might be controversial in

some ways, it also demonstrates Lululemon’s commitment toward meeting customer needs.

Lululemon believes that customer relationships are not based on technology but rather on

more basic marketing techniques like simply talking with the customer. The Lululemon

culture encourages employees to establish strong connections with their customers, which

is why the company emphasizes that its employees are “educators.” By listening carefully to

customer concerns as they shop, Lululemon gets an immediate picture of problems that the

company can address. For instance, one time when the CEO was in a Lululemon store she

overheard many complaints that a certain type of knit sweater had sleeves that were too

tight. Based on this information, she canceled future orders. It is clear that Lululemon is

willing to make quick product changes in response to customer feedback.

Lululemon also contributes to local charities throughout its communities. In many

communities, Lululemon empowers customers by offering the clientele the opportunity to

suggest organizations and charities to receive donations. Lululemon’s program allows for up

to eight local charities to receive donations. This shows its commitment to its local

communities and willingness to give back as much as possible, while still maintaining a

healthy bottom line. Lululemon’s efforts display a stakeholder mindset as it makes decisions

that benefit its shareholders, clients, local neighborhoods, and nearby businesses.

Chapter 12: Lululemon: Turning Lemons into Lemonade: 12-5a Contributions to Communities Book Title: Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases Printed By: Kennisha Holloman ([email protected]) © 2019 Cengage Learning, Cengage Learning

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