In 2018, Sears failed to capitalize on the internet; plummeting sales made it impossible to finance necessary store upgrades.
Washington Mutual
In 2008, Washington Mutual, which was the sixth-largest bank in the United States, failed because they became the poster child for subprime lending, originating and securitizing hundreds of billions of dollars in high-risk, low-quality mortgages. They described themselves as the “Walmart of Banking” because they focused on the lower- and middle-class customers that other banks had shunned. Washington Mutual also expanded its branches too quickly. As a result, they were in poor locations in too many markets.
Microsoft Zune
In 2006, Microsoft was unable to gain traction with the iPod due to poor marketing and lack of developer support.
Lehman Brothers
In 2008, Lehman Brothers overlevered in subprime mortgages.
Bear Stearns
In 2008, Bear Stearns overleveraged in subprime mortgages.
Credit Suisse
In 2023, numerous scandals led to their largest shareholder ruling out further investment.
Atari
In 1983, market saturation, high number of poor quality games, and growing interest in personal computers killed Atari.
Kodak
In 2007, digital photography destroyed Kodak’s film-based business model.
Radio Shack
In 2015, Radio Shack was too dependent on one product line: cellphones, which were 50% of its revenue. Once sales channels for cellphones shifted to wireless operators, Radio Shack’s sales deteriorated significantly leading to their bankruptcy.
Toys R Us
In 2017, closed all 800 stores; didn’t bring experential experience to stores.