• new market segments become viable
• new marketing channels become effective
• removal of world trade barriers opens new markets
• expanded product line is possible
• changing customer tastes redraw the market segment boundaries
• competitors’ products lack innovation
• competitors’ marketing plans lack focus
• increasing vertical integration lowers costs and shrinks supply chains

Examples of threats:

• removal of world trade barriers results in more foreign competitors
• political regulatory environment proves costly and unstable
• increasing number of similar products and competitors
• brand erosion
• market sales volume shrinkage
• interest rates vary unfavorably
• threat of general recession
• technical and structural developments lower barriers to entry
• customer and market tastes change
• demographic population shifts prove unfavorable