What are the biggest mistakes in the business history?

Question

What are the biggest mistakes in the business history?

Answer 1

Right up at the top has to be "New Coke." In spite of decent test marketing results, Coca Cola badly misjudged how tinkering with a classic product would backfire. New Coke was launched in 1985 to replace the original. After just a few months and billions of $'s spent to reformulate and promote it, the company had to admit defeat. The original Coke was brought back as Coca Cola Classic. New Coke (or Coke II) did stay around, but only until 1992.

Edit: Can't leave out another huge marketing disaster ... The Edsel. Imagine what the $350 million Ford lost on the new brand that lasted only 2 full model years would be in today's dollars! Of course, anyone smart enough to keep their's can now cash in big time ... Depending on the condition and the model, some Edsels have sold for between $100,000 and $200,000.

Answer 2

Xerox has some scientists at their Palo Alto Research Center that invented a graphical user interface driven by a pointing device called a "mouse".

Xerox couldn't see what possible use his might be to anybody, so, they let the scientists quit and take their invention with them and go work for a place down the road in Cupertino California called Apple Computer.

Answer 3

Frank Carvel,  founder of a chain of ice cream  stores, when approaced by the brothers McDonald, saying " why do I want to get involved with Hamburgers?"

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