Third, their operational strategy gives them both a cost and agility advantage. Their low cost operation is based on their ownership of product planning, design, manufacturing and distribution. The direct link between the stories and a stable group of suppliers means that what is being sold is directly translated into manufacturing orders. There is no six or nine month planning cycle, but stock is upgraded in weeks or even days. The customer thus has a direct influence on the ordering process, because what is being made is based by what they are buying.