From georgem@gapent.com Mon Sep 10 09:20:41 2001 Received: from GM-Laptop.gapent.com ([204.188.162.42]) by gapent.com (8.11.6) id f8AFKdp26245 for ; Mon, 10 Sep 2001 09:20:40 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <5.1.0.14.2.20010910112259.018302c8@128.121.218.67> X-Sender: georgem@128.121.218.67 X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.1 Date: Mon, 10 Sep 2001 11:23:13 -0400 To: etd@gapent.com From: George Matyjewicz Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Subject: ETD-Test Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: _______________________________________________________ George Matyjewicz GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ President/G.M. Standard Reserve http://www.standardreserve.com Moderator of E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com/ Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Board Member AIB #34 http://www.aib-world.org/ From qsdoy@jippii.fi Mon Sep 10 09:43:56 2001 Received: from web_server.ch.com.cn ([61.134.28.65]) by gapent.com (8.11.6) id f8AFhs929389 for ; Mon, 10 Sep 2001 09:43:55 -0600 (MDT) From: qsdoy@jippii.fi Message-Id: <200109101543.f8AFhs929389@gapent.com> Received: from plain (¹ÜÀíÔ± [210.83.133.199]) by web_server.ch.com.cn with SMTP (Microsoft Exchange Internet Mail Service Version 5.5.1960.3) id R76V2KV4; Mon, 10 Sep 2001 23:31:51 +0800 To: etd@gapent.com Date: Mon, 10 Sep 2001 23:17:51 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ANSI_CHARSET" Subject: ETD-Undervalued Growth Stock Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: OTCBB Stock Alert's Last Two Picks: EMRG from $ .60 to $2.50 in 10 days for a GAIN OF OVER 400%!!! DICE from $ .49 to $1.62 in 7 days for a GAIN OF OVER 300%!!! HERE IS OUR NEXT EXPLOSIVE STOCK PICK: Diversified Product Inspections, Inc. (OTCBB: DPRI) BUY AT $1.25 SELL TARGET $4.60 = DIAMOND PLAY !!!! MAJOR CONTRACT ANNOUNCEMENTS AND HUGE NEWSLETTER COVERAGE THIS WEEK FOR DPRI !!! Revenues for DPRI, a 10-year old, fully-reporting company, have skyrocketed 600% higher this year to over $8 Million on substantial US Government and Insurance Industry contracts. DPRI's client list of over 50 major insurance companies includes Allstate, Fireman's Fund, Travelers, Liberty Mutual, Prudential, Hartford, and Nationwide. We are expecting significant news this week regarding increasing revenue and contract expansion from DPRI's Fortune 500 customer base. The stock has already bounced sharply from its 52-week low and will continue moving up immediately. We think the stock could easily climb above $4 in less than a month. WE ARE PROJECTING RECORD VOLUME AND PRICE APPRECIATION AS DPRI MAY VERY WELL BE ONE OF THE MOST UNDERVALUED STOCKS ON THE OTCBB!!! DISCLAIMER: OTCBB Stock Alert is a financial advisory network focusing on high-growth companies with the intent to offer its subscribers a great investment reward. It has the policy to acquire existing small newsletters, is not affiliated with any broker or dealer and is not a registered investment advisor. The information contained in this publication is for informational purposes only and is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of any offer to buy securities. Investment in smallcap companies is considered extremely speculative and may result in the loss of some or all of any investment made in these companies. Investors should use the information contained in this publication as a starting point for conducting additional research on the featured company in order to allow the investor to form their own opinion regarding the featured company. OTCBB Stock Alert has received five thousand free trading shares from a third party as compensation for the dissemination of this stock profile. Since we have a position in DPRI there is an inherent conflict of interest in our statements and opinions and therefore such statements and opinions cannot be considered independent. We will benefit from any increase in price for DPRI. We may liquidate our position at any time; before, during or after the dissemination of this stock alert. From intspecialistsremovals@yahoo.com Mon Sep 10 13:14:10 2001 Received: from nhtn0001.nittsu.co.th (nittsu-server.nittsu.co.th [203.146.49.2]) by gapent.com (8.11.6) id f8AJE9B60038 for ; Mon, 10 Sep 2001 13:14:10 -0600 (MDT) Received: by NHTN0001 with Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19) id ; Tue, 11 Sep 2001 02:18:31 +0700 Received: from 203.146.49.2 (49.ct8.dyn.connix.net [209.66.145.184]) by nhtn0001.nittsu.co.th with SMTP (Microsoft Exchange Internet Mail Service Version 5.5.2653.13) id S4K9TW3X; Tue, 11 Sep 2001 02:18:26 +0700 Received: from tommy4565@dontmiss-out.net >>increasebusines222 by tommy4565@dontmiss-out.net (8.8.5/8.6.5) with SMTP id GAA03962 for ; Mon, 10 Sep 2001 15:11:09 -0600 (EST) From: intspecialistsremovals@yahoo.com Reply-To: DoNotReplyByEmail@yahoo.com To: etd@gapent.com Date: Mon, 10 Sep 01 15:11:09 EST Message-ID: <3791856948.991306994491@m0.net> X-PMFLAGS: X-UIDL: 758uhje9ikjutyrhndkjdddoojj88440 Comments: Authenticated sender is Subject: ETD->>>11,000,000 EMAIL ADDRESSES.............. Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: Dear etd@gapent.com, Would you like to send an Email Advertisement to 11,000,000 PEOPLE DAILY for FREE? ======================================================= 1) Let's say you... Sell a $24.95 PRODUCT or SERVICE. 2) Let's say you... Broadcast Email to 500,000 PEOPLE DAILY. 3) Let's say you... Receive JUST 1 ORDER for EVERY 2,500 EMAILS. CALCULATION OF YOUR EARNINGS BASED ON THE ABOVE STATISTICS: [Day 1]: $4,990 [Week 1]: $34,930 [Month 1]: $139,720 NOTE: (If you do not already have a product or service to sell, we can supply you with one). ========================================================= To find out more information, Do not respond by email or you will be permanantly removed from any future emails from us. Instead, please visit our web site at: http://www.moneyinyourhands.com/package1.htm List Removal Instructions: We hope you enjoyed receiving this message. However, if you'd rather not receive future e-mails of this sort from Internet Specialists, send an email to intspecialistsremovals@yahoo.com and type "remove" in the "subject" line and you will be removed from any future mailings. We hope you have a great day! Internet Specialists From bot@INVESTPROCENTRAL.COM Tue Sep 11 10:12:34 2001 Received: from listserv.investprocentral.com ([207.13.126.23]) by gapent.com (8.11.6) id f8BGCBN98221 for ; Tue, 11 Sep 2001 10:12:11 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <200109111612.f8BGCBN98221@gapent.com> Received: from listserv (207.13.126.23:2154) by listserv.investprocentral.com (LSMTP for Windows NT v1.1b) with SMTP id <9.000001E3@listserv.investprocentral.com>; Mon, 10 Sep 2001 17:25:13 -0400 DATE: Mon, 10 Sep 2001 17:19:03 -0400 From: "InvestProCentral.com" To: etd@GAPENT.COM Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" Subject: ETD-TTI Holdings of America, Inc. Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: InvestProCentral.com TTIH Profile

TTI Holdings of America, Inc.

(OTCBB: TTIH)

545 Madison Avenue - 6th Floor
New York, NY 10022
516-931-5700

Corporate Summary

TTI Holdings of America Corp., formally known as Thermaltec International, Inc., herein after referred to as "TTIH" or the "Company", was incorporated in 1995 in the state of Delaware to engage in the establishment and support of "Thermal Spray Coating Technology." Recently the company changed its name to TTI Holdings of America Corp. to better reflect the direction and strategy of the new focus.

TTIH current primary business objective is to develop, merge in, acquire and invest in companies that are under valued privately, but contain vast potential in the public arena. The company has presently obtained or is in the final leg of negotiations with securing companies in the following industry sectors; transportation, telecommunications, healthcare computer networking and software, metallurgy, industrial products, beauty related care products and services.

Adelphia Capital, LLC (Member NASD and SIPC) has been retain to utilize its experience in the managing and the restructuring of the company and its subsidiaries, along with their potential mergers and acquisition candidates. Adelphia Capital will make available to the company their entire staff of professional, including the many advisory contacts and strategic partners they have developed. Adelphia has also agreed to assist TTIH in the selection process of appointing additional Board members to better equip the company in its stated mandate. This business alliance brings in an independent and objective point of view that assures quality and due diligence.

Company Information
Symbol (OTCBB: TTIH)
Recent Price
$0.55 		52 week Range (Low - High)
$.035 - $3.46 		Estimated Float
1,500,000 		Shares Outstanding
6,100,000


Financial Information
Fiscal Year
September 30 		Company website
www.TTI-Holdings.com

Facts To Look At

The company has recently declared a spin-off of one of its subsidiaries Panama Industries Inc. Shareholders of record of TTIH as of July 22, 2001 will received one share of Panama Industries for every 3 shares of TTIH owned. The company is now in the process of finishing the required NASD and SEC filings that will complete the transaction in order to create a separate fully trading public company. This transaction allows the Thermal Spraying business in Panama to grow on its own accord, making available additional funding based on a separate public traded entity.

Links: http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/010531/2385.html

TTIH is currently preparing to spin off another of its subsidiaries Transventures Inc. Transventures represents TTIH's holdings in the transportation logistics industry. Transventures is in the process of finalizing a joint venture with another public traded transportation logistics company. This company is a full service transportation, shipping, and logistics servicing company that operates out of New Jersey.

The company is in final negotiation with Cactus Health Spas. Cactus currently represents 11 beauty day salon spas with sales exceeding 6 million dollars. TTIH plans to license the Cactus Day Spa business mechanism and promote the development of several new units in the near future. These units typically gross between $1 and $2 million dollars per year per location when fully operational, and shall provide a steady stream of cash flow which may assist in capitalizing the company's current business model.

TTIH will also, from time to time, invest in "entrepreneurial" companies if it deems such alliances or acquisitions to be in the best interest of its shareholders. Such companies as Cobex Technologies, a telecommunications firm, and Material Shapes Unlimited, an industrial material contouring company are on TTIH horizon for the near future.

Links: http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/010620/2490.html

Conclusion

TTI Holdings of America Corp. plans to increase its business and enhance shareholder value by acquiring or merging with emerging growth companies, the main core of TTIH future business. TTIH will continue to seek small, dynamic, entrepreneurial companies in other fields. TTIH's policy will be to hold no more than 50% ownership in these entrepreneurial companies and distribute any value over 50% to its shareholders directly. This strategy makes the company an equity distribution play for its shareholders in the up and coming months.

For further information contact the company @ (212) 759-8899

Disclosure and Disclaimer Statement:

In compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, Section17(b), InvestProCentral.com would like to disclose that it has received compensation in the form of 40,000 (forty thousand) free-trading shares in the company of TTIH, from a third party, for the distribution of this report and related materials to its e-mail members and for coverage on this website. This compensation will be accounted for as advertising fees.

Because InvestProCentral.com is receiving compensation for its services, there is an inherent conflict of interest in the company statements and opinions and such statements and opinions cannot be considered independent. The information contained in this publication is for informational purposes only, and not to be construed as an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any security.

InvestProCentral.com makes no representation or warranty relating to the validity of the facts presented nor does the company represent or warrant that all material facts necessary to make an investment decision are presented above.

Penny stocks are considered to be highly speculative and may result in the loss of some or all of any investment made in these companies. InvestProCentral.com is not in anyway responsible for profits or losses resulting for any action upon this profile. Any investment in penny stocks may be unsuitable for all but very aggressive investors.

InvestProCentral.com may hold positions in companies mentioned and may buy or sell at any time. Information presented on the InvestProCentral.com website and supplied through email contain "forward looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the S ecurities Act of 1933 and Section 21B of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

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Copyright (c) 2001 InvestProCentral.com. All Rights Reserved. From bridger@freeuk.com Wed Sep 12 14:41:06 2001 Received: from scrabble.freeuk.net (scrabble.freeuk.net [212.126.144.6]) by gapent.com (8.11.6) id f8CKf5D88345 for ; Wed, 12 Sep 2001 14:41:06 -0600 (MDT) Received: from du-009-0188.freeuk.com ([212.126.152.188] helo=tony) by scrabble.freeuk.net with smtp (Exim 3.12 #2) id 15hGoc-0007T8-00 for etd@gapent.com; Wed, 12 Sep 2001 21:40:58 +0100 Message-ID: <002a01c13bcb$46742060$bc987ed4@tony> From: "A. Bridger" To: Date: Wed, 12 Sep 2001 19:43:29 +0100 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_000A_01C13BC3.329E9640" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4133.2400 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 Subject: ETD-UNSUBSCRIBE_ETD Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_000A_01C13BC3.329E9640 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable ------=_NextPart_000_000A_01C13BC3.329E9640 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
 
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This can be accomplished by offering your customers a strong guarantee. Here's what expert marketer Kevin Donlin says about why your business should always offer strong guarantees, "With Guaranteed Marketing your aim is to eliminate all danger from the buying transaction from your customers. If you do so by removing the risk with money back or other strong guarantees, you make it less threatening for people to consider your offer. You lower the barriers that prevent people from doing business with you. You give them a compelling reason to buy today without fears of looking bad tomorrow. It's that simple." For more information on creating, properly using, and profiting from a strong guarantee, visit Kevin Donlin's web site and download a free copy of his ebook, Guaranteed Marketing, at http://www.guaranteedmarketing.com Huge Bonus - Finally, a sure-fire way to increase your sales is by offering a huge bonus along with your primary product. 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Affiliates to earn 50% commission. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Member Showcases - Trade Links =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Examine carefully - Those with email addresses included WILL TRADE LINKS with you... You are encouraged to contact them. There Are Many Ways To Build A Successful Business - Just look at these successful sites & programs other members are involved in... ------------------------------------------------- Visit Ward's Gift Shop! Here you can find all your shopping needs on line, and good quality products; Everyday low prices! We have Dolls, Angels, Novelties, and so much much more to choose from. Go to our site, and get your Free Catalog today; over 3,000 Products to choose from. http://www.wardsgiftshop.com Trade Links - mailto:bjw123@freeonline.com ----------------------------------------------------- JUST BEEN RELEASED!! Internet Marketing guru Corey Rudl has just released a BRAND NEW VERSION of his #1 best-selling Internet Marketing Course,"The Insider Secret's to Marketing Your Business on the Internet". A MUST HAVE! So don't hesitate, visit.. http://www.adminder.com/c.cgi?start&bgmlmezine ----------------------------------------------------- Life Without Debt! What would you do with 5,000 10,000 20,000 100,000? A "Dream Team" of heavy hitters are gathering to promote Life Without Debt. Get in NOW to receive Massive spillover in the 2x matrix. http://trafficentral.com/lwd/index.htm ----------------------------------------------------- Affiliates of the World! Top rated affiliate programs, excellent business opportunities, great marketing resources and free advertising for you! Visit the site to trade links. http://www.affiliates.uk.com Trade Links - mailto:adrianbold@affiliates.uk.com ------------------------------------------------------- If you have a product, service, opportunity or quality merchandise that appeals to people worldwide, reach your targeted audience! For a fraction of what other large newsletters charge you can exhibit your website here, and trade links for only $8 CPM.  Compare that to the industry average of $10-$15 CPM. Why?... Because as a valuable member we want you to be successful! Order today - Showcases are limited and published on a first come, first serve basis. For our secure order form, click here: http://bannersgomlm.com/ezine =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Commentary Quick Tips =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Marketing Hint: When communicating via email, many people feel rushed, overloaded, and impatient, and it comes across in all of their messages. Without the benefit of voice inflection, tone, or facial expressions, they might not even be aware of how their message comes across. To avoid this happening to me, I use two methods. First, when I write an email I try to picture the person I am writing to, even if I've never seen them before. It helps keep my message more personable, especially if I imagine him or her smiling. Second, if I receive an email message that is negative, personally attacking, or downright ugly, I respond quickly with an apology whether or not I did something wrong, and a short note that I need to think about what was said and will follow up later. This keeps me from reacting in anger to what probably is a misunderstanding, and gives me a chance to try to see things from his or her perspective without the writer thinking I am ignoring him or her. Some of my most loyal clients started out as seemingly short- tempered skeptical prospects. Submitted by Debra Luers ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Do you have a marketing hint, product recommendation, or online gem of wisdom you'd like to share with your fellow subscribers? With your 2 - 10 line Quick Tip include your name and URL or email address and we'll give you credit for your words of wisdom. And, if you're looking for free advertising, this isn't the place - check out the 'One Question Survey' below for a great free advertising offer. Send it in to mailto:Submit@AEOpublishing.com with 'Quick Tip' in the Subject block. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= One Question Survey! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= To keep this interesting, how about this, every month we'll draw a name from the replies and that person will win one Sponsorship Showcase in the Community & Commentary, for FREE. That's a value of over $800.00! Respond to each weekly survey, and increase your chances to win with four separate entries. QUESTION OF THE WEEK (09/14/01)... No right or wrong answers, and just by answering you are entered to win a Sponsorship Showcase - Free! ~~~ Have you ever bought software or a new tech gadget that you never learned how to use? ~~~ yes mailto:yes@iodmail.com no mailto:no@iodmail.com To make this as easy as possible for you, just click on the hyperlinked answer to send us an e-mail - you do not need to enter any information in the subject or body of the message. ** ADD YOUR COMMENTS! Follow directions above and add your comments in the body of the message, and we'll post the best commentaries along with the responses. You will automatically be entered in our drawing for a free Sponsorship ad in the Community & Commentary. Please respond only one time per question. Multiple responses from the same individual will be discarded. Last Weeks's Survey Results & Comments (09/07/01) ~~~ If you would like to be self-employed, what would be your number one reason why? ~~~ more money 23% flexible schedule 16% hate working for someone else 15% to work from home 38% other 8% Comments: ~~~~~~~~~ "Other - to help others improve their lives. As a business owner, I get great satisfaction knowing that what I do is helping other people improve their standard of living. I also do it just to be able to say that I did it. With such a small percent of business that ever make it big, especially online, I want to one day be able to say, 'I did it. I am one of the top 5%.' " -- Terri Ng http://www.NgMoney.com ~~~~~~~~~ "To work from home. I've just been made redundant for the second time in 5 years. So this time I am going to try working for myself. If I end up with out a job this time, I only have myself to blame." -- Andi B. http://www.washey.demon.co.uk/index.htm ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= To change your subscribed address, send both new and old address to mailto:Submit@AEOpublishing.com See the link (below) for our Subscription Center to unsubscribe or edit your interests. Please send suggestions and comments to: mailto:Editor@AEOpublishing.com I invite you to send your real successes and showcase your strategies and techniques, or yes, even your total bombs, "Working Together We Can All Prosper." mailto:Submit@AEOpublishing.com For information on how to sponsor Your Membership Community & Commentary visit: http://bannersgomlm.com/ezine Copyright 2001 AEOpublishing.com ------------------------------------------------ web: http://www.AEOpublishing.com ------------------------------------------------ This email has been sent to etd@gapent.com at your request, by Your Membership Newsletter Services. Visit our Subscription Center to edit your interests or unsubscribe. http://ccprod.roving.com/roving/d.jsp?p=oo&id=bd7n7877.zai46yd6&m=bd7n7877&ea=etd@gapent.com View our privacy policy: http://ccprod.roving.com/roving/CCPrivacyPolicy.jsp Powered by Constant Contact(R) www.constantcontact.com ---1572395318.1000490377303.JavaMail.RovAdmin.rovweb003 Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1 Your Membership Community & Commentary, 09-14-01
Your Membership Community & Commentary
  It's All About Making Money September 14, 2001  

in this issue

Increase Your Sales By Giving Your Customers An Extra PUSH

Member Showcases - Trade Links

Commentary Quick Tips

One Question Survey!





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  • Increase Your Sales By Giving Your Customers An Extra PUSH
    •   

    One vital concern on the minds of most online owners is how to convert more repeat visitors into paying customers.

    The very fact that a customer returns to your site often reveals that he/she is very interested in what you have to offer. Now all these likely customers need is an extra PUSH.

    Here's an easy acrostic for PUSH - Perceived Value, Unique Selling Proposition, Strong Guarantee, and Huge Bonus. Let's consider how you can use this proven formula in your sales letters and web site copy to boost your sales.

    Perceived Value - Every potential buyer wants to know that he/she will get more than his/her money's worth from your product or service. Therefore, it's your job to offer the highest perceived value possible. The perceived value is not just the actual dollar and cents cost of an item; it's the total benefits derived from having it.

    The best way to increase the perceived value of your product is to bring out as many benefits as you can. Never advertise your product in a "generic" manner that offers few benefits. For example, if you're selling laundry detergent don't just sell it as a 5 lbs. of soap powder. Instead, you want to sell every possible benefit connected to your product. Convince your customers that with your product they'll get the whitest,
    freshest smelling, best looking clothes in town. People want benefits and they'll gladly pay you for them.

    Unique Selling Proposition - In order to build a successful business, you must have a Unique Selling Proposition (USP). A good USP separates you from any other generic competitor. Your USP tells your customer why your product is better, stronger, faster, cheaper, or more reliable than any similar product. Your USP also gives would-be customers a logical reason to justify the emotional desire that they already feel to buy your
    product.

    Discover how to create your own USP in this "must read" free report from master marketer Jay Abraham at
    http://www.abraham.com/articles/

    Strong Guarantee - One of the fastest ways to make your sales soar is to completely remove all risks of doing business with you. This can be accomplished by offering your customers a strong guarantee.

    Here's what expert marketer Kevin Donlin says about why your business should always offer strong guarantees, "With Guaranteed Marketing your aim is to eliminate all danger from the buying transaction from your customers. If you do so by removing the risk with money back or other strong guarantees, you make it less threatening for people to consider your offer. You lower the barriers that prevent people from doing business with you. You give them a compelling reason to buy today without fears of looking bad tomorrow. It's that simple."

    For more information on creating, properly using, and profiting from a  strong guarantee, visit Kevin Donlin's web site and download a free copy of his ebook, Guaranteed Marketing, at http://www.guaranteedmarketing.com

    Huge Bonus - Finally, a sure-fire way to increase your sales is by offering a huge bonus along with your primary product. Fortunately, it's extremely easy to add on bonuses simply by offering additional information products on the same subject as your main product. Give away a free ebook, special report, or software. Even better, you could write a free report yourself. That way your bonus becomes even more  valuable because it that cannot be found anywhere else online.

    See how easy it can be to overcome your potential customer's hesitancy by giving them a little extra PUSH? Apply this formula to all of your sales letters and watch your sales soar.

    Copyright 2001 by Joanne L. Mason
    -------------------------------------
    About the Author...

    Joanne L. Mason is the publisher of Advanced Internet Marketing Ezine and the owner of http://Mason-Marketing.com. Joanne is also the creator of Money Making Sales Letters, a new product that shows you how to instantly increase your sales by writing winning sales letters. Affiliates to earn 50% commission.

  • Member Showcases - Trade Links
    •   

    Examine carefully - Those with email addresses included WILL TRADE LINKS with you... You are encouraged to contact them. There Are Many Ways To Build A Successful Business - Just look at these successful sites & programs other members are involved in...
    -----------------------------------------------------

    Visit Ward's Gift Shop!  Here you can find all your shopping needs on line, and good quality products; Everyday low prices! We have Dolls, Angels, Novelties, and so much much more to choose from. Go to our site, and get your Free Catalog today; over 3,000 Products to choose from.  http://www.wardsgiftshop.com 
    Trade Links - mailto:bjw123@freeonline.com
    -----------------------------------------------------

    JUST BEEN RELEASED!!
    Internet Marketing guru Corey Rudl has just released a BRAND NEW VERSION of his #1 best-selling Internet Marketing Course,"The Insider Secret's to Marketing Your Business on the Internet". A MUST HAVE! So don't hesitate, visit.. http://www.adminder.com/c.cgi?start&bgmlmezine
    -----------------------------------------------------

    Life Without Debt! What would you do with 5,000 10,000 20,000 100,000? A "Dream Team" of heavy hitters are gathering to promote Life Without Debt. Get in NOW to receive Massive spillover in the 2x matrix. http://trafficentral.com/lwd/index.htm
    -----------------------------------------------------

    Affiliates of the World!
    Top rated affiliate programs, excellent business opportunities, great marketing resources and free advertising for you! Visit the site to trade links. http://www.affiliates.uk.com
    Trade Links - mailto:adrianbold@affiliates.uk.com
    -------------------------------------------------

    If you have a product, service, opportunity or quality merchandise that appeals to people worldwide, reach your targeted audience! For a fraction of what other large newsletters charge you can exhibit your website here, and trade links for only $8 CPM.  Compare that to the industry average of $10-$15 CPM. Why?... Because as a valuable member we want you to be successful! Order today - Showcases are limited and published on a first come, first serve basis. For our secure order form, click here: http://bannersgomlm.com/ezine

  • Commentary Quick Tips
    •   

    Marketing Hint:

    When communicating via email, many people feel rushed, overloaded, and impatient, and it comes across in all of their messages. Without the benefit of voice inflection, tone, or facial expressions, they might not even be aware of how their message comes across.

    To avoid this happening to me, I use two methods. First, when I write an email I try to picture the person I am writing to, even if I've never seen them before.  It helps keep my message more personable, especially if I imagine him or her smiling.

    Second, if I receive an email message that is negative, personally attacking, or downright ugly, I respond quickly with an apology whether or not I did something wrong, and a short note that I need to think about what was said and will follow up later.  This keeps me from reacting in anger to what probably is a misunderstanding, and gives me a chance to try to see things from his or her perspective without the writer thinking I am ignoring him or her.  Some of my most loyal clients started out as seemingly short-tempered skeptical prospects.

    Submitted by Debra Luers
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Do you have a marketing hint, product recommendation, or online gem of wisdom you'd like to share with your fellow subscribers? With your 2 - 10 line Quick Tip include your name and URL or email address and  we'll give you credit for your words of wisdom.

    And, if you're looking for free advertising, this isn't the place - check out the 'One Question Survey' below for a great free advertising offer.

    Send it in to mailto:Submit@AEOpublishing.com with 'Quick Tip' in the Subject block.

  • One Question Survey!
    •   

    To keep this interesting, how about this, every month we'll draw a name from the replies and that person will win one Sponsorship Showcase in the Community & Commentary, for FREE.  That's a value of over $800.00! Respond to each weekly survey, and increase your chances to win with four separate entries.

     QUESTION OF THE WEEK (09/14/01)...
     No right or wrong answers, and just by answering
     you are entered to win a Sponsorship Showcase  - Free!

     ~~~ Have you ever bought software or a new tech
                gadget that you never learned how to use? ~~~

             yes          mailto:yes@iodmail.com
             no            mailto:no@iodmail.com

    To make this as easy as possible for you, just click on the hyperlinked answer to send us an e-mail  - you do not need to enter any information in the subject or body of the message.

    ** ADD YOUR COMMENTS!  Follow directions above and add your comments in the body of the message, and we'll post the best commentaries along with the responses.

    You will automatically be entered in our drawing for a free Sponsorship ad in the Community & Commentary. Please respond only one time per question.  Multiple responses from the same individual will be discarded.

    Last Weeks's Survey Results & Comments  (09/07/01)

     ~~~ If you would like to be self-employed, what
                would be your number one reason why? ~~~

    more money                23%
    flexible schedule         16%
    hate working for someone else       15%
    to work from home    38%
    other                            8%
     

    Comments:
    ~~~~~~~~~

    "Other - to help others improve their lives. As a business owner, I get great satisfaction knowing that what I do is helping other people improve their standard of living.  I also do it just to be able to say that I did it. With such a small percent of business that ever make it big, especially online, I want to one day be able to say, 'I did it. I am one of the top 5%.' "
    --  Terri Ng       http://www.NgMoney.com
    ~~~~~~~~~

    "To work from home. I've just been made redundant for the second time in 5 years. So this time I am going to try working for myself. If I end up with out a job this time, I only have myself to blame."
    -- Andi B.     http://www.washey.demon.co.uk/index.htm
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    •   To change your subscribed address,
    send both new and old address to Submit
    See the link (to the left) for our Subscription Center to unsubscribe or edit your interests.

    Please send suggestions and comments to: Editor
    I invite you to send your real successes and showcase your strategies and techniques, or yes, even your total bombs, "Working Together We Can All Prosper." Submit

    For information on how to sponsor Your Membership Community & Commentary visit: Sponsorship Showcase

    Copyright 2001 AEOpublishing.com
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    ---1572395318.1000490377303.JavaMail.RovAdmin.rovweb003-- From newtoplevelextensions@hotmail.com Fri Sep 14 17:27:04 2001 Received: from hotmail.com (van-bc55-138.netcom.ca [216.129.74.74]) by gapent.com (8.11.6) id f8ENR0d24673 for ; Fri, 14 Sep 2001 17:27:03 -0600 (MDT) Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2001 17:27:03 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <200109142327.f8ENR0d24673@gapent.com> To: etd@gapent.com From: "NewTopLevelExtensions.com" X-Mailer: 559B2ACF.7AE1F428.924d92dbb4d7eb514f083a25aed7167f Organization: Subject: ETD-RE: update your email address Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: Dear Internet User, The Dot Com era may be over, but an exciting new era on the Internet is about to begin. On October 01, 2001 a new top-level domain name extension called Dot Biz will be officially launched. As a member of the Internet community, you must pre-register your Dot Biz domain name as soon as possible to avoid disappointment as there will be tremendous rush from the general public once this new extension is reported in the mainstream media. We have now begun accepting pre-registrations for the .BIZ and other upcoming new domain extensions. This means that you can now pre-register for an attractive new domain name of your choice and significantly increase your chances of securing your domain name. If you missed out on .COM, here is your chance with .BIZ. If you do not act as soon as possible, you may unfortunately miss out on the biggest cyberspace land grab in the history of the Internet. The time to act is now. Visit: http://www.NewTopLevelExtensions.com to enter your domain names for pre-registration. Over 600,000 names have already been pre-registered in our servers by savvy consumers; however, this is just a small inkling of the expected demand on launch day...over 3 million domain names are expected to be registered immediately after the official launch. According to a July 02, 2001 ZDNET news article, industry analysts estimate that "15 million dot-biz names will be registered by 2005," thus making Dot Biz even more popular than Dot Com. An exciting new era is about to unfold on the Internet. Go to http://www.NewTopLevelExtensions.com to pre-register now. *************************************************************************** We strongly oppose the use of SPAM email and do not want anyone who does notwish to receive our mailings to receive them. As a result, we have retained the services of an independent 3rd party to administer our list management and remove list(www.removeyou.com). This is not SPAM. If you do not wish to receive further mailings, please click below and enter your email at the bottom of the page. You may then rest-assured that you will never receive another email from us again. http://www.removeyou.com The 21st Century Solution. I.D. # 032950 *************************************************************************** From onlywinners@THEGOLFLEDGER.ROI1.NET Fri Sep 14 20:47:32 2001 Received: from mail1.roi1.net (mail1.roi1.net [208.254.222.6]) by gapent.com (8.11.6) id f8F2lVC40987 for ; Fri, 14 Sep 2001 20:47:31 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <200109150247.f8F2lVC40987@gapent.com> Received: from lserv (63.144.242.15:30361) by mail1.roi1.net (LSMTP for Windows NT v1.1b) with SMTP id <191.0000046D@mail1.roi1.net>; Fri, 14 Sep 2001 22:16:41 -0400 Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2001 21:58:31 -0400 From: Onlywinners To: etd@GAPENT.COM Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html Subject: ETD-Up to $80.00 Free Money Bonus on Every Deposit! Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: OnlyWinners.com


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    From signup@ecommercechargecards.com Sat Sep 15 12:38:05 2001 Received: from mail.ecommercechargecards.com (ecommercechargecards.com [207.0.63.18]) by gapent.com (8.11.6) id f8FIc5x57467 for ; Sat, 15 Sep 2001 12:38:05 -0600 (MDT) Received: from web-script(nobody).ecommercechargecards.com (207.0.63.18) by mail.ecommercechargecards.com (8.9.3/8.9.3) with SMTP id f8FIZCT16353 for ; Sat, 15 Sep 2001 14:35:13 -0400 From: signup@ecommercechargecards.com To: etd@gapent.com Date: Sat, 15 Sep 2001 11:03:37 Message-Id: <349.398317.253947@unknown> Reply-To: signup@ecommercechargecards.com Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Subject: ETD-ADV:CREDIT CARD PROCESSING Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: ********************************************************** To be removed from further mailings please respond to this email with "remove" in the subject line. ********************************************************** Dear Friend, The time has now come to add e-commerce and credit card acceptance capabilities to your business or your website! 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IBS/PBS 7657 Winnetka Canoga Park Ca From etd_list@gapent.com Sat Sep 15 18:29:46 2001 Received: from GM-Laptop.gapent.com (xx-95.eahall.pvusd.k12.ca.us [204.188.162.95] (may be forged)) by gapent.com (8.11.6) id f8G0Tj023944 for ; Sat, 15 Sep 2001 18:29:45 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <5.1.0.14.2.20010915202921.0178d830@gapent.com> X-Sender: etd_list@gapent.com (Unverified) X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.1 Date: Sat, 15 Sep 2001 20:29:37 -0400 To: etd@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Subject: ETD-Test Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: From georgem@gapent.com Thu Mar 20 08:22:23 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com ([66.153.114.2]) by gapent.com (8.12.6/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h2KFMLpE039913; Thu, 20 Mar 2003 08:22:22 -0700 (MST) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030320101533.0150f0b8@128.121.218.67> X-Sender: georgem@128.121.218.67 (Unverified) X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2003 10:22:21 -0500 To: georgem@retailtoday.com, George Matyjewicz , gmatyjewicz@darcangelo.com, etd@gapent.com, etdpost@gapent.com, autopress@gapent.com, etd_list@gapent.com From: George Matyjewicz Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Subject: ETD-working? 7 e-addresses Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: _______________________________________________________ Dr. George Matyjewicz, Chief Global Strategist GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Moderator of E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com/ E-Gold Account # 193274 From georgem@gapent.com Thu Mar 20 09:21:18 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com ([66.153.114.2]) by gapent.com (8.12.6/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h2KGLGR8049635 for ; Thu, 20 Mar 2003 09:21:18 -0700 (MST) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030320102524.0158c138@128.121.218.67> X-Sender: georgem@128.121.218.67 (Unverified) X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2003 10:25:47 -0500 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: George Matyjewicz Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Subject: ETD-etd_list Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: _______________________________________________________ Dr. George Matyjewicz, Chief Global Strategist GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Moderator of E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com/ E-Gold Account # 193274 From georgem@gapent.com Fri Mar 21 07:19:36 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (52.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.52]) by gapent.com (8.12.6/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h2LEJWGJ075000 for ; Fri, 21 Mar 2003 07:19:33 -0700 (MST) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030321091907.01512fc0@128.121.218.67> X-Sender: georgem@128.121.218.67 (Unverified) X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2003 09:19:27 -0500 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: George Matyjewicz Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-MIME-Autoconverted: from quoted-printable to 8bit by gapent.com id h2LEJWGJ075000 Subject: ETD-ETD: 670 List Server Alternatives; Software solution for retailers; Making Lemonade; Reaching your audience; New tools to fight rips off Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0670 March 20, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] List Server Alternatives [3] Software solution for retailers ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] Making Lemonade [5] Reaching your audience [6] Web merchants use new tools to keep buyers from ripping them off =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: If you get two of these today, my apologies. We tried an alternative distribution and it doesn't seem to have worked. So we went back to Topica, until we can get it working. . Today we have some advertising and marketing topics that we should address. Let's hear your comments. And on the same note, a piece on making lemonade - turning a bad thing into something positive. And we have another software solution with some excellent, user-based, first-hand comments. Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] List Server Alternatives =================================================================== Garland Coulson wrote... >Here are some possible solutions for your e-mail list problem. > 1. WorldCast at www.fairlogic.com. This is software that resides on your computer and > manages your e-mail lists. Very fast and we have sent out over 100,000 e-mails per month > with it with some lists as large as 20,000 e-mail addresses. The full version is only $49 That was one of many alternatives given to me by list members. So we tried this one today. It seems easy enough to use - load the database, prepare the digest and send. It rejected too many names, so we have to try another alternative. I did discover that our ISP has three alternatives, and we will try MailMan, which seems easy enough to use. It's a freebie from GNU and is provided by many ISPs. As we al know, the Topica list server was inserting ads, which got caught by many spam filters, and a lot of readers missed the digest as a result. I would appreciate any input. George =================================================================== [3] Software solution for retailers =================================================================== There are two essential questions that must be asked when searching for a POS system; 1) Are you a hardgoods (books, gifts, hardware, drugs) retailer or you a softgoods (clothing) retailer? The differences are enormous in the way the businesses are run and by the same token, how the solutions address them. The hardgoods business is largely replenishable. That is, the products can be replenished again and again (and frequently the same product can be purchased from multiple vendors i.e. the manufacturer, wholesalers or jobbers). A hardgoods retailer sells a copy of "Leadership" by Rudy Guiliani and buys another copy to replace it. He tracks his sales by the item. He will wan to see reporting by the item, vendor etc. This is not true in the apparel business. When a retailer buys a fashion item it usually cannot be replaced, he must track his sales by the category of items, that is "outerwear," or "women's blouses" and try to match his upcoming purchases to what he had sold in the previous year. He will want to see reports by category and by season etc.These items are also different in that they tend to have style/color/size fragmentations as well as the need to track "markdowns" ( the lowering of retail price to clear out stale merchandise), which usually don't exist in the hardgoods world. 2) Do you have a single store or multiple stores? This question will eliminate a great deal of systems from your consideration. Frankly, if you operate the store yourself, you usually know everything about the items that are being sold, but inventory control and shrink are your major considerations. When you have multiple locations that you must bounce between, you tend to be out of touch with the flow of items in the store, and need information to stay current, and more importantly- to detect and manage the company. We have a small drugstore chain in New York City and therefore require a hardgoods system that is suited to chains. I have installed the Tomax system for POS and backoffice management. We will be customizing reports and forms to our needs so that our personnel will be more effective in a shorter period of time. They can probably learn to use the existing forms and screens, but it's prudent to customize information that is critical to your operation in a manner that is easy for your staff to work with. Further considerations are; the strength of the dealer that is servicing you. You need to know that there is sufficient resources to help you, and that there is a "plan B" available in case the local dealer fails. If the vendor says that they are strong and stable, ask them if they are the 6th largest company in the world. If Enron and Worldcom could go belly up, so can they. Make sure you are protected. Hope this helps. Joe Dweck =================================================================== [4] Making Lemonade =================================================================== According to Chambers Dictionary of Modern Quotations , Brendan Behan (Irish author d. 1964) has been quoted as saying “There's no such thing as bad publicity except your own obituary.” And it has never been truer then now, especially with the breath, depth and speed of the Internet. Two people can react differently to the same situation, and have dramatic results either way. The trick is to capitalize on the publicity, and, if it is bad (a lemon) turn it to your benefit (make lemonade). At a previous engagement, a columnist mentioned our company in a major magazine. While he didn't say anything bad, he didn't present us in our most favorable light. Some members of our executive team were a bit upset. I sent a note to the author that went something like this: “Thank you for mentioning our company in your recent article. We really appreciate your favorable comments. I write a monthly column for a major magazine, and recognize that they are often one-time commentaries. If by chance, you are going to do a follow up, please contact me, so I can give you more information on who we are and what we do. Some areas of interest to you may be ….” Almost immediately, I had a response telling me that he was going to do a follow up and would be contacting me. And, with some discourse going back and forth, I learned that he was considering writing a book on our area of expertise. The result: we are collaborating on a book! In another case, somebody on a discussion list blasted us for what he perceived as a misdeed that we did. One of my partners sent him a note off list asking why he didn't simply contact us, rather than posting to the list. Wrong! Instead I responded to the list, told our side of the issue, explained nicely how there was a misconception and got him to turn around completely. And, four hundred members of this specialized list now know that we respond quickly, are not afraid to take a beating and are very interested in what our customers are saying. My favorite story was with the owner of a temporary employment agency who got a call from an irate customer who complained about receiving an invoice. "What the $#@^&*!^ is this bill! We haven't done business with you in two years," said irate customer. "Oh. How come?" asked client. "What did we do wrong?" His take on the issue was the invoice error could be resolved, but he had a chance to get back a customer, which he did BTW. Today I got a note from a colleague who had a negative article about a prospect we are meeting on Friday. "Great," said I. "Now we have a chance to sell them our other application also." So, whenever you have what appears to be a bad situation (lemon) turn it in your favor (lemonade). George Matyjewicz =================================================================== [5] Reaching your audience =================================================================== It's time to evaluate what works best to reach your audience. Over the past 10 years, the advertising and marketing arena has changed drastically. So, let's look at some alternatives, and get your input as to how effective they are: 1. Trade shows. Are they as effective as they once were? Do they get the traffic they once did? Are they effective for you? 2. Seminars. Are people all seminared out? Do they turn out for seminars? Are executives inundated with seminar marketing? 3. Telemarketing. I was quite surprised to see a former partner of mine still using telemarketing to get appointments. It was somewhat of a shock to have her telemarketer call the company where my wife is CFO looking to set up an appointment. Is anybody using telemarketing? 4. Direct mail (snail). Is the Internet replacing direct mail? What kind of return can you expect with direct mail? Is there anything that works with direct mail vs any other form of advertising? 5. Paid ads. I notice some magazines had far less pages. Are companies advertising less? Do paid ads work? 6. Keyword ads (Google). Are pay per click ads effective on the Internet? Do you click on them? Have you ever used them? 7. Banner ads. It appears as if they have lost all of their appeal, except to serve as an awareness campaign. And pop up or pop under ads seem to be annoying more people than producing results. Anybody have recent experience with banner ads? 8. E-Mail marketing. More and more big companies are now using e-mail marketing campaigns, often spamming people. I know we have discussed this before. Has anybody been effective with e-mail marketing? I'm curious to see to what target they may work, i.e., consumers, business, women, teenagers, executives, professionals, etc. 9. Web sites. Is your Web site generating business and if so how? What drives business to your site? Are you using the site to direct people to for more information? What are your thoughts? How is this arena changing? George ================================================================== [6] Web merchants use new tools to keep buyers from ripping them off ================================================================== A special report in the Wall Street Journal discussed how merchants are using new tools to keep from getting ripped off. As we all know, online fraud is rife, enormously damaging and getting worse. Researcher Gartner Inc., reports that transaction fraud as a percentage of sales is 15 times higher online than the overall rate for retailers. Now e-tailers are fighting back, using a range of behind-the-scenes strategies to combat fraud. Some of the tactics seem basic, but they're crucial -- like checking billing and shipping addresses against card issuers' records whenever possible. Many merchants then add sophisticated software to identify suspicious buying patterns and flag potentially fraudulent orders. Often on-staff investigators check some or all suspect orders, to salvage as many legitimate purchases as possible. Many companies also aggressively dispute their liability for some unpaid charges. Some also take out e-business insurance to cover remaining risk. Under rules set by the card companies in the U.S., the onus for fraudulent sales falls entirely on merchants when a credit card isn't physically present for the transaction. That makes fraud more costly for e-tailers than it is for brick-and-mortar stores, because the credit-card issuers assume liability for purchases when a card changes hands. And e-tailers' fraud-related losses go well beyond stolen goods. They include the cost of shipping goods to the thieves, the administrative expense of dealing with fraudulent sales, and the so-called chargeback fees that banks demand to offset their own administrative costs for disputed sales -- the equivalent of a bounced-check charge. Then there are the orders online merchants reject in their determination to prevent fraud. Gartner estimates about a third of these blocked orders in the U.S. could be legitimate purchases, suggesting e-tailers turned their backs on scores of customer relationships and some $1.82 billion in real sales last year -- on top of the $1.64 billion Gartner figures they lost in fraudulent sales. Above-average fraud rates can also lead the banks that handle credit-card transactions for merchants to label an e-tailer risky and impose higher fees for processing sales. Indeed, companies with particularly high rates of fraud risk losing their accounts with these merchant banks altogether, and thus their ability to make any credit-card sales. The article outlines tools now being used to fight back. Details at... =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Global Pay Systems LLC http://globalpaysystems.net E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com From etd_post@gapent.com Fri Mar 21 08:13:10 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (52.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.52]) by gapent.com (8.12.6/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h2LFD7cV084134 for ; Fri, 21 Mar 2003 08:13:09 -0700 (MST) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030321093152.015a8d80@128.121.218.67> X-Sender: etdpost@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2003 09:32:05 -0500 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-MIME-Autoconverted: from quoted-printable to 8bit by gapent.com id h2LFD7cV084134 Subject: ETD-ETD: 670 List Server Alternatives; Software solution for retailers; Making Lemonade; Reaching your audience; New tools to fight rips off Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0670 March 20, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] List Server Alternatives [3] Software solution for retailers ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] Making Lemonade [5] Reaching your audience [6] Web merchants use new tools to keep buyers from ripping them off =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: If you get two of these today, my apologies. We tried an alternative distribution and it doesn't seem to have worked. So we went back to Topica, until we can get it working. . Today we have some advertising and marketing topics that we should address. Let's hear your comments. And on the same note, a piece on making lemonade - turning a bad thing into something positive. And we have another software solution with some excellent, user-based, first-hand comments. Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] List Server Alternatives =================================================================== Garland Coulson wrote... >Here are some possible solutions for your e-mail list problem. > 1. WorldCast at www.fairlogic.com. This is software that resides on your computer and > manages your e-mail lists. Very fast and we have sent out over 100,000 e-mails per month > with it with some lists as large as 20,000 e-mail addresses. The full version is only $49 That was one of many alternatives given to me by list members. So we tried this one today. It seems easy enough to use - load the database, prepare the digest and send. It rejected too many names, so we have to try another alternative. I did discover that our ISP has three alternatives, and we will try MailMan, which seems easy enough to use. It's a freebie from GNU and is provided by many ISPs. As we al know, the Topica list server was inserting ads, which got caught by many spam filters, and a lot of readers missed the digest as a result. I would appreciate any input. George =================================================================== [3] Software solution for retailers =================================================================== There are two essential questions that must be asked when searching for a POS system; 1) Are you a hardgoods (books, gifts, hardware, drugs) retailer or you a softgoods (clothing) retailer? The differences are enormous in the way the businesses are run and by the same token, how the solutions address them. The hardgoods business is largely replenishable. That is, the products can be replenished again and again (and frequently the same product can be purchased from multiple vendors i.e. the manufacturer, wholesalers or jobbers). A hardgoods retailer sells a copy of "Leadership" by Rudy Guiliani and buys another copy to replace it. He tracks his sales by the item. He will wan to see reporting by the item, vendor etc. This is not true in the apparel business. When a retailer buys a fashion item it usually cannot be replaced, he must track his sales by the category of items, that is "outerwear," or "women's blouses" and try to match his upcoming purchases to what he had sold in the previous year. He will want to see reports by category and by season etc.These items are also different in that they tend to have style/color/size fragmentations as well as the need to track "markdowns" ( the lowering of retail price to clear out stale merchandise), which usually don't exist in the hardgoods world. 2) Do you have a single store or multiple stores? This question will eliminate a great deal of systems from your consideration. Frankly, if you operate the store yourself, you usually know everything about the items that are being sold, but inventory control and shrink are your major considerations. When you have multiple locations that you must bounce between, you tend to be out of touch with the flow of items in the store, and need information to stay current, and more importantly- to detect and manage the company. We have a small drugstore chain in New York City and therefore require a hardgoods system that is suited to chains. I have installed the Tomax system for POS and backoffice management. We will be customizing reports and forms to our needs so that our personnel will be more effective in a shorter period of time. They can probably learn to use the existing forms and screens, but it's prudent to customize information that is critical to your operation in a manner that is easy for your staff to work with. Further considerations are; the strength of the dealer that is servicing you. You need to know that there is sufficient resources to help you, and that there is a "plan B" available in case the local dealer fails. If the vendor says that they are strong and stable, ask them if they are the 6th largest company in the world. If Enron and Worldcom could go belly up, so can they. Make sure you are protected. Hope this helps. Joe Dweck =================================================================== [4] Making Lemonade =================================================================== According to Chambers Dictionary of Modern Quotations , Brendan Behan (Irish author d. 1964) has been quoted as saying “There's no such thing as bad publicity except your own obituary.” And it has never been truer then now, especially with the breath, depth and speed of the Internet. Two people can react differently to the same situation, and have dramatic results either way. The trick is to capitalize on the publicity, and, if it is bad (a lemon) turn it to your benefit (make lemonade). At a previous engagement, a columnist mentioned our company in a major magazine. While he didn't say anything bad, he didn't present us in our most favorable light. Some members of our executive team were a bit upset. I sent a note to the author that went something like this: “Thank you for mentioning our company in your recent article. We really appreciate your favorable comments. I write a monthly column for a major magazine, and recognize that they are often one-time commentaries. If by chance, you are going to do a follow up, please contact me, so I can give you more information on who we are and what we do. Some areas of interest to you may be ….” Almost immediately, I had a response telling me that he was going to do a follow up and would be contacting me. And, with some discourse going back and forth, I learned that he was considering writing a book on our area of expertise. The result: we are collaborating on a book! In another case, somebody on a discussion list blasted us for what he perceived as a misdeed that we did. One of my partners sent him a note off list asking why he didn't simply contact us, rather than posting to the list. Wrong! Instead I responded to the list, told our side of the issue, explained nicely how there was a misconception and got him to turn around completely. And, four hundred members of this specialized list now know that we respond quickly, are not afraid to take a beating and are very interested in what our customers are saying. My favorite story was with the owner of a temporary employment agency who got a call from an irate customer who complained about receiving an invoice. "What the $#@^&*!^ is this bill! We haven't done business with you in two years," said irate customer. "Oh. How come?" asked client. "What did we do wrong?" His take on the issue was the invoice error could be resolved, but he had a chance to get back a customer, which he did BTW. Today I got a note from a colleague who had a negative article about a prospect we are meeting on Friday. "Great," said I. "Now we have a chance to sell them our other application also." So, whenever you have what appears to be a bad situation (lemon) turn it in your favor (lemonade). George Matyjewicz =================================================================== [5] Reaching your audience =================================================================== It's time to evaluate what works best to reach your audience. Over the past 10 years, the advertising and marketing arena has changed drastically. So, let's look at some alternatives, and get your input as to how effective they are: 1. Trade shows. Are they as effective as they once were? Do they get the traffic they once did? Are they effective for you? 2. Seminars. Are people all seminared out? Do they turn out for seminars? Are executives inundated with seminar marketing? 3. Telemarketing. I was quite surprised to see a former partner of mine still using telemarketing to get appointments. It was somewhat of a shock to have her telemarketer call the company where my wife is CFO looking to set up an appointment. Is anybody using telemarketing? 4. Direct mail (snail). Is the Internet replacing direct mail? What kind of return can you expect with direct mail? Is there anything that works with direct mail vs any other form of advertising? 5. Paid ads. I notice some magazines had far less pages. Are companies advertising less? Do paid ads work? 6. Keyword ads (Google). Are pay per click ads effective on the Internet? Do you click on them? Have you ever used them? 7. Banner ads. It appears as if they have lost all of their appeal, except to serve as an awareness campaign. And pop up or pop under ads seem to be annoying more people than producing results. Anybody have recent experience with banner ads? 8. E-Mail marketing. More and more big companies are now using e-mail marketing campaigns, often spamming people. I know we have discussed this before. Has anybody been effective with e-mail marketing? I'm curious to see to what target they may work, i.e., consumers, business, women, teenagers, executives, professionals, etc. 9. Web sites. Is your Web site generating business and if so how? What drives business to your site? Are you using the site to direct people to for more information? What are your thoughts? How is this arena changing? George ================================================================== [6] Web merchants use new tools to keep buyers from ripping them off ================================================================== A special report in the Wall Street Journal discussed how merchants are using new tools to keep from getting ripped off. As we all know, online fraud is rife, enormously damaging and getting worse. Researcher Gartner Inc., reports that transaction fraud as a percentage of sales is 15 times higher online than the overall rate for retailers. Now e-tailers are fighting back, using a range of behind-the-scenes strategies to combat fraud. Some of the tactics seem basic, but they're crucial -- like checking billing and shipping addresses against card issuers' records whenever possible. Many merchants then add sophisticated software to identify suspicious buying patterns and flag potentially fraudulent orders. Often on-staff investigators check some or all suspect orders, to salvage as many legitimate purchases as possible. Many companies also aggressively dispute their liability for some unpaid charges. Some also take out e-business insurance to cover remaining risk. Under rules set by the card companies in the U.S., the onus for fraudulent sales falls entirely on merchants when a credit card isn't physically present for the transaction. That makes fraud more costly for e-tailers than it is for brick-and-mortar stores, because the credit-card issuers assume liability for purchases when a card changes hands. And e-tailers' fraud-related losses go well beyond stolen goods. They include the cost of shipping goods to the thieves, the administrative expense of dealing with fraudulent sales, and the so-called chargeback fees that banks demand to offset their own administrative costs for disputed sales -- the equivalent of a bounced-check charge. Then there are the orders online merchants reject in their determination to prevent fraud. Gartner estimates about a third of these blocked orders in the U.S. could be legitimate purchases, suggesting e-tailers turned their backs on scores of customer relationships and some $1.82 billion in real sales last year -- on top of the $1.64 billion Gartner figures they lost in fraudulent sales. Above-average fraud rates can also lead the banks that handle credit-card transactions for merchants to label an e-tailer risky and impose higher fees for processing sales. Indeed, companies with particularly high rates of fraud risk losing their accounts with these merchant banks altogether, and thus their ability to make any credit-card sales. The article outlines tools now being used to fight back. Details at... =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Global Pay Systems LLC http://globalpaysystems.net E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com From etd_post@gapent.com Tue Mar 25 04:50:06 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (11.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.11]) by gapent.com (8.12.6/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h2PBo44w059947 for ; Tue, 25 Mar 2003 04:50:05 -0700 (MST) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030323210929.015ca988@128.121.218.67> X-Sender: etdpost@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 06:48:17 -0500 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Subject: ETD: 671 What I would like to know; United States of Europe; Reaching your audience; List Server Alternatives;Garden Market Forecast Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0671 March 25, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] What I would like to know... [3] United States of Europe ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] List Server Alternatives [5] Reaching your audience [6] Garden Market Forecast: Unseasonably Hot with Extended Sunny Skies and Rising Sales =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: Today we are trying a new list server, one that I discovered we had from our ISP. It's called MailMan. Forgive me if you get this in error. We downloaded the names from Topica, and hope the file is correct. As always, you comments are very much appreciated. I'm heading to Dallas today for three days. So, if anybody has a special report, I will love you forever ;-). 2,000 to 2,500 words which will be printed as a special issue, and will remain at out site forever. http://etailersdigest.com/resources/Specials/index.htm Two list members offered some excellent comments on our topic of "Reaching Your Audience." Actually they posted on Market-L, and I am posting them here as they are right on target. What do you think? We have four requests for information from new list members, to which I wrote some replies. How about helping them? What do you think about the new United States of Europe? It may be coming to a theater near you sooner than you think. Imagine the commercial opportunities? Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] What I would like to know... =================================================================== New list member John Husson wants to know: "Right now I'm looking for some kind of flow chart covering receiving goods from suppliers, logging into inventory, receiving orders, and fulfillment (pick/pack/ship). I need to put a POS inventory system in place to report sales, and I'm trying to chart out just what it is I want to do." New list member Trent Sultemeier of eClerx wants to know: "I'd like to see articles on any problems or issues e-tailers face with managing data, web content, and support. I'd also like to find ways to get involved with e-tailers through conferences, meeting, discussion groups, etc." New list member Leora Langs of Frontline Specialists.com wants to know: "News about who's selling & how to sell effectively in e-tail" New list member Sheri Rolf, National Sales Manager of Hawaii.com wants to know: "Travel destination e-tail results" +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Let me try to help. Regarding a flow chart of a retail business, if you search on Google for "retail process flowchart" there are 3,800 entries. You can look through them to see if you can find something. Another alternative, which may work better for you, is to determine the processes you seek, document them and talk to POS suppliers. For example, you want to order goods from a supplier (via EDI?), receive goods at your store, scan the goods into inventory, scan the goods at the register when sold, post the entries to the accounting functions, etc. You also need to account for physical inventory and measure it against your perpetual inventory to calculate shrink. Then, of course, you need to know what's selling fast to reorder timely, and what's selling slow to determine how much you need to discount goods to get stale merchandise out the door. E-Tailer's Digest has some excellent and very helpful POS software vendors who are always willing to help. Perhaps some will add to this. Trent's query of finding resources: E-Tailer's Digest is the largest and oldest online discussion group dedicated to retailing/etailing. At one time there were a half dozen or so, but I believe they have faded away. For conferences, there are the semi-annual e-tail conferences brought to you by WB Research http://www.wbresearch.com/ They have them worldwide. I attended one of their earlier ones and wrote a piece on it in 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/resources/Specials/etail99.htm In addition, Gifts & Dec Magazine http://www.giftsanddec.com has conferences as does National Retail Federation http://www.nrf.com/ There are a lot of resources and stats on what is selling online. Travel is one of the largest areas for online e-tailing. Many research organizations publish stats on a regular basis. And the US Superintendent of Documents reports on e-tailing now as a separate item. Anybody have any other thoughts? George =================================================================== [3] United States of Europe =================================================================== In Sunday's Parade Magazine, there was an article that stated Germany and France are discussing merger. Imagine that - just like two companies merging! Should prove interesting. Seems they held a joint meeting of both parliaments, and they are now considering the creation of a confederation with joint government agencies, joint diplomatic missions and shared defense and foreign policies. Of course, they do share a common currency - the Euro. IMHO, this is just the start. Once Europe talked about a common currency, it was only a matter of time before countries started seeing the economic opportunities. What does this mean for retailers? U.S.E. would be the strongest economic block in the world, next to the U.S.A. Can you imagine what that would be for those of us who do business internationally? What do you think? Will there be a U.S.E.? George =================================================================== [4] List Server Alternatives =================================================================== I use a software call Mail List King (www.xequte.com). It gives me the option of sending plain text email or HTML email and is able to manage the list in that it can subscribe / unsubscribe automatically, etc. It can send personalized emails where the TO is the recipient's address or send blind carbon copies. The basic version is USD 49 and their customer support is good. You can download an evaluation copy or get in touch with nigel@xequte.com for more info. HTH, Maya Rao +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Thanks Maya. Starting today, I'm going to try MailMan. If it doesn't work, I will try others. George =================================================================== [5] Reaching your audience =================================================================== Our moderator wrote... >It's time to evaluate what works best to reach your audience. Over > the past 10 years, the advertising and marketing arena has changed > drastically. List member Walt Boyes responded on the Market-L list, and I felt obliged to post it here. His answers are interspersed. > 1. Trade shows. Are they as effective as they once were? Do > they get the traffic they once did? Are they effective for you? I don't think trade shows were ever as effective as we thought they were. In these times, it is senseless to exhibit at most trade shows. Many companies in the industrial B2B space are simply holding their own trade show, and inviting only those exhibitors that make the host company look good...and people are going to them in droves. For the past few years, I haven't exhibited at a major tradeshow, and have only had clients exhibit seldom. There are better ways to reach out and touch your customers that you can do for $50K to $250K for a booth at a big show. >2. Seminars. Are people all seminared out? Do they turn out > for seminars? Are executives inundated with seminar marketing? For most seminars, Gertrude Stein comes to mind, "There is no there, there." In order for seminars to work, they have to be good, and they have to have real value, real new information. Most of the seminars, especially webinars, I've seen lately have not had what it takes. In addition, you have to have teaching and presentation skills to do seminars, and many people putting them on are as dull as brick. >3. Telemarketing. Is anybody using telemarketing? Not traditional telemarketing. But personally "dialing for dollars" through your rolodex still is effective. Harder to do, but if you follow Jacques Werth's rules, you can make a LOT of calls in a relatively short time. But I give telemarketers 30 seconds to get to the point, and then I hang up. >4. Direct mail (snail). Is the Internet replacing direct mail? What > kind of return can you expect with direct mail? Is there anything that > works with direct mail vs any other form of advertising? I think that spam has forced a direct (snail) mail resurgence. I find I am more willing to look at an offer I get in the mail than one I get unsolicited online. I think that is because it cost the sender quite a bit to send it out, and so I see potential value there. >5. Paid ads. I notice some magazines had far less pages. Are > companies advertising less? Do paid ads work? Advertising in magazines is down overall over 50% since 9.11 and the trend appears to continue. Part of this is the economy. Part of this is the fact that it is possible to do real metrics on online advertising, where you can't in print. Since the results from e-advertising stink, and you can count _them_, advertisers assume that the magazines have been lying to them all along, and they are cutting budgets. >6. Keyword ads (Google). Are pay per click ads effective on the > Internet? Do you click on them? Have you ever used them? Keyword ads are useful, because they continue to be cheap enough to be an "afterthought" with whatever money you have left over from your "real" campaign. They also work. One of my clients has had unique visits per month go from 6500 to 30,000 in 11 months after buying a Google "right side of the page feature ad." 123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456 >7. Banner ads. It appears as if they have lost all of their appeal, >except to serve as an awareness campaign. Anybody have recent > experience with banner ads? Awareness. If that is worth it, do it. DON'T do popups. It is eyespam. >8. E-Mail marketing. More and more big companies are now using > e-mail marketing campaigns, often spamming people. I know we have > discussed this before. Has anybody been effective with e-mail > marketing? I'm curious to see to what target they may work, i.e., > consumers, business, women, teenagers, executives, professionals, etc. Yes, you can be effective with email marketing. Provided you market to your own list, and you use other advertising to attract people to your list. Anybody who sells you an "opt in" list is a liar. I am personally up to over 50 unsolicited spams a day now, that all say "you opted in to receive this email." When Yahoo released everybody's email addresses last year, they pooped in the well bigtime. >9. Web sites. Is your Web site generating business and if so how? > What drives business to your site? Are you using the site to direct > people to for more information? I tell my clients to use their website as the central focus of the integrated sales and marketing plans. When they do that, the website generates business. When they have a website that hasn't been updated in a year or two, it doesn't generate business. Walt Boyes --------------------- Spitzer and Boyes LLC "consulting from the engineer to the distribution channel" Maple Valley, WA 98038 Ph. 425-432-8262 Fx. 253-981-0285 walt@waltboyes.com www.spitzerandboyes.com -------------------------- +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Out of all those comments, folks on Market-L picked up on the spam issue. Ignoring that, what do you think? And on that same Market-L, our list member, branding guru and friend wrote... +++ Next Post +++ To me the question is improper. What works depends on which audience you're trying to reach. Since your question is mute on that point, chances are that the answers may be "all over the place!" If you are trying to reach women 18-49, one of the most common demographics in media planning, chances are that TV remains your best bet. Same with reaching kids and teens. Of course the concept of TV advertising has changed because of the advent of cable and the many choices it offers to pinpoint your audience. Yet, if you have a budget of consequence, your choices remain limited by the mere fact that good, reliable audience data is available for a limited number of them. Since I know you, however, I guess that you didn't have the usual consumer target in mind when you asked your question. I do not agree that to those audiences, advertising has changed all that much. Sure, there is the internet and its banner ads and there's e-mail. But marketers seem to have become wiser about banner ads and now see them as promotion devices, as are cents off coupons to the grocery trade, and not advertising vehicles. As to e-mail, it is potentially a great device if the industry finds a way to regulate it, making it opt-in, and more honest. My two centimes. -- Jacques Chevron - Partner - JRC&A Consulting - JP Group Branding Strategy and New Product Development URL: http://JRCandA.com ================================================================== [6] Garden Market Forecast: Unseasonably Hot with Extended Sunny Skies and Rising Sales ================================================================== As American consumers emerge from their cocoons, they are turning their decorating passion to the outside and are spending more money enhancing the exterior living areas of their homes, according to a new market research report from Unity Marketing, called Future Vision: Garden Market. Consumers spent nearly $40.7 billion on garden-related products in 2001, soaring 12.1% from $36.3 billion in 2000, with the average U.S. household spending $444 on lawn and garden goods in 2001. The fastest growing garden category is garden "hardware," i.e. the accessories, products, furniture, tools and equipment that enhance the consumers' gardening experience, rather than garden "software," i.e. the plants, seeds, shrubs, trees and other plant material. Sales of plant material grew only 5.8% in 2001 to reach $18.5 billion, while purchases of garden accessories jumped 18% over 2000 levels, to reach $18.8 billion. Three demographics distinguish the gardening market: Home-owning, middle-aged, affluent. While 80% of all U.S. households bought something for their lawn and garden, the prime market for garden today is middle-aged, affluent home-owners. "The garden market is increasingly morphing into a luxury market targeting consumers with incomes of $75k or more. Second most popular luxury purchase is luxury garden. Luxury garden items like for high-end barbecues, luxury patio and pool furniture and decorative garden enhancements, i.e. pools, fountains, and sculptures, were the most widely purchased luxury product, second only to luxury electronics in Unity Marketing's latest luxury market survey. Forty-five percent of the affluent consumers surveyed purchased luxury garden products, with the average household spending $1,000 on luxury enhancements for their yard. The report, Future Vision: Garden Market, is a business planning tool that provides marketers and retailers with the topline facts and figures they need to build a vibrant garden business now and into the future. For more information visit www.unitymarketingonline.com. Pam Danziger Unity Marketing =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Global Pay Systems LLC http://globalpaysystems.net E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com From etd_post@gapent.com Thu Mar 27 10:43:38 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (46.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.46]) by gapent.com (8.12.6/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h2RHhaId039030 for ; Thu, 27 Mar 2003 10:43:37 -0700 (MST) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030326185754.01571418@gapent.com> X-Sender: etdpost@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2003 09:44:56 -0500 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Subject: ETD: 672 Reaching your audience - Trade Shows; Online banking goes mainstream; Ads in E-mail; Top 10 global companies; What's in a name? Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0672 March 27, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] Reaching your audience - Trade Shows [3] Online banking goes mainstream ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] Ads in E-mail [5] Top 10 global companies [6] What's in a name? =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: Well, the change to the new list server went quite smoothly. Only a couple of glitches with a few folks. Nothing serious. Thanks for your patience and ongoing support. Hopefully, this will be the last change we make, since we now own the list server. Today's issue is late getting to you, not because of the list server. Rather it's because of my unexpected return from Dallas. Our main C-level contact at the client was ill, so we left early. We have some more comments on some ongoing topics, which our list members were kind enough to share with us. And, I had to post that funny "what's in a name" piece. Have you checked your name recently? Watch the new trend with debit cards. Online banking is growing rapidly in the US and Europe. So it's time to visit debit cards for your business. Or, if you are a service company, consider ACH links to have clients pay for services. My favorite is the ability to draw a draft on a client's account automatically so that you get paid timely. And, from a psychological point of view, it's beneficial, in that the owner/manager doesn't have to be reminded that he'she is paying you a lot of money each month. We have four requests for information from new list members, to which I wrote some replies. How about helping them? Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] Reaching your audience - Trade Shows =================================================================== Re; Trade shows- they seem to work for most firms. We did a large show in Seattle this past October. One of the visitors to our booth was from Hawaii. I told him that I can't service him due to the 6 hour time difference from NY. He said he is currently being serviced out of Boston. We can compete with that, and have been. The profit from that account alone has paid for the Seattle show expenses. Typically, that is what happens, there will be a single contact that pays for the trip. That has been our experience, and all of my friends in myriad industries.Shows are the place to make the contacts that you follow up on afterwards. You have to make your own luck. Pull them into the booth, this is not the time to be shy. Joe Dweck +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Thank Joe. IMHO, most folks don't know how to organize and conduct an exhibit at a trade show. It's not just showing up and waiting for visitors. Rather you need to work before, during and after the show to be successful. And, of course, you need to be sure that the show reaches the audience that you want to attract. If you are selling POS software to retailers, you wouldn't want to do the NAMSB show. Rather you need to do the NRF show in January. The first geared toward buyers seeking a men's line of clothes. Buyer attend. Not POS decision makers. We have a paper entitled "Trade Show Tips & Pointers-2003" which has recently been updated. To request a copy send an email to Trade mailto:georgem@gapent.com?Subject=Shows_Tips_and_Pointers_2003 George =================================================================== [3] Online banking goes mainstream =================================================================== A recent report from Gartner indicates that 17 percent of Americans used online banking services by the end of 2002. And over 60 million Europeans now bank online, according to new research from Forrester. On another note, Sears has put it's credit card business on the block for sale - both their in-store cards and their Sears MasterCard. What makes this interesting is it ties in to my research for my doctoral dissertation where I discovered that Europeans use debit cards more than credit cards. Why is this important to retailers/etailers? If you don't take debit cards, you better start. It's the best way to sell - no such thing as chargebacks; immediate cash in your account; less fraud; issues regarding product are where they should be - between you and the customer, not a third party. So, do you take debit cards? George =================================================================== [4] Ads in E-mail =================================================================== Re the problem with ads in the emails being caught by filters, most data I have seen suggests recipients prefer copy in their emails and a link to a page (which carries the ad) Many companies (especially in New Zealand) do not let their employees receive anything other than text based email which saves money anyway on download data levels. Kind Regards Michael Campbell MMktngM Programme Leader Business School of Business Faculty of Commerce Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology campbellm@cpit.ac.nz Phone 03 9408359 +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Thanks Michael. The same holds true in the US, UK and other parts of the world. I have my e-mail program (Eudora) set to warn when something comes in that is over 40k. That allows me to delete a lot of nonsense without wasting bandwidth, and without running up additional charges when I am in a hotel. George =================================================================== [5] Top 10 global companies =================================================================== Fortune magazine listed the most admired global companies for 2003. Here's the top 10... 1 Wal-Mart Stores 2 General Electric 3 Microsoft 4 Dell Computer 5 Johnson & Johnson 6 Berkshire Hathaway 7 Procter & Gamble 8 IBM 9 Coca-Cola 10 FedEx http://www.fortune.com/fortune/globaladmired Interesting to note two retailers - yet the tops in their respective arenas. See what good service and value pricing does. George ================================================================== [6] What's in a name? ================================================================== Ever wonder what your company name or marketing campaign really translate to in other languages? Here's a dozen bloopers from major companies... 1. The Dairy Association's huge success with the campaign "Got Milk?" prompted them to expand advertising to Mexico. It was soon brought to their attention the Spanish translation read "Are you lactating?" 2. Coors put its slogan, "Turn it loose," into Spanish, where it was read as "Suffer from diarrhea". 3. Scandinavian vacuum manufacturer Electrolux used the following in an American campaign: "Nothing sucks like an Electrolux". 4. Clairol introduced the "Mist Stick", a curling iron, into Germany only to find out that "mist" is slang for manure. Not too many people had use for the "manure stick". 5. When Gerber started selling baby food in Africa, they used the same packaging as in the US, with the smiling baby on the label. Later they learned that in Africa, companies routinely put pictures on the labels of what's inside, since many people can't read. 6. Colgate introduced a toothpaste in France called Cue, the name of a notorious porno magazine. 7. An American T-shirt maker in Miami printed shirts for the Spanish market which promoted the Pope's visit. Instead of "I saw the Pope" (el Papa), the shirts read "I saw the potato" (la papa). 8. Pepsi's "Come alive with the Pepsi Generation" translated into "Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave", in Chinese. 9. The Coca-Cola name in China was first read as "Kekoukela", meaning "Bite the wax tadpole" or "female horse stuffed with wax", depending on the dialect. Coke then researched 40,000 characters to find a phonetic equivalent "kokou kole", translating into "happiness in the mouth". 10. Frank Perdue's chicken slogan, "it takes a strong man to make a tender chicken" was translated into Spanish as "it takes an aroused man to make a chicken affectionate". 11. When Parker Pen marketed a ball-point pen in Mexico, its ads were supposed to have read, "it won't leak in your pocket and embarrass you". The company thought that the word "embarazar" (to impregnate) meant to embarrass, so the ad read: "It won't leak in your pocket and make you pregnant". 12. When American Airlines wanted to advertise its new leather first class seats in the Mexican market, it translated its' "Fly in leather" campaign literally, which meant "Fly naked" (vuela en cuero) in Spanish. George =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Global Pay Systems LLC http://globalpaysystems.net E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com From etd_post@gapent.com Tue Apr 1 03:05:04 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (17.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.17]) by gapent.com (8.12.6/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h31A52s5035311 for ; Tue, 1 Apr 2003 03:05:03 -0700 (MST) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030331163150.015a8650@gapent.com> X-Sender: etdpost@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Tue, 01 Apr 2003 05:04:53 -0500 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Subject: ETD: 673 Your best April Fools Day prank; Online banking goes mainstream; List Member needs software;Trade Shows: Super Savings on Sales Calls; 3 More =?iso-8859-1?Q?States_Adopt_SSUTA_=AD_California_Moves_Forward_?= Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-MIME-Autoconverted: from quoted-printable to 8bit by gapent.com id h31A52s5035311 Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0673 April 1, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] Your best April Fools Day prank [3] Online banking goes mainstream ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] List Member needs software [5] Trade Shows: Super Savings on Sales Calls [6] 3 More States Adopt SSUTA ­ California Moves Forward =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: "The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year. " - American humorist Mark Twain Today is April Fools Day and I was thinking about my best prank (see 2 below). What have you ever done that was worth reporting? Walt Boyes reminded me of another marketing faux pas. The old Chrysler Corp.'s Plymouth Volare'...putting the accent on the last e changed it into "Maybe it will fly." Anybody have any other favorites? Folks, watch this issue of sales tax on Internet purchases. Four states have adopted SSUTA. They only need ten to bring it into law. And it could be as early as July of this year. I don't know all the details, but watch out for it. And it's not an April Fools joke. My thanks to our list member gurus for their assistance to other list members seeking help. There isn't a greater collection of retail gurus on the planet. Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] Your best April Fools Day prank =================================================================== Today is April Fools Day. So what was your favorite April Fools Day trick? Let me share one that I did many years ago. A bank client in NY was merging into another larger bank, and they were awaiting the final government approval, which was somewhat of a formality. On April 1 I called Bob Ernst, the president of the bank and was told he was in a meeting. They asked who was calling and I said Abe Schwartz from the Justice Department. "One moment" said the receptionist, and almost immediately Bob came on the phone. The conversation then went like this: "Mr Ernst, my name is Abe Schwartz, from the Justice Department. We regret to inform you that your merger application was denied by this department." "What?" said Bob. "Why? Have you called the parent, er, other bank yet?" "I don't know. My job was to call you to give you the news. Somebody else handles those other issues." The conversation went back and forth for a couple of minutes, until Bob asked for my telephone number. "Sure," said I. "Do you have a pencil?" "Yes" "OK, write this down. April Fools." At that point he recognized my voice and half laughing and half crying said he was going to kill me . So what did you do? George =================================================================== [3] Online banking goes mainstream =================================================================== In your statement, you stated that a customer can not do a charge back. In certain conditions, example: If you gave your debit card for monthly payment, and you cancelled the authority, and the Payee, continue to charge on your account you can have a charge back. Also what will happen is that the Bank will reissue you a new debit card and that can take up to 10 days before you see your new debit card. If you do a debit card as a swipe, I agree, it will be harder to charge back. But when you use your debit card on a non swipe I feel you may be able to have a charge back situation providing you as the Payer can document what happened. Yours truly Jules Kaplan ChekFaxx Development Co. INC.- E-commerce Payment Solution Provider Available NOW http://www.addressmanagerpro.com Discover how to add your email address to Your Windows Address Book admin@chekfaxx.com - 480-991-7025 OR 800-220-0468 - FAX 310-362-8746 Accept Check by FAX - PHONE - E-MAIL - INTERNET http://chekfaxx.com ChekFaxx5 Net Work Version Available Now +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ I guess the only way to guarantee non-repudiable transactions is to use one of the digital currency companies like E-Gold or Global Pay Systems. I know they do not have chargebacks. George =================================================================== [4] List Member needs software =================================================================== New list member John Husson wants to know: "Right now I'm looking for some kind of flow chart covering receiving goods from suppliers, logging into inventory, receiving orders, and fulfillment (pick/pack/ship). I need to put a POS inventory system in place to report sales, and I'm trying to chart out just what it is I want to do." First, we have systems that may meet your needs. You can learn more about CAM Commerce Solutions at www.camcommerce.com. As for determining what your needs are, programmers who are asked to write business applications are always advised to "follow the paperwork trail" to figure out what is needed. I would suggest the same thing in your case. If you look at your manual processes now and follow the paperwork trail along with the details of this paperwork you can figure out what your needs are. Our sales people are also trained to help in this process. Many are former retailers and all are very experienced. They know the questions to ask. We always do what we call a "business survey". This is where we learn about your business and the processes you have in place along with what your "wish list" is for what you "wish" a system would do for you. This allows us to make a proper recommendation. Going through the process of a survey is free and I think you will find the consulting helpful. Our toll free number is 866-840-4443. Best Regards, Geoff Knapp CAM Commerce Solutions +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ As always, thanks Geoff for your help. George =================================================================== [5] Trade Shows: Super Savings on Sales Calls =================================================================== In the process of producing a few Event Planner Expos I often had to speak to exhibitors who couldn't see the merit of doing the show. When I mentioned the attendance could go as high as 5,000 but, that could not be guaranteed, they always moaned, "Is that all?" I asked, "How long would it take for you to go into a potential customer's office, set up your whole display of product (essentially a booth) give a demonstration or sales pitch? How many could you do per day? O.K. now, that is local, how about those national customers? " I always hoped that this would get them thinking of the expense of contacting 100 customers, nationwide. My experience is that if there are attendees two-deep, strolling by your booth, you rarely get to the second tier, so actually speak to far less than 1/2 of the attendees. Perhaps, you might be able to pitch 150-200 new accounts per day, considering that some of your time would be spent greeting and reconnecting with good customers to show them "what's new." I usually ended my pep talk with the "great value your company listing in the show directory had for "when they get back to their office" sales." How successful will you be at a show??? Don't get me started on exhibitors SITTING in their booths reading the paper or eating. First rule, if you must sit, sit on a stool so you are at least at eye level with the attendees. And if you must eat...share! (just kidding) George, you are so right about the importance of reading up on Exhibiting at a Trade Show materials to learn rules, tips and strategies to make your show experience a great one. As a part of our shows we featured a Trade Show expert to give our exhibitors a crash course--if they attended. Be surprised how many did not attend. Oh I could just go on about trade shows but I won't. It is a subject dear to me, though. Speaking of shows, my partner, Phyllis Cambria and I are producing the Buyer Education Program for TransWorld Las Vegas Halloween and Party Show, Tropicana Resort and Casino Conference Center, April 27-29th. We have a great line-up of experts giving speeches and demonstrations to the buyers. If you are in the party/special event/haunted attraction/gift/wedding/costume/balloons/venue or family fun center industry, this is a super show for you. Complete information on attending or exhibiting: http://www.transworldexhibits.com and Buyer Education Schedule is at: http://www.partyplansplus.com/lasvegas.htm Best of luck with your Trade Shows--producing, exhibiting or attending. Patty Sachs www.partyplansplus.com P.S. If you are producing a show let us know, we can help spread the word. +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Thanks for the post. I see another business opportunity for you - virtual celebration presents. I'm working with a group with offices in five countries and they collaboratively completed a major project. So, it would be nice to send a virtual bottle of champagne or other gift. There are a number of greeting card companies, but nothing designed from a celebration POV. FWIW George ================================================================== [6] 3 More States Adopt SSUTA ­ California Moves Forward ================================================================== Kentucky, Utah and West Virginia have joined South Dakota as four states that have amended their sales tax laws to come into compliance with the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement (SSUTA). These states will now submit applications to the SSUTA Governing Board, which will confirm state law compliance. In addition, California, which has remained on the sidelines during the Streamlined Sales Tax Project, has elected to become an "observer state," which means the state is now in the game. Before the SSUTA is operational at least 10 states, comprising 20 percent of the population in states that collect sales tax, must conform their tax laws to the SSUTA. The SSUTA cannot take effect before July 31, 2003. Over a dozen more states have introduced similar legislation. Details at... http://ecommercetax.com/doc/033003.htm =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Global Pay Systems LLC http://globalpaysystems.net E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com From etd_post@gapent.com Thu Apr 3 03:48:17 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (13.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.13]) by gapent.com (8.12.6p2/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h33AmFbT030222 for ; Thu, 3 Apr 2003 03:48:16 -0700 (MST) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030402204919.01529dc8@gapent.com> X-Sender: etdpost@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Thu, 03 Apr 2003 05:47:43 -0500 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Subject: ETD: 674 Chargebacks - credit or debit cards; The Buzz About Emerging RFID; California approaches Net sales tax; PayPal charged with breaking Patriot Act; Most wired for broadband and the design involved Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="=====================_1413552==.ALT" Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: --=====================_1413552==.ALT Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0674 April 3, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] Chargebacks - credit or debit cards [3] The Buzz About Emerging RFID ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] California approaches Net sales tax [5] PayPal charged with breaking Patriot Act [6] Most wired for broadband and the design involved =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: OK gang, California is now closer to joining Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement (SSUTA). Which means the Internet Sales Tax will be here faster than a dotcom failure! Get ready. List member John Vinokur gives us some interesting information about chargebacks - things I never knew. Beware. You better start thinking about redesigning your site to get in line with the wide use of broadband globally. And, guess what country has the most broadband usage? (see 6 below). The latest and greatest innovation in retailing is RFID. Interesting and affordable stuff. Now there is a rush to get on the bandwagon in order to lead the retail pack. Better look carefully. And PayPal (eBay) is in the news again. This time for breaking the Patriot Act. Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] Chargebacks - credit or debit cards =================================================================== With reference to the issue of chargebacks being allowed or not for purchases on debit cards, I thought that you and your readers might like to know that, when I met a while back with one of the top people in MasterCard's ecommerce division and brought up this point (my own understanding at the time was that, because debit cards are based on checking accounts, there *couldn't* be chargebacks), he made it quite clear to me that, so far as they were concerned, there was absolutely NO difference between credit cards and debit cards with respect to the handling of chargebacks. Just my $0.02 ... John Vinokur Payment Central Inc. Tel: 514-946-8825 mailto:arti@securenet.net "The TRULY-secure payment-acceptance specialists!" +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Interesting John. I wonder if that applies only to MasterCard-labeled debit cards. If I use my classic debit card, that does not have a Visa or MasterCard logo on it, can I have a chargeback? If so, by whose authority? With a logo, the debit card can be used as both a debit and credit card. Without a logo, it is only a debit card. So what's the advantage of the classic debit card? George =================================================================== [3] The Buzz About Emerging RFID =================================================================== The day when consumers routinely roll a full cart of merchandise though POS and a couple seconds later their bill is printed and a signature is requested is still many years away. In the meantime, according to Target CIO Paul Singer, "RFID (radio-frequency identification) is something that will be happening in the near-term future." It's a good bet that RFID tags for merchandise are going to happen. They work like electronic bar codes that get read without the labor of scanning and that identify and track each item rather than merely identifying the SKU. Cost has been the chief reason RFID has not exploded in retail and consumer goods in the past, but major breakthroughs in tag costs are now emerging. A few years ago, each RFID tag cost a few dollars. According to Texas Instrument's Bill Allen, raw RFID tags now cost below 50 cents, but a finished label with a tag embedded can be $1. Details at... http://www.risnews.com/issue/march03_art2.htm =================================================================== [4] California approaches Net sales tax =================================================================== California this week took a step closer to collecting tax on sales of consumer goods over the Internet. A tax committee of California's Senate on Wednesday approved two bills that would clear the way for the state to collect sales tax on goods sold by out-of-state vendors to its residents via the Web, a move that could help it recoup an estimated $1.75 billion in lost annual tax revenue. The first Internet tax bill would require California to join a group of 35 states and the District of Columbia, working to help states tax remote sellers, including those that operate online and via mail-order. Members of that group known as the Streamlined Sales Tax Project were key players in a February deal in which eight major online retailers agreed to begin collecting taxes on behalf of about three dozen states. As part of that deal, the vendors were granted amnesty for any prior uncollected taxes. California did not participate in that settlement and has remained on the sidelines on the issue. "This isn't about 'taxing the Internet,' it's about equity, because people should be taxed on what they buy, not how they buy it," bill sponsor Sen. Debra Bowen, a Democrat, said in a statement. Bowen said the current tax system gives every out-of-state businesses an instant 7.25 percent to 8.5 percent price advantage over California-based retailers that collect that sales tax at the point of sale depending on where it is made. A second pending tax bill would require retailers with brick-and-mortar locations in California to collect state sales tax on Internet transactions with California customers through their online subsidiaries and partners. California residents are currently required to report and pay such sales taxes, although few do. Details at... http://news.com.com/2100-1019-994471.html =================================================================== [5] PayPal charged with breaking Patriot Act =================================================================== A U.S. Attorney's office has alleged that PayPal violated laws regarding the processing of online gambling payments, and is asking parent company eBay to hand over nine months of the gambling-related earnings in settlement. The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri told eBay that its online payment service violated provisions in the USA Patriot Act between October 2001 and July 2002, according to eBay's annual report, filed Monday with securities regulators. Under the act, it is prohibited to transmit funds known to have come from a criminal offense, or that are intended to promote or support unlawful activities. The agency is seeking to collect any earnings that PayPal received from online gambling merchants during the nine-month period, as well as interest. Last year, PayPal received 6 percent of its revenue from online gambling, according to its filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Details at... http://news.com.com/2100-1018-994810.html And in a related article, PayPal was designated as a category killer. PayPal has more customers than their top four rivals combined - Citibank, Wells Fargo, Yahoo, Microsoft and the U.S. Postal Service. They have been growing at the rate of 20,000 new members per day before it was even a year old, a pace it generally maintained until the eBay takeover last year, shortly after PayPal's IPO. Details at... http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/21149.html ================================================================== [6] Most wired for broadband and the design involved ================================================================== According to Nielsen/Net Ratings the percentage of global households with Web access using high-speed, non-dial-up Internet modems are: Hong Kong - 54% Germany - 39% Sweden - 33% Netherlands - 20% Italy - 18% Spain -18% France - 17% Brazil -15% Britain - 9% U.S. - 5% And in an article in ECommerce Times, it was reported that companies that conduct business online are starting to update their Web sites to serve a "faster" audience. However, broadband design strategies are different for corporate Web sites than for consumer-oriented ones. Even though companies that run business-to-business (B2B) sites generally assume that their customers have high-speed connections, design constraints are still fairly stringent. As broadband becomes more ubiquitous in coming months and years, the owners of Web sites that cater to business users and consumers alike should think about how to address this high-speed evolution. B2C e-commerce sites, meanwhile, should start to develop richer types of information for consumers. For example, textural photography can give an online shopper a much better idea of an item's color, content and design. Other improvements might include three-dimensional pictures or mini videos that show products in action. Details at... http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/20293.html =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Global Pay Systems LLC http://globalpaysystems.net E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com --=====================_1413552==.ALT Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii"  E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the  Retailer
     Issue #0674                     April 3, 2003
     George Matyjewicz, Moderator         mailto:georgem@gapent.com
     Published by:  GAP Enterprises, Ltd.  http://www.etailersdigest.com
    ===================================================================

     CONTENTS

     [1]  Greetings
     [2]  Chargebacks - credit or debit cards
     [3]  The Buzz About Emerging RFID
    ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- --
     [4]  California approaches Net sales tax
     [5]  PayPal charged with breaking Patriot Act
     [6]  Most wired for broadband and the design involved

    ===================================================================
     [1]  Greetings.
    ===================================================================
    Hi All:

    OK gang, California is  now closer to joining Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement (SSUTA).   Which means the Internet Sales Tax will be here faster than a dotcom failure!  Get ready. 

    List member John Vinokur gives us some interesting information about chargebacks - things I never knew.  Beware.

    You better start thinking about redesigning your site to get in line with the wide use of broadband globally.  And, guess what country has the most broadband usage?  (see 6 below).

    The latest and greatest innovation in retailing is RFID.  Interesting and affordable stuff.  Now there is a rush to get on the bandwagon in order to lead the retail pack.  Better look carefully.

    And PayPal (eBay) is in the news again.  This time for breaking the Patriot Act.

    Now, let's get to everything for the retailer.


    Sincerely


    Dr. George Matyjewicz
    Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd.
    mailto:georgem@gapent.com
    http://www.etailersdigest.com

     
    ===================================================================
     [2]  Chargebacks - credit or debit cards
    ===================================================================
    With reference to the issue of chargebacks being allowed or not for purchases on debit cards, I thought that you and your readers might like to know that, when I met a while back with one of the top people in MasterCard's ecommerce division and brought up this point (my own understanding at the time was that, because debit cards are based on checking accounts, there *couldn't* be chargebacks), he made it quite clear to me that, so far as they were concerned, there was absolutely NO difference between credit cards and debit cards with respect to the handling of chargebacks.

    Just my $0.02 ...

    John Vinokur
    Payment Central Inc.
    Tel: 514-946-8825
    mailto:arti@securenet.net
    "The TRULY-secure payment-acceptance specialists!"

    +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++
    Interesting John.  I wonder if that applies only to MasterCard-labeled debit cards.  If I use my classic debit card, that does not have a Visa or MasterCard logo on it, can I have a chargeback?  If so, by whose authority? 

    With a logo, the debit card can be used as both a debit and credit card.  Without a logo, it is only a debit card.  So what's the advantage of the classic debit card?

    George
    ===================================================================
     [3]  The Buzz About Emerging RFID
    ===================================================================
    The day when consumers routinely roll a full cart of merchandise though POS and a couple seconds later their bill is printed and a signature is requested is still many years away. In the meantime, according to Target CIO Paul Singer, “RFID (radio-frequency identification) is something that will be happening in the near-term future.”

    It’s a good bet that RFID tags for merchandise are going to happen. They work like electronic bar codes that get read without the labor of scanning and that identify and track each item rather than merely identifying the SKU.

    Cost has been the chief reason RFID has not exploded in retail and consumer goods in the past, but major breakthroughs in tag costs are now emerging.

    A few years ago, each RFID tag cost a few dollars. According to Texas Instrument’s Bill Allen, raw RFID tags now cost below 50 cents, but a finished label with a tag embedded can be $1.

    Details at...
    http://www.risnews.com/issue/march03_art2.htm

    ===================================================================
     [4]  California approaches Net sales tax
    ===================================================================
    California this week took a step closer to collecting tax on sales of consumer goods over the Internet.  A tax committee of California's Senate on Wednesday approved two bills that would clear the way for the state to collect sales tax on goods sold by out-of-state vendors to its residents via the Web, a move that could help it recoup an estimated $1.75 billion in lost annual tax revenue.

    The first Internet tax bill would require California to join a group of 35 states and the District of Columbia, working to help states tax remote sellers, including those that operate online and via mail-order.

    Members of that group known as the Streamlined Sales Tax Project were key players in a February deal in which eight major online retailers agreed to begin collecting taxes on behalf of about three dozen states. As part of that deal, the vendors were granted amnesty for any prior uncollected taxes.

    California did not participate in that settlement and has remained on the sidelines on the issue.

    "This isn't about 'taxing the Internet,' it's about equity, because people should be taxed on what they buy, not how they buy it," bill sponsor Sen. Debra Bowen, a Democrat, said in a statement.

    Bowen said the current tax system gives every out-of-state businesses an instant 7.25 percent to 8.5 percent price advantage over California-based retailers that collect that sales tax at the point of sale depending on where it is made.

    A second pending tax bill would require retailers with brick-and-mortar locations in California to collect state sales tax on Internet transactions with California customers through their online subsidiaries and partners.

    California residents are currently required to report and pay such sales taxes, although few do.

    Details at...
    http://news.com.com/2100-1019-994471.html

    ===================================================================
     [5]  PayPal charged with breaking Patriot Act
    ===================================================================
    A U.S. Attorney's office has alleged that PayPal violated laws regarding the processing of online gambling payments, and is asking parent company eBay to hand over nine months of the gambling-related earnings in settlement.

    The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri told eBay that its online payment service violated provisions in the USA Patriot Act between October 2001 and July 2002, according to eBay's annual report, filed Monday with securities regulators. Under the act, it is prohibited to transmit funds known to have come from a criminal offense, or that are intended to promote or support unlawful activities.

    The agency is seeking to collect any earnings that PayPal received from online gambling merchants during the nine-month period, as well as interest. Last year, PayPal received 6 percent of its revenue from online gambling, according to its filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

    Details at...
    http://news.com.com/2100-1018-994810.html

    And in a related article, PayPal was designated as a category killer.  PayPal has more customers than their top four rivals combined -
    Citibank, Wells Fargo, Yahoo, Microsoft and the U.S. Postal Service.  They have been growing at the rate of 20,000 new members per day before it was even a year old, a pace it generally maintained until the eBay takeover last year, shortly after PayPal's IPO.

    Details at...
    http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/21149.html

    ==================================================================
     [6]  Most wired for broadband and the design involved
    ==================================================================
    According to Nielsen/Net Ratings the percentage of global households with Web access using high-speed, non-dial-up Internet modems are:

    Hong Kong  - 54%
    Germany - 39%
    Sweden - 33%
    Netherlands - 20%
    Italy - 18%
    Spain -18%
    France  - 17%
    Brazil -15%
    Britain - 9%
    U.S. - 5%

    And in an article in ECommerce Times, it was reported that companies that conduct business online are starting to update their Web sites to serve a "faster" audience.  However, broadband design strategies are different for corporate Web sites than for consumer-oriented ones. Even though companies that run business-to-business (B2B) sites generally assume that their customers have high-speed connections, design constraints are still fairly stringent.

    As broadband becomes more ubiquitous in coming months and years, the owners of Web sites that cater to business users and consumers alike should think about how to address this high-speed evolution.

    B2C e-commerce sites, meanwhile, should start to develop richer types of information for consumers. For example, textural photography can give an online shopper a much better idea of an item's color, content and design. Other improvements might include three-dimensional pictures or mini videos that show products in action.

    Details at...
    http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/20293.html


    ===================================================================
     Links to follow
    ===================================================================

    GAP Enterprises, Ltd.                   http://www.gapent.com/
    Global Pay Systems LLC          http://globalpaysystems.net
    E-Tailer's Digest                       http://www.etailersdigest.com
    ETD Archives:                           http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read
    Prior to 29 Dec 1999                    http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm
    Marketing Your Web                      http://www.gapent.com/myweb/
    Automated Press Releases                http://www.automatedpr.com --=====================_1413552==.ALT-- From etd_post@gapent.com Tue Apr 8 04:43:52 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (11.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.11]) by gapent.com (8.12.6p2/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h38AhouD013492 for ; Tue, 8 Apr 2003 04:43:51 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030406202252.0152eee0@gapent.com> X-Sender: etdpost@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Tue, 08 Apr 2003 06:43:40 -0400 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Subject: ETD: 675 Chargebacks - credit or debit cards; POS & flow-charting; Orbitz - terrible customer service; Benetton and RFID; Sarbanes-Oxley for the small business Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0675 April 8, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] Chargebacks - credit or debit cards [3] POS & flow-charting ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] Orbitz - terrible customer service [5] Benetton and RFID [6] Sarbanes-Oxley for the small business =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: I'm heading to Detroit today. So, I could use a special report for Thursday. Anybody want to submit something? 2,000 - 2,500 words which will be posted as a full edition and will remain at our resources site forever. We have some more interesting information on RFID. It looks like it will be the latest retail technological advance. Now the question is how secure is it? Some of our list members have some interesting information on chargebacks and debit cards, which benefits all of us in retailing. And check out the information on POS and flowcharting. Great stuff. Today I had to share a poor customer service experience with Orbitz. I can't believe they don't know about ship-to addresses. What do you think? Finally, I have been doing a lot of work with companies subject to the risk management associated with Sarbanes-Oxley and have come to the conclusion that SOX will be coming to you in the near future. Just like Internet sales tax, be prepared. Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] Chargebacks - credit or debit cards =================================================================== >+++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ >Interesting, John. I wonder if that applies only to MasterCard-labeled >debit cards. So far as I know, George, the same rule (equality of credit and debit cards with respect to chargebacks) applies to both Visa and MasterCard. >If I use my classic debit card, that does not have a Visa >or MasterCard logo on it, can I have a chargeback? If so, by whose >authority? A "classic" debit card has no relationship or affiliation with Visa OR MasterCard - it can only be used to withdraw money from a bank account (or to deposit money TO the account, but that has no relevance here). Accordingly, in the same way that there is no such thing as a chargeback for a transaction carried out by check, no chargebacks can be granted for transactions carried out by debit card. In fact, you can think of a classic debit card as simply a "plastic check" device - with the use of a PIN to move the transactions from the realm of "soft checks" to "hard" transactions like money orders, bank drafts, etc.. >With a logo, the debit card can be used as both a debit and credit >card. Without a logo, it is only a debit card. So what's the advantage >of the classic debit card? To my knowledge, no company has yet been able to arrange for transactions involving *remote* removal of funds (e.g. mail order, phone order or online payment) using a "classic debit card" (or using a debit card with a Visa or MasterCard symbol, when it is being used as a standard debit card), for one very simple reason. The banks have chosen not to release the PINs for use in any remote transaction, so there is no way to withdraw funds using the cards AND the corresponding PINs - because there is no way to check whether the PINs are is valid, except when the cards are run through an ATM machine or POP (point-of-purchase) device, both of which can actually *read* the PIN stored on the magnetic stripe. This is obviously not possible for any remote transaction. On the other hand, and to answer your question, the classic debit card *plus PIN* is the perfect combination for "card-in-hand" transactions; just don't expect to be able to use it for remote transactions. That's what Visa and Mastercard are for, right now. Hope this helps, John Vinokur Payment Central Inc. Tel: 514-946-8825 mailto:arti@securenet.net "The TRULY-secure payment-acceptance specialists!" +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ John and I have been going back and forth with this. My original comment to John was that I have a half a dozen debit cards that do not have either logo (strictly debit cards) and I use them at ATMs and at any merchant who accepts pin-based debit cards. John did indicate that they then must show the MasterCard or Visa logo on them, and if they don't, then they are "straight" debit cards, which can normally be accessed through the Cirrus, Plus or other similar networks - but NOT through the_MasterCard or Visa networks. One company where I am a principal has debit cards which are backed by gold. http://globalpaysystems.net That one goes through the MasterCard/Maestro/Cirrus network. Others go through Visa/Plus/Interlink network. In both cases the card must be approved by Mastercard or Visa before they are accepted. The approval process is usually 6-9 months. We got them approved within 6 weeks because of relationships at both networks. One client wants their own card, and we are in the approval process now. These cards can be used at any ATM or POS merchant that accepts pin-based debit cards. For example, I use them at BP petro stations and Kroger supermarkets in Atlanta and at Stop N Shop supermarkets in NJ. By using them at the supermarkets, we can pay for groceries, get cash back, and not have to pay the fees normally found at ATMs for foreign banks. Jules Kaplan found another (see next post). George +++ Next Post +++ Got this Spam today and does it not look similar to what you were wanting to do with your gold company? "Wired Plastic is a pre-funded, reloadable card that can be used everywhere MasterCard is accepted. Add cash within minutes at more that(sic) 43,000 Western Union Agent locations using Swiftpay service." Jules Kaplan ChekFaxx Development Co. INC.- E-commerce Payment Solution Provider Available NOW http://www.addressmanagerpro.com Discover how to add your email address to Your Windows Address Book admin@chekfaxx.com - 480-991-7025 OR 800-220-0468 - FAX 310-362-8746 Accept Check by FAX - PHONE - E-MAIL - INTERNET http://chekfaxx.com www.eft-ach.com www.electronicfunds.com Now on Line For EFT Processing www.ezpaymentservices.com +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ When we first approached Visa almost three years ago with the concept of pin-based debit cards based on digital currency and not affiliated with a bank, it was a unique and innovative concept. And it took a lot to convince them of the merits of such a program (excerpts from my doctoral dissertation helped). When they saw the opportunities, especially outside the US where debit cards are far more common than credit cards, they decided to offer similar programs to other companies, providing they go through the banking world, i.e., you need to go through a bank such as First Data or Wells Fargo or any of the others who process cards. The problem is those banks are licensed to do business in a certain region (six regions with Visa; four with Mastercard) and you can only do business in that region. So, if you had a card accepted by Mastercard through First Data, you could only operate in the US. If cards were shipped outside the US, you could get a cancellation notice (that originally happened with us). We have authorization to do business anywhere in the world. The second issue is getting money into the system, since we (or Wired Plastic above or any of the hundred or so others) are not a bank and need to find innovative ways to get funds into the system. Wired Plastic is using Western Union, and, unless they have approval from W.U. corporate, they will be cancelled. Another company tried the same thing. They offered two cards and had packages made up with reference to W.U. as input. Lot's of money spent based on assumptions - that W.U. would love to have the extra business. Wrong! That was/is a threat to W.U. We spent a lot of time lining up banks to accept funding. It is a long process, but well worth it, as there is no easy way to get money into a system if you are not a bank. FWIW George =================================================================== [3] POS & flow-charting =================================================================== John Husson's concern's are quite well founded, if I am inferring properly from his posting of 3/26. What I gather is the concern that inventory control is in fact a full circle of'; purchasing, receiving and selling. I believe John's concerns are with the 'nuts and bolts' of how this was going to be accomplished in his business. The answer is "discipline" or more pointedly "direction" (to your staff). That is, every time an item is received, it must be entered into the system to satisfy the PO that had been opened to purchase it. That will close that PO, update your onhand and give you the history that you are looking for in purchases, costs and sales. I have been investigating 2 POS packages for you, QuickBooks and Retail Edge. It seems Retail Edge has the ability to do the purchase orders, then receive it in, print labels for the items, and update inventory. The printing of labels for received merchandise identifies that merchandise to the system. These labels will get scanned when the items is sold, completing the circle. Retail Edge will also interface to QuickBooks. When researching the QuickBooks POS system, the website only mentioned that inventory can be adjusted to reflect the receiving, not elucidating a seamless system as Retail Edge did. If you submit to the Retail Edge formula, and discipline your folks to type in purchase orders, receive them on the system, and print the labels, you should be well on your way to the low-cost, effective inventory control and business information that you seek. Joe Dweck =================================================================== [4] Orbitz - terrible customer service =================================================================== I don't know which travel service you use, but let me share some terrible customer service from Orbitz. I usually use Travelocity, but found the presentation of fares was better at Orbitz, so I started using them six months or so ago. Now y'all know that my butt is glued to a seat on an airplane, as I travel a lot. And I usually always get e-tickets. My latest booking was for a flight from Newark to Chicago, and for some reason Orbitz had to send paper tickets. Now, my credit card comes to our home in Atlanta, but I was travelling from Newark where we also live. So, where does Orbitz send the tickets? You got it - to the billing address. I contacted them to find out why. And they gave me this cockamamie excuse about security: "In order to minimize the risk of fraud, it is the Orbitz policy to ship paper tickets only to the billing address of the credit card used to pay for the tickets. We recommend, you make appropriate arrangement to reship the paper ticket back to the address you would like to receive." As far as security is concerned, they have my information, and only I can access my account with proper security. So, are they now saying that their system is not secure and I run the risk of losing my confidential information? And they never did recommend how I should re-send packages when I am not there. Can you imagine where we would all be if all businesses ignored ship-to addresses? Retailing would fail! So I thanked them for sending me back to Travelocity, where I was pleased to see that they now present the fares in an easier to read manner. Anybody else have similar issues? George =================================================================== [5] Benetton and RFID =================================================================== Clothing maker Benetton has clarified its plans regarding radio tags in response to reports that it is preparing to place millions of the devices in its products to help track inventory. A company spokesman on Monday said the company has to date purchased only 200 radio frequency identity (RFID) chips and is still studying whether or not it will use controversial technology to track its products. Benetton has completed technology tests of radio frequency identification to help improve its supply chain management. However, the clothing maker is still testing the economics of RFID and whether it is cost-efficient to replace the barcode-scanning technology it now uses. The clarification comes after Philips Semiconductor, a division of Philips Electronics, said in March that it would ship 15 million radio tags for use in Benetton's Sisley line of clothing. The chipmaker announced it was working with system integrator Lab ID and Psion Teklogix to create shelves and mobile devices to bring RFID technology to Benetton. RFID is considered the future for inventory tracking. Gillette, Wal-Mart Stores and U.K.-based supermarket chain Tesco are also working to install specially designed shelves that can read radio frequency waves emitted by microchips embedded in millions of shavers and related products. The use of RFID would allow Benetton to upload inventory information more quickly and easily to its tracking system. For example, it could track a box containing clothes of varying styles, colors and sizes all at once, as opposed to having to checking in one piece at a time. Despite the obvious merits, the ability to track a product's movement also raises a disquieting concern about privacy. With RFID tags, it becomes technically possible for marketers to obtain invaluable information on a host of consumer preferences, ranging from the clothes they like to the food they prefer. In addition, there are worries that such a technology could be exploited for government surveillance or be misused by hackers and criminals. Details at... http://news.com.com/2100-1020-995744.html?tag=cd_mh +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ I wonder just how far RFID can be used. If I wear a garment with RFID, will they be able to track where I go and what I do? From a privacy POV, I see issues. From a marketing POV, I love it. I can also see a use for RFID-like devices as tracking devices for children or seniors. Sorta like Lojack for humans. What do you think? George ================================================================== [6] Sarbanes-Oxley for the small business ================================================================== I'm writing a piece on the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which, today, is targeted to publicly-held companies. In analyzing SOX in detail, I'm saying to myself that this act is definitely going to come on down to privately-held companies, and don't be surprised if the IRS includes it as part of your business tax returns. There are eleven titles in SOX some of which deal with SEC issues, some with auditor independence, some with criminal penalties for fraudulent activities. Title III - Corporate Responsibility -- states that you must act in a manner that is not suspect to fraudulent activities and to report to shareholders honestly. As such, this title requires that public companies establish audit committees who are responsible for overseeing the accuracy of financial reporting. It is ultimately the CFO and CEO who must certify that the financial information is accurate, under penalty of jail time. It establishes rules of professional responsibility for officers, board members, auditors and attorneys. What about privately-held companies? They may not have shareholders and a board of directors. However, they will file tax returns and they may have reporting requirements to other regulatory agencies, or to banks. Section 902 of Title IX states: IN GENERAL- If 2 or more persons-- (1) conspire to commit any offense against the United States, in any manner or for any purpose, and 1 or more of such persons do any act to effect the object of the conspiracy, each person shall be fined or imprisoned, or both, as set forth in the specific substantive offense which was the object of the conspiracy; or (2) conspire to defraud the United States, or any agency thereof in any manner or for any purpose, and 1 or more of such persons do any act to effect the object of the conspiracy, each person shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both. Note that section does not identify a particular agency within the United States. Hence, it can apply to any organization, not just publicly-held companies. Title IV - Enhanced Financial Disclosures -- In particular Section 404 requires management assessment of internal controls. Management must establish and maintain an adequate internal control structure and procedures for financial reporting and management must attest as of the end of the most recent fiscal year of the issuer, to the effectiveness of the internal control structure and procedures of the issuer for financial reporting. And, each registered public accounting firm that prepares or issues the audit report for the issuer shall attest to, and report on, the assessment made by the management of the issuer. So, why wouldn't this apply to privately-held companies? And why wouldn't the IRS require this information? IMHO, Sarbanes-Oxley will be coming to a tax return nearest you in the not-so-distant future. You heard it first here. George =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Global Pay Systems LLC http://globalpaysystems.net E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com From etd_post@gapent.com Thu Apr 10 05:33:39 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (15.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.15]) by gapent.com (8.12.6p2/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h3ABXcR1006069 for ; Thu, 10 Apr 2003 05:33:39 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030409191457.01599d38@gapent.com> X-Sender: etdpost@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2003 07:33:13 -0400 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Subject: ETD: 676 Selling value; Credit card ship to; Web Teleconferencing replacing travel; Software revisited; Visa, Mastercard must pay back $800 million Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0676 April 10, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] Selling value [3] Credit card ship to ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] Web Teleconferencing replacing travel [5] Software revisited [6] Visa, Mastercard must pay back $800 million =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: Late breaking news - Visa and Mastercard has been ordered to pay back consumers for fees charges in international transactions. It may be $800 million! Today we have some quasi how-to's. I constantly here excuses why companies can't do whatever, and decided to address some of those issues in "Selling Value." What do you think? Interesting to note how Web Teleconferencing is taking an unexpected boost because of SARS. It will affect the travel industry, but will improve efficiencies in business. On a similar note, companies are revisiting their approach to software, which may affect many of our list members. I also learned that Nua.com (or the original Nua.ie) is merging with CyberAtlas, a Jupitermedia Corp. publication. NUA is one of the best resources I have ever found for international business news. I hope their content doesn't change. Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] Selling value =================================================================== Too often I find companies trying to sell products or services and they are afraid to charge good prices. The excuses vary... 1. The economy is bad 2. We're not well known and have to build business first 3. We have staff to pay, so we'll take what we can get to pay people. 4. Our competition is too fierce. 5. We can't command those rates Let's address these issues. First, let me state that we still get top dollar (2-3 times our competitors) for html coding and Web design and that cartoon at http://aznewyou.com/oldwebmastersneverdie.jpg doesn't apply here. And clients pay quickly - send out a bill on Monday and have a check on Thursday. Why? We provide VALUE and COMFORT! The clients get results and don't have to worry about the details of how it's done. The economy always has it's ups and downs. If you listen to economists all the time, you should just stay in bed. Remember that true story about "Fat Mike's" who sent his two son's to fancy colleges? One of his son's said the economy was terrible and Mike had to take down those signs he had on the highway, and stop waving the cars into his hot dog stand. Mike did that, and sure enough, business slowed down, obviously because of the economy as his son stated. The argument about "taking what you can get to pay people" is the making of a huge downward spiral. You take on work at reduced rates, then get more business from referrals at the same rate, then you have to hire more people to handle this work at reduced rates, then you have to work harder to support this work, and you don't make any money! And it's almost impossible to break out of the spiral. "Not well known" and the "competition" issues are all in your mind. It's you who believe you are not well known, and it's you who believe the competition is too fierce. You have to make yourself known and you have to take the lead with competition. Don't follow the competitors with a "me too, but we do it better" approach. Rather, take the lead. Example: you have amen's store and your competitors all offer the same products - some with greater buying power, hence lower prices. What do you do? Try offering free alterations and delivery to the customer's home or office. Maybe tie in with the local barber and throw in a haircut to go with the suit. Get the point? Do something different. Or you have a software product and one of your competitors touts the benefits of why they use Windows 2000 when you use Unix. The natural reaction is to write about the benefits of Unix. What happens? They won - you are reacting. How do you determine pricing for services? I use a very simple rule. I find out what the competition is charging, then double that rate. Sounds rather arrogant eh? Yes, but there is some truth to that logic. I believe what we offer is far better than the competitor. We do a total package and give the customer comfort in knowing he/she doesn't have to worry. And for that we charge the appropriate fees. Does it work? As the say in the Midwest - ubetcha! Most of the companies with whom I contract are smaller privately-held companies - professional firms, software houses, retail chains (the largest was 800 stores; smallest 1 store), manufacturers and distributors (apparel, textile, giftware, paper, etc). Yet we are able to project them into new arenas, at higher rates, and obtain more business for them. All we ask is they have confidence in themselves. Let's take a test and see how you would do: 1. The economy is bad. What do you do? 2. You are a new giftware retailer, and need to build business. You are competing against larger retailers and smaller, family-owned retailers. What do you do? 3. Because of a downturn in the economy, you don't have enough business to pay your 10 staff people, and you may have to let three of them go, or bring in more business. What do you do? 4. Your main competitor has a retail POS product that is running in DOS and has been telling everybody why DOS is so much better at the POS than WindowsXP. What do you do? 5. You are a small, two-person shop, who just set up a business to sell Web design services. How do you establish your fees and how do you attract business? What do you think? George =================================================================== [3] Credit card ship to =================================================================== Our moderator wrote... "Can you imagine where we would all be if all businesses ignored ship-to addresses? Retailing would fail!" Many Internet retailers are doing this. I recently bought a wide-angle lens for my camera and a hard drive for my computer and could not find an online company that would accept a send-to address. Some companies stated that they would do that if I contacted my credit card company and added an alternate address. John Schag 360 Buffalo Virtual Tours and Quality Digital Photography For Buffalo-Niagara Region Realtors http://www.360buffalo.com Higher Quality / Faster Service / Lower Prices +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Perhaps they will wake up soon. I don't see this any different than mail order. I order something from a catalog and want to ship it to a family member in another state. George =================================================================== [4] Web Teleconferencing replacing travel =================================================================== The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) scare in Hong Kong has put a damper on business travel and shows (like the Hong Kong Gift & Premium Fair, the Houseware Fair, and the Licensing Show). Now companies are holding video conferences and Webcasts. This will undoubtedly hurt airlines, as companies discover the value of video conferencing and Webcasts. Personally I have been exposed to Webcasting quite heavily recently and find it fascinating. No longer do you have to travel to demonstrate a product or service. In the old days, you may be able to have 2-3 sales calls per day, albeit a long day. With Webcasting you can do 5-6 sales calls a day and never leave your office. Will it work for everybody? I'm not sure. It will definitely work for those in the service environment. And, it should work for companies selling products, at least to get an idea of what the product is all about, and then get a sample. How does this differ from a Web site? With Webcasting, I control the presentation. With a Web site, you do. And if I'm trying to sell you, I need to control the sales cycle. Besides, you may miss or misinterpret something on a site. So, I do feel sorry for the airlines, as everybody knows, I am glued to an airline seat. However, I am also an advocate of efficiencies and can see major benefits to Webcasting and video conferencing. Comments? George ================================================================== [5] Software revisited ================================================================== Companies are re-thinking the way they purchase software. No longer are the buying all the bells and whistles. Rather they are analyzing the use of software in their organizations, and buying accordingly. Houston-based Scalable Software has a tool that analyzes the use of software from an enterprise level. That information can then be used to scale back on packages. For example, one retail chain with 3,500 PCs were faced with an expensive Microsoft upgrade. Using Scalable, they learned that only half of the PCs used Word or Excel and just two dozen used PowerPoint. This chain negotiated with a software reseller to break up the Office suite and buy programs piecemeal. it resulted in $1.1 million savings in software without sacrificing productivity. Another area that is coming on strong is online services. One company looked at the SAP system for financial reporting, and decided instead to use an online general ledger service. Regardless, the software makers' plight translates into bargains for IT buyers. I know we have a number of software folks on ETD. What are you finding? Are businesses looking differently at software purchases? George =================================================================== [6] Visa, Mastercard must pay back $800 million =================================================================== According to Adam Tanner (Reuters) MasterCard and Visa must pay millions of dollars in refunds to customers after the firms failed to properly disclose currency exchange fees, a California court ruled on Tuesday. California Superior Court Judge Ronald Sabraw said that MasterCard and Visa, owned by banks and global financial institutions, violated California's unfair competition law by failing to disclose adequately the currency conversion fees charged to U.S. customers using their cards abroad. The dramatic ruling found that Visa International collected about $817 million in foreign exchange fees from 1996 to March 30, 2000, and MasterCard $195 million. From these figures, lawyers representing customers expect a refund of more than $800 million. The ruling calls for restitution of fees collected between February 15, 1996 and the present. Obviously, MasterCard and Visa said they would appeal the decision. Visa and MasterCard say that even after paying the one percent fees, travelers abroad get a better overall deal because the card companies offer a wholesale rate above that offered at normal tourist exchange locations. Visa International is based in Foster City, California, so the ruling calls for repaying all U.S. Visa cardholders. MasterCard is headquartered in Purchase, New York, so it was ordered to repay only California residents. According to the court, Visa and MasterCard issue 93 percent of U.S. credit cards that can be used for foreign charges. The judge called for Visa and MasterCard to come up with a restitution plan by April 28. Details at... http://news.findlaw.com/business/s/20030409/financialmastercarddc.html =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Global Pay Systems LLC http://globalpaysystems.net E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com Software revisited http://www.usatoday.com/usatonline/20030408/5045242s.htm From etd_post@gapent.com Tue Apr 15 04:46:28 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (5.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.5]) by gapent.com (8.12.6p2/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h3FAkRUF009623 for ; Tue, 15 Apr 2003 04:46:27 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030413190407.0106ffd8@gapent.com> X-Sender: etdpost@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2003 06:45:49 -0400 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Subject: ETD: 677 Selling value; Credit card ship to; Photo Shops Find the Bright Side of Digital Technology; Software revisited; Can WebEx Meet Growth Expectations? Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0677 April 15, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] Selling value [3] Credit card ship to ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] Photo Shops Find the Bright Side of Digital Technology [5] Software revisited [6] Can WebEx Meet Growth Expectations? =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: Today is tax day in the US - you need to either file your personal income taxes for 2002 or file an extension. So, none of our CPAs will be reading this or responding ;-). I read an interesting article on retailing in Europe. There are a lot of restrictions in individual countries, even though the Euro is in place. Let's get a dialogue going. What is retailing like in your country? It's interesting to note how technology has actually changed the photo industry for the better, so reports Jan Owens. Consumers are getting digital photos processed, rather than do-it-yourself. Now if only credit cards can get up-to-date with their processing. Interesting to note we had a post on web conferencing on Thursday and Forbes had an article on WebEx. Interesting stuff. If you haven't tried web conferencing you should. Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] Selling value =================================================================== Our moderator asked... >You are a small, two-person shop, who just set up a business > to sell Web design services. How do you establish your fees > and how do you attract business? That's where we are right now George. I'll bite. How should we charge and how do we attract business? Josh Abrahms +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Charging is a science. The first thing you need to do is determine how much money you need to earn each year. Let's assume $50,000 for easy calculation. Then you divide that amount by 100 days to give you a daily billing rate of $500. What's the science in that? Why 100? There are 365 days in a year. Let's calculate. There are 52 weeks in a year, at 5 days a week yields 260 days. And there are roughly 10 holidays, which means there are 250 potential work days. That doesn't mean you will be fully employed for 250 days. You need to generate business and handle administration issues. So, by calculating your rates at 100 days, you account for all the contingencies. And if you are lucky enough to work more than 100 days, you make money! BTW, most professional firms use these guidelines. Advertising and marketing is a topic in itself, so I won't go there now. Let's assume you were referred to a prospect, and now you need to convince the prospect to do business with you. Forget the thought that you're new and you have to give away the job to get the client. That doesn't work. And forget the idea that you need to charge lower fees to attract that customer (low fees imply cheap jobs - and you won't attract a better class of client). For a small business to attract business you need one thing - CONFIDENCE! Confidence in yourself that you can do the job and confidence that you can convince the prospect that you are the right person for the job. Line up resources to assist you in the project. Partner with others who have the expertise you may lack. Put together a great backgrounder touting your expertise citing some projects that you may have done for the prior company where you worked. And prepare a killer proposal that defines what you heard the client needs, who you are, what you can do, how it benefits the client and what it will cost. Present the proposal in person, and watch his eyes. They tell a lot. And whatever you do, when he discusses fees, don't offer to discount. Instead, present your benefits again, and tell him how you solution solves his problems. Good luck George =================================================================== [3] Credit card ship to =================================================================== John Schag wrote... > Some companies stated that they would do that if I contacted > my credit card company and added an alternate address. Amex requires this. Some vendors actually pay attention to that requirement, some don't. I don't know if other cards require this or not. All our mail (i.e.: credit card bills) come to our USPS PO Box. 99% of our purchases are shipped to our office address, which does not receive USPS service, so I've had to add our office address as a valid shipping address to our credit card accounts. Several sites actually ask that you do this during the purchase process. Mark Riffey Granite Bear Development POS / business management software for the professional photography studio http://www.granitebear.com +++ Next Post +++ Our moderator wrote... > I don't see this any different than mail > order. I order something from a catalog and want to ship it to a > family member in another state. We advise our clients to not ship to addresses that are different from the credit card address for one reason - the heightened risk for fraud. An item shipped to an address different than that related to the CC creates a situation that almost begs the unscrupulous customer to claim that they did not purchase the item, that it did not arrive, and then they charge it back. An item shipped to the CC address - ADULT SIGNATURE REQUIRED - prevents a huge amount of customer CC chargeback abuse. The only way we suggest our clients ship to a different address is if the cardholder is willing to sign and FAX back a short release stating that it is OK to do so The FAX should include the order#,`item description, price, date, CC holder name, etc. This simple`release must be signed and dated by the CC holder. This document is filed with the order. If you are selling inexpensive items the risk is lessened, but high-ticket items are at great risk. Gary K. Foote Webbers Communications http://wwww.webbers.com gkfoote@webbers.com +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ I agree with that philosophy if I am buying for the first time. In the case of Orbitz, I'm a regular customer. They have all the information they need on me, and I book a lot of business with them (152,000 miles the past 9 months). It seems to me there has to be a better way. Obviously, the credit card, which was designed for a face-to-face meeting of the parties has outlived it's usefulness. George =================================================================== [4] Photo Shops Find the Bright Side of Digital Technology =================================================================== An interesting article re: adapting retailing to shifts in technologies, consumer behavior, etc: "Photo Shops Find the Bright Side of Digital Technology," by Claudia H. Deutsch, NY Times, 4/14/03, C4. The article describes how photo shops thought they were doomed with the advent of digital technology -- consumers would stop buying film, develop their own photos, just send photos online to their friends and family, etc. While many digital photos are, indeed, never printed, a significant number who want prints have found the home-print process too difficult, tedious, or expensive (the printing and paper often cost 2-3x what a photo shop charges per print, and from experience, the printing is VERY LOOOONG.) While the shift to digital has not been easy for this industry, a few photo shops have learned to take advantage of some opportunities that have emerged. Photo shop owners are delighted that so many women have taken to digital photography -- women tend to want many more prints than men to send to family and friends, and have as keepsakes. Given busy lives, digital print processing services are appreciated. While photo print shops have been hurt by a decrease in film sales, the more adaptable have found other product niches related to digital photography. Digital developing labs have parlayed the photo file to offering related products, e.g. CD's and products with the photos on them, e.g. calendars, mugs, T-shirts, etc. and etc. Some will also electronically deliver them to various addresses after they have been enhanced, i.e. improve on skills of the initial photographer. The downside of this product diversification and enlightenment: Wal-mart, Kodak, and online developers are also in on the act. As with much digitally-based commerce, the field of competition has widened. There are a few bar charts describing the growth of digital printing and related services (the graphics don't always come out in the online NY Times:) Comparing 2000 to 2002, The number of digital prints ordered online, then picked up at a local retailer grew from essentially 0 to 30 million; The number of digital prints processed at kiosks located in retailers increased from approx. 2 million to 36 million; All other digital prints processed at a retailer (includes walk-in customers) increased from 6 million to 60 million. (I'm trying to estimate from the graphs -- the actual figures were not cited.) Regards, Jan Owens owens@uwp.edu ================================================================== [5] Software revisited ================================================================== Our moderator wrote... > I know we have a number of software folks on ETD. What are > you finding? Are businesses looking differently at software > purchases? We've always has a tiered product line and about 18 months ago went from selling 3 products for 1 industry (stupid, but acquisition of all 3 was simply how we grew) to selling 1 product with multiple tiers/prices/options. The upside is that upsell is easier since there is no PITA to the upgrade. We simply issue a new set of registration info vs. the alternative which is usually conversions, retraining, etc. Best of all, we have 1 source tree to enhance, maintain and support vs 3, though we still provide support the other 2 for those who chose to stay on those programs. We haven't seen much of a change in buying tactics, but our clientele is mostly SOHO type businesses. A studio doing 2MM in annual sales is a big studio, for example. FWIW, 2002 was our best year ever. Mark Riffey Granite Bear Development POS / business management software for the professional photography studio http://www.granitebear.com +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Thanks for sharing Mark. I was talking to an owner of a large public warehouse (1 million square feet) and I said I measured the economy by how software sales increased to businesses. He said his measurement was how many cartons were being sold, which indicated manufacturers were getting ready to ship a lot of goods. In any event, for the past six months or so, I am seeing software sales picking up. Businesses are upgrading. That's a great sign. Let's hope it stays that way. How about some of our other software houses. How's business? George =================================================================== [6] Can WebEx Meet Growth Expectations? =================================================================== Last week I mentioned WebEx web conferencing tool. Well, Forbes magazine says some great things about them... WebEx Communications, the leader in Web-based conferencing, is the fastest growing company in all of techdom--at least by our analysis that screened out tiny and inconsistent companies and firms with big problems. San Jose, Calif.-based WebEx has generated 186% annualized sales growth over the past five years. Customers use WebEx conferencing to design products. Until Microsoft reveals its product and distribution plans for its conferencing product--expected by the end of the year--WebEx shares will remain under pressure, analysts say. Still, when one considers how many young software companies have gone out of business or never turned a profit, WebEx stands out as a success story. Founded in 1996, WebEx hosts interactive meetings on its Internet network, where users can share and edit documents in real time. The biggest piece of WebEx's business is called Interactive Services, which encompasses the meeting center, training center and support center. All can be co-branded and customized for a corporate Web site or portal. WebEx sells its products as a subscription-based service. Wall Street likes the subscription model because it provides a recurring revenue stream. Pacific Crest Securities analyst Steve Lidberg says WebEx has 7,200 corporate customers including, ironically, Microsoft. That represents a 20% penetration of the 500 largest companies in the U.S. Sales to large corporations should accelerate this year, due to the new "strategic accounts" sales force WebEx hired last year. The main pitch for video conferencing has always been that it's much more convenient and cheaper than flying to a meeting or conference. The conventional wisdom is that use of video conferencing will explode in tough economic times, when companies are looking to cut costs anywhere they can. And at a time when people are reluctant to fly because of concerns about terrorism or lethal viruses, video conferencing seems like a killer application. But here's the thing: Despite its success--WebEx earned healthy profits of $12 million in 2002 after several years of losses--it still has revenue of only $140 million in an industry that is expected to hit only $315 million this year. Of course, Microsoft is the unavoidable caveat in WebEx's growth story. Details at... http://www.forbes.com/2003/04/08/cx_ld_0408webex.html =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Global Pay Systems LLC http://globalpaysystems.net E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com From etd_post@gapent.com Thu Apr 17 04:55:56 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (5.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.5]) by gapent.com (8.12.9/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h3HAtttW090614 for ; Thu, 17 Apr 2003 04:55:56 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030417065321.0153b008@gapent.com> X-Sender: etdpost@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Thu, 17 Apr 2003 06:54:44 -0400 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Subject: ETD: 678 Retailing isn't easy; Lillian Vernon to go private; International calling; Internet Sales Tax update; B2B:EBay's Newest $1 Billion Business Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0678 April 17, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] Retailing isn't easy [3] Lillian Vernon to go private ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] International calling [5] Internet Sales Tax update [6] B2B:EBay's Newest $1 Billion Business =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: As if retailing isn't hard enough - look at what some of our European brethren suffer with. Laws that deter retailing as we know it in the US. Is it good or bad? What do you think? Along those same lines, I note that marketing is very different in various parts of the world. At a previous engagement, when I touted how good our services were, I was chastised by many from outside the US. In fact, the Chief Minister of the BVI where we were HQ'd suggested that we tone down our marketing, since "we don't do that here." What's it like in your country? An old client is going private - Lillian Vernon. IMHO, that was a success story far greater than Martha Stewart and the like. Lillian Hochberg (who changed her name to Vernon) took $500 in wedding gift money and created the mail order dynasty. Unfortunately the past couple of years weren't so good for the business. Patty Sachs reports some success with international calling. For those of us who do a lot of international business, it may be of interest. Finally, it looks like EBay's next major stake will be B2B. All those now defunct B2B portals couldn't make a go of it, so it will be interesting to see how EBay does. And we have an update on Internet sales tax. Get ready folks. Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] Retailing isn't easy =================================================================== Retailing isn't easy. And if you think it's hard in the US, think again. Let's look at some retailing rules in Europe: 1. The Belgian Economy Minister sued France's Carrefour supermarket to halt a campaign that offered price reductions on dozens of items. Why? They didn't have sufficient stock to satisfy demand for the products and thus was engaging on "deceptive publicity." Guess they don't like rain checks. 2. In the Netherlands retailers can offer two products for the price of one as a special promotion, but Belgium only permits three for the price of two. 3. In France the value of a gift premium must not exceed 7% of the cost of the goods it comes with. That means if you buy two shirts and get a free tie, you'll only get a bad tie. 4. Predatory pricing - selling below cost to drive competitors out of business - is illegal everywhere including the U.S. But many European nations also ban outright the promotions and discount prices that are standard in America. Eight of the 15 E.U. members outlaw "loss leaders" - the sale of products below cost to tempt consumers into the store. 5. Germany, France and some of the Scandinavian countries are deeply skeptical about the value of promotions, arguing that they distort rational purchasing decisions and thus work against the consumer's best interest. Guess the consumers aren't smart enough to make their own decisions. 6. Belgium bans the use of customer loyalty cards which allows consumers to accumulate points when making purchases and then exchange them for free products (such cards are legal in other parts of Europe). 7. When the Euro became legal, the clothing store chain C&A, fearing chaos at it's tills, gave a 20% discount to German shoppers who paid with credit cards or debit cards, instead of cash for the first four days. Makes sense from a business point of view right? Not according to German authorities who said the discount breached unfair trading laws and the courts agreed, fining them 1 million Euros. What's it like in your country? George =================================================================== [3] Lillian Vernon to go private =================================================================== A former client Lillian Vernon Corp - the catalog business is going private. They agreed to be taken private by Strauss Zelnick's media investment firm for about $60 million, or $7.25 a share in cash. Former BMG Entertainment boss Strauss Zelnick, who is partnering with private equity firm Ripplewood Holdings to buy the money-losing Rye, N.Y.-based company, has ambitions to create the next Martha Stewart, with plans to move into licensing and television and to expand Vernon's online presence. The $260 million specialty catalog and online retailer, which owns several catalogs as well as outlet stores, was founded in 1951 by Lillian Hochberg, a German immigrant, with about $500 in wedding-gift money. She came up with the company's moniker by combining her name with the name of the town where she launched the business--Mount Vernon, N.Y.; she then changed her last name to match. Ms. Vernon, 75, who is chairman of the company, will give up her day-to-day operating responsibilities and become nonexecutive chairman. ZelnickMedia will be responsible for running the company. Lillian Vernon Corp. has lost money for the last three years: $9.6 million, or $1.08 a share, on revenues of $260 million in fiscal 2002, ended Feb. 23, 2002, and is expected to lose $1.84 a share in the latest fiscal year. Details at... http://www.crainsny.com/news.cms?newsId=5502 =================================================================== [4] International calling =================================================================== This message is for those of you who do not casually call International (for fear the cost will break you) for business or personal reasons. A friend of mine is stranded in Sydney Australia, recuperating from emergency surgery--I wanted to call her. I found a Virtual Calling Card service, signed up for $20.00 and within minutes had my pin number and within another few minutes I had my friend on the line---for 6 cents a minute. It can cost double that to call someone in your own state. I thought it was fantastic! Then, last night I tried a three way call so another of her friends could cheer her...it worked. I already have unlimited free long distance and now this VCC...I am in LD heaven. So, for anyone that is dreading long distance charges when it comes to venturing across the waters for business--these services are the good news answer. The service I used was www.WorldxChange.com I am sure there are others. George, I am sure you have researched and have found the best! I did not know they existed. Happy calling, Patty Sachs, Celebration Expert www.pattysachs.com P.S. These calls also sharpened my dialing dexterity...punching in 30 digits or more for pin numbers, etc. +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Thanks for sharing Patty. Telephone cards are very popular now. Many companies are offering them, including at least one of our clients. I did learn a lot about that industry that is worthy of note: 1. Just because the rates are low to one country, i.e., Australia in your case, doesn't mean they are low for all countries. There are points of termination with calls and the routing determines the rates. For those of us who fly, you will see cards from IDT in the inflight magazines. They list countries and rates which look great. Before you use the card in a country not listed, ask them for the rates. 2. Some phone companies offer special rates if you call particular countries. We call Mexico, Switzerland and the UK often, and found our long distance carrier (KISS-Covista) had excellent rates. All we had to do was ask. 3. In the NYC area, organized crime had gotten into the telephone credit card business and short-changed the cards. When you thought you bought a $20 card, you actually got $15. 4. Many people use telephone cards instead of long distance carriers. For example, Walmart offers a card for 3 cents a minute in the US, which is cheaper than most long distance carriers. The downside is you need to dial those 30 numbers to connect. George ================================================================== [5] Internet Sales Tax update ================================================================== With pure-play giants like Amazon and eBay still not on the sales tax bandwagon, the trend's impact on the overall e-commerce sector will remain muted in the short term. Once thought to be a monster waiting in the shadows, poised to bludgeon online commerce, Internet sales tax is proving to be more of a nuisance than a threat. Early this year, a half-dozen major multichannel retailers, including Toys "R" Us, Wal-Mart and Target, began collecting sales tax on online purchases. The transition came quietly, without much fanfare and, so far at least, without much fallout. None of the publicly traded companies that tacked on sales tax has reported first-quarter earnings yet; most are slated to post results later this month. But analysts say one thing is already clear: The advent of widespread sales tax collection by big-name e-tailers has not dampened overall e-commerce growth. Will this promising trend continue in the future, or will consumers rise up against online sales tax as its prevalence grows? Growing Strong According to comScore/Media Metrix, online sales in the first two months of 2003, when tax collection began, rose 26 percent overall compared with the same time period last year, reaching US$13.9 billion. For nontravel spending, the category of sales most likely to be newly taxed, growth amounted to 19 percent, to a total of $7.8 billion. Indeed, one argument used to oppose online sales tax for so long was that implementing it would derail e-commerce growth. With e-commerce topping $45 billion in 2002, according to U.S. Department of Commerce data, that argument has lost much of its punch. But some people never bought this argument anyway, saying consumers began using the Web to make purchases not because of lower prices, but because of convenience. Because the nature of the Internet promotes comparison shopping, in the short term, multichannel retailers that have begun collecting sales tax could lose business to pure-plays that eschew such charges. But even that may be a short-lived phenomenon. Once-staunch opposition to a blanket Internet sales tax has weakened considerably amid state budget shortfalls, which have prompted states that have long defended a tax-free Internet, including California, to take another look at this issue. Details at... http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/21278.html =================================================================== [6] B2B:EBay's Newest $1 Billion Business =================================================================== EBay formally launched its business and industrial marketplace site in January, creating a central location where enterprises can buy or sell anything from drill bits to dump trucks. On an annualized basis the site is already selling $1 billion worth of goods, up 50% in the last two years, according to eBay Business general manager Jordan Glazier. About 7% of the $14.8 billion worth of merchandise sold on eBay as a whole in 2002 was accounted for by business-to-business sales. Big manufacturers like Motorola (nyse: MOT - news - people ) and Silicon Graphics (nyse: SGI - news - people ) have been using eBay for some time as a low-cost means of selling overstocked or obsolete inventory, but it is small- and medium-sized businesses that eBay sees as the growth engine for eBay Business. Hundreds of thousands of companies large and small already use eBay for business transactions. While the increase in the number of small and medium-size businesses that sell to individual consumers has been key to driving eBay's growth, says Salomon Smith Barney analyst Lanny Baker, "if they can turn those small-business sellers into buyers on the site, that's a lot of purchasing power". Unlike many of the now-defunct business-to-business brainstorms dating back to the dot-com era, eBay didn't establish its business marketplace and then try to recruit users. Instead, management began to notice a critical mass of business activity on eBay last year and decided to consolidate it at one place on the site. Rather than relying on small-business owners in search of cheap PCs stumbling upon the business marketplaces, eBay is starting to promote its business marketplace systematically. It is running ads in trade magazines and visiting trade shows to get to know distributors--and with good reason. "The average price point on eBay Business is several times that of the rest of the site," Glazier says. A piece of equipment for a physical-therapy practice can list at $25,995, while one piece of equipment in the pumps category lists at $150,000. Industrial sales have the same inexpensive listing fees that apply to items on the rest of the site, excluding cars and real estate. Posting a sale costs between 30 cents and $3.30. But eBay also takes a cut of each business sale that ranges from 1.5% to 2.75% or 5.25%, correlating inversely to the final value of each item. If its $1 billion a year in business-to-business sales is realized, that alone could add roughly $33 million in commissions to the company's annual revenue ($1.2 billion in 2002).* Details at... http://www.forbes.com/2003/04/14/cx_pp_0414ebay.html =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Global Pay Systems LLC http://globalpaysystems.net E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com From etd_post@gapent.com Tue Apr 22 05:23:42 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (5.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.5]) by gapent.com (8.12.9/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h3MBNfUi052559 for ; Tue, 22 Apr 2003 05:23:42 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030421121153.0153ec30@gapent.com> X-Sender: etdpost@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2003 07:23:27 -0400 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Subject: ETD: 679 Internet E-Mail Stamp; Lillian Vernon interview; International calling; Internet Sales Tax update; The Architecture War Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-MIME-Autoconverted: from quoted-printable to 8bit by gapent.com id h3MBNfUi052559 Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0679 April 22, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] Internet E-Mail Stamp [3] Lillian Vernon interview ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] International calling [5] Internet Sales Tax update [6] The Architecture War =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: We have some very interesting posts from list members today, in particular the Internet Mail Stamp and Sales Tax. Let's hear from you. What do you think? The New York International Auto Show is on now until April 27. If you have an opportunity to visit you should do so. I get the distinct impression that auto manufacturers are thumbing their noses at the oil producers as they produce (or show concepts of) the monster cars - like Cadillac's Sixteen with 1,000 horsepower. Now I love fast cars, but that one scares me. The show itself seems to have more convertibles than any time in the past (or maybe it's because I'm looking for a convertible ;-). The most unique new "car" is the Dodge Tomahawk concept car, a 500-horsepower Viper V-10 engine powering the dual rear wheels gives this radical vehicle a potential top speed of 420 miles per hour - for anyone who wants to test it. It looks like a four wheel motorcycle (see links at end of digest). How was business this Easter? How's it look for the coming months? Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] Internet E-Mail Stamp =================================================================== I would have thought with the extreme amount of traffic of viral and affiliate generated email and the fact that a lot of recipients are now getting fed up with the volume of unwanted traffic (especially when they pay on high speed connections by traffic volume) that it was time to introduce an email stamp taking the cost of email from the recipient to the sender. I would have thought this charge alone would fund the Internet and reduce traffic to a manageable amount. Also it could replace sales tax so that the Internet channel distributes the cost of doing business appropriately. I guess this would not be viewed well by many on-line companies but consumers are bearing the cost and deleting an unopened email is of no value to the sender and it cost the recipient to download it. Many reputable companies have moved to permission based lists but as an example about a quarter of my mail this year has been affiliate mail trying to sell either growth hormones, or the Norton Firewall email (I am not sure if it actually is even a Norton affiliate as you have to pay US$29.99 before you get the programme) Kind Regards Michael Campbell Director Selling Innovation http://www.sellinginnovation.co.nz +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Sometimes it's the simple things that work - like a "stamp." The issue is who enforces it and how? Mass mailers have their own ISP, so how will fees be collected? There is no central fee collecting organization. It could be something the US Postal Service could do, and distribute the money to the various countries postal services for distribution. But, we all know what happens when governments get involved. Perhaps it could be collected when you register your ISP. The firewalls work, as do spam killers. However, they don't reduce traffic, merely redirect it. And they need a lot of fine tuning to work well. BTW, those Norton specials are not real per Symantec. They claim they are rip offs of products, and you shouldn't fall victim to them. I received many and sent my "Boulder Pledge" to abuse@symantec.com along with the offers. They replied and asked me to send any that I got. In two days I have 30+, and gave up. List members, what do you think about a stamp? At first blush it sounds like consumers would pay, but not necessarily so. How can it be controlled? George =================================================================== [3] Lillian Vernon interview =================================================================== If anyone would like more information about how Lillian Vernon started the company or tips from Lillian for business startups today, we have an interview with her on our site. http://www.businessknowhow.com/homeoffice/lillian_interview.htm --Janet Attard Author, The Home Office and Small Business Answer Book Business Know-How® - small business, career and self-employment resources http://www.businessknowhow.com/newsletter/current.htm +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Nice interview Janet. We can learn a lot from Lillian. Thanks George =================================================================== [4] International calling =================================================================== In the latest issue of E-Tailer's Digest, Patty Sachs talked about using calling cards to make International calls and you commented "The downside is you need to dial those 30 numbers to connect." I am experimenting this year with calling cards to see if they help reduce our overall long distance bills and possibly save me from the incredible hassle of choosing a new long distance carrier. I found a shorter and much faster solution to punching in the card numbers each time. I have programmed two of the phone number programmable keys on my phone - the first is the toll free number you are need to call and the second is the PIN code assigned to you on the card. This process takes lot of the aggravation out of using a calling card (at least for me it does). Regards, Ron Coble Coble International - International Marketing Services http://www.ImportExportHelp.com +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Great idea Ron. Many phones now have programmable keys. I know a number of small companies that are using this method. Our long distance carrier charges 3 cents a minute plus great international rates. For the past year that we have used them, we haven't had any problems. George ================================================================== [5] Internet Sales Tax update ================================================================== The trend I've seen is that consumers look at shipping and handling charges for on-line purchases. Ebay and Amazon both come to mind as businesses where I've watched consumers check out shipping and handling charges as one of the determining factors in making purchases on-line instead of locally. As long as the shipping and handling charges roughly equaled the amount of sales tax that would be spent if the consumer had to travel to a physical retail store, then the purchase was acceptable. After all, you get to save the time and gas of physically going to a store. However, with many larger retailers bumping up the handling charge for on-line orders, if sales tax is added to this total, then when the consumer begins adding up the totals, it might not be so convenient to shop on-line anymore. Remember that a large percentage of on-line shopping carts are abandoned prior to the consumer completing the purchase. I believe this often has to do with sticker shock over the shipping and handling charges, which are usually not revealed until the last stages of checkout. Since Internet sales are a growing market, many consumers are just now beginning to trust the Internet to make purchases on-line. I believe that the continued growth of Internet sales isn't going to be a true indicator of whether or not a sales tax is hampering on-line retail. After all, a continued increase in people venturing on-line should increase the volume of sales, even in a tough market. Perhaps a better indicator is the percentage of on-line shopping carts that are abandoned prior to completion of the transaction. If this percentage increases, then obviously some other factor-- such as sales tax being collected for on-line purchases-- is the cause. It will be interesting to see how collecting an Internet sales tax affects the shipping/handling charges that are charged by the large e-tailers. L. Martin Decorate Now Patterns and Supplies for the Custom Drapery Workroom +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Sounds like the mail order issues that have been bantered about for years. Perhaps some of our mail order gurus can give us their perspective? What do you think? George =================================================================== [6] The Architecture War =================================================================== First it was the hardware wars (which IBM won); then the operating system wars (which Microsoft won); then the database wars (which IBM had with Lotus Notes, then lost). Now we have the architecture wars - Microsoft's proprietary .NET on one side and the open system Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) on the other side, supported by IBM and others. What's a company to do? Do we follow the Microsoft proprietary trail, or go the open system route? Open system was the hot topic in the 1980's, when the mini computer industry faded away, and the manufacturers were trying to regroup. So they touted open systems, which said their proprietary systems are no longer proprietary, or they wrote code to allow their proprietary systems to link with other companies. I was involved in that melee and negotiated business partnerships with NCR, HP and IBM, who were all former competitors of MAI (where I was North American Marketing Manager). Unix was big, as it allowed more flexibility with various manufacturers. Open systems was wonderful for retailers. Now you could have a Fujitsu Point of Sale system, with an NCR in-store processor, tied into an IBM back end system. Microsoft ingenious ploys to have their operating systems installed on all PCs virtually ended the wars. Of course, those mini manufacturers never believed the PC would ever become as powerful as they are today. Now we are in another war. Who will win? Will the .NET architecture be the platform of the future or will open systems really have merit? IBM lost the database war with Lotus Notes, which is now a stale system and folks are jumping ship fast. Will they be able to regain market share or will Microsoft take over once again? How will it help or hurt retailers? What do you think? George =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Global Pay Systems LLC http://globalpaysystems.net E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com Dodge Tomahawk http://www.tiscali.co.uk/motoring/firstimp/2003/01/13/story_1.html New York International Auto Show http://www.autoshowny.com/ From etd_post@gapent.com Thu Apr 24 05:33:45 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (6.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.6]) by gapent.com (8.12.9/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h3OBXiBX064524 for ; Thu, 24 Apr 2003 05:33:45 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030423184406.0155b978@gapent.com> X-Sender: etdpost@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Thu, 24 Apr 2003 07:33:03 -0400 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Subject: ETD: 680 Internet E-Mail Stamp; New York Auto Show; Internet Sales Tax update;Architecture War;RFID Expectations Unveiled at AMR Conference Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0680 April 24, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] Internet E-Mail Stamp [3] New York Auto Show ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] Internet Sales Tax update [5] The Architecture War [6] RFID Expectations Unveiled at AMR Conference =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: We have a full issue today - contributions from our list members on these important topics. So my comments will be brief. Let's hear from you. What do you think about these issues that affect us all? Or any other issue that is important to retailers/etailers? Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] Internet E-Mail Stamp =================================================================== Our moderator wrote... >Sometimes it's the simple things that work - like a "stamp." > The issue is who enforces it and how? It could be something > the US Postal Service could do, and distribute the money to > the various countries postal services for distribution. But, > we all know what happens when governments get involved. I don't see any reason to get governments or ISPs involved. Neither are exactly revered for their customer service, nor their imagination/creativity/problem solving :) If it is left to the user to choose a filtering/stamp mechanism, then competitive services can be created. Involving governments and ISPs will only make the situations worse. One such service is http://www.emailstamps.net. I don't particularly care for their implementation of the idea, but the idea is a sound one. The main thing I don't care about re: their system is that prospects would be asked to pay to inquire about a potential purchase via email. Sounds like a great way to run off a prospect. Not to mention PayPal is the real winner in this deal. Mark Riffey Granite Bear Vertical business management software www.granitebear.com +++ [Next Post] +++ Scenario One; Place the onus of handling stamp charges on the ISP's of the senders as they are in a position to account for all outgoing emails. They then charge the individual senders according to each's output. This sounds like putting the wolves in charge of the henhouse to me. It would be too easy for a sender to charge the customer properly, but under-report their output, generating illegal income. But, for the sake of discussion, let's assume we can trust the sending ISP to honestly report their output; First, the sending ISP would take their share for handling the stamp charges. They would then have to pass the remainder, with reports [honest or not], on to what agency for final management/re-distribution? How does this scenario work for you? Scenario Two; Put the onus on the receiving ISP to track all incoming email and bill sending ISPs for stamp charges. Receiving ISPs would get a handling share of the stamp charge for their services. Again, this leaves too much opportunity for generating illegal income by overbilling, so we again will assume, for the sake of discussion, that receiving ISP's will honestly report their incoming load and generate correct sender lists from their logs. Do they then bill the sending ISPs for their stamp charges? Or, do they send reports to an agency for billing out? Again, what agency? How does this scenario work for you? Scenario Three; Set up an automatic system to manage this information. It still needs to be passed to an agency for billing, distribution, use, etc. So, it's obvious that, no matter which scenario we choose, we need to create a new agency to monitor all email that flows globally and 'stamp charge' accordingly. First, who does this agency charge - the ISP or the actual sender? Charge the ISP and you will cut down on the number of spam friendly ISPs. Charge the actual sender and you hit them directly in the pocketbook BUT - and this is a HUGE ,'but', - this type of monitoring flies in the face of the idea of an open society. Now, I don't want to get into a political discussion here, but open societies are more business friendly societies. Enterprise flourishes and the economy expands. So, how do you resolve the dichotomy of an open society with the ultimate communications monitoring system ever thought up? How does this scenario work for you? Have I missed something obvious? After all, any agency would have to be international as spam knows no borders. This just makes the proposition much harder to handle regarding the final disposition of stamp charges generated. I shudder at the thought of an email stamp - and I don't use bulk email for any purpose at all. Will someone please tell me there is a 'Scenario Four' I have not thought of? Gary K. Foote Webbers Communications http://www.webbers.com 603-447-1024 gkfoote@webbers.com +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Interesting comments guys. Thanks. I do see another opportunity for digital currency. A stamp needs some way to collect. PayPal is an alternative, but only goes down to cents. A stamp would need micro payments - down to six decimal places. George =================================================================== [3] New York Auto Show =================================================================== Our moderator wrote.. > they produce (or show concepts of) the monster cars - like Cadillac's > Sixteen with 1,000 horsepower. Now I love fast cars, but that one scares > me. The show itself seems to have more convertibles than any time in the > past (or maybe it's because I'm looking for a convertible ;-). The most > unique new "car" is the Dodge Tomahawk concept car, a 500-horsepower Viper > V-10 engine powering the dual rear wheels gives this radical vehicle a > potential top speed of 420 miles per hour - for anyone who wants to test > it. It looks like a four wheel motorcycle (see links at end of digest). I seem to recall, the average Corvette drives about 50,000 miles per fatality. Having lived on a straight road just after a curve, I can tell you that people have trouble handing a normal car at about 45 miles per hour. Cost us about five mailboxes and a very nice parked car to learn that. Also two concrete culvert and three telephone poles, one of which was chopped off about 3.5 - 4 feet above the ground by a flying truck. 200mph? Not till we have computers driving! (And it better not be Windows!) 420mph? Not till they have rails to keep the car on the road! -javilk- ------------------- IMAGINEERING -------------------- --------------- Every click, a vote. ---------------- ----- Do people vote for, or against your pages? ---- -- What people want: http://www.SitePsych.com/free -- ----------------------------------------------------- +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ I still think all countries should do as Germany does. You take a 6 month driving course before you get a license. Of course with no speed limit on the Autobahn, you need training. I was once doing 135 MPH (210 KPH) there and was passed by like I was standing still. BTW, there were other interesting autos at the show. I'm looking for a new car, so I went to the International Auto Show in NYC. Interesting stuff. It's almost as if they are saying let's get away from the SUV's and go with massive gas guzzling cars instead. 1. The Dodge Tomahawk - a four wheel "car" that sure looks like a motorcycle. 500 HP with top end speed of 420 MPH. http://www.tiscali.co.uk/motoring/firstimp/2003/01/13/story_1.html 2. The concept Cadillac Sixteen with 1,000 horsepower. It's competing with the Maybach. 3. Lincoln and Chrysler had what appeared to be SUV/car crossovers. Lincoln had the Navicross which has the front end of the Navigator on an auto frame. Massive. 4. Lot's of convertibles, which is what I want this year. Just about every manufacturer has one or more. BMW had 4-5. BTW, I understand that now that BMW is being made in Spartanburg SC, they are officially changing their name from Bavarian Motor Works to Bubba Makes Wheels. ;-) I like the Mercedes SLK 230 and the BMW Z4 ("Land Shark"). Although the highest rated convertible according to Edmunds is still Mazda Miata, which my wife owns. 5. A couple of hardtop convertibles where the hard top folds into the trunk, yet gives you room for luggage. Of course, they had to drag me away from the Ferrari/Maserati displays. No doubt, one can easily kill oneself with many of these vehicles. New York International Auto Show http://www.autoshowny.com/ BTW, Ford will be discontinuing the T-Bird at the end of 2005. George ================================================================== ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- IMPROVE YOUR CLOSING RATIO If you sell a service or an intangible product, we will improve your sales closing ratio. GUARANTEED! See results within three months. http://www.gapent.com/services/sales_strategy.htm ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- ================================================================== [4] Internet Sales Tax update ================================================================== Hope all is well. Here's my two cents...again. First Sales Tax issue, then S&H issue. In the past I think I've made clear our associations stance on the cross state sales tax issue. We greatly appose any "new" taxes. I've heard all the arguments, they don't hold water with us. I want to vent on two arguments. The latest amnesty thing with big retailers collecting tax. They should have been collecting it all the time, from each State they have a store in anyway. They tried to pull a fast one. This is no concession for "true" direct marketers to follow. It does give warning to collect tax from places you have a physical presence. Losing tax dollars, I haven't seen it proved. Many theories and estimates, but that's about it. Even if it were so, as more and more retailers build sales on the web things will even out. Also, don't forget that most every state has a "use tax" that citizens are suppose to pay if they purchase goods from out of State. Guess what, people don't pay it. They don't want to! So the States are trying to put the collection burden on the company that is selling. Okay... As for Shipping and Handling. 1. Many smaller companies are loosing money on each order because of the cost of order handling and shipping. Many are afraid to charge what they need in fear of loosing sales. Others just don't pay attention to how much it really costs and think they have it covered. But don't! It is easier for bigger companies to weather the storm because they have efficiencies in volume. But if you notice how many big catalogs are in trouble- big volume isn't everything either. But the majority now-a-days do NOT try to make a profit center from S&H charges, it's already hard enough to get an order. Here's a breakdown of what some bigger companies try to do for S&H. 13% Cover outbound freight only. 21% Cover Freight and Materials 18% Cover Freight, Materials and Direct warehouse labor. ----- = 52% ---- 19% Charge what they think the market will bear. 26% Charge relative to competition. (Note: in reality some of these people could be counted with the first 52%) 1% Provide Free S&H year round. 1% Provide Free S&H during peak shopping periods. 1% Don't know how they are coming up with it. Hope this helps. By the way, we have the 2003 directory of mail order catalogs now available on our site. Over 11,000 listings in 40 product categories. You can find more info here: http://www.nmoa.org/catalog/index.htm -- Best regards, John Schulte, Chairman National Mail Order Association Email: schulte@nmoa.org Tel: 612-788-1673 Direct Marketing Discussions at: www.DMchat.com http://www.nmoa.org +++ [Next Post] +++ Hiya to George and all the readers. Firstly I do not see why an Internet sale should be exempt from sales tax that phone call sales must pay. If someone orders an item from an infomercial by calling the '800' number, the shipper must charge sales tax depending on the state that it is being shipped into. How is an point and click any different or more ephemeral than a phone call? The e-tailers have been treated to a competitive advantage that I don't think they are entitied to. Re: email 'stamps' - Who is the Internet that "they" can levy such a tax? If we compare this again to phone calls, there is a tax on the service provided on your monthly phone bill, but there is no "tax" per se on communications. I am not a lawyer but I do remember a revolutione a couple of hundred years ago that included gripes about a stamp tax. Personally, I'd pay LOTS to eliminate the spam. It and the viruses that they promulgate are a large problem for all users and businesses. perhaps if the sender had to pay it would stop a lot of the nonsense. Who would levy such a tax? The very freedoms that the Internet provides prohibits such a tax or stamp. Should such a tax be instituted it would be too easy to circumvent via offshore servers etc. That's my two cents worth. Joe Dweck =================================================================== [5] The Architecture War =================================================================== Our moderator wrote... > Open system was the hot topic in the 1980's, when the mini computer > industry faded away, and the manufacturers were trying to regroup. So they Which would you like writing your code, a crack team of well paid programmers under the gun of a shipping date? Or a bunch of guys, often over one hundred times more guys, doing what they love just because they love doing it? And shipping the next release when they are satisfied! Whom do your trust with your car problems, your expensive and terse garage mechanic; or "Click and Clack" and others having fun explaining things on PBS? I use Linux, not because it is technically superior, but because it lets ME describe to it what I need done, try it, glue working bits and pieces together to form larger things. In the end, it just works for me without interruption. It's like batch files on steroids. Windows? I'd have to buy an expensive set of professional tools and learn an incredible amount of stuff to be able to program it to do anything. I can describe and start doing the same thing in Linux in one tenth the time with one tenth the effort. And it runs three to five times faster. In fact, that's what I use to do before a friend dropped a Linux CD on my desk as a birthday present in 1995. Yes, I am a professional programmer. It's still ten times faster and easier to use Linux! Think what that means to a non-programmer... Possible vs Impossible, maybe-affordable vs Totally Unaffordable! Open Source means that anyone, be it on your payroll or a "fellow sufferer" in Sweden, can look at the source, find the bug, and post the fix for it. And that's exactly what they do. Bug, after bug, after bug is fixed, and done at a far faster rate than any single corporation could afford to pay for. The stuff Evolves! > allowed more flexibility with various manufacturers. Open systems was > wonderful for retailers. Now you could have a Fujitsu Point of Sale > system, with an NCR in-store processor, tied into an IBM back end system. > > Microsoft's ingenious ploys to have their operating systems installed on all > PCs virtually ended the wars. At our expense! You can buy a Linux PC for $200. Or Less. Windows? Add several hundred dollars. And gimicked demos aside, the machine runs a lot slower! As for IBM, they are endorsing Linux these days. (Their research guys forced them to -- the labs I worked in ran mostly Linux the year before they announced.) Why should they buy write the operating system when they can put Linux on their hardware practically for free? Same for SGI. SUN seems to be slowly coming around. When Gates made the decision to irrevocably integrate the browser into the operating system for legal reasons, he committed a colossal technical blunder - making it _irrevocably_ _intertwined_ reverses the trend toward modularity, flexibility, etc. and makes fast response to evolutionary changes in the world nearly impossible. -javilk- ------------------- IMAGINEERING -------------------- --------------- Every click, a vote. ---------------- ----- Do people vote for, or against your pages? ---- -- What people want: http://www.SitePsych.com/free -- ----------------------------------------------------- =================================================================== [6] RFID Expectations Unveiled at AMR Conference =================================================================== The buzz at last week's third annual AMR Retail and Consumer Goods Executive Conference in Chicago was ePC/RFID (electronic Product Code/Radio Frequency Identification). Speakers on the topic included Pete Abell, AMR's research director, retail industry service, and Gap Inc.'s executive vice president and chief supply chain officer, Chuck Crovitz. Crovitz indicated that Gap was very impressed with the results of last year's RFID pilot throughout its supply chain and straight through the store to checkout. Crovitz cited great visibility at store level where Gap was able to take inventory, as he says, "six times an hour rather than two times a year!" In spite of the pilot's positive ROI, Crovitz feels it is "a little too soon" for the Gap to make the full investment in ePC/RFID. Gap is currently in a wait and see mode, in part, waiting for the cost of implementation to come down, but more importantly, waiting for the consumer privacy concerns to be effectively addressed. The consumer privacy issue is perhaps the biggest concern surrounding this technology, affecting CGs and retailers alike. AMR's Abell addressed the issue forcefully in his conference session and in an exclusive RIS News interview. Abell says the technology industry must build a "tag kill" command into every tag. In addition, he says consumers must be given a notice of use and also a consent and choice option regarding the tags. Consumer trust in the technology and the companies that use it will be paramount for its ultimate success. Early signs of adoption by retail and consumer goods leaders including Home Depot, Target, Gillette, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Kimberly-Clark and others, equal one trillion dollars in retail sales according to Abell. He fully expects ePC/RFID to be transformational for both the retail and consumer goods industries. One sign of RFID's momentum is Wal-Mart's expectation that all supplier pallets be marked with RFID tags by 2005. Abell stated that supermarkets will have to adopt RFID as soon as possible and should be contacting suppliers and saying, "hey, if you're doing this for Wal-Mart, we want to tap into the effort and get the cost savings." Details at... http://www.consumergoods.com/newsletter/cgt_newsletter.htm#1 =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Global Pay Systems LLC http://globalpaysystems.net E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com From etd_post@gapent.com Tue Apr 29 05:05:05 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (26.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.26]) by gapent.com (8.12.9/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h3TB51kM022019 for ; Tue, 29 Apr 2003 05:05:02 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030428165457.01539280@gapent.com> X-Sender: etdpost@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2003 07:04:30 -0400 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Subject: ETD: 681 Google Ads; MasterCard Settles As Antitrust Trial Opens; Internet E-Mail Stamp; Internet Sales Tax again; Tabletop Marketers Must Embrace Experiential Marketing to Reinvigorate Sales Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-MIME-Autoconverted: from quoted-printable to 8bit by gapent.com id h3TB51kM022019 Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0681 April 29, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] Google Ads [3] Internet E-Mail Stamp ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] Internet Sales Tax again [5] MasterCard Settles As Antitrust Trial Opens [6] Tabletop Marketers Must Embrace Experiential Marketing to Reinvigorate Sales =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: We have another full issue today. Our list members have provided some very insightful information on these important topics. Interesting to note that MasterCard has settled the class action suit brought against them and Visa by WalMart and millions of other retailers. Supposedly it will result in lower charges on debit cards, which will mean more use of them in the US (IMHO). Although I can't figure out how MC or Visa will make any money if debit cards are used - it's transaction fees only, which means less money earned. Our Global Pay Systems earns money on transactions, and many times we considered fractional reserves or offering credit, but decided against it. The risk wasn't worth the reward, albeit a very high reward. Has anybody tried Google Ads or anything similar (click thrus and keywords)? I'm curious to know your results. What's happening with the upcoming Mother's Day, Father's Day and graduation season? How's business? Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] Google Ads =================================================================== Does anybody have any experience with Google Ads? We just started a couple for high end services. In the past we had some excellent results. A colleague on WC List wrote and gave some excellent results that they had with selling products: "Google ads are doing quite well. I especially like them now because you only pay for click-thru's instead of "imprints" which used to really run up the bill. One site I run, which sells video transfer services, a relatively hi-price item, has gotten 13,700 hits since September from Google at an average cost of $0.36/hit and we're getting about a 12% buy rate. Not too bad for a fairly vertical market item. Another site, which is an online store selling over-the-counter health and beauty stuff, has gotten 2350 hits since April at an average cost of $0.25/hit, but at a lower buy %, probably because their prices are not very competitive, but we're working on that. You really have to baby sit and tweak Google to get the click-thru's, and Google will summarily dump keywords if they don't perform up to their standards (maintain a 0.5% CTR) but I have found that position isn't super important unless you're really down below the bottom border of the browser window because people tend to shop the whole array of ads. On the video transfer site, they're looking for the most convincing evidence of know-how and capability. On the on-line store, it's all about price. However, the short answer to your question is I'm satisfied with the ROI on Google." Anybody have any comments or experiences with Google? Any other favorites? George =================================================================== [3] Internet E-Mail Stamp =================================================================== Looks like I got the discussion revved up on the e-stamp issue. Here's scenario four. Many people are changing their email addresses every year to avoid spam meaning genuine direct list marketers have a cost to keep up with their genuine customers. Other than that, the customer (remember them) do not want to receive unsolicited mail and why should they absorb the cost of a email clean up programme? So the cost should go to the person who sent the email. I agree we (need to) have an open web society and that it has helped small business get going and the cost is minimal. Its not the one email to my friend that's the issue - its the six million emails that are the issue - they are clogging up the system and filling up the inbox throughout the world. I pay on an ADSL volume basis so the more spam I am sent the more I pay! As many others move to this model the spam backlash will begin Another anology is that of real estate - an agent I know tells me that they have a budget for advertising in their office - and they spread the cost of advertising across the properties they sell - they charge on the basis of margin of sale. So every property that lists either to see what the market is offering or asks insane prices for the property (and therefore don't sell) cost me money when I sell. To my mind an open market is one which is deregulated but which attributes cost appropriately - if you want to send spam then don't penalize me - the recipient At the end of the day sensible marketers will understand buyer behavior and desist from spam and undesirable direct tactics. On behalf of the customer Kind Regards Michael Campbell Director Selling Innovation http://www.sellinginnovation.co.nz +++ [Next Post] +++ This is a complex subject that requires a lot of strategic thought on a global basis. As in Michael's case, and in other areas where you pay for web access by "traffic volume" Spam has a greater negative affect. Here are my current thoughts off the cuff. There is no one that would like to get less "Spam" than me. I get well over 100 junk e-mails each and every day. I consider Spam to be mass collected "un-targeted" e-mails that have false Subject lines and/or with bogus sender/reply-to addresses, porn and gambling, that have no thought for relevant or related content to me. I do not consider targeted e-mails with relevant and real subject lines and content sent from a real sender to be Spam, whether I know them or not. And if this is all I received I would be happy as a clam. Sure I would get things that I don't have an interest in, but I'm on the web to send and receive information and weeding through some stuff is expected and a cost of doing business on the web. The bulk of the trouble that I can see so far, (and I don't have 20/20 web vision) comes from overseas "Spam" factories. It's hard to stop them, and not affect the people that play by the rules. I really don't mind the concept of a "Stamp" or other verification method that would allow people to get through to my e-mail box and weed out others. In fact, I would love to have the National Mail Order Association be the certifier. However, I don't like the idea of a charge for each and every e-mail sent. This puts an extra cost burden on small companies and start-ups. Perhaps opt-in list houses would carry a blanket "Stamp" that would cover all the e-mail lists they manage. And if you do your own e-mailings you could buy a permit like a bulk mail permit from the USPS, and that would last a year. And if you were found to be going against the rules you could loose your permit. Strong proof would have to be presented to loose your permit though, to avoid frivolous accusations from your competitors or nuts with nothing better to do than to try and shut you down. You would then have to have the Internet community follow by supporting the "stamp" or "permit". But if history has taught me anything, the bad guys can shut down and be back up under a new disguise at will no matter what is done. Just like people that do mail fraud and telephone fraud. I expect that eventually the problem may start correcting itself through economics if people stop buying from Spammers or e-mails that do not carry full company information with a phone number. Perhaps what needs to be done is a International PR campaign that tells people not to buy from e-mails without the proper company identification in the e-mail. There you have my thoughts for today on the subject. -- Best regards, John Schulte Chairman National Mail Order Association Email: schulte@nmoa.org Tel: 612-788-1673 Direct Marketing Discussions at: www.DMchat.com +++ [Next Post] +++ Our moderator wrote... >PayPal is an alternative, but only goes down to cents. A stamp >would need micro payments - down to six decimal places. We've used jfax (j2.com) for fax communications for about 5 years now (and still love it, especially when on the road). Their model for sending is to ding your card for $10. When the balance is gone, they'll ding it again. Micropayments *can* be made from an accounts of this type, since the standard money processing systems only see the $10 txn. Perhaps the jfax model is one possible solution to the micropayments issue. Mark Riffey Granite Bear Vertical Business Management Software http://www.granitebear.com +++ [Next Post] +++ A stamp would merely legitimatize spam. How much does it cost to stuff and send a snail-mail brochure? $1.00? $1.50? Would you pay $150 to ask an e-mail list of web consultants one question about something? Would you pay $150 to answer such a question? (I think a dot-com tried just that in 1996...) Would you pay $900 to ask one question of a list of fellow allergics what they do about air filtration? Would you pay $900 to answer such a question with your own observations and personal experiences??? And how many thousands of dollars in revenue would you have to earn, George, per issue of E-Tailer's Digest to keep this work of love going? Fees like that would kill mailing lists. It would force them to get sponsors who then start demanding content conform to their advertising needs. I write about vitamins and health as a hobby, helping those with severe allergies, mostly to perfumes and solvents. When a pharmaceutical company started buying trailers on one of the allergy lists I wrote a lot on, their sponsor objected to all posts on vitamins because they saw vitamins as competition to their expensive pills. I and several others were barred from the list for our explanations of how vitamins and such helped us cure our own allergies and arthritis. The minute money enters into this, financial competition will drive honesty off the internet! Now, with many search engines selling raking, the voices of those who are harmed by products and those who have cheaper ways that they do not profit from, are being muffled. Speech is not free, it becomes more and more expensive as the collective wisdom and experiences of the people are being obscured by those with ulterior motives. We need to give the common man his right to free speech on the web. We also need to keep bullies with bullhorns from drowning him out, as they have on the Usenet News forums, arguably the greatest communications experience that ever was. My proposal has been at http://www.mall-net.com/spam/ since 1996. You decide what to charge unknowns based on topic and/or domain name. If they bid enough for your eyeballs, you get their e-mail. If not, no charge. Those whom you know, you charge nothing for. Bulk attempts to reach this would be clear commercial fraud. Biggest plus? All normal economic forces of any media will apply to force the usual evolutionary business of competing for your eyeballs. And YOU pocket the money! Anyone want to help me develop this idea? -javilk- ------------------- IMAGINEERING -------------------- --------------- Every click, a vote. ---------------- ----- Do people vote for, or against your pages? ---- -- What people want: http://www.SitePsych.com/free -- ----------------------------------------------------- +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Thanks all. Great comments. While we are looking at this to stop spam, as Javilk points out, it can hurt legitimate business. For example, I would have to reconsider publishing E-Tailer's Digest. I do it for the love of it, nothing else. If I had to pay, I would have to think twice. John Schulte's suggestion on boycotting could work. However, would people really stop buying? I won't buy any Symantec product because of the bombardment of spam for their products. I told them that I subscribe to the Boulder Pledge, which doesn't seem to affect them. What do you think? George ================================================================== ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- IMPROVE YOUR CLOSING RATIO If you sell a service or an intangible product, we will improve your sales closing ratio. GUARANTEED! See results within three months. http://www.gapent.com/services/sales_strategy.htm ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- ================================================================== [4] Internet Sales Tax again ================================================================== The telephone or mail-order company is not required to collect sales tax for any jurisdiction in which it has no physical presence. Many of the larger ones have been bullied into doing it, but the Supreme Court has ruled that if a vendor has no physical presence in a state, it is not required to collect sales tax. Period. This is because the vendor receives no services from that state where it has no presence. New York State might as well try to get Ontario or Iceland to collect NYS sales tax. Cheers, CMA +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ By the same token, a company that does not collect sales tax cannot use the judicial system in that state, to collect delinquencies or fraud for example. They get around it by using lawyers or collection services chartered to do business in that state. George +++ [Next Post] +++ Internet Sales Tax again-- Regarding an "unfair advantage" by not charging sales tax: I know that in my state, sales tax must be paid for *any* sale (retail, catalogue, or internet) if you sell within the state's boundaries. Currently, that means that if I sell in all 130 or so counties in my home state, that I must fill out 130+ Sales and Use forms, as well as calculate and charge 130+ *different* sales tax percentages, as the sales tax varies from county to county. This is unlike a traditional retailer that only has to charge one sales tax rate for the county where they are physically located, regardless of where their customers come from. According to my accountant, our state's current system is set up to pay sales tax not at the rate in the county that the e-tailer resides, but to pay the rate of the county where the *buyer* resides. This is opposite of traditional retail sales tax rules. The problem with an internet sales tax is that this problem has the potential to be multiplied a thousand fold, as each county asks for its own percentage of the sales tax, requiring the e-tailer to fill out not just one single Sales Tax and Use form, but thousands of forms. L Martin Decorate Now Patterns and Supplies for the Professional Drapery Workroom +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Nope. There will not be the unwieldy tax collections issues as reported at the beginning of this thread. Right now there are 7,500 jurisdictions in 40 states. 35 states are trying to coordinate their laws to create a far simpler, more uniform sales tax - Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement that state budget officials hammered out in meetings over several years. That will make it uniform throughout the US. When ten states adopt SSUTA it will be in effect - probably July. Now the issue is what happens with non-US businesses? George =================================================================== [5] MasterCard Settles As Antitrust Trial Opens =================================================================== MasterCard International settled its part of the antitrust lawsuit filed by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and millions of other retailers in a surprise move just as the trial was set to begin on April 28, 2003. MasterCard’s co-defendant Visa USA did not settle with the plaintiffs. No terms of the settlement have been disclosed. U.S. District Judge John Gleeson referred to MasterCard’s decision as one of the “11th hour,” and ordered MasterCard, Visa, Wal-Mart and the other plaintiffs not to speak publicly about the agreement. The retailers claim that as part of an “honor all cards” policy, Visa and MasterCard have been violating antitrust laws by forcing merchants to accept more costly offline debit cards, which require a signature, rather than less expensive online debit cards, which require a PIN. They are seeking billions of dollars in damages. Visa and MasterCard have argued that the policy is in the best interest of consumers. Before the settlement, many experts estimated that the trial would persist for many months and a verdict could be delayed for years on appeal. Visa’s attorneys began picking a jury and opening arguments in the trial are expected to begin on the afternoon of the 28th. http://www.greensheet.com/breakingnews.html I understand from the news that the settlement was for $1 billion. George =================================================================== [6] Tabletop Marketers Must Embrace Experiential Marketing to Reinvigorate Sales =================================================================== Today's tabletop industry, a mature slow-growth $8 billion market, must stop driving the business from a product perspective, as a range of different shapes, styles, designs and patterns for the table, but as an industry that provides consumers with things to enhance the dining and entertaining experience. In a presentation today at the National Tabletop and Giftware Association's Bridal Conference in New York, Pam Danziger, president of Unity Marketing said, "The 4P's of traditional marketing — product, price, placement and promotion — ignore the most important 'P' of all — the People! Rather than selling things for people to eat on, tabletop marketers and retailers should view the business from the consumers' perspective as providing consumers with the necessary tools and equipment to enhance their pleasure and enjoyment of dining and entertaining." With consumers' focus on enhancing the dining experience, it is easy to see why consumers today choose easy-care tableware twice as often as the higher-priced formal tableware. "Today's consumers don't view fine tabletop, including china dinnerware, crystal stemware or sterling silver that requires special care, as relevant to their lifestyle. "Rather they demand dinnerware, glassware and display pieces that they can live with and that fits their fast-paced, multitasking lifestyles. Fine bone china plates and sterling silver flatware is an anachronism, a remnant of a long lost time. For today's homemaker and hostess, dinnerware must go from freezer, to oven, to table, to dishwasher and still be pretty enough to display on the shelf," Danizger says. "Nobody has time today to hand wash the crystal or polish the silver." Unity Marketing publishes a research report, TABLETOP - Tabletop Report 2002: The Market, Competitors, Trends, to provide marketers and retailers with the facts and figures they need to build a vibrant tabletop business now and into the future. Based upon market research surveys among tabletop consumers, tabletop companies and retailers, it gives executives insight into the marketplace, where consumers shop for tabletop, how much they spend and why they buy. For more information on the report, visit www.unitymarketingonline.com. A copy of Pam's speech is available at http://www.whypeoplebuy.com/topics/presentations.html =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Global Pay Systems LLC http://globalpaysystems.net E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com From etd_post@gapent.com Thu May 1 05:31:06 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (33.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.33]) by gapent.com (8.12.9/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h41BV4sc053295 for ; Thu, 1 May 2003 05:31:05 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030430112128.0151dd88@gapent.com> X-Sender: etdpost@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Thu, 01 May 2003 07:30:30 -0400 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Subject: ETD: 682 Visa settles debit card lawsuit for $2 billion; Internet E-Mail Stamp; Internet Sales Tax again; Spam? What is it?; Music is intellectual property Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0682 May 1, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] Visa settles debit card lawsuit for $2 billion [3] Internet E-Mail Stamp ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] Internet Sales Tax again [5] Spam? What is it? [6] Music is intellectual property =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: We have some very interesting material today. Visa settled the class action suit; more on the E-Stamp and Internet sales tax. Seems the music industry is suffering with lack of royalties because of the Internet. I investigated this issue, and interviewed one of the artists, and see it is a serious problem. Perhaps lessons learned there can apply to other intellectual property owners. Now that Visa has settled, it looks like debit cards will be in use more in the US. The suit allows private networks outside the Visa/Mastercard network, which means giants like Wal-Mart may be offering their own. Without getting greedy, there is a lot of money to be made with transactional processing using debit cards. Instead of charging a percentage of sales, charge a flat fee per transaction. Trust me, there is a lot to be made. I believe we have the start of one battle with today's issue. Jim Straw asks "what is spam?" According to Jim, one man's junk is another's treasure. What do you think? Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] Visa settles debit card lawsuit for $2 billion =================================================================== Visa USA has reached a tentative settlement with Wal-Mart and thousands of other retailers just before their multibillion-dollar lawsuit over the company's popular debit cards was set to go to trial, both sides said late Wednesday. Visa USA said in a statement that it had reached "an important agreement in principle" with the plaintiffs and would change its debit card policies. THE DEAL is worth $2 billion, with terms similar to those agreed to between the retailers and MasterCard International on Monday, a source close to the plaintiffs told The Associated Press. The retailers claim Visa and MasterCard trapped them into paying high fees by demanding that stores that accept their credit cards also accept their debit cards. They also claim the companies have stifled competition. Visa and MasterCard have said the "honor all cards" policy is important so that consumers can have more choice. Retailers, who filed suit seven years ago, say the process ultimately costs consumers more money. The debit cards use a customer's signature to verify a transaction. Many merchants would rather use less expensive, independent networks that clear debit-card transactions using a personal identification number, or PIN. Details at... http://www.msnbc.com/news/907625.asp?0si=- =================================================================== [3] Internet E-Mail Stamp =================================================================== A list member wrote... >A stamp would merely legitimatize spam. The charge previously noted was not 1.00 or 1.50 but a micropayment - ie: an amount intended to hit spammers who typically send 100000 emails or more at one shot. I receive between 300 and 400 emails a day and send anywhere from 100 to 700 a day (some automated, of course). Even so, stamps do not solve the problem for people who want to get mail from unknown sources, what many of us happen to call "prospective customers", nor do they solve the problem for deep pocketed spammers who have studied their business enough to know that their response rate (and thus their anticipated revenue) will make the cost of "stamps" simply part of their overhead costs. The spammer without business skills would probably disappear, while the professionals would simply get better at their trade, since the stamps would weed out those without business skills. >Fees like that would kill mailing lists. Doesn't have to. Part of the opt-in process could easily include a mechanism to bypass the payment process for lists. The opt-in process itself (when it is actually used) would prevent spammers from working the system by "building a list" and trying to use it to send for free. >My proposal has been at http://www.mall-net.com/spam/ since 1996. > You decide what to charge unknowns based on topic and/or domain name. > If they bid enough for your eyeballs, you get their e-mail. If not, no charge. > Those whom you know, you charge nothing for. Bulk attempts to reach > this would be clear commercial fraud. As defined, this would mean prospects who you do not know would never receive your mail or would be charged for contacting you. Not an ideal solution in my book, those are unknowns I *want* to get. Fraud prosecution requires that I stop doing business to chase down a lawyer (or a bureaucrat, per the link above) who will never be able to find a Korean or Chinese (or US) spammer who doesn't want to be found. The prospect emails from unknown addresses are what throw a monkey wrench into all these discussions. As I recall (slept since then, sorry), this discussion started because of the inability to get legitimate email business communications to your/our customers. RSS feeds are another way to make that happen. We are starting to build a private RSS aggregator into our products so that we can make our way around ISPs who think they should have the right to control our customers inboxes and poorly written / poorly configured personal spam filters. Spammers cant steal our RSS feeds. RSS doesn't fix regular emails, but it is a great way to get legitimate business broadcast info (mostly one way communications like tips of the week, weekly/monthly specials, newsletters, etc) back into our users' hands. Now all we have to do is wait for MSFT to get RSS built into Outlook and Outlook Express for those who don't want to (or don't realize the ability/need to) use a separate aggregator. Mark Riffey Granite Bear www.granitebear.com ================================================================== ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- IMPROVE YOUR CLOSING RATIO If you sell a service or an intangible product, we will improve your sales closing ratio. GUARANTEED! See results within three months. http://www.gapent.com/services/sales_strategy.htm ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- =================================================================== [4] Internet Sales Tax again =================================================================== >35 states are trying to coordinate their laws to create a > far simpler, more uniform sales tax - Streamlined Sales and > Use Tax Agreement that state budget officials hammered out > in meetings over several years. That will make it uniform > throughout the US. When ten states adopt SSUTA it will be > in effect - probably July. Actually, it will not "be in effect" no matter how many state "adopt" the uniform sales tax. States can't make Federal law. Right now there is a Federal Supreme Court prohibition of a national sales tax, i.e., of collecting sales tax from an entity not in the a state's own jurisdiction. What the writer probably meant is that once 10 states adopt the so-called uniform sales tax, there will be a push in Congress to override the Supreme Court decision, forbidding a uniform national sales tax. But there is already more than enough opposition in Congress to prevent that from happening. Most of the businesses "voluntarily" signing up to collect the Internet sales tax are doing it as a cynical move to force smaller retailers into the system. It won't work. Cheers, CMA ================================================================== [5] Spam? What is it? ================================================================== I don't think people are looking at the real source of spam... ISP (INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS) Whenever I sign up with an ISP (Internet Service Provider), I always set up one of my email addresses using a grandchild's name. Now, I never provide that address to anyone and never use it. Yet, after a few week I start to get spam on that email address. The only way this can happen is for the ISP to sell my email address. I can tell you for sure, Bellsouth and SBC/Yahoo sell the email addresses. Jerry Grooms Alpharetta, GA jg.acs@prodigy.net http://www.barcodeitnow.com +++ [Next Post] +++ Many years ago a number of tests were made within the mailorder industry to try to determine what "Junk Mail" was/is. -- In all the tests conducted it was discovered that what was "Junk Mail" in one person's opinion was good mail in another person's opinion ... the "test" results were almost always 50/50. -- SO ... Before anyone can attempt to ban or control "spam" it must first be defined ... which it will never be ... because whatever you (or I) may deem "spam" may very well be welcome email to someone else. Jim Straw -- Are YOU making enough money? Maybe you're using the wrong tools. Check out the "POWER TOOLS for Entrepreneurs" at: http://www.businesslyceum.com/mdl.html You won't be disappointed. +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Jim, I'll gladly pass all my spam on to you . Spam is defined - Unsolicited Commercial Email (UCE). The difference between spam and mail order junk mail is one simple thing - I pay for spam, and I don't pay for junk mail. I would still like to know of any company who makes money as a result of spam. Jerry, once your email is posted anywhere, it becomes available to mail extractors. And I agree that some ISPs do rent their lists. George =================================================================== [6] Music is intellectual property =================================================================== Here's something very similar to the Internet stamp we've been discussing. The music industry really suffers when folks download music. My wife's cousin Jack Keller is a famous song writer (theme song from "Bewitched" among others) and he an I discussed the issues at length on day. It's intellectual property, the same as software or written works. Writers or singers get paid for every song sold. Public places that play songs pay a flat amount each month, which is distributed to the appropriate people. Jack gets a computer print out each month that is approx 4" thick that lists every song he wrote and the amount of royalties for each song, no matter where in the world the song is sold or played. With the Internet and applications like KaZaa, they lose out on royalties due. Yes, there are arguments that downloading a song allows you to listen to it, and then go out and buy it at a store. Yeah, right. I believe they have a method of controlling this process, however. You need to download a peer-to-peer program like KaZaa. So, the obvious is to charge for that software, and distribute the fees like they do with places that play music. Here's an article from Reuters... WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. court said on Thursday that Verizon Communications VZ.N must reveal the names of customers suspected of downloading copyrighted songs from the Internet without permission even as it appeals the decision to a higher court. The ruling marks another legal victory for the recording industry as it tries to stamp out the unauthorized Internet song-swapping it says is partially responsible for a decline in CD sales. The Recording Industry Association of America took Verizon to court last summer in an effort to get the telecommunications giant to help crack down on online song-swapping. The RIAA argued that Verizon is obligated under the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act to help its members to protect their copyrights. Verizon says it is willing to help, but argued that the law only applies to Web pages stored on its computers, not traffic on the "peer-to-peer" networks that merely travel across its wires. Details at... http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=T3PJC0NDS0PV4CRBAEKSFFA?type=internetNews&storyID=2625749 =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Global Pay Systems LLC http://globalpaysystems.net E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com From etd_post@gapent.com Tue May 6 05:03:30 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (71.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.71]) by gapent.com (8.12.9/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h46B3RLE035319 for ; Tue, 6 May 2003 05:03:29 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030505202357.016041e8@gapent.com> X-Sender: etdpost@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Tue, 06 May 2003 07:03:17 -0400 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Subject: ETD: 683 Comparing Sales Across Your Chain; Inventory Turns and Open to Buy; International Calling; Spam? What is it?;Greeting Cards Trending Away from 'Mass' toward 'Class' Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0683 May 6, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] Comparing Sales Across Your Chain [3] Inventory Turns and Open to Buy ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] International Calling [5] Spam? What is it? [6] Greeting Cards Trending Away from 'Mass' toward 'Class' =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: Some of our list members need some help - calculating open-to-buy and inventory turns and how to compare sales across stores in your chain which have different attributes. I gave my thoughts, now let's hear from you. We have the last of the spam discussions today, which lists the many laws suggested to stop spam. Interesting stuff, but we need to put a halt to the thread. Thanks to all who offered the great material. Pam Danziger has some interesting information on greeting cards - just in time for Mother's Day, the third most popular holiday for greeting cards in the U.S. How are sales for you on this holiday? I know Mother's Day has different dates in different countries. Tell us how it goes in your country. And one of our members offers a very unique solution to those 30 number dialing issues some of had with telephone calling cards. Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] Comparing Sales Across Your Chain =================================================================== I am a regular reader of E Digest and love your reports. I work for a retailer, our product range include Party supplies, Toys and Loot. My boss has asked me to develop a report where, regardless of demographics and size of the stores, we should be able to identify the best performing category by store. I have no idea how to come up with this criteria. All the store are different in size and their demographics are different from each other too. What he wants is to some how scale all the stores at one level and then identify the best performing category by store. I hope you understand my problem and would help me out. I have attached a spreadsheet with test data for your reference, (Here the store "B" is the biggest) Thanks, Rashid Jameel Party Packagers +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ I did not include the spreadsheet here. Basically he had seven stores listed as columns across the top, with categories down the left as rows. So I suggested that he narrow all sales down to square feet. That gives you a common denominator. With the spread sheet, I put hypothetical square feet per store. I then added a new section below his sales, and divided each category by the square footage for that store. You can now compare on an equal basis. Anybody have any other thoughts. George =================================================================== [3] Inventory Turns and Open to Buy =================================================================== George. Which program do you think is the easiest and best to calculate an open to buy program to project open orders and stock? Michelle Stallings Heritage Golf Group +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ I have never found a good open to buy solution in standard programs. Usually I find it best to create your own by exporting data into an Excel spreadsheet. Inventory turns are calculated by dividing Cost Of Goods Sold by Average Inventories which is equal to (Beginning Inventories + Ending Inventories) / 2. Open to buy is more involved and is the calculation of planned sales and planned inventory to actual sales and actual inventory (taking into account returns and adjustments) to determine the amount of goods that can be reordered each month or season. Does anybody have any experience with Inventory Turns and/or Open to Buy? ================================================================== ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- IMPROVE YOUR CLOSING RATIO If you sell a service or an intangible product, we will improve your sales closing ratio. GUARANTEED! See results within three months. http://www.gapent.com/services/sales_strategy.htm ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- =================================================================== [4] International Calling =================================================================== I drafted this last week and then did not send it. However, it refers to Newsletter 678 [4] International calling In my previous life I travelled a lot for my Company and used a variety of Calling Card services. To get over the 30 digit problem. I had a small pocket dialer which generated the tones needed to initiate the call. You then entered the number you were calling on the phone pad. A little later I had a Psion organizer (remember those?). This would let you select a name from your contacts list and hold the organizer's speaker over the phone mouthpiece and send the tones for the number. I assume modern PDAs can do something similar. After a bit of Googling, I found that there is a product called PocketPhone for Pocket PC which will do the same thing and costs $8 at http://www.pocketgear.com/software_detail.asp?id=1767 There are similar products for the Palm or you can go to Radio Shack and get the Pocket Tone Dialer Model 43-139 for $15.95 (if it is still available) Best regards Richard Woolnough Bespoke Solutions Ltd www.BespokeSolutionsLtd.com +1(441)295 0951 We can tailor your business +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Super! Thanks Richard. Does this work for you in Bermuda? How are telephone charges there? What other costs do you incur that we may not see in other countries? George ================================================================== [5] Spam? What is it? ================================================================== Moderator's preface. This will be the last thread on spam, as it can go on forever. Interesting to note the legislation in progress against spam, with my favorite being the bounty. Maybe they'll consider draw and quarter . --------------------------------- Our moderator wrote... >Spam is defined - Unsolicited Commercial Email (UCE). YES - but - the people who are judging spam use the term to label any email they do not like. Twice in the past year, I have been labeled a spammer by recipients of my email who have signed-up for my Business Lyceum e-Letter. Who will make the determination?? Jim Straw -- Are YOU making enough money? Maybe you're using the wrong tools. Check out the "POWER TOOLS for Entrepreneurs" at: http://www.businesslyceum.com/mdl.html You won't be disappointed. +++ Moderator's Comments] +++ Not everybody accepts your logic Jim. See next post for the many articles on laws that may be enacted as posted by Tom on the Web Consultants list. My favorite is the bounty to be offered per Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif. ;-) +++ [Next Post] +++ This could turn out to be a lucrative business for those able to track them down! :) Also read that bills are being considered to make it a felony with large fines and prison terms and, again, giving Virginia jurisdiction because the major backbone providers are located within that State (and, probably, most traffic is funneled through it, too). Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., said Wednesday that she will introduce a bill that creates a bounty for identifying spammers. http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,3959,1051282,00.asp Carving up spam http://rss.com.com/2009-1024_3-999033.html?type=pt&part=rss&tag=feed&subj=news By CNET News.com Staff May 1, 2003, 4:00 AM PT Roundup: Unsolicited bulk e-mailers are in the hot seat this week as lawmakers, computing giants and marketers each apply more pressure. Meanwhile, one study shows a prevalence of fraud in the business. Are blacklists killing more than spam? http://rss.com.com/2100-1028-999317.html?tag=nl Participants at a government confab spar over whether lists that target ISPs used by spammers are legal--and whether they do more harm than good. May 1, 2003 Lawmakers: It's open season on spam http://rss.com.com/2100-1028-999020.html?tag=nl Proposals to control the digital deluge include a national "do not e-mail" list and criminal penalties for repeat offenders. April 30, 2003 AOL touts spam-fighting prowess http://rss.com.com/2100-1025-998944.html?tag=nl The company asserts that it repelled more than 2 billion unsolicited commercial e-mails in a single day this week. The fight, however, is far from over. April 30, 2003 Spam sent by fraud is made a felony http://rss.com.com/2100-1029-998888.html?tag=nl In the toughest move to date against unsolicited commercial e-mail, Virginia enacts a law imposing harsh new felony penalties, including prison time. April 29, 2003 This just in: Spammers fib http://rss.com.com/2100-1029-998750.html?tag=nl Fraud in spam is a big problem that calls out for law enforcement, says the FTC, which found that 66 percent of the unsolicited messages contain fraudulent claims. April 29, 2003 What e-mail marketers need to do http://rss.com.com/2009-1122-999025.html?tag=nl The spam plague threatens to eviscerate e-mail effectiveness. Forrester says that marketers need to follow best practices in program design, message creation, testing and measurement to ensure success with consumers. April 30, 2002 A modest proposal to end spam http://rss.com.com/2010-1071-998513.html?tag=nl CNET News.com's Washington watcher, Declan McCullagh, has the scoop on an upcoming antispam initiative, as federal lawmakers scrutinize the problems caused by junk e-mail. April 29, 2003 Va. Blocks Bulk E-Mailers http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A56764-2003Apr29.html New Virginia law would seize junk e-mailers' assets http://www.nandotimes.com/technology/story/872183p-6086404c.html Cheers, Tom Cyberspace Publishing =================================================================== [6] Greeting Cards Trending Away from 'Mass' toward 'Class' =================================================================== This Mother's Day, May 11, marks the nation's third most popular holiday for greeting cards, with the National Retail Federation predicting 60% of consumers will buy Mom a card. But when consumers shop for cards, they will increasingly turn away from the mass-market brands, such as Hallmark and American Greetings, and seek more exclusive, special messages. The $14.2 billion greeting card and stationery market is undergoing a transformation that picked up steam after 9-11. Consumers' primary motivation for sending a greeting card is to make an emotional connection with another. But after 9-11 people who 'care enough to send the very best' often turn to more specialized, exclusive cards and personalized stationery. The trend in greeting cards is clearly away from 'mass' toward 'class.' For the last 10 years, the major card brands have pursued mass distribution strategies, placing their cards in as many outlets as possible to be everywhere and anywhere consumers are likely to think about buying a card. So today, Hallmark, once considered the most exclusive card brand, can be found in 42,000 retail outlets including chain drug stores, grocery stores, major discounters and mass merchants. The result of this mass distribution strategy is market saturation. By being everywhere, they have lost their 'specialness.' The strategy has backfired and in 2003 the company reports that their greeting card, stationery, gift wrap, ornament, party ware and gifts business is down 1% from the previous year. Today the big opportunity in greeting cards and stationery is toward luxury, targeting the passionate consumer who wants to connect through special, exclusive cards and personalize greetings. The luxury segment accounts for about 10% of the total greeting card and stationery market and is growing. With more exclusive cards priced in the $3-to-$5 range, it's hardly an extravagant purchase. The Schurman Fine Papers company has innovated the luxury segment through their franchised PAPYRUS store chain, today numbering about 125 stores nationwide. Located in upscale malls and shopping environments, PAPYRUS is positioned directly against the mass brands by offering "exclusive greeting cards that cannot be found at the corner drug store or the local supermarket." Crane & Company, the paper company that provides the U.S. Mint with currency paper, is getting into the luxury business too. Starting in 1994 by opening company-owned stores, today Crane has about 20 stores across the country, also located in upscale malls like Short Hill, NJ, Chicago's Water Towers Place, and McLean, VA's Tyson Galleria. Unity Marketing is currently updating its Greeting Card & Stationery Report: The Market, The Competitors, The Future Trends as a business planning tool that provides marketers and retailers with the facts and figures about the industry and market they need to build a vibrant business now and into the future. The new edition will contain the latest consumer survey data on their purchase behavior and motivation in buying greeting cards and stationery. Pam Danziger, President Unity Marketing author of "Why People Buy Things They Don't Need" www.unitymarketingonline.com =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Global Pay Systems LLC http://globalpaysystems.net E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com From etd_post@gapent.com Thu May 8 04:41:11 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (47.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.47]) by gapent.com (8.12.9/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h48Af8kp032217 for ; Thu, 8 May 2003 04:41:09 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030507195906.01566cd8@gapent.com> X-Sender: etdpost@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Thu, 08 May 2003 06:40:59 -0400 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Subject: ETD: 684 Comparing Sales Across Your Chain; Inventory Turns and Open to Buy; International Calling; P2P is OK; iTunes store: More than 1 million sold Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-MIME-Autoconverted: from quoted-printable to 8bit by gapent.com id h48Af8kp032217 Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0684 May 8, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] Comparing Sales Across Your Chain [3] Inventory Turns and Open to Buy ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] International Calling [5] P2P is OK [6] iTunes store: More than 1 million sold =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: We have some excellent comments from list members on some of the requests for assistance by others. I always say we have the greatest assembly of retail/etail gurus on the planet! And it's interesting to note that Apple has introduced a new service selling music online. It's time the music industry gets on board and capitalizes on the Internet. If you think you have expenses with your business, read some of the issues in Bermuda. Nice place to visit, but expensive to live. What's it like in your part of the world? Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] Comparing Sales Across Your Chain =================================================================== Firstly, I just noticed the "Dr". Congratulations George, it must have been some struggle, commitment and accomplishment knowing only a hint of your schedule. Secondly, the issue of comparing "best performing category" across all stores - to me this means one of two things 1) to calculate the percentage of sales each category contributes to each store- so that Xmas cards are responsible for 2% of store A's total sales but only 1% of store B's.. 2) to calculate the contribution each store makes for each category to that categories total. So that store "A" sells 12% of all Xmas cards sold by the whole chain. Hope this helps. Joe Dweck +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Thanks Joe. The doctorate took a little over two years of concentrated work, including the 50,000 word dissertation. But it's something that has been rolling around in my head for many years. Now all I need find is a sponsor to put the dissertation into action ;-). But one of our list members did even better. He first set foot in college at age 44, then defended his dissertation on his 57th birthday! Your calculations will work. It's another way to bring sales down to a common denominator, this time percentage of sales. George +++ [Next Post] +++ Sales per square foot is my first thought as well but there are other Key performance indicators that I would want to see. Anyone can sell but do you make money. Gross Margin per square foot should be reviewed as well. I would also want to look at category contribution. If there are 7 stores which stores represent the most sales in a given category of product. There may be stores that are poor performing stores overall but might have strong seasonal categories if they are by tourist areas or the beach. I would also want to take a look at Market basket information by store. This would include average transaction size (how many items) and value. What was the sale as well as the average price sold. Some stores may sell a lot more units than others. This would change how you would replenish those stores. You might consider looking at sales by category as a percentage of total sales, and then compare stores. As a store manager you are always concerned with Average transaction dollars and units. -- David O. Thompson Project Manager LakeWest Group, Ltd. Cleveland, Oh 44115 Office (216)-535-4020 =================================================================== [3] Inventory Turns and Open to Buy =================================================================== I don't think companies want to have too large an inventory. Goods that remain in inventory too long tie up the firms assets in idle stock, often incur carrying charges for the storage of the goods, and can become obsolete while awaiting sale. This depends on the item. Just-in-Time inventory methods try to make sure that firms obtain their inventories no sooner than its required in order to support its sales efforts. That is by no mean an easy task to do. By calculating the inventory turnover rate firms can estimate how well they are approaching the ideal. The formula for the Inventory Turnover Ratio is: Inventory Turn = Cost of Goods Sold / Average Inventory The Average Inventory figure refers to the value of the inventory on any given day during the period during which the Cost of Goods Sold is calculated. The higher your inventory turnover rate, the more closely your firm conforms to just-in-time procedures and ideals. The figures for cost of goods sold and average inventory are normally taken directly from the Income Statement's cost of sales and the Balance Sheet's inventory levels. If you know only the beginning and ending inventory-for example, at the beginning and the ending of a period-you would use the average of the two levels. That's how you get the term average inventory. An acceptable inventory turnover rate can be determined only by knowledge of your business sector. If you are in the business of wholesaling perishable produce you would probably require an annual turnover rate in the 40s to 50s. A much lower rate would mean that you were losing too much inventory to spoilage. But if you sell durable goods such as computing equipment or other high tech items, you could probably afford an annual turnover rate of around 4 or 5, because hardware does not spoil. The rate of obsolescence does not render it technologically obsolete so quickly. Your industry average is usually a good guide as to how you are performing. Open - to- Buy Open to buy spreadsheets are normally incorporated in those expensive POS Software. Most small retailers or e-tailors cannot afford them. The basic formulae for the plan purchases can be used for the open to buy figure or position for the period under consideration. In other words the planned purchases and the open - to buy can be the same when the season or month being planned is not underway. Once its underway the situation changes . Buyers like to be able to calculate the open -to - buy figure anytime during the month or season. Purchases made and goods already on order can affect the open - to -buy calculation. Planned Purchases formulae Planned sales + Planned reduction - spoilage, shrinkage, discounts etc + Planned ending inventory (EOM) - Beginning Inventory = Planned purchases To calculate the OTB during the season you will need to input other factors such as actual sales, actual reductions, merchandise purchased and delivered and not delivered and planned remaining sales. All these factors will be needed to complete the calculation. This is where the spreadsheet makes life easier. To go through this on this forum is tedious. In my search I found a neat spreadsheet - CBA Open To Buy system. Its not very elaborate, however it contains all the inputs to create a plan purchases and open to buy calculations. It was developed for small retailers - books, gifts, music etc. with limited product category. The contact is CBA Member Services 1-800-252-1950 Fax 719-272-3510 info@cbaonline.org www.cbaonline.org Mike Hocket will explain the spreadsheet. I hope this help to put some light on the topic. Derrick W Robinson DRobinson@email.uophx.edu Fax: 208-979-0426 "The time is always right, to do right" +++ [Next Post] +++ Open To Buy Calculation is rather simple, however you need to create some sort of seasonal plans prior to completing an open to buy (The same buckets that are below in the example OTB should be planned for as well as Gross Margin Dollars and Inventory Turns ) - OTB is usually looked at on a monthly basis. You project out the next three month versus your seasonal plans. First you need to decide if you will have plans at a lower level than company. If you do than you will want to monitor open to buy at the lower levels. After the seasonal plans are completed you can forecast your open to buy. Usually you use your plans as a guideline but changes in business will dictate that you update your plans and have a new forecasted open to buy. An example of the OTB is below. Don't fall into the buyers trap of not including the receipts that did not come in the previous month (that is listed as carry over in the example below). This example is based on the retail method. If you are using the Cost method of accounting you will not use markdowns in your equation as you value your inventory at cost.. You will also complete the Open to Buy at cost for sales and receipts. May 1 Actual inventory on hand 2,000 Projected Receipts + 350 Sales - 400 Markdowns - 50 Shrink - 5 Projected ending on hand - 1895 June 1 projected inventory on hand 1895 Projected Receipts + 400 Carryover +150 Sales - 400 Markdowns - 100 Shrink - 5 Projected ending on hand +1940 July 1 projected Beg inv on hand 1940 Projected Receipts + 300 Carryover +100 Sales - 455 Markdowns - 100 Shrink - 5 Projected Ending on hand 1780 -- David O. Thompson Project Manager LakeWest Group, Ltd. Cleveland, Oh 44115 Office (216)-535-4020 ================================================================== ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- IMPROVE YOUR CLOSING RATIO If you sell a service or an intangible product, we will improve your sales closing ratio. GUARANTEED! See results within three months. http://www.gapent.com/services/sales_strategy.htm ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- =================================================================== [4] International Calling =================================================================== Our moderator asked... > Does this work for you in Bermuda? How are telephone charges > there? What other costs do you incur that we may not see in > other countries? No, unfortunately it does not work in Bermuda. Mainly because the local phone company manages to block out a lot of access dialing when it wants to. For example, I used to use a callback company from here and the Telco blocked all calls to the callback number. Callbacks are now illegal in Bermuda with the possibility of a $50,000 fine or 2 years in jail for violators!! To give you an idea of telephone charges. Local calls have a $26 per month connection charge which includes 50 calls. Overcalls are 20¢ each for up to 1 hour and then 20¢ per hour or part thereof. This covers calls in a country of 21 square miles. For international calls (long distance does not exist), the lowest rate possible is 16¢ for VOIP through a local ISP on evenings and weekends. Regular calls cost 60¢ to US, Canada & UK at daytime rates. Cellular calls (on Island) are between 25 & 50¢ per min. depending on your plan. There are no special deals of free phones when you sign up or any other such luxury. We also pay a Government tax of $2 per month for having the service. I am sure you found similar prices and problems when you lived in B.V.I. Having said all the above, service is generally very good and there is not a lot of small print in agreements. Also, we are not being constantly bombarded by phone marketing (yet). BTW The price of gas is now US$1.38 per litre or approx $5.22 per US gallon! Sorry if this went on a bit, I could write plenty more about Bermuda not being a 'tax haven' - but will leave that until another time!! Best regards Richard Woolnough Bespoke Solutions Ltd www.BespokeSolutionsLtd.com +1(441)295 0951 We can tailor your business +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Thanks Richard. It's the simple things that companies forget when setting up a business offshore. I assume your Telco is Cable & Wireless, who has a bad habit of blocking those callback numbers. Each time we used a new one, it got blocked quickly. Telephone charges will kill you. With the plan we now have we pay 5 cents a minute to call UK or Canada; France & Germany 7 cents a minute; China 11 cents; Japan 10 cents; Bermuda 15 cents; BVI 20 cents. Our rates in the BVI were similar to what you have, and our customers were in 110 countries worldwide. When we first setup there, our founders cell bill was $4,000 the first month! I am curious about why Bermuda is not a tax haven, especially when companies like Stanley Tools moved there to save taxes (they did return to CT however). George ================================================================== [5] P2P is OK ================================================================== Wayne Cunningham, Senior Editor at CNET Download.com reports... Last week, a federal judge threw out a lawsuit by the RIAA and MPAA against Grokster and Morpheus for copyright infringement. The judge concluded that though the technologies could be used for copyright infringement, they are legally neutral because they can also be used for legal file trading. So nobody is going to break down your door just for having a P2P client installed on your computer. However, according to news reports, the major labels might have other tricks up their sleeves, including Trojan horses that may shut down your computer, slow down your Internet connection, or cause other damage. File sharers, beware. Details at... http://news.com.com/2100-1027-998363.html http://news.com.com/2100-1027_3-999612.html +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Seems like a victory for those who do trade songs. It's about time the RIAA and MPAA get's on the train not under it. Rather than fight the trading of music, they need to figure a way to make songs available to the public via the Internet. Looks like Apple figured it out with iTunes (see below). If they can sell 1 million songs in a week and only to MAC owners, can you imagine what happens when they open it up to the rest of the world? George =================================================================== [6] iTunes store: More than 1 million sold =================================================================== Apple Computer's new online music service sold more than 1 million songs during its first week of operation, the company said Monday. The early sales success suggests that people will pay for music downloads if given the chance, analysts say. "It clearly shows there was some pent-up demand in the Mac community for a legal way to buy and download digital music," Jupiter Research analyst Michael Gartenberg said. On Tuesday, Apple plans to add 3,200 new tracks to the music store, including Michelle Branch's album "The Spirit Room" and the catalog of music from Alanis Morissette. The first version of the iTunes Music Store, which is available only for Macs, offers a vast catalog of music from the five major record labels. Singles sell for 99 cents each, and many albums go for $9.99. Apple noted that half the songs were purchased as part of albums. Record labels have long raised concerns that online sales of single tracks would further sap already sagging album sales. Details at... http://news.com.com/2100-1027-999701.html =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Global Pay Systems LLC http://globalpaysystems.net E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com From etd_post@gapent.com Tue May 13 05:08:44 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (52.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.52]) by gapent.com (8.12.9/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h4DB8gu7015291 for ; Tue, 13 May 2003 05:08:43 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030511204115.0152be58@gapent.com> X-Sender: etdpost@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Tue, 13 May 2003 07:07:39 -0400 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Subject: ETD: 685 Need software; Doing Business in Bermuda; Best Databases for Small Businesses; Internet Sales Taxes and the Founder of Staples; Is M-Commerce Dead and Buried? Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-MIME-Autoconverted: from quoted-printable to 8bit by gapent.com id h4DB8gu7015291 Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0685 May 13, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] Need software [3] Doing Business in Bermuda ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] Best Databases for Small Businesses [5] Internet Sales Taxes and the Founder of Staples [6] Is M-Commerce Dead and Buried? =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: Hope all of our US members enjoyed Mother's Day. How was business during this season and with the upcoming Father's Day? Today we have some requests from list members who need help finding software. Let's see what you can do. And we have some interesting posts on issues reported before - databases, M-Commerce and Internet sales tax. Microsoft announced that the iLoo product reported by their UK office was an April Fool's joke. Seems there were reports that they introduced a toilet (loo for our British members) with Internet connection. The pundits had a field day: "The Microsoft iLoo, an "April Fool's" joke even though it was launched on the 2nd of May, suggests ­ if the reports are true ­ that Microsoft's legendary sense of timing is just as good as ever." And, of course, a British inventor claims that the MSN "iLoo" was just a rip off of his idea. ;-) What are your business plans for this summer? How do you plan to attract business? Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] Need software =================================================================== Good news: My e-book publishing business is moving along quite well. On the payment processing and download front, I've moved from: 1. Using a service bureau to process the credit card payments and handle secure downloads. Their system worked pretty well, but they took a 14% commission on each sale. Once I realized that my e-book had legs, so to speak, I figured it was time to get my own merchant account. So I did. This leads to the next phase on my journey... 2. Using my merchant account with an outsourced shopping cart host. It's better than most shopping carts, but I don't have as much control over the system as I'd like. And the pages that the cart generates are ug-lee. One of my web design clients just purchased shopping cart software because he didn't want to be dependent on an external vendor for such an important part of his business. He also wanted to make his store pages look like the rest of his site. (And, speaking as his web designer, I busted my you-know-what to make his site look pretty.) Which leads to the decision I'm now mulling over... 3. Purchasing my own store software and running it on my web host's server. (They will allow me to do such things, and they are a terrific web host, BTW.) So, feedback, please on store software for e-book sellers. Martha Retallick, Lrpdesigns Web Designer: http://www.Lrpdesigns.com Author: http://www.PostcardMarketingSecrets.com +++ [Next Post] +++ Open Source E-Commerce I would be interested in hearing about experiences fellow readers of this list have with open source e-commerce software, particularly osCommerce. I have successfully used another open source program called GeekLog at www.geeklog,net to develop many content rich web sites for my clients that allow my clients to add their own content, manage the site, and interact with visitors. Examples of such sites can be found at http://cker.calendar.ca and at my own site at www.ebusinesstutor.com. I am currently reviewing e-commerce solutions to decide which one to offer to clients who want an online storefront solution. I prefer solutions which give my clients maximum control over their site so that they can add their own products, change their own prices, etc. Thank you for your help. "You can't jump a chasm in two jumps." - David Lloyd George ----------------------------------- Garland Coulson The E-Business Tutor For a FREE Quick Guide to E-Business, visit www.ebusinesstutor.com =================================================================== [3] Doing Business in Bermuda =================================================================== >I am curious about why Bermuda is not a tax haven, especially >when companies like Stanley Tools moved there to save taxes >(they did return to CT however). Please note that I am a simple retailer and not an economist or Government spokesman. What I am saying is my take on the subject. Bermuda classifies itself as tax neutral which means no corporation, capital gains, income, profits or withholding taxes. Stanley Tools wanted to move to Bermuda because we do not have corporate income tax nor do we tax earnings made outside the country. The problem was that Stanley (and every other US domiciled company) had to pay tax to the US Government for every screwdriver that they sold in Europe (for example). That screwdriver may never have been anywhere near the US. Incorporation in Bermuda would have meant that they only paid tax to the US Government on US sales. However, due to the pressures from unions and some shareholders they decided not to go ahead. They could have saved about $30 million by reincorporating here. Unions believed that moving the incorporation of the company to Bermuda would also involve all their jobs being given to Bermudians. The average income in Bermuda is the 4th highest in the world (more than USA), why would they want to make tools? Stanley might have employed about half a dozen people here. In April 2003, Stanley announced that they would close four manufacturing plants and five warehouses, and almost immediately cut about 1,000 jobs as part of the restructuring effort. So, union workers and shareholders have lost out as well as local communities where the plants and warehouses were located. And those local communities include retailers! Bermuda has lost the cost of the incorporation fee and it's good name because people do not understand that we are not encouraging companies to come here. Bermuda has a long history as a legitimate business centre, with tough anti-fraud and money laundering laws. Our insurance companies are among the most reliable in the world. Enough!! Richard Woolnough Bespoke Solutions Ltd www.BespokeSolutionsLtd.com +1(441)295 0951 We can tailor your business +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Thanks Richard. The US does have that strange ruling as does a couple of other countries, whereby companies (and citizens) domiciled in the US must pay taxes to the US, no matter where they earn money. For individuals, you need to be out of the us for 330 days a year to be tax exempt. Bermuda does have a great reputation for insurance and for anti-money laundering. I had no idea that the salaries were so high. George ================================================================== ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- IMPROVE YOUR CLOSING RATIO If you sell a service or an intangible product, we will improve your sales closing ratio. GUARANTEED! See results within three months. http://www.gapent.com/services/sales_strategy.htm ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- =================================================================== [4] Best Databases for Small Businesses =================================================================== Oracle 9i Standard Edition carries a base list price of US$300 per user. SQL Server, by contrast, sells for $2,249 for 10 clients, or about $225 per client. On the high end of the spectrum, IBM's DB2 Workgroup Server sells for about $870 per user. When it comes to choosing a database, size matters -- not so much the size of the database, but the size of the company. Whereas mid-size to large companies generally select a complex database and then task administrators and developers with building applications around it, small businesses usually take a different tack, focusing on simplicity and ease of use, because they often do not have an administrator on staff. Database vendors are working hard to tailor their products to appeal to the low end of the market. So, what are the key selling points for small e-businesses that are database shopping? The Big Three Above all, small businesses look for databases that are easy to administer and install. Among database leaders Microsoft, Oracle and IBM, Microsoft appears to have the edge. "That (easy installation) would be a hallmark of SQL Server," Forrester research director Philip Russom told the E-Commerce Times. IBM's DB2 and Oracle's 9i have a reputation for being more difficult and time-consuming to install, he said. But Robert Shimp, vice president of database marketing at Oracle, disputed that notion. "There's a very mistaken impression that Oracle is somehow more complicated than competing databases," he told the E-Commerce Times, adding that Oracle 9i Standard Edition takes only about 10 to 15 minutes to install and has a graphical management interface. Price, of course, is another key consideration for small businesses, according to Russom. As in the administration arena, Microsoft SQL Server enjoys a reputation as the low-price leader, and prices listed online bear that out. Oracle 9i Standard Edition carries a base list price of US$300 per user. SQL Server, by contrast, sells for $2,249 for 10 clients, or about $225 per client. However, Oracle offers special discounts for small and mid-size businesses. Details at... http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/21323.html ================================================================== [5] Internet Sales Taxes and the Founder of Staples ================================================================== Here is an article on Internet Sales Taxes and the Founder of Staples, wants this to happen. Of course, they have stores in a lot of taxing jurisdictions, and they have to collect sales taxes in each of the jurisdictions. So they want every one else to do the same. I guess, I won't be shopping at Staples. I know it is an emotional issue, but let's vent. It helps. http://boston.com/dailyglobe2/132/business/For_Staples_founder_Stemberg_Net_taxes_make_business_sense+.shtml Yours truly Jules Kaplan ChekFaxx Development Co. INC.- E-commerce Payment Solution Provider Available NOW http://www.addressmanagerpro.com Discover how to add your email address to Your Windows Address Book admin@chekfaxx.com - 480-991-7025 OR 800-220-0468 - FAX 310-362-8746 Accept Check by FAX - PHONE - E-MAIL - INTERNET http://chekfaxx.com +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ All the 800 pounders seem to be of the same mindset - collect taxes on Internet sales. Of course, as you point out, they all have a presence in the 44 states that collect sales tax, so it's no big deal. Interesting to note in that article, that the Supreme Court in the Quill (owned by Staples) decision held that states could start taxing out-of-state retailers under two conditions. First, they'd have to simplify their arcane sales tax rules. Second, Congress, using its power to regulate interstate commerce, would have to permit states to levy taxes beyond their borders. The first condition is well on its way to being met. Most of the taxing states have signed on to a simplification plan that would create a uniform sales tax system. Armed with the promise of reform, Stemberg is lobbying Congress to let the tax collecting begin. It's coming folks. George =================================================================== [6] Is M-Commerce Dead and Buried? =================================================================== Back in early 2000, mobile commerce seemed to have sky-high potential. A global survey found that 61 percent of respondents imagined they soon would be using wireless devices as universal payment tools, and the analysts who compiled the survey predicted that overall revenue generated by m-commerce would total US$100 billion in 2003. "The hype came in a big way, and then it died in an even bigger way, because the hype was never really justified to begin with," Yankee Group analyst Adam Zawel told the E-Commerce Times. "But m-commerce is not dead on the vine; it's just a much longer growing season than we expected." Although some may think m-commerce is a spectacular failure, others in the industry believe it is a sleeping giant whose time has yet to come. "It's still too early to tell whether it will be successful or not because it hasn't really existed yet," said Verizon Communications' Jeffrey Nelson, executive director for corporate communications. "For Verizon Wireless, it's too early to begin implementing an m-commerce strategy. It's something that we're thinking about, but it's years down the road." Nelson told the E-Commerce Times that, over time, there have been many different ideas about the definition of m-commerce. At one time, it was seen as consumers using a wireless device to buy soda from a vending machine or order books from Amazon.com. At another, it was defined as a mobile phone spitting out a coupon for 10 cents off a latté as a consumer strolled past a Starbucks. Although mobile commerce has many facets, including the ability to conduct wireless banking, access the Internet or find information on the fly, most consumers now think of it as a wireless wallet -- the ability to make financial transactions at a point of sale using a wireless device. In this scenario, consumers are recognized by the signals they emit, most likely from their wireless phones or PDAs, and they can purchase goods and services from vending machines and businesses without having to use a checkbook, credit card or cash. But making the wireless wallet a reality will require an evolution of both technology and consumer attitudes that is still far in the distance. "I spend all my time on m-commerce, but I can't pick a point when all of these pieces are going to come together, when it's all going to work as perfectly as we'd like," Zawel said. "But while I can't pinpoint the date, I am convinced that we will continue to see a move in that direction because the idea is so compelling." What do you think? Details at... http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/21464.html =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Global Pay Systems LLC http://globalpaysystems.net E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com From etd_post@gapent.com Thu May 15 05:34:16 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (59.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.59]) by gapent.com (8.12.9/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h4FBYEU6052045 for ; Thu, 15 May 2003 05:34:15 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030514202145.0156f788@gapent.com> X-Sender: etdpost@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Thu, 15 May 2003 07:34:04 -0400 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Subject: ETD: 686 Get the word out; Business in Bermuda; Slow Economy Hits Promotional Product Sales; Is Internet Sales Taxes DOA (or DBA)?; Art Market Growing Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-MIME-Autoconverted: from quoted-printable to 8bit by gapent.com id h4FBYEU6052045 Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0686 May 15, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] Get the word out [3] Doing Business in Bermuda ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] Slow Economy Hits Promotional Product Sales [5] Is Internet Sales Taxes DOA (or DBA)? [6] Art Market Growing =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: This week I had an interesting experience with somebody checking us out prior to a meeting. It got me to thinking that everybody should get the word out about your business and company (see 2 below). What do you do? We have some interesting comments from list members today, which should spur some discussions. Is Internet sales tax dead on arrival (DOA) or dead before arrival (DBA)? (see 5 below). Are there better ways to do business offshore, such as intracompany transactions? (see 3 below). What do you think? Are you selling promotional products? Is the slow economy affecting your sales? What about Art? That seems to be growing. What are you finding? Any plans for generating business during the upcoming holidays and summer season in the Northern hemisphere, or winter in the south? Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] Get the word out =================================================================== Yesterday we did a presentation to the fifth largest company in it's industry. As part of their due diligence, they checked us out thoroughly and sprouted out a lot about us. What really shocked me personally was when the team leader said he liked some my writings, and when I looked somewhat confused, he said he did a Google search and found 1,700+ entries when searching on George Matyjewicz! That's the second time I encountered such diligent investigations. Most of the writings are posts to discussion lists, and quite a number are articles published. More importantly, the postings point to our sites where folks can learn more about us. Which got me to thinking "why doesn't everybody do that?" Why don't you write and get your material published? It's quite easy to do so. Many publications look for well-written articles. And you can find a publication who needs material in arenas where you have knowledge. Many list members are published often - Jacques Chevron, Phil Glowatz, Martha Retallick, Patty Sachs, Jim Straw, Robin Basset, Jim Novo and others. So what are you waiting for? As an example, the Australian Trade Community - Magazine needs written material, news, stories, or even short pieces, AND electronic images (i.e. JPGs and GIFs), for possible entry into the next issue, May 2003. They have 4 main categories, Australian Trade News, Export News, Import News and Trades & Services. I had an article published there in November, 2002 http://www.gapent.com/media/inthenews/atc.htm Or how about your local newspapers? They love to publish something from locals. Can't write? No big deal. That's what editors are for - to check your work and make it fit for print. They are looking for good ideas, and content that they can then turn into an article. Of course, you have a far greater chance of getting published if the work doesn't need much changes. But don't let that stop you. Let me give you a classic example. In July 2002 I published "How Do I Sell Large Accounts" http://etailersdigest.com/resources/Specials/Sell_Large_Accounts.htm Quinn Halford, Editor In Chief of Gifts & Dec Magazine was very interested, and Quinn (who is the best editor ever) edited it and published as "Going For The Big Ones" in the November 2002 issue http://www.gapent.com/media/inthenews/G&DA2002-10.htm And, of course, we are always looking for content and special reports for E-Tailer's Digest. So, put some things together and get it to the media. You won't regret it. My latest article "The Need For Corporate Governance" written together with Dr Sarah Blackburn should be published in two major publications shortly. Let's hear what you do. George =================================================================== [3] Doing Business in Bermuda =================================================================== Richard Woolnough wrote... >>However, due to the pressures from unions and some shareholders they decided not to go ahead. They could have saved about $30 million by reincorporating here. Unions believed that moving the incorporation of the company to Bermuda would also involve all their jobs being given to Bermudians. The average income in Bermuda is the 4th highest in the world (more than USA), why would they want to make tools? Stanley might have employed about half a dozen people here.<< Stanley Tools may have found out that only when the possible tax savings are large relative to the cost of shifting facilities abroad the investment makes sense. There are more factors to consider other than tax savings when planning to move to tax haven countries. Another alternative Stanley could have considered is the shifting of income there via transfer pricing. It could set up a sales subsidiary or re-invoicing center there and another subsidiary in Europe. The process involves shifting costs to high tax countries and shifting revenues to low tax countries. For example, the company could export goods to its European affiliate and arrange the documentation for the transaction so the goods are first sold to the sales subsidiary in Bermuda (re-invoicing center). The parent charges the subsidiary a low price thus shifting income from the U.S. parent to the subsidiary in Bermuda. The subsidiary in Bermuda intern charges a high price when it sells the goods to the European subsidiary thereby shifting income from Europe to Bermuda. The goods could be coming from the European subsidiary and title passes through the re-invoicing center in Bermuda before it is resold to the U.S. The goods never get to Bermuda, neither the documents nor money go there. The thing is, both the U.S. and the European tax collectors know about tax havens and they scan the prices used in transactions between the subsidiaries and domestic offices of the company to forestall flagrant attempts to avoid taxes. The thing is many intracompany transactions have no readily available commercial counter parts and no up-to-date ready-reference market prices. Tax havens are profitable despite the watchful eyes of the tax collectors. Sales subsidiaries based in tax havens are not established unless the probable savings in taxes more than compensate for the legal fees charged by high-priced lawyers. If any one has any counter argument to transfer pricing as an alternative I would like to hear it. Derrick W Robinson DerrickWRobinson@compuserve.com Fax: 208-979-0426 "The time is always right, to do right" +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Keep in mind the US has one irritating law. Any money earned anywhere in the US by any entity (company or individual) must pay US taxes. US entities use of tax havens are profitable for one reason - they allow you to hide money! Banks there don't reveal depositors unless a court order is issued. Most fall under British laws, which means US lawyers can't go on a fishing trip, i.e., I need to see all your records, as I SUSPECT fraud. Rather, they must have a particular reason and prove there is cause to look at records. A rather civilized way of doing business, eh? Unfortunately, "offshore" has bad connotations. Everybody believes it means fraud, and often it does. There is a "black list" of countries who do not cooperate with other countries, and, as a result, they lose a lot of business. The Bahamas were on that list until July 2001. While on that list, many companies who were legitimately doing business there under Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act of 2000 (CBTPA) lost valuable banking relationships. Hence they moved out of the country. The CBTPA does offer tax savings to US companies and a lot of apparel companies manufacture in the Caribbean. See http://www.mac.doc.gov/CBI/webmain/intro.htm George ================================================================== ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- IMPROVE YOUR CLOSING RATIO If you sell a service or an intangible product, we will improve your sales closing ratio. GUARANTEED! See results within three months. http://www.gapent.com/services/sales_strategy.htm ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- =================================================================== [4] Slow Economy Hits Promotional Product Sales =================================================================== Trevose, PA - According to the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI), North American sales of advertising specialties and promotional products fell 5.5 percent in 2002, a decline of $909 million from the $16.5 billion in sales posted in 2001. Of the 40 largest distributors in the promotional products industry, nearly half reported lower sales in 2002, while another six reported sales that were flat. "After more than two decades of mostly double-digit growth, we're finally seeing some tapering off due to the state of the economy," said Marvin Spike, vice chairman of ASI. "Until recently, this industry has tended to be recession-proof. But as promotional products become more mainstream, we're feeling some of the same effects that other media are experiencing." Tom Savio, chief executive of Caliendo-Savio Enterprises, added, "Company budgets are being cut right behind ad dollars, and our items are being cut as discretionary. Instead of giving out shirts and hats, they're giving out 10-cent pens." The next ASI Show will take place May 21-22, at McCormick Place in Chicago. Quinn Halford, Editor In Chief Matthew Kalash, Editor Gifts & Dec Direct Newsletter http://www.giftsanddec.com ================================================================== [5] Is Internet Sales Taxes DOA (or DBA)? ================================================================== George misses one thing: Congress is not even close to permit the states to levy taxes beyond their borders. The telephone or mail-order company is not required to collect sales tax for any jurisdiction in which it has no physical presence. Many of the larger ones have been bullied into doing it, but the Supreme Court has ruled that if a vendor has no physical presence in a state, it is not required to collect sales tax. Period. The vendor receives no services from that state where it has no presence. New York State might as well try to get Ontario or Iceland to collect NYS sales tax. Large discount chains such as Walmart and Kmart already have a physical presence in each state and know how to deal with all the sales taxes. They can afford to staff their sales tax departments with many tax accountants. If all Internet merchants were required to collect taxes they could use this as a competitive advantage on top of the other benefits they have for being so large. Other states provide absolutely no services to out-of-state Internet merchants. This is like free money. They take it in but do not need to provide any benefits for it. The local B&M's get police, fire, roads, schools, etc. in return for collecting sales taxes. When an Internet merchant ships a product out of state, they pay UPS, FedEx, etc. who in turn pay taxes in that state for use of the roads for delivery. Local business people can vote their government leaders out if they do not like their policies or tax rates. The Internet merchants cannot. This is "taxation without representation" a founding principal in this country. Internet merchants can only affect their home state/locale. Internet merchants pay every other tax that the B&M merchants do such as federal income tax, state income tax, county taxes, city taxes, and these taxes are paid on all the money collected, not just the income received from the local state/county/city. Internet merchants pay tax and a lot of it. In fact, a bill sponsored by Chris Cox in the House and supported by 38 Senators already in the Senate would explicitly do just the opposite: forbid states from levying taxes beyond their borders. So while there is no chance that the Congress will allow states to tax beyond their borders in this Congress, there is a 65% chance that Congress will put into legislation what the already Supreme Court has ruled: that states cannot tax outside their borders if there is no in-state physical presence. The internet sales tax is dead on arrival, folks. Too bad for the tax-and-spend crowd. CMA +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ The Internet has done more for business than any other venue. Which also means that never before has so many governments lost so much in tax revenue. So, something will have to be done. Sales tax the way it exists now will never work for Internet businesses. Not many have the resources to track 7,600 tax jurisdictions. However, when the ten states (as a start) agree to the uniform sales tax, there will be taxation on the Internet. Guaranteed. George =================================================================== [6] Art Market Growing =================================================================== Art Market Growing, Diverging as Consumer Motivations Creates Opportunities, finds Unity Marketing Study As retail sales reached $29 billion, the art market is becoming big business, with sales up 14% over 2000's $25.5 billion, according to a new market research study Art and Wall Decor Report, 2003: The Market, The Competitors, The Future Trends, from Unity Marketing (www.unitymarketingonline.com). Buying art is more than decorating. With 42% of all American households buying art in 2002, the art market is increasingly diverse as distinct market segments buy for different reasons. "Art marketers and retailers are making a big mistake if they view art consumers as a 'one-size-fits-all' market of passionate home decorators," explains luxury marketing expert Pam Danziger, president of Unity Marketing and author of the book, Why People Buy Things They Don't Need. "While home decorating will always play a role in why people buy art, today the majority of art consumers view the process as a more important decision than simply matching one's home decor or color scheme," Danziger said. "Art buyers today connect emotionally with the art they buy through the theme. That personal connection with the art takes precedence over whether it fits a particular space on the wall," Danziger says. In a new art consumer survey, sponsored in part by the Art Publishers Association, a majority of art buyers agreed or strongly agreed with these statements: • I am more interested in buying art today than I used to be — 55% • The art I buy and display is an important outlet for my creative expression — 54% • When choosing art for my home, the way the piece makes me feel is more important than whether it matches the decor in my home — 53% Market segmentation points to market opportunities Unity's Art and Wall Decor Report, which analyzes consumers of unframed art, already-framed art, original art, custom-framed art and other items, provides a road map for art marketers, gallery and framing shop owners and art retailers to future market success. "In reviewing past purchase behavior and art consumers' expected spending through 2003 and beyond, two key market segments emerge which offer art marketers their best sales opportunities," Danziger explains. "At the luxury end, art connoisseurs, representing over one-fourth of the total art market, are projected to be the most active buyers. Their appetite for art is undiminished by world events, as they have been the most active segment buying art in the first quarter of 2003. This segment is comprised mainly of affluent and highly-educated baby boomers who view themselves as collectors, who shop primarily in art galleries and framing shops and for whom decorating takes a back seat. "The other segment holding the most promise are home decorators, 28% of the market. This segment is largely budget-minded young marrieds who have a need to buy art to fill empty walls in new homes. Many home decorators expect to buy more art in the coming year and are likely to continue frequenting mass merchants and home furnishings and furniture stores for the already-framed prints they favor." The new market research report, Art and Wall Decor Report, 2003: The Market, The Competitors, The Future Trends, is a business planning tool that provides marketers and retailers with the facts and figures they need to build a vibrant business now and into the future. Written by Unity Marketing's research experts, it details industry sales by product form and distribution channel, profiles leading national art and framing retailers and art publishers, and provides insight from surveys of art companies, art publishers, wholesalers/distributors, OEM framers and framing suppliers, art galleries, framing shops and art and wall decor consumers. This in-depth report is available from Unity Marketing for $2,250. For more information, visit www.unitymarketingonline.com. =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Global Pay Systems LLC http://globalpaysystems.net E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com From etd_post@gapent.com Tue May 20 04:33:44 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (15.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.15]) by gapent.com (8.12.9/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h4KAXdMZ048573 for ; Tue, 20 May 2003 04:33:40 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030519204153.0159ad30@gapent.com> X-Sender: etdpost@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Tue, 20 May 2003 06:33:28 -0400 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Subject: ETD: 687 Ideas; Get the word out; Microsoft sets sites on Google; Is Internet Sales Taxes DOA (or DBA)?; Retail Shoppers Returning to Normal Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0687 May 20, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] Ideas [3] Get the word out ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] Microsoft sets sites on Google [5] Is Internet Sales Taxes DOA (or DBA)? [6] Retail Shoppers Returning to Normal =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: One of our list members was kind enough to point out my invalid use of "it's" whereby I should have used its. Of course he was 100% correct. Grammar has always been my weak point, which is why I'm glad to have editors. Unfortunately, ETD does not have an editor. However, that doesn't stop me from writing. I believe the intent of the writing is far more important than the grammar. We can always find grammarians (editors), but it's not as easy to find creative writers. So, don't let anything stop you from writing. Get the word out. Check out the success story of one of our list members in 3 below. What are you doing to promote yourself or your business? If you search on your business name, what do you find? Is that important to you? Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] Ideas =================================================================== I was in VA this past weekend and in the Sunday newspaper there was an article about an 11-year-old fifth-grade honors student sketched an idea for a "Security One Card," which he says could eliminate the need for multiple cards. Here's an example of how Scott's idea would work: You have a grocery store club card, a frequent-buyer card and a video-store card, plus a credit card. Instead of carrying four separate cards, you could have just one by having magnetic strips added to your credit card with the permission of the issuing merchants. The magnetic strips could be added to any plastic card, even a blank one. Companies could input the data at their establishments if they obtained one of the devices used to affix magnetic strips. For instance, you could ask a video store to add a strip onto your Visa card to allow rentals if the store agreed and you had permission from Visa. Scott, who has many hobbies, including designing Web sites, got the idea at age 9. "I was in Las Vegas at the Consumer Electronics Show, and we were checking into the Four Seasons Hotel," said Scott. "My Dad got the room key card, and I wondered, why not combine it? I think the hotels are wasting money with the key cards." The way Scott sees it, instead of using a hotel-issued key card, guests could simply insert their credit cards as a way to gain room entry if a magnetic strip was added to the credit card at the hotel. At checkout, the strip would be removed. What I found interesting about this, is the fresh idea from an 11-year-old. How many times have you heard the "I shoulda, coulda, woulda?" Folks who don't do something because of every excuse possible. What we all need is the exuberance and naivete of youth when developing new ideas. What have you done lately? George PS Check out his patent: http://www.sunspot.net/business/bal-bz.patent07may07.story =================================================================== [3] Get the word out =================================================================== It was interesting about the Due Diligence a prospective customer did. Is this a good way to sell your self or your company. You bet it is. I think each company or person who is active on the Internet should just enter the name of their company and or their own name. You can really find some interesting results. If I am looking for someone, or trying to find something specific I always use the search abilities of one of the search engines. You are surprise what and who you find out. I have done it on some lost friends, and some lost friends have found me, all because of the Internet Search Capabilities. How do I use this feature. I am in the process of selling one of my entities, and what I told the prospective buyer to do, was search all over the Internet, trying to find my competitors so he could get a better evaluation of what the company did, I told him go check on my name and the name of my company. Well I think it paid off, the prospective buyer is coming to spend two days for a final evaluation, before making an offer by next week. Yours truly Jules Kaplan ChekFaxx Development Co. INC.- E-commerce Payment Solution Provider admin@chekfaxx.com - 480-991-7025 OR 800-220-0468 - FAX 310-362-8746 Accept Check by FAX - PHONE - E-MAIL - INTERNET http://chekfaxx.com Now on Line For EFT Processing www.ezpaymentservices.com E-Commerce Solutions that you have to SEE to BELIEVE www.eft-ach.com www.electronicfunds.com +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Marvelous! Great news Jules. Congratulations. And yes, PR does work. Get the word out now. George =================================================================== [4] Microsoft sets sites on Google =================================================================== With luck and brains, the search service has won the hearts and minds of millions and built a booming business. Watch out: Microsoft wants in. Just when high tech had nothing left to believe in, along came Google. As a skeleton key for the Internet, Google in five years has grown from an academic exercise in search of better ways of finding stuff on the Web into a thriving, prodigious advertising business beloved by users, sought by a hundred thousand advertisers, coveted by Wall Street and envied--or reviled--by a swarm of rivals. But Google has become much more than merely a search service. It is a daily tool and main entry point for millions of users, stealing the spotlight from the browser (Explorer or whatever) and Internet portals like Yahoo. It is a labor of love for programmers, who have built applications off of Google and posted them like trophies on the Web. One does a "smackdown," comparing the Internet ubiquity of two words ("love" beats "money," but not by much); another creates poems. For Wall Street and Silicon Valley, Google is the great bright hope for an initial public offering that might revive moribund tech stocks. And Google has become its own meme, the stuff of New Yorker cartoons and a brand, like Kleenex and Band-Aid, that is in danger of becoming a part of the English language. You don't search for something on the Web anymore. You Google it. Google now can be queried in 36 languages, with more to come. At the posh Hotel Bel Air, in Los Angeles, manager Lisa Hagen makes a point of Googling all guests before arrival, searching out better ways to spoil them. "If we find out they like to jog early in the day, we make sure they get a room with morning sun," she says. In Boston, Mark Kini manages a small limousine service that spends 80% of its ad budget on Google and other search sites. Says he: "It's how we survive the recession." In Westport, Conn. consultant Elena Amboyan's kids use Google daily; even when they research something at the library, they say they're Googling it. It is all much more than Brin and Page ever had in mind when they started. "Sure, I'm surprised by the success," says Brin, unassuming, rumpled and wiry, his sneakers scuffing the upholstery of a conference-room chair. Users love Google, he says, because they find things there when they are desperate to know an answer. Keep offering better results and you hold their loyalty forever--and sell them stuff. Page adds that Google has become "like a person to them, helping them and giving them intelligence any hour of the day." The passion and success igniting Google, and its emergence as a new interface for the Internet, have made it a rich, fat target for rivals. Yahoo is taking aim. So is the biggest search outfit, Overture, a little-known billion-dollar vendor that provides unbranded search services for other Web sites and has sued Google, alleging patent infringement. A gaggle of some 200 Web sites in China is reportedly going after Google, too. And now Google faces the most lethal threat of all: Microsoft, aroused, is taking aim at the popular site. This bears an eerie resemblance to the rise--and calamitous fall--of Netscape, the first commercially successful Web browser. Will Google be the next victim of a Windows that swallows everything? To help ensure a future, Brin and Page brought in a grown-up as chief executive, Valley veteran Eric Schmidt, 48. Fittingly, Schmidt had abundant experience struggling against Microsoft in his two previous jobs: He was chief technology officer at Sun Microsystems, then chief executive of Novell, two companies that thought, wrongly, they had Microsoft licked. Google's founders credit Schmidt with successfully managing their company's most intense period of growth. Details at... http://www.forbes.com/free_forbes/2003/0526/100.html ================================================================== [5] Is Internet Sales Taxes DOA (or DBA)? ================================================================== Our moderator wrote... >However, when the ten states (as a start) agree to the uniform sales > tax, there will be taxation on the Internet. The 10 states have nothing to do with a vote in Congress. Ten states passing an Internet sales tax only permits the Congress to then vote on the issue. Congress then votes it down! Check out the legal-political situation for yourself. You will see that Congress must vote on the issue and pass a law. If 10 (or 50) state legislatures endorse an Internet sales tax, that doesn't matter. Only what Congress does counts. And it has to be veto-proof, since the President is against the Internet sales tax. CMA +++ [Next Post] +++ Our moderator wrote... > The Internet has done more for business than any other venue. Which > also means that never before has so many governments lost so much > in tax revenue. So, something will have to be done. I'm sorry, George, I can't let this go, but I have a real problem with the idea that any government has 'lost' tax revenue. Have revenues actually declined? Or, are you counting (unfairly IMHO) taxes that 'would have' been collected had the Internet sale been in their local jurisdiction? Tax revenues are not down, only the PROJECTED tax revenues. The Internet has created a whole new economy, baked a new pie, if you will. No one is taking away from anyone else's existing piece of their old pie. I feel it's the same concept when the USPS was talking about revenue 'lost' to e-mail. Freda +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ First, I need to make it perfectly clear that I am not in favor of Internet sales tax. There are actual losses, and yes, they do state the losses as "projected" losses due to lost opportunities. But that's still lost revenue. According to the Institute for State Studies, new figures show that state and local governments will lose $13.3 billion in revenue this year - 41 percent higher than previously estimated - because taxes are not paid on remote online purchases as they are on "Main Street" purchases. Projected annual revenue losses jump to $45.2 billion in 2006 and a staggering $54.8 billion by 2011 as a result of skyrocketing business-to-business e-commerce activity. http://www.statestudies.org/news1.html Yes, I am well aware of the fact that Congress has to vote on sales taxes across borders. As we all know, when there is a shortage in government revenue, they need to find another alternative to raise funds. No politician would ever dare say cut spending. That's too easy. Somewhere they need to bring in more revenue. So, if they don't get money from Internet taxes, then it will be from property taxes, or income taxes or some other form of tax. I'm not suggesting an argument for how to tax. FWIW George =================================================================== [6] Retail Shoppers Returning to Normal =================================================================== In April after months of turmoil and uncertainty, the nation's shoppers are returning to normal, as retail and food service sales through April 2003 reached $1,163.7 billion, up 4.5% over the first four months of 2002. As the price of gasoline fell sharply in April, consumers' adjusted their budgets to spend more on luxuries and non-essentials, according to the latest statistics release by the Department of Commerce. With a late Easter this year, clothing and accessories stores benefited from more consumer spending, as sales rose 2.1% in April over March 2003 results. Consumers also indulged in more spending on jewelry this year, with jewelry store sales up 2.3% during the first quarter of 2003, as compared with 2002. Increased spending on the garden gave a boost to the nation's building materials, garden equipment and suppliers dealers. These retailers saw sales jump 22.3% over March levels, as consumers turned their attention to enhancing the outdoor living areas of their homes. Fueled by a passion to reconnect with the external world, 'butterfly' consumers spent more dining out this year, with sales at food service and drinking places up 4.3% for the first four months of 2003. With consumers returning to normal, the signs are positive through the rest of the year for the nation's motor vehicles and parts dealers, food and beverage stores, health and personal care stores, general and mass merchandisers, nonstore retailers, especially the Internet e-commerce sites, and food services and drinking places. But some categories show weakness through the first four months of 2003. Furniture and home furnishings stores are struggling with only a .8% sales increase over the first four months of 2002. Electronics and appliance stores are down .3%, while sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores declined 1.5%. Traditional department stores are continuing to have a bad year, as retail sales are off by 5.8% compared to last year. The nation's miscellaneous retailers, including many independent 'mom & pop' type stores, are down .6% from last year. For pdf copy of the latest Dept. of Commerce figures, email me a request at pam@unitymarketingonline.com Note: This analysis is based on the Dept of Commerce's UNADJUSTED numbers. These were chosen because they do not mask seasonal variations and normal business ups-and-downs and so more accurately reflect the economic reality of individual businesses and retailers. Contact: VISIBILITY www.visibilitypr.com 914 712 2610 Lens@visibilitypr.com Pam Danziger, President, Unity Marketing, author of Why People Buy Things They Don't Need =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Global Pay Systems LLC http://globalpaysystems.net E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com From etd_post@gapent.com Thu May 22 02:59:42 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (47.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.47]) by gapent.com (8.12.9/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h4M8xdLq069886 for ; Thu, 22 May 2003 02:59:41 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030521161557.0150fa38@gapent.com> X-Sender: etdpost@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Wed, 21 May 2003 22:33:16 -0400 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Subject: ETD: 688 Mentoring; Online Discount Wholesaler; Spammers may be subject to RICO; More on Google; Global View from The Top: The Rise of the Intelligent Supply Chain Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0688 May 22, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] Mentoring [3] Tom Gottleib Launches Online Discount Wholesaler ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] Spammers may be subject to RICO [5] More on Google [6] Global View from The Top: The Rise of the Intelligent Supply Chain =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: Today I read the best solution for spam. A bill is being introduced to prosecute spammers under the RICO act - the same law that tries organized crime! I hope it happens fast. It's a more civilized method than drawing and quartering them. ;-) Have you ever considered being a mentor or working with a mentor? It could change your life forever - it did so for me. What's happening with upcoming sales and selling seasons? What are you doing to increase business? In the US we have the Memorial Day weekend coming this weekend. It's a weekend for travel. And I hope those who drive can find reasonable gas prices. Last weekend I was in VA, and gas was $1.29 a gallon, $1.59 in PA and $1.49 in NJ. So, drive safe and enjoy the weekend. Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] Mentoring =================================================================== Remember the dotcom heydays where we all made money? All it took was an idea, a business plan and a list of venture capitalists. I still can't believe that a major company paid $28 million for a startup I was a partner in. Of course, the bulk of the payout was in stock. So at the time of the sale the stock was $27 a share. A year later it was $1.27 a share! Today it's not so easy. However, those companies who do succeed in hard times will be much stronger in the long run. E-businesses are now being funded with personal savings or loans from family or financial institutions. No longer will you find Super Bowl ads that cost more than the total revenue of the company since it's inception! No longer will you find the big paychecks or the fancy cars, all bought on VC funds. On the bright side, the cost of technology is now reasonable and fast enough for even the smallest startup. And smart entrepreneurs are taking advantage of free publicity whenever possible. Creative articles in key publications drive business to you. The key is to think big, but spend small. Remember, cash is still king. Make a profit and plow it back into the business. In addition to knowing your products and services, you also need to understand the mechanics of operating a business. Attend some basic workshops or seminars which address starting a business, business planning, marketing and financial analysis. But the most important lesson you can ever learn can come from a mentor - somebody who understands business and is willing to help you. I was very fortunate in my early days in that I had the best mentor one could ever find. Sam taught me lessons on legal issues, marketing, product selection, raising capital, and more importantly, being fair with everybody with whom I did business. Today my word is still more important than any piece of paper drawn up by an attorney. So, get out there and find a mentor. It may change you life forever. Actually, I am considering being a mentor now. I find so many people with great ideas, and they need to get the products to market. I am looking at two business now. How about you? Some of our gray hairs should consider mentoring. George =================================================================== [3] Tom Gottleib Launches Online Discount Wholesaler =================================================================== Closeouts and overstocks will be made more readily available to independent retailers thanks to Giftfinale.com, a Web site for end-of-line items from gift and home suppliers. Backed by Tom Gottleib of Two's Company and Tozai Home, the list of companies selling product on the site include Gift Box Corp., Global Views, Manual Woodworkers and Weavers, Mud Pie, and Reed & Barton, as well as Two's Co. and Tozai. Goods are offered in case packs with no minimum dollar order. Payment is made by credit card at the time of shipment, and delivery is promised within seven days. Suppliers can place product images on the site using low-res jpegs. They will be notified when an order comes in, and are responsible for shipping and collecting payment. For more information, contact Gottleib at tg@giftfinale.com. Quinn Halford, Editor In Chief Matthew Kalash, Editor http://www.giftsanddec.com +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Sourcing of products seems to be the #1 issue of most small retailers. This should be a great source. George =================================================================== [4] Spammers may be subject to RICO =================================================================== The same law used to jail gangsters would be used to clamp down on Internet ``spammers'' under a new bill by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson. On Monday he announced he wants to apply the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations, or RICO, statute to unsolicited commercial e-mail. Under his proposal, it would become a federal crime to send bulk e-mails with fraudulent or forged information, such as a fake name in the ``From'' box or a bogus return address. The worst offenders then could be prosecuted under RICO. Several other federal legislators have proposed antispam bills, but Nelson claims his is the first to invoke RICO. ``People in this country are getting fed up,'' Nelson said at a Tampa news conference Monday. `` ... They can't even use their e-mail because it gets congested with these things.'' Unsolicited commercial e-mail today makes up about 45 percent of all e-mail in the United States, up from 16 percent a year and a half ago, said Brightmail Inc., a San Francisco maker of antispam software. Maybe worse, much of it is deceptive, according to the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC studied a random sample of 1,000 spam e-mails and found that 66 percent had some form of deception in the ``From'' box, the ``Subject'' box or in the message itself. One deception: Enticing someone to open an e-mail with a message such as ``Here's your moving info,'' when it actually is a pornographic message, said Brian Huseman, an FTC attorney. There are laws in at least 29 states curbing spam, although Florida does not. But, most provide for only civil penalties against serial spammers, which have rarely been used, said Mark Lemley, a law professor at the University of California at Berkeley. Under Nelson's bill, it would become a federal crime to: * Forge or send fraudulent destination, routing or subject header information in unsolicited bulk e-mails; * Send e-mail to anyone who requests not to receive unsolicited e-mail; * Collect e-mail addresses from public and private places to send unsolicited bulk e-mail. And, anyone sending it must give people a way to opt out of future e-mails. Those violating the ban would be subject to fines and imprisonment of up to five years, Nelson said. It would not stop legitimate e-mail solicitations, Nelson said. Details at... http://tech.tbo.com/tech/MGA8PBZ7NFD.html +++ [Next Post] +++ Spam is a problem for lot of companies and individuals on the Internet. My Spam problem was getting a little out of hand. I made a decision to limit my incoming email addresses to some very specific addresses. I eliminated the ability to have a wild card ability in my address. In one day, here is the results - Sunday, I had 284 junk or Spam emails from everything from porn to financing my home. Well I just checked my incoming emails for Monday, and my junk / Spam emails are down to 37. Now I feel I have a little control. Before any one states, why don't you filter your emails for junk / Spam and the answer is I do. My company has 7 different web sites, and I restricted all of the email addresses to specific incoming emails. It was for my sanity in dealing with the web. Now maybe I can get back to work. Yours truly Jules Kaplan ChekFaxx Development Co. INC.- E-commerce Payment Solution Provider Now on Line For EFT Processing www.ezpaymentservices.com Available NOW http://www.addressmanagerpro.com Discover how to add your email address to Your Windows Address Book admin@chekfaxx.com - 480-991-7025 OR 800-220-0468 - FAX 310-362-8746 Accept Check by FAX - PHONE - E-MAIL - INTERNET http://chekfaxx.com ================================================================== [5] More on Google ================================================================== From the June Issue of Fast Company, reader feedback. 1. From Peter Abatan, Essex, England. "In looking to its future, Google should keep in mind that it is allowed to fail and succeed because of the fact it is still a privately held organization. What the stock market is about is succeeding, with little or no tolerance for failure. It's all about year-on-year profitability, cost cutting, downsizing, reduction in overheads, and head count. The stock market will punish you if you have to increase your expenditures because you are working on a project that has no known source of income-a project such as the Google News Service. Going public would change the culture of Google forever and might lead to staffers breaking away to start their own rival firms. My advice to Google: Stay away from the IPO flu-you may never recover from it." 2. From Yuval Yosef, Tel Aviv, Israel. " In the event that Google decides in favor of an initial public offering, I would consider it a management and board failure. Google has the potential to become the 21st-century leader in Intelligent Information Retrieval. Google technology as well as its current execution capabilities should be sufficient in turning this company into a monopoly. That is also the only way that Google can keep its values. Strange as it may sound, the only way for Google management to maximize Google shareholders value as well as Google user value is to keep the company private." Regards, Jerry Grooms Bar Code It Now http://barcodeitnow.com =================================================================== [6] Global View from The Top: The Rise of the Intelligent Supply Chain =================================================================== How can we develop short-range forecasts to respond more quickly to market changes? How can we monitor the performance of our top five suppliers? What will it cost to shift to a new supplier in a particular product line? To get at this information, managers and analysts often have to spend days, or even weeks, cobbling together aging or obsolete information on spreadsheets. Measuring forecast accuracy and supplier performance is still a hit-or-miss proposition. Supply chains are growing increasingly complex, growing from linear arrangements to synchronized, multi-echelon, outward-facing networks of distributed servers. There's much more information that needs to be monitored than just a few years ago. Most companies lack the tools that can quickly sift through and present data coming in from supply chain partners and systems. Gartner Group, a leading IT consultancy, estimates that less than one percent of companies today actually are capable of monitoring and measuring online supplier performance. A study conducted by the University of Texas for Dell Computer Corp. found that only 11 percent of 1,000 companies studied have any form of online transactional and information-sharing capabilities with their suppliers. Building an information sharing and analysis capability will be critical to sustaining critical competitive advantage over the next few years. "The movement of supply chains in the 1990s was powered by optimization, but as we move into the 2000s, the trend is toward workflow and analytics," says Lora Cecere, analyst with Gartner. Achieving visibility across your supply chain means not only being able to track the performance of a supplier, but that of your supplier's suppliers as well. Such visibility enables a more agile level of demand planning, in which production and quality issues can be addressed within days, or even hours. Details at... http://www.consumergoods.com/news.htm#9 =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Global Pay Systems LLC http://globalpaysystems.net E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com From etd@gapent.com Tue May 27 05:33:56 2003 Received: from smtp6.mindspring.com (smtp6.mindspring.com [207.69.200.110]) by gapent.com (8.12.9/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h4RBXt2j080670 for ; Tue, 27 May 2003 05:33:56 -0600 (MDT) Received: from user-38ld0kg.dialup.mindspring.com ([209.86.130.144] helo=GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com) by smtp6.mindspring.com with esmtp (Exim 3.33 #1) id 19KciH-0001kZ-00 for etd_list@gapent.com; Tue, 27 May 2003 07:33:53 -0400 Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030526181211.01521508@gapent.com> X-Sender: etd@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Tue, 27 May 2003 07:25:10 -0400 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Subject: ETD: 689 Need Cash Register; Cash-Richer Consumers; U.S. E-Commerce Shatters Non-Holiday Record; EarthLink Has New Way To Put a Lid on Spam E-mail; Five Retailers Make Forbes Fastest Growing Big Companies list Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0689 May 27, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] Need Cash Register [3] U.S. E-Commerce Shatters Non-Holiday Record ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] EarthLink Has New Way To Put a Lid on Spam E-mail [5] Five Retailers Make Forbes Fastest Growing Big Companies list [6] Cash-Richer Consumers =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: Hope our US members had a nice Memorial Day weekend, both for personal and business reasons. For those of us who identify Memorial Day sales as part of our business plan, how was it this year? One of our list members is seeking help on equipment needed to operate a new store, from which he may also launch a unique wholesale business. I know we have a number of independent retailer members. Any advice would be appreciated. Interesting to note how E-Commerce has shattered all records in 2002 according to the US Census Bureau, posting consistent double-digit gains throughout the economic slump. Guess this Internet is not going to be another pet rock eh? This ties in with the fact that consumers seem to have more cash to spend. Are you getting your share? Forbes reports five retailers on the fastest growing big companies list. Guess who they are? We have a final note on Spam - a new service from Earthlink. I don't agree with it, and believe the approach taken by Microsoft may work better - pursue and sue the spammers (my spam level is now over 90%). What do you think? Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] Need Cash Register =================================================================== We are opening up an Ice Cream Store in CT and we are looking for advice on a cash register. We would like to obtain some management information. Any suggestions? Also, we may do wholesale, once he gets established. To upscale restaurants that want to carry "home made" ice cream. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks Jim D. =================================================================== [3] U.S. E-Commerce Shatters Non-Holiday Record =================================================================== In total, the Census Department reported that e-tail sales for all of 2002 came in at $45 billion -- but private research provides an even more optimistic view. A recent report from Shop.org and Forrester estimated 2002 e-commerce sales totaled $76 billion. U.S. e-commerce sales rose more than 25 percent year over year in the first quarter, setting a record level for a non-holiday quarter of nearly US$12 billion. Specifically, sales were estimated at $11.921 billion, a 25.9 percent increase over the same period in 2002, when sales totaled $9.47 billion. As expected, sales were well off the fourth quarter of 2002, when they set a record of $13.7 billion. E-commerce sales continued to outpace overall retail purchases. Total retail sales rose just 4.4 percent year over year. As a result, e-commerce captured 1.5 percent of all sales, the biggest fraction ever in a non-holiday quarter. In fact, e-commerce has posted consistent double-digit gains throughout the economic slump. Only once since 2000 have sales grown less than 20 percent in a quarter. The data is based on a survey of some 11,000 U.S. retailers and is subject to revision and adjustment based on seasonal changes. Details at... http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/21586.html =================================================================== [4] EarthLink Has New Way To Put a Lid on Spam E-mail =================================================================== EarthLink says the system, which is already available from several small companies for free, will be optional and free for its 5 million subscribers. One of the USA's largest Internet service providers is about to deploy what may be the best line of defense so far in the war against unwanted e-mail. EarthLink on Tuesday will introduce anti-spam technology, dubbed challenge-response, that could prevent spammers from flooding the Internet and corporate e-mail systems with billions of automatically generated e-mail messages. If successful, the technology could put a lid on those annoying ads hawking home mortgages, pornography and miracle drugs that account for more than half of all e-mail. Here's how it works: Anyone who sends e-mail to a challenge-response user quickly receives an e-mail asking them to prove they are a live person. They do so by copying a series of numbers displayed on their computer screen and returning the message. Their original message is then allowed through. Verification needs to be performed just once, and future e-mails from the same e-mail address are recognized. Blocked messages are sent to a suspect mailbox, which customers can view. The system lets users create approved e-mail address lists so family, friends and business associates are spared e-mail challenges. It also has a feature to generate additional e-mail addresses to purchase goods online. Many vendors send sales-confirmation notices via e-mail. EarthLink says the system, which is already available from several small companies for free, will be optional and free for its 5 million subscribers. Microsoft -- which, like other major spam targets, fights spam with software filters and litigation -- also is considering the challenge-response technology, the company says. Yahoo last month deployed a variation of challenge-response whenever a subscriber sends an unusually high number of e-mails. It declared Thursday global anti-spam day. Details at... http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/21590.html ================================================================== [5] Five Retailers Make Forbes Fastest Growing Big Companies list ================================================================== No less than five retailers make our list of the 25 fastest-growing big companies. The top two retailers on the list, Sonic Automotive and United Auto Group, landed there primarily due to the tremendous consolidation going on amongst auto dealerships--typically a very entrepreneurial arena. Sonic Auto, which nabbed the top fastest-growing spot, has snapped up 31 dealerships in the last year alone, while United, which ranks as the tenth-fastest-growing outfit, bought 72 dealerships during the same period. The other three fast-growing retailers on our list are stores of the more traditional sort. Department store Kohl's came in at 12, while home improvement chain Lowe's was number 19 and discounter Dollar General ranked 22nd. Kohl's sells bath towels while Dollar General traffics in paper towels and Lowe's trades in two-by-fours. But what each of these outfits has in common is a particular knack for serving up good merchandise values with a lot less hassle than their primary competitors, according to Peter Brown, chairman of Atlanta-based retail research firm Kurt Salmon. Dollar General's 6,000-odd stores stock many of the same things as Wal-Mart, from household cleaners and health and beauty aides to food and clothes. But because their locations are so much smaller they can be positioned in more highly populated areas that don't have room for a store the size of several football fields. That means Dollar Generals are much easier to get to than a Wal-Mart--and a whole lot faster to navigate once you're inside. And like Wal-Mart, according to Will Ander, an analyst with the Chicago retail consultancy McMillan Doolittle, Dollar General's prices also beat supermarket and drugstore prices. Faster, easier shopping trips also are much of what's fueling Lowe's growth, which has gained from merchandising missteps by competitor Home Depot. Both chains have seen a windfall in the last five years thanks to record home-buying due to low mortgage rates and, in turn, lots of remodeling. Details at... http://www.forbes.com/2003/05/22/cx_pp_0522biggrowth.html =================================================================== [6] Cash-Richer Consumers =================================================================== Everybody knows that unemployment is running at 6.0%, the highest rate since 1994. The Bush administration says its tax-cut plan will help by creating 1.4 million jobs. That's good--if it happens. But even without the tax cut, the economy has quietly added 1.25 million jobs since December. This increase in the number of employed as recorded by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics household survey is the single brightest light in the consumer sector of the economy according to Carl Steidtmann, chief economist for Deloitte Research. Indeed, Steidtmann says that consumer liquidity overall--cash in people's pockets--is increasing because of three factors: jobs, savings and refinancings. That extra cash, if put to work, could give the overall economy a boost. Consumers, who have been credited with supporting the flagging economy, seem poised to save the day once again. On the jobs front, observers often disregard the rise in overall employment that has been going on lately if it doesn't affect the unemployment rate, which it has not. But according to Steidtmann, the household survey, as distinct from the survey of employers, is a better leading indicator of economic prospects since individuals "respond in ways that reflect positively on themselves." For example, if someone is about to be hired, he might record himself as employed--even if the human-resources department hasn't put him on the payroll just yet. But slightly better job prospects aren't the only reason consumers have more money to spend. Consumers have been increasing their savings rate, partly in response to uncertain times, partly to reduce debt piled up during the boom years. Personal savings rates have rebounded to more than 3.5% of income for the past three quarters, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. That rate is still a far cry from where savings were in the mid-1990s. But it's much better than the fourth quarter of 2001, when the savings rate dipped below 1%. Mortgage refinancing has given consumers another infusion of cash. Interest rates at four-decade lows have not just sustained the housing market during recessionary times; they have allowed consumers to refinance their mortgages at lower rates, freeing up cash for other purposes. The recent decline in oil and gasoline prices, a direct consequence of the end of the U.S. defeat of Iraq, has the same effect, as will the planned $400 boost in the child-care tax credit, assuming it is signed into law. In sum, consumers have more to spend--an average of about $1,000 per person since just after 9/11, according to the BEA . Details at... http://tn01.com/forbes/sbct.cgi?s=434545284&i=802371&m=1&d=4579972 =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Global Pay Systems LLC http://globalpaysystems.net E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com From etd_post@gapent.com Thu May 29 04:51:22 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (35.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.35]) by gapent.com (8.12.9/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h4TApLl2071003 for ; Thu, 29 May 2003 04:51:22 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030528190252.01539888@gapent.com> X-Sender: etdpost@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Thu, 29 May 2003 06:50:29 -0400 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Subject: ETD: 690 Need Cash Register; Tell Your Company Story; Time for a site redesign when...(humor) ; Hong Kong Fair Completes First Edition; EBay Loses Patent Case, Hit with $35M Verdict Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0690 May 29, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] Need Cash Register [3] Tell Your Company Story ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] (humor) Time for a site redesign when... [5] Hong Kong Fair Completes First Edition [6] EBay Loses Patent Case, Hit with $35M Verdict =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: Today we have two replies for a cash register/POS for a new store. If you're looking for a new register, you may want to look at these solutions. We had a thread going on getting the word out. Well today we have some great tips on telling your story from marketing guru Dr. Kevin Nunley. Powerful stuff. Tom Fosson of Cyberspace Publishing posted a humorous note to the Web Consultants List on site redesign, which I had to post here. How many sites look like this? To join WCL http://www.wclist.com/join.php The Hong Kong Fair had 470 vendors out of a potential 5,000 - down due to the SARS scare. The show organizers have a supplemental show coming up in July. This is an important show for giftware, and the kickoff show for the industry. Finally, eBay lost a patent infringement suit, brought on by a lawyer who claimed the patent since before eBay's launch. And he has a suit against PriceLine.com. Wonder if he has a similar patent like Dell has? Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] Need Cash Register =================================================================== Jim D. wrote... > We are opening up an Ice Cream Store in CT and we are looking for advice > on a cash register. We would like to obtain some management information. Actually, our MicroBiz product is likely to be the best fit of the products we have. It is also the cheapest and maybe the easiest as well for a small business. I am not sure what else to recommend that might be a more specialized fit for them. MicroBiz would also be good at the wholesale end. It is a single location system though. http://www.camcommerce.com/prod_microbiz.htm Regards, Geoff Knapp CAM Commerce Solutions www.camcommerce.com +++ [Next Post] +++ May I suggest that the proprietor of the ice cream store consider a computer based POS solution, such as our POSitive for Windows software. POSitive will provide them with a wealth of management information and can easily handle both retail and wholesale sales. A turnkey system with computer, POS hardware and software is competitive in price with a high-end cash register and is much more flexible and user friendly. I would be happy to send them more information and a free demo of our software if they call us at 888-430-1685, or they can visit our web site at www.pointofsale.com. Best Regards, --Dean Martin pointofsale.com --------------------------- 888-430-1685 Fax: 509-735-6299 http://www.pointofsale.com dean@pointofsale.com =================================================================== [3] Tell Your Company Story =================================================================== Moderator's preface: Remember that thread we had going about getting the word out? Well Kevin Nunley tells some tips on telling your story in his Dr Nunley's Marketing Tips - a great marketing newsletter. Kevin also does a great job writing press releases, and has used our Automated Press Release service. ----- Every business and company has a story: how they started, what obstacles were in their way, the moment when they realized the brilliant idea that would change their lives, etc... Yes, even your business has a story if you think back. But did you know your company story is the foundation of a marketing concept called narrative theory? The idea behind narrative theory is that, when you tell your story, people will feel closer to you and be more likely to remember you. It instantly personalizes and makes your business memorable. So when do you tell your story? You might use it in presentation, include a separate page about it on your website, or even post yours on the wall of your retail business for everyone to see. Using company stories is proven to increase productivity, motivate employees, and attract return customers. Here are some of the types of stories you can tell: *The Big Idea -- How did you come up with the idea for your product, service or business? Detail the exact moment in a story, including how you felt, the people who were involved, and what came of the idea. *The Cinderella Story -- Did you start at the bottom? Were you the most unlikely person to succeed with your own business? Tell us how you went from scullery maid to belle of the ball. *I Will Survive -- What obstacles did you overcome to get to where you are now? Tell us how you survived against all odds. *I Need a Hero -- Did a good deed help you establish your business? Maybe you instigated your business by helping out the community. Maybe there was a noble cause behind your business startup. Dr. Kevin Nunley http://www.drnunley.com NEW "3 Steps To Success" program mailto:kevin@drnunley.com =================================================================== [4] (humor) Time for a site redesign when... =================================================================== Got this from WebProNews... You know it's time for a site redesign when... o Bob Villa wants to put you on "This Old Homepage." o Spammers refuse to send you email. o Your reflective water applet freezes over. o Your ping comes up "no way, I'm not going there." o People visit your website only to mysteriously end up missing. o Your "punch the monkey" banner links to Pets.com. o Your experience with Flash is limited to pool parties and Mardi Gras. Your site has to sneak up on an IP to get hosted. o Your webmaster confesses that he is color blind. o You proudly proclaim in your header: "this site compatible with Netscape 4.0." o You see your 8 yr old's school html project and you know it's better than your site. o The flames on your .gif have gone out. o Your design team is lovingly referred to as "Grumpy Old Men". Tom Fosson Cyberspace Publishing http://www.lifetimewebhosting.com/cyberpub ================================================================== [5] Hong Kong Fair Completes First Edition ================================================================== More than 13,000 buyers attended the consolidated Hong Kong gift and housewares shows, April 28-May 1, which had been adversely affected by the SARS scare. Some 470 vendors, of a potential 5,000, exhibited at the fairs, while another 3,700 are expected to attend the supplementary shows, July 23-26. The summer versions of the Hong Kong Houseware Fair and the Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair were arranged at the last minute by The Hong Kong Trade Development Council in response to the expected fall-off of buyers and exhibitors to the April shows. Jeffrey Lam, chairman of the fair organizing committee, said, "Buyer attendance and business [at the April shows] are much better than what we and exhibitors expected. Although some overseas buyers are currently staying away from Asia, they have sent their local agents and buying offices to the fair." There were 1,288 overseas buyers from the Chinese mainland, Australia, Canada, Japan, and the U.S. at the April shows. Quinn Halford, Editor In Chief Matthew Kalash, Editor http://www.giftsanddec.com =================================================================== [6] EBay Loses Patent Case, Hit with $35M Verdict =================================================================== A federal jury in Norfolk, Virginia, has found that eBay and its subsidiary Half.com willfully violated patented technology and has ordered the auction giant to pay US$35 million in damages. The jury found in favor of MercExchange LLC, which claimed eBay had infringed on patents that firm held for technology enabling some of eBay's fixed price and search options. The verdict came after a four-week trial. The ball is now in the court of the judge in the case, who can either set aside the verdict, reduce the jury award or increase it by up to three times. For eBay, even a $35 million payout would hardly be worth losing sleep over. In fact, the news came on a day when eBay shares powered past the $100 mark and stayed there, setting a new yearly high of $103 and boosting eBay's market cap to more than $32.7 billion. The ruling is a win for Thomas Woolston, a 39-year-old entrepreneur who claims to have invented several of the technologies that power the world's largest online auction site. Woolston, who also has a patent suit pending against name-your-price travel site Priceline.com, claims he came up with his online auction format months before eBay launched in 1995. The ruling covered two technologies. Last year, the judge in the case ruled there was not enough evidence to support a claim that Woolston invented the basic platform eBay uses. Details at... http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/21613.html =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Global Pay Systems LLC http://globalpaysystems.net E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com From etd_post@gapent.com Tue Jun 3 05:42:14 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (33.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.33]) by gapent.com (8.12.9/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h53BgDu9025439 for ; Tue, 3 Jun 2003 05:42:14 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030602155400.01515fe8@gapent.com> X-Sender: etdpost@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Tue, 03 Jun 2003 07:41:29 -0400 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Subject: ETD: 691 Sky Radio; People sell people; Need Cash Register; Bite-Size Licensing for Small Businesses; Expectant Retailers Bet On Mothers-To-Be Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0691 June 3, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] Sky Radio [3] People sell people ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] Need Cash Register [5] Bite-Size Licensing for Small Businesses [6] Expectant Retailers Bet On Mothers-To-Be =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: We're coming up on issue number 700, just in time for the celebration of freedom in the US (Independence Day). My how time flies. Any ideas on what we should do to celebrate? Obviously we could never duplicate that mighty party we had for issue 100 - the first-ever CyberCelebration orchestrated by party planner extraordinaire Patty Sachs. http://etailersdigest.com/celebrate/index.htm We have some interesting material today, including some advice for all ye who think you are too small to go for the big ones. And, stay tuned for some notes from the air - Sky Radio. I found some interesting stuff on potential markets. Who would think that expectant mothers would be a new niche? Apparently a lot of top retailers. What do you think? Have you found a new niche? What are you doing for sales in the coming months? In the northern hemisphere we have summer, while the southern hemisphere has winter. How are we finding the upcoming months for sales? Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] Sky Radio =================================================================== When you're travelling this fall listen to the Sky Radio programs. We will be featured in a special in-flight radio program entitled "Spotlight on Corporate Ethics and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act", which will air worldwide on United, American and Northwest Airlines for 4 months beginning in September 2003. This unique radio show will educate and inform millions of executive business travelers by presenting one-on-one interviews with market participants, policy makers and academic institutions who focus on the institutional framework for corporate governance, and the principles and practices of effective corporate governance. This program explores the impact of Sarbanes/Oxley and features a cross section of thought leaders, business experts, ethics and compliance officers, and chairman/CEOs. We will join other distinguished guests in this exciting forum -- Congressman Michael Oxley - Senator Chuck Grassley - Arthur Leavitt, Former SEC Chairman - Craig R. Barrett, CEO, Intel Corporation - Charles King, Korn Ferry International - James Berg, International Paper, Samuel DiPiazza, Chairman - PricewaterhouseCoopers, Caspar Weinberger- Chairman of Forbes, Inc., Jeffrey Garton, Dean, Yale School of Management - Dr. Constantine Papadakis, President, Drexel University - John Sullivan, Executive Director, Center for International Private Enterprise - Erika Blaney, Partner, Cooley Godward and others Our segment will focus on Magique, an integrated, enterprise-wide risk management and control self-assessment system, designed to help you improve the accuracy and reliability of your corporate disclosures to comply with Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. First installed in July, 2000 (two years before SOX), Magique addresses new responsibilities for audit committees, increased accountability of corporate officers, increased business and financial disclosures and corporate & criminal fraud accountability. http://www.sarbanes-oxley2002.com/magique/index.htm Stay tuned. George =================================================================== [3] People sell people =================================================================== With this new venture I'm in, we've been involved with publicly traded companies who need to comply with the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002. Interesting to note how the folks at those companies put their pants on the same way as we all do - one leg at a time. Why is that important? Too often we are in awe of power, money, education, etc., etc. That affects how we deal with people. If we are trying to sell to a Fortune 50 company we get nervous and believe they have top-level resources, and we can't do business there. Wrong! As a C-level officer of one of these companies stated to me recently "We have the same issues as a smaller company, only worse. We need to go through levels of approval before a decision is made. And we don't have the staff in all departments that a smaller company may have - they know their particular niche job and nothing else. We need to call on corporate resources for some jobs, which slows down the process" When my daughters were younger they were in awe of "rich people", whatever that meant. When I asked them how they felt about a neighbor, they were very comfortable. Little did they know that that neighbor (and a client) had a net worth of $100+ million! What we don't know often helps in how we deal with people. Last July I wrote a special report "How Do I Sell Large Accounts" http://etailersdigest.com/resources/Specials/Sell_Large_Accounts.htm which was also published in Gifts & Dec magazine as "Going For The Big Ones" in October http://etailersdigest.com/media/G&DA2002-10.htm We should add to that article and address the prospects as people. It's often lonely at the top. It's like the gorgeous girl in school, who really doesn't have any dates, because the boys are afraid to ask, or they assume she has so many dates. Go for the big ones! Ask for the order. And when you get it, you will be surprised how it opens the doors to so many other larger deals. After all people are people, and people sell people! George =================================================================== [4] Need Cash Register =================================================================== Jim D. wrote... > We are opening up an Ice Cream Store in CT and we are looking for > advice on a cash register. We would like to obtain some management > information. Jim, we are a dealer for Microsoft which could provide a PC based solution, but I would recommend a cash register. Today's cash registers are inexpensive, powerful, fast and will give you the type of information you need to get started. I am sure you don't want to spend a lot as you are just opening. A good register will cost about $500 to $900. A Software based system with a PC, Monitor, Printer, Cash Drawer Report Printer and Software will be in about the $2000 to $4000 range. Jim our main business is PC based systems but I don't think you need one. If you have any question feel free to give me a call @ 281-2652616 Greg Boerner discount POS ================================================================== [5] Bite-Size Licensing for Small Businesses ================================================================== For a time, small businesses probably felt like little kids getting bumped out of line for the ice cream truck. They would jump up and down, money in hand, trying to catch the attention of software vendors, only to see those vendors choose to do business with larger, stronger, deeper-pocketed enterprises time after time. However, for a host of reasons, the pendulum has swung in a different direction. Small and medium businesses are now a sought-after segment of the market. Seeking to recharge slowing growth, software makers have trotted out a variety of programs aimed at making even the smallest enterprise feel like a valuable customer. As a result, small businesses are finding themselves in the driver's seat, with more leverage to negotiate everything from price to licensing terms, said attorney John Cummerford of Greenberg Traurig in Phoenix, Arizona, which helps companies draft such agreements. "The tech downturn has made everyone -- even the big guys -- more flexible," Cummerford, a former IBM licensing attorney, told the E-Commerce Times. "Because competition is fierce, even where there isn't much price flexibility, there is often flexibility on services and support, response time commitments or service level, and that can translate into savings for the licensee." The advent of the application service provider model also has helped small businesses, Cummerford added, by enabling them to buy only the number of licenses or seats they need. "Just as the software companies are looking to the bottom line, so are their customers, who don't want to buy capacity they're not using," he said. In addition to needing revenue, software vendors recognize that today's small business may be tomorrow's thriving, 1,000-license enterprise. Details at... http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/21607.html =================================================================== [6] Expectant Retailers Bet On Mothers-To-Be =================================================================== National retailers are wooing mommies-to-be these days. Target recently introduced a new line of fashionable threads from Liz Lange, one of the hottest maternity designers, in all of its 1,107 stores. The $44 billion (2002 sales) retailer currently is touting the new line in commercials airing across the country. The ads feature Lange promising fashionable maternity styles at everyday prices. "Every mom should look like a star, especially when they're pregnant," says Lange in the ads. Gap too has plans for pregnant women. It recently introduced maternity clothes, which were previously only available online, in 12 Gap and 52 Old Navy stores. By year-end, maternity wear will be available in up to 10% of Old Navy's 800 stores. Even Wal-Mart is paying attention. The world's largest retailer has been expanding the number of stores offering maternity, up to approximately 2,400 locations. This week for the first time, Wal-Mart will list maternity under services available when customers search specific stores. Certainly, the maternity market is no mother lode. The number of births in this country has remained steady at about four million per year for the past decade, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. The market is estimated to be just $1.2 billion, according to Mothers Work, the largest maternity retailer with $453 million in fiscal 2002 sales. Plus it is a hard market to serve well: The window to reach customers is very small and retailers must offer large assortments to reach women at different stages of pregnancy. Still, it's a market that hasn't been all that well served, which creates an opportunity. "When I started my business six years ago, there was very little choice for women who wanted fashionable maternity clothes," says Lange, who also has three boutiques selling higher-priced styles for soon-to-be mommies. Details at... http://www.forbes.com/2003/05/27/cz_lk_0527maternity.html =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Sarbanes-Oxley 2002 http://www.sarbanes-oxley2002.com E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com From etd_post@gapent.com Thu Jun 5 05:48:32 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (58.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.58]) by gapent.com (8.12.9/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h55BmTHO006586 for ; Thu, 5 Jun 2003 05:48:30 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030604220229.0156ad38@gapent.com> X-Sender: etdpost@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Thu, 05 Jun 2003 07:42:41 -0400 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Subject: ETD: 692 Let's Party!; Poker anyone?; A lesson in communications; Chihuahua bites Taco Bell; E-Commerce Idol Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0692 June 5, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] Let's Party! [3] Poker anyone? ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] A lesson in communications [5] Chihuahua bites Taco Bell [6] E-Commerce Idol =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: Party planner extraordinaire Patty Sachs has a brilliant idea for a new CyberCelebratrion - Let's Party! Trust me, she really knows how to party (plan). And list member Urb LeJeune (Dr.) wants to play poker ;-). Actually one of our special reports that he read for the fifth time raised some questions in his quest to find new prospects. Any ideas? Throughout my career I have always found working with younger people to be the best experiences. They have great ideas and uncluttered minds and love to step up to the challenge and get things done. Over the years I have set up programs in high schools, and worked with kids and teachers. Well, this past weekend I got a new lesson in communication from a 4 year old! Folks, take time to really listen to these kids. Great stuff. You would think that smaller companies may infringe on ideas to use in their own business. Not so. Seems Taco Bell ripped off the Chihuachua. And now it's costing them. Finally, in tune with the hit American Idol TV program, E-Commerce Times is searching for the E-Commerce Idol. Who do you think should get the award? Amazon? Dell? E-Bay? Cisco? Or perhaps some little-known company? Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] Let's Party! =================================================================== Greetings! I am truly honored to have our #100 CyberCelebration mentioned as a "non-compete" event. Although I don't think we could repeat the swift success of that first attempt, I do believe we can do something equally festive and fun. I am volunteering to put the plan in motion. If anyone has ideas for a gala or wishes to brainstorm, just e-mail me and we will proceed. George, I will send over the polished gems for your review and consent. THEN IT IS ALL A SURPRISE PARTY for the rest. How's this for starters? Readers send one sentence describing the best tip or resource they've ever received on ETD. Our magic counter-thingy will track submits and the 700th will win a bevy of grand and glorious prizes. (Others will also win, less grand, but still glorious.) That is just the start of the party. Let's get busy. partysachs@prodigy.net P.S. All of the submits will be posted for everyone to review. =================================================================== [3] Poker anyone? =================================================================== I just reread (for about the fifth time) your "How Do I Sell Large Accounts" article (http://etailersdigest.com/resources/Specials/Sell_Large_Accounts.htm). It is top draw. However, I think you poker analogy is suspect. If you throw in your hand every time you think you don't have a chance of winning and stay when you think you have a winning hand you may indeed win six of out seven hands when you stay, but the pots will be small. Used to play with a guy like that, when he would raise everyone would drop unless they had a great hand. He couldn't understand why he rarely won money. Out of sympathy someone told him about bluffing and our cash cow was dead :-( In the article you mention something to the effect of making sure you are talking to the decision maker. Great point and I'm sure everyone would agree. What would make a great article (maybe even a book), is how to ferret out the decision maker. My prime market is small to medium municipalities. In one town the Township Administrator can be king, in the next town a glorified secretary. Dr Urb LeJeune +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ We should play some day . Surprisingly enough, I still find poker and selling to be the same. In addition to staying, I also know how to build a pot and how to bluff. My favorite bluff was in Vegas with a full table. A guy had a pair of kings showing and I had an ace showing. I kept building the pot and kept raising every hand. At the end he tossed it in. I pull in the pot and the dealer said I had to show my hand. Why, I asked - he tossed it in. Seems another person was all in for a side pot, and I had to show my pair of threes. Couldn't bluff again the entire night. Thanks for the kudos. I like that article - one of my favorites. Selling is often a bluff. Like when you meet a prospect and say that you will have to analyze their needs to see if you are willing to do business with them. Or when you tell a client that they may need to go elsewhere, when their control issues do not conform to your implementation plans. Your target issue is interesting. Actually, Jacques Werth's book "High Probability Selling" is a great tool for learning how to do that. Excellent reading. And he's a poker player too - was a pro. Selling to municipalities is a bear. They do a lot of looking from November to June, then record the anticipated purchase into the budget, which they try to get passed in the fall. I did that route at one point, and hated it. Can any of our list members offer some help? George PS Urb didn't use the Dr. title. I did. He has a success story that I love. A couple of months ago he sent me this note in some offline communications: "I never set foot in a college classroom until I was 44! Defended my dissertation on my 57th birthday. Received an unexpected bonus in my doctoral program, met my wife. We were in different programs but took a common course. We were the only two grandparents in a seminar." My hat's off to Urb. =================================================================== [4] A lesson in communications =================================================================== Last weekend I learned a valuable lesson in communications from a four year old. We were discussing breakfast and she said she wanted French toast. So I said in jest that we only had Freedom toast. She didn't want Freedom toast, she wanted French toast. After a bunch of discussions back and forth, I finally asked why she didn't want Freedom toast. He reply: "I don't like pepper on my toast!" Nobody knows where she got that idea, but she was adamant about it. Imagine how many times we have discussions (arguments seem to be taboo nowadays) with people where we are at loggerheads. The simple reason is often because we fail to ask the right questions and get their view point. Many years ago, my oldest daughter had a puzzle: "A man is in his car with his radio on, and pulls off to the side of the road and shoots himself. Why." You could ask questions that gave a yes or no answer. I didn't know the first question to ask. That taught me another important lesson in communications. When teaching people something new, like a new software application, or computer system, I used to say don't be afraid to ask questions. No question is dumb. In fact, at one point I had pads made up with the heading "Dumb things I have to ask George", hoping to get people to ask questions. With my daughters puzzle I learned that people weren't afraid to ask questions, they simple didn't know the questions to ask! So folks, listen to these little kids. And ask questions. It is amazing what you learn. George ================================================================== [5] Chihuahua bites Taco Bell ================================================================== A federal jury awarded two marketers more than $30 million Wednesday in their lawsuit claiming that Taco Bell took their idea for a talking Chihuahua to use in award-winning ads for the Mexican fast-food chain. Taco Bell said it would appeal the decision. The lawsuit, by Joseph Shields and Thomas Rinks, charged Taco Bell with failing to pay for use of the Chihuahua character they created. They claim Taco Bell had breached payment on a contract after they worked with the restaurant chain for a year to develop the talking Chihuahua for use in marketing. They originally had come up with the character for a cartoon, they said. Taco Bell became interested after seeing it at a licensing show and asked them to turn it into live action, they said. "It was a roller-coaster ride to get here, but we survived, and a jury got to hear our story, which is all we ever wanted from the beginning," Rinks said. Vada Hill, who was Taco Bell's chief marketing officer at the time of the successful campaign, which ran from 1997 to 2000, testified that he had sought a new ad agency for a new campaign and picked TBWA Chiat Day. The agency developed a campaign featuring a talking Chihuahua, Hill testified, saying he was unaware of the Chihuahua character until it was presented by Chiat Day. The agency was not a party to the lawsuit, and executives declined to comment. The talking Chihuahua became a hit with the first ad, in which the character bypasses a female Chihuahua for a Taco Bell taco and declares: "Yo quiero Taco Bell." Taco Bell dropped its $200 million ad deal with TBWA in 2000 for ad agency FCB, after the dog's appeal and sales began to wane. Details at... http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2003-06-04-taco-bell-lawsuit_x.htm =================================================================== [6] E-Commerce Idol =================================================================== American Idol is a runaway hit in the U.S. with 27+ million viewers. E-Commerce Times asked a few industry analysts to select their e-business idol, and they all voted for different companies. However, all of their picks have merit for various reasons, and as e-commerce continues to grow, all are poised to experience strong surges in popularity. What differentiates these leaders from the rest of the pack? The chosen few are... Cisco's Enterprise Outreach EBay's Bottom-Up Approach Google Plex The Search Continues Although the search for the world's e-business idol continues, all e-commerce companies will be winners if the findings of a Forrester report issued last summer prove true. That report predicted that e-commerce in the United States will continue to grow at a powerful 25 percent annual clip over the next five years, eventually totaling $217.8 billion, or 8 percent of all retail sales, by 2007. That kind of growth is enough to transform a lot of companies into e-business idols. Details at... http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/21648.html =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Sarbanes-Oxley 2002 http://www.sarbanes-oxley2002.com E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com From etd_post@gapent.com Tue Jun 10 04:18:51 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (15.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.15]) by gapent.com (8.12.9/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h5AAInGX075159 for ; Tue, 10 Jun 2003 04:18:50 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030608210059.01572278@gapent.com> X-Sender: etdpost@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2003 06:18:42 -0400 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Subject: ETD: 693 Best time to buy; Youth is not wasted on the young; TOURBUS - Internet History; Selling municipalities;`Men Ask: Who Needs to buy Clothes? Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="=====================_476505==.ALT" Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: --=====================_476505==.ALT Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0693 June 10, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] Best time to buy [3] Youth is not wasted on the young ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] TOURBUS - Internet History [5] Selling municipalities [6] Men Ask: Who Needs to buy Clothes? =================================================================== [1] Greetings. =================================================================== Hi All: Ever think back on how your Web site has developed over the years? Check out the post from Phil Glowatz. - over 10 billion pages of Internet history. It's like seeing a snapshot of you as a child. Enter a URL and see the history. Last issue I wrote about working with young folks. Well Jules Kaplan shares an interesting experience. Very good. In answer to the query about selling to municipalities, Marty Oskvig offers some top notch first hand experience. And the tip will work with many other industries. Check it out. Jan Owens is back with an excellent review of what's wrong with men's clothes buying. What do you think? Have you ever wondered when is the best time to buy things? Me too. So, maybe some of our retail gurus can help. Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =================================================================== [2] Best time to buy =================================================================== This rainy weekend I went out looking for a new car, and learned a lot. It seems the auto manufacturers come out with new programs every 60 days, which lasts for 60 days. And the programs run the gamut - from nothing to zero percent financing with no payments for 240 days. And leasing is even better. And I have to tell you, some of the programs are very enticing. We all know about the January "white sales", i.e., linens and things go on sale in January. And sample sales in the major cities which are five times a year. And selling a house is best during the spring. And don't buy apples at any time other than October. Which got me to thinking. What is the best time to buy things? For example, is July and August (the next 60 day program) the best time to buy an auto? Are their particular buying seasons for merchandise? What's it like with your business? Is there a site which tells you when is the best time to buy what? George =================================================================== [3] Youth is not wasted on the young =================================================================== Your comments "Throughout my career I have always found working with younger people to be the best experiences." I agree with you 100%. I have found that working with younger people, they bring the eagerness and learning curve, exceptionally high. Here is my experience: I have hired a programmer for development of a new site, called www.ezpaymentservices.com who with proper documentation was able to put this site up in record time. He took over the project, that was failing and in less then 10 weeks turned it around to become a viable program that we will be launching on July 1, 2003. His background, a Romanian Citizen, Physics major at a University in Bucharest Romania has two years before he graduates. Has been in top of his class. Won several competition in his field. Has been working for other companies designing web sites, developing programs in VB, C++. PHP Web Pages and well versed in Linux plus Microsoft Operating Systems since the age of 16. What is refreshing is his integrity and honesty plus his work ethic. In fact he has become an employee of our company. Funny thing, I only have corresponded with him by email, but you build a report. Every two weeks he receives a paycheck from us. The only way we send him funds is by Western Union. Yes George I know about your endeavor, but for only two transactions would it be worth while. Youth has it advantage. In fact he could be my Grand son, but he is not. You see, I am going to be 68, but I will not retire because of the youth of this world is worth it. Yours truly Jules Kaplan ChekFaxx Development Co. INC.- E-commerce Payment Solution Provider Now on Line For EFT Processing www.ezpaymentservices.com Available NOW http://www.addressmanagerpro.com Discover how to add your email address to Your Windows Address Book Accept Check by FAX - PHONE - E-MAIL - INTERNET http://chekfaxx.com ChekFaxx5 Net Work Version Available Now +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Great story Jules! I too have worked with programmers in Eastern Europe and found them to be excellent workers. We paid them with digital currency, mainly because they had a difficult time trying to get any other type of currency. I also found the same thing here in the US - young people with great ideas, who are willing to work and do a good job. Of course, the pay scale is a bit higher here (like 6-10 times as high). What's more impressive - 68! Wow! Way to go! George =================================================================== [4] TOURBUS - Internet History =================================================================== The Internet Archive has been taking snapshots of Internet sites since 1996 and stashing them away for posterity. To date, more than 10 billion pages have been stored in the Internet Archive's database. http://www.archive.org/ Phil Glowatz http://glowatz.com/ +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ What a neat site. It's amazing to see how a site changes over the years. George ================================================================== [5] Selling municipalities ================================================================== Our moderator wrote... >.......Selling to municipalities is a bear. They do a lot of looking from > November to June, then record the anticipated purchase into the budget, > which they try to get passed in the fall. I did that route at one point, and hated it. > Can any of our list members offer some help? First, ask the city clerk or Economic Development Director to identify who needs your information to make their purchasing recommendations to the key decision maker, and then go to the coffee shop owner nearest the city office to mention the name and ask who really has the power in making such decisions. :) Marty Oskvig www.creativememories.com/moskvig (former city Economic Development Director, now trains business partners in direct sales) +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++ Great tip Marty! It's always to nice to know where the real source of power is, eh? George =================================================================== [6] Men Ask: Who Needs to buy Clothes? =================================================================== 'Good article in today's (Sunday's) New York Times. "Men Ask: Who Needs to buy Clothes?" by Tracie Rozhon, New York Times, Sec. 3 (Money & Business), Sunday, June 8, 2003, pp. 1, 10. Between a more casual workplace; the lack of interesting new ideas in casual fashions; and the fact that everyone already has enough khaki's, there is no surprise that many men's shops are going out of business, and many men's shops that used to have small women's sections have given those more selling space. It is also interesting to note some behavioral issues: The NPD Group, the market research company, reports: Where women even three years ago women shopped for 76 percent of men, more men now buy their own clothes. Women work and are increasingly busy, so men increasingly fend for themselves. However, men have different shopping styles. To paraphrase the article, where women prefer to see 40 pairs of black slacks on a rack, men prefer to see 3, and then have help matching a shirt and tie (or whatever.) It seems that this is particularly a problem when department stores are perceived to have less and less in-store help and declining service standards. Also: when they do shop, many are drifting toward lower-priced options like Kohl's. Further, where some retailers have been helped by sales and coupons in their women's and children's wear, men don't seem to do coupons. I'm sure that some of this has to do with the economy, but most men were never the most enthusiastic clothing shoppers, particularly when they are all sorts of neat toys coming out (digital cameras, hand-held computers, etc.) The article cites a number of stores that have greatly shifted their merchandise to women's from men's clothing and accessories. Barneys New York, which began life selling off-price men's clothing, but went upmarket in recent years and traditionally only had a smaller women's representation, is now 65% women's wear. Also: the clothing chains that have been doing better than others (Abercrombie and Fitch; Pacific Sunwear) seem to attribute much of this success in shifting their mixes to more women's clothing. However, Joseph Banks, which had sold moderately-priced menswear, is doing reasonably well since it (1) introduced a coordinated dressing plan; (2) included some higher-end goods; and (3) trained sales staff to help build compete outfits from good/better/best lines of merchandise. A few men's retailers that continue to suffer sales declines (Casual male Big & Tall) or are in bankruptcy Today's Man) are also noted. (Jan's note: but puh-leeeeze! I have had it with that cliche that better service requires that I get a thank-you note. I want the functional aspects: better in-store help without a hard sell. Maybe this is part of the reason why we see the interest in online shopping, with automatic suggestions that go with the initial item?) Regards, Jan Owens owens@uwp.edu jan-owens@wi.rr.com =================================================================== Links to follow =================================================================== GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Sarbanes-Oxley 2002 http://www.sarbanes-oxley2002.com E-Tailer's Digest http://www.etailersdigest.com ETD Archives: http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read Prior to 29 Dec 1999 http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm Marketing Your Web http://www.gapent.com/myweb/ Automated Press Releases http://www.automatedpr.com --=====================_476505==.ALT Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii"  E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the  Retailer
     Issue #0693                     June 10, 2003
     George Matyjewicz, Moderator         mailto:georgem@gapent.com
     Published by:  GAP Enterprises, Ltd.  http://www.etailersdigest.com
    ===================================================================

      CONTENTS

     [1]  Greetings
     [2]  Best time to buy
     [3]  Youth is not wasted on the young
    ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- --
     [4]  TOURBUS - Internet History
     [5]  Selling municipalities
     [6]  Men Ask: Who Needs to buy Clothes?

    ===================================================================
     [1]  Greetings.
    ===================================================================
    Hi All:

    Ever think back on how your Web site has developed over the years?  Check out the post from Phil Glowatz. - over 10 billion pages of Internet history.  It's like seeing a snapshot of you as a child.   Enter a URL and see the history.

    Last issue I wrote about working with young folks.  Well Jules Kaplan shares an interesting experience.  Very good.

    In answer to the query about selling to municipalities, Marty Oskvig offers some top notch first hand experience.  And the tip will work with many other industries.  Check it out.

    Jan Owens is back with an excellent review of  what's wrong with men's clothes buying.  What do you think?

    Have you ever wondered when is the best time to buy things?  Me too.  So, maybe some of our retail gurus can help.

    Now, let's get to everything for the retailer.

    Sincerely


    Dr. George Matyjewicz
    Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd.
    mailto:georgem@gapent.com
    http://www.etailersdigest.com

    ===================================================================
     [2]  Best time to buy
    ===================================================================
    This rainy weekend I went out looking for a new car, and learned a lot.  It seems the auto manufacturers come out with new programs every 60 days, which lasts for 60 days.  And the programs run the gamut - from nothing to zero percent financing with no payments for 240 days.  And leasing is even better.  And I have to tell you, some of the programs are very enticing. 

    We all know about the January "white sales", i.e., linens and things go on sale in January.  And sample sales in the major cities which are five times a year.  And selling a house is best during the spring.  And don't buy apples at any time other than October.

    Which got me to thinking.  What is the best time to buy things?  For example, is July and August (the next 60 day program) the best time to buy an auto? 

    Are their particular buying seasons for merchandise?  What's it like with your business?  Is there a site which tells you when is the best time to buy what?

    George


    ===================================================================
     [3]  Youth is not wasted on the young
    ===================================================================
    Your comments "Throughout my career I have always found working with younger people to be the best experiences."
     
    I agree with you 100%.  I have found that working with younger people,  they bring the eagerness and learning curve, exceptionally high.
     
    Here is my experience:  I have hired a programmer for development of a new site, called www.ezpaymentservices.com who with proper documentation was able to put this site up in record time.  He took over the project, that was failing and in less then 10 weeks turned it around to become a viable program that we will be launching on July 1, 2003.
     
    His background, a Romanian Citizen, Physics major at a University in Bucharest Romania has two years before he graduates. Has been in top of his class.  Won several competition  in his field.   Has been working for other companies designing web sites, developing programs in VB, C++. PHP Web Pages and well versed in Linux plus Microsoft Operating Systems since the age of 16.
     
    What is refreshing is his integrity and honesty plus his work ethic.  In fact he has become an employee of our company.  Funny thing, I only have corresponded with him by email, but you build a report.  Every two weeks he receives a paycheck from us.  The only way we send him funds is by Western Union.  Yes George I know about your endeavor, but for only two transactions would it be worth while.
     
    Youth has it advantage.  In fact he could be my Grand son, but he is not.  You see, I am going to be 68, but I will not retire because of the youth of this world is worth it.
     
    Yours truly
     
    Jules Kaplan

    ChekFaxx Development Co. INC.- E-commerce Payment Solution Provider
    Now on Line For EFT Processing  www.ezpaymentservices.com
    Available  NOW    http://www.addressmanagerpro.com
    Discover how to add your email address  to  Your Windows Address Book
    Accept Check by FAX - PHONE - E-MAIL - INTERNET  http://chekfaxx.com
    ChekFaxx5 Net Work Version Available Now 

    +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++
    Great story Jules!  I too have worked with programmers in Eastern Europe and found them to be excellent workers.  We paid them with digital currency, mainly because they had a difficult time trying to get any other type of currency. 

     I also found the same thing here in the US - young people with great ideas, who are willing to work and do a good job.  Of course, the pay scale is a bit higher here (like 6-10 times as high). 

    What's more impressive - 68!  Wow!  Way to go!

    George

    ===================================================================
     [4]  TOURBUS - Internet History
    ===================================================================
    The Internet Archive has been taking snapshots of Internet sites since 1996 and stashing them away for posterity.  To date, more than 10 billion pages have been stored in the Internet Archive's database.

    http://www.archive.org/

    Phil Glowatz
    http://glowatz.com/

    +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++
    What a neat site.  It's amazing to see how a site changes over the years. 

    George

    ==================================================================
     [5]  Selling municipalities
    ==================================================================
    Our moderator wrote...
    >.......Selling to municipalities is a bear.  They do a lot of looking from
    > November to June, then record the anticipated purchase into the budget,
    > which they try to get passed in the fall.  I did that route at one point, and hated it.
    > Can any of our list members offer some help?

    First, ask the city clerk or Economic Development Director to identify who needs your information to make their purchasing recommendations to the key decision maker, and then go to the coffee shop owner nearest the city office to mention the name and ask who really has the power in making such decisions. :)

    Marty Oskvig
    www.creativememories.com/moskvig
    (former city Economic Development Director, now trains business partners in direct sales)

    +++ [Moderator's Comments] +++
    Great tip Marty!  It's always to nice to know where the real source of power is, eh?

    George

    ===================================================================
     [6]  Men Ask: Who Needs to buy Clothes?
    ===================================================================
    'Good article in today's (Sunday's) New York Times. "Men Ask: Who Needs to buy Clothes?" by Tracie Rozhon, New York Times, Sec. 3 (Money & Business), Sunday, June 8, 2003, pp. 1, 10.
     
    Between a more casual workplace; the lack of interesting new ideas in casual fashions; and the fact that everyone already has enough khaki's, there is no surprise that many men's shops are going out of business, and many men's shops that used to have small women's sections have given those more selling space.  It is also interesting to note some behavioral issues:
     
    The NPD Group, the market research company, reports: Where women even three years ago women shopped for 76 percent of men, more men now buy their own clothes.  Women work and are increasingly busy, so men increasingly fend for themselves.  However, men have different shopping styles.  To paraphrase the article, where women prefer to see 40 pairs of black slacks on a rack, men prefer to see 3, and then have help matching a shirt and tie (or whatever.)  It seems that this is particularly a problem when department stores are perceived to have less and less in-store help and declining service standards.
     
    Also: when they do shop, many are drifting toward lower-priced options like Kohl's.  Further, where some retailers have been helped by sales and coupons in their women's and children's wear, men don't seem to do coupons.  I'm sure that some of this has to do with the economy, but most men were never the most enthusiastic clothing shoppers, particularly when they are all sorts of neat toys coming out (digital cameras, hand-held computers, etc.)
     
    The article cites a number of stores that have greatly shifted their merchandise to women's from men's clothing and accessories.  Barneys New York, which began life selling off-price men's clothing, but went upmarket in recent years and traditionally only had a smaller women's representation, is now 65% women's wear.  Also: the clothing chains that have been doing better than others (Abercrombie and Fitch; Pacific Sunwear) seem to attribute much of this success in shifting their mixes to more women's clothing.  However, Joseph Banks, which had sold moderately-priced menswear, is doing reasonably well since it (1) introduced a coordinated dressing plan; (2) included some higher-end goods; and (3) trained sales staff to help build compete outfits from good/better/best lines of merchandise.
     
    A few men's retailers that continue to suffer sales declines (Casual male Big & Tall) or are in bankruptcy Today's Man) are also noted.
     
    (Jan's note: but puh-leeeeze! I have had it with that cliche that better service requires that I get a thank-you note.  I want the functional aspects: better in-store help without a hard sell.  Maybe this is part of the reason why we see the interest in online shopping, with automatic suggestions that go with the initial item?)
     
    Regards,
     
    Jan Owens
    owens@uwp.edu
    jan-owens@wi.rr.com
     

    ===================================================================
     Links to follow
    ===================================================================

    GAP Enterprises, Ltd.                           http://www.gapent.com/
    Sarbanes-Oxley 2002                     http://www.sarbanes-oxley2002.com
    E-Tailer's Digest                       http://www.etailersdigest.com
    ETD Archives:                           http://topica.com/lists/etailer/read
    Prior to 29 Dec 1999                    http://etailersdigest.com/archives/index.htm
    Marketing Your Web                      http://www.gapent.com/myweb/
    Automated Press Releases                http://www.automatedpr.com     --=====================_476505==.ALT-- From etd_post@gapent.com Thu Jun 12 05:37:31 2003 Received: from GM-Toshiba-5205.gapent.com (21.3.171.66.subscriber.vzavenue.net [66.171.3.21]) by gapent.com (8.12.9/8.11.6) with ESMTP id h5CBbUUV051517 for ; Thu, 12 Jun 2003 05:37:31 -0600 (MDT) Message-Id: <5.2.0.9.2.20030612073651.015c1008@gapent.com> X-Sender: etdpost@gapent.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.0.9 Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2003 07:37:23 -0400 To: etd_list@gapent.com From: "E-Tailer's Digest" Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?ETD:_694_How_do_shoppers_shop=3F;_Father=92s_?= Day Spending =?iso-8859-1?Q?Edges_Out_Mother=92s_Day;_Privacy_Vs._Internet_Piracy?= ; Consumers Opened Wallets in May; In Europe, 2 Sides to Weak Dollar Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="=====================_4612101==.ALT" Sender: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com Errors-To: etd-admin@etailersdigest.com X-BeenThere: etd@etailersdigest.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.3 Precedence: bulk List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: E-Tailer's Digest - Everything for the retailer List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: --=====================_4612101==.ALT Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer Issue #0694 June 12, 2003 George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D CONTENTS [1] Greetings [2] How do shoppers shop? [3] Father=92s Day Spending Edges Out Mother=92s Day ----- ---- --- -- -> Important Offer <- -- --- ---- ---- -- [4] Privacy Vs. Internet Piracy [5] Consumers Opened Wallets in May [6] In Europe, 2 Sides to Weak Dollar =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D [1] Greetings. =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Hi All: Father's Day in the US is Sunday. And spending this years is predicted to= =20 be more than on Mother's Day (see 3 below). Are you ready? How do folks shop? Is it price? Service? Uniqueness? What do you think?= =20 (see 2 below) I will be exhibiting at the International IIA conference in Las Vegas from= =20 June 21-24. If anybody is in the area, stop by for a visit. And, I sure= =20 could use some special reports. Anybody have something they would like to= =20 share? 1,500 - 2,500 words and we will make it a special issue, and it=20 will remain at our site for posterity.=20 http://etailersdigest.com/resources/Specials/ And we do get a lot of=20 visitors, like yesterday, when I got this note: "I always like reading Mr. Dale Minard's articles. Please give him my=20 best. He is a solid business person who understands both retail and=20 wholesale needs." -Jon Weiglin -Retired President and COO of the LA Mart That note was as a result of "Smaller is Better" at=20 http://etailersdigest.com/resources/Specials/Smaller_Better.htm Now, let's get to everything for the retailer. Sincerely Dr. George Matyjewicz Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd. mailto:georgem@gapent.com http://www.etailersdigest.com =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D [2] How do shoppers shop? =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Sunday is Father's Day in the U.S. (see 2 below). Time to hit the discount= =20 stores and get dad a tie or short, eh? According to the NRF, consumers=20 will spend more on Dad this year, then on Mom for Mother's Day. Which got= =20 me to thinking. What effort do you spend buying a gift for a loved=20 one? Do you wait until the last minute, or do you really plan? Since my=20 kids were younger, I taught them to take their time buying presents and to= =20 find something really special for that special person. As a result, over=20 the years, buying presents has been an exciting, fun experience - sourcing= =20 (sussing for our English members) out something special. It keeps you=20 thinking all year, and makes you observe that special person to really find= =20 a unique present.. How about you? What do you do? Online, the theme seems to be to search globally, but shop=20 locally. Visitors search for particular products online, then try to find= =20 a store near them where they can buy. I was keynote speaker at a giftware= =20 trade show in Dallas, where an independent retailer ("mom & pop") shared an= =20 interesting experience. A new customer came in to her store, and bought=20 $250 of specific items. Since she did not know this new customer, she=20 asked questions. The customer said they were looking for particular items,= =20 searched online, then found her store, which was less than a mile from home. There are a number of shopping bots online where visitors search for a=20 particular item and the bot will bring up the stores that carry the items=20 and the prices. That's been very common for computers, and now seems to be= =20 common with most all retail items. When you see stores like WalMart, who offer great prices, and service, it=20 is difficult to compete. Independent retailers make up 70% of all=20 retailers in the US, and more in other countries. So what do they=20 do? Selling unique items seems to be one choice. Shoppers are always=20 looking for that unique present that you can't find at discounters. And,=20 as we all know, the markup is higher for unique items, so we can still make= =20 money. What kind of unique items do you sell? Finally, I see that even celebrities are getting into the unique=20 items. Pamela Anderson now has a wake up service, where she will call you= =20 every morning at specific times. You can even send somebody a birthday=20 wish from Pam. http://celebritywakeup.com Let's hear about your experiences. George =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D [3] Father=92s Day Spending Edges Out Mother=92s Day =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D According to the National Retail Federation's (NRF) 2003 Father=92s Day=20 Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch for NRF,=20 the average consumer plan to spend an average of $99.65. By comparison, the= =20 average consumer spent $97.37 this year on Mother=92s Day. In the three= years=20 the survey has been conducted, this is the first time consumers planned to= =20 spend more on Father=92s Day than Mother=92s Day. From dinner to DVDs and from ties to tools, dads can expect a wide range=20 of gifts this Father=92s Day. This year, 20.2 percent of consumers plan to= =20 give their dad clothing, while nearly 15.0 percent plan to give him home=20 improvement or gardening tools or appliances. Additionally, 13.9 percent=20 plan will give dad a gift certificate and 12.4 percent will buy books or=20 CDs. Many consumers also plan to take their fathers out to eat (22.5%) and= =20 get him a card (44.9%). =93Dads are notoriously hard to shop for, but this year consumers are going= =20 out of their way to find their fathers a gift that shows how much he means= =20 to them,=94 said NRF President and CEO Tracy Mullin. =93Consumers are=20 continuing to demonstrate that, despite their caution, they=92ll spend their= =20 hard-earned money on what=92s most important to them=97and no one wants to= =20 skimp on dad.=94 The study also found that women will spend more money than men on the=20 holiday, with the average woman planning to spend $101.38, compared to men,= =20 who will spend an average of $70.89. (Many women will be purchasing gifts=20 for both fathers and husbands.) Consumers aged 25-44 lead Father=92s Day=20 spending, with the average person in that age group planning to spend over= =20 $130 on the holiday. Discounters should see enhanced sales this holiday, with 35.9 percent of=20 consumers planning to purchase Father=92s Day gifts from a discount= retailer.=20 Additionally, 30.1 percent of consumers plan to spend at a department store= =20 and 24.5 percent will spend at a specialty retailer. Also, 12.0 percent=20 plan to shop for their Father=92s Day gift online. Details at... http://www.nrf.com/content/default.asp?folder=3Dpress/release2003&file=3Dfat= hersday0603.htm&bhcp=3D1 =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D [4] Privacy Vs. Internet Piracy =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D The Recording Industry Association of America says it hasn't decided what=20 to do with the names it won last week in a bitter court battle over=20 Internet piracy. Internet provider Earthlink, under subpoena, agreed to reveal a customer's= =20 identity after last week's ruling. Verizon is continuing to appeal the case. Under the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act, copyright holders can send= =20 cease-and-desist letters to Internet providers when subscribers are=20 discovered sharing unauthorized material. The RIAA says the law also allows= =20 access to infringers' identities by filing a subpoena, without first=20 obtaining a judge's order. Verizon disagrees. According to Ohio State law professor Peter Swire, Verizon's loss "will be= =20 a terrible blow for privacy. ISPs will be flooded with legitimate and=20 illegimate claims, and there's no due process." But the record labels, beset by slumping sales and frustrated in their=20 attempts to close down online swap services such as Kazaa, with tens of=20 millions of users, have begun chasing individuals aggressively. The RIAA=20 recently settled lawsuits against four college students for $12,500 to=20 $17,500 each. Details at... http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/21683.html =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D [5] Consumers Opened Wallets in May =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D New York - The American consumer increased spending 1.5 percent during May= =20 compared with the same month the year before, according to the Goldman,=20 Sachs retail composite index. The index compares sales of stores open at=20 least a year. The leading gainer was The Gap, which posted a 10% sales=20 increase. Other retailers with positive gains were Costco, 4.0%; Nordstrom,= =20 3.4%; JCPenney, 3.2%; TJX, 3.0%; Wal-Mart, 2.1%; and Target, 0.7%. Sears,=20 Federated, Kohl's, and Saks all reported declining same-store sales=20 results, ranging from 0.1% (Kohl's) to 1.9% (Sears). The picture looks even= =20 rosier for June, which is traditionally a better month for many retailers.= =20 A rise in consumer confidence (the second highest in the last seven=20 months), low interest rates, the tax cut, and signs of a recovering economy= =20 should contribute to increased retail spending. In another note, some 36 percent of Americans are using cash more today=20 than they did a year ago. The reason? Almost half say they are concerned=20 about adding to their credit card debt. =97 American Demographics magazine. Quinn Halford, Editor In Chief Matthew Kalash, Editor Gifts & Dec Direct http://www.giftsanddec.com =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D [6] In Europe, 2 Sides to Weak Dollar =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D The point is that retailers like Pinault-Printemps-Redoute see two effects= =20 from the rise of the dollar. The department stores, like Printemps, that=20 source much of their goods from Asia, have a nice profit bump. Asian goods= =20 are often denominated in (cheaper) dollars, and sold locally in the=20 stronger Euro currency. European-based brand names that source much of=20 their goods from Asia are also doing well, e.g. Adidas and Puma. In contrast, high-end goods made in Europe but sold worldwide in=20 dollar-denominated retailers, like P-P-R's Gucci group designers, suffer=20 from the double whammy of a strong decline in tourist traffic in major=20 worldwide shopping centers, and the weak exchange rate back to Euros. Most= =20 recently, the Richemont group (Cartier, PIaget, Montblanc, among others)=20 has had notable difficulty with the sudden weakness of the dollar, as would= =20 any group that gets a high percentage of sales outside of=20 Europe. Richemont earns over half its sales from the U.S. and=20 Asia. However, some companies like Adidas, which get over 30% of sales=20 from the U.S., have done a pretty good job in hedge funds to protect them=20 from currency fluctuations. From January to April, imports from China to Europe rose by almost 50%, to= =20 16.3 billion Euros. The article "In Europe, 2 Sides to Weak Dollar," by John Tagliabue was in=20 the NY Times, 6/10/03, W1, W7. -- Jan O. owens@uwp.edu jan-owens@wi.rr.com =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Links to follow =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.gapent.com/ Sarbanes-Oxley 2002