ETD: 730 Wireless Technology; Inventory Turns or Days Based on Net Sales; Bespoke Solutions Ltd; Trade Shows; Australian Trade Magazine

E-Tailer's Digest etd_post@gapent.com
Thu, 16 Oct 2003 08:40:09 -0400


  E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the  Retailer
  Issue #0730                     October 16, 2003
  George Matyjewicz, Moderator         mailto:georgem@gapent.com
  Published by:  GAP Enterprises, Ltd.  http://www.etailersdigest.com
==================================================================
   CONTENTS

  [1]  Greetings
  [2]  Wireless Technology
  [3]  Inventory Turns or Days Based on Net Sales
  [4]  Bespoke Solutions Ltd
  [5]  Trade Shows
  [6]  Australian Trade Magazine

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

I'm in Atlanta getting ready for the closing tomorrow.  In answer to some 
queries about the sale, we got the price we asked for.  It was the St 
Joseph's statue.

Tuesday I will be in Boston conducting a Galileo/Magique user 
conference.  If I run into internet connection issues, let me apologize in 
advance.

Today we have some comments on questions in the last digest - wireless 
technology and inventory turns.  What do you think?

If you do business globally, you may want to consider writing an article in 
Australian Trade Magazine.  They published one of ours and it did attract 
inquiries.

What trade shows are you doing this quarter?  Let us know what works for you.

And our favorite Bermuda retail guru has provided us with information about 
his business,  which will be at our site for posterity at our  "Members: 
Who Are You?" http://etailersdigest.com/resources/members/index.htm   And 
we have a form there for you to tell us about you.  As I said when I first 
proposed this idea, we have "known" each other for a long time, yet we 
often don't know anything about each other.   So, tell us who you are and 
what you do.

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

Sincerely


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


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  [2]  Wireless Technology
==================================================================
Our moderator asked...
 > What about you?  Have you gone wireless yet?

I've had two wireless set ups. The initial one was between my desktop PC 
and an older notebook computer (vintage 98). That consisted of a PCMCIA 
card in the notebook and a wireless adapter plugged into the USB port on 
the PC. The combo was (probably still is) made by Adaptec, and was easy to 
set up.

When I bought a new HP laptop with built in wireless this year, I decided 
to add a third computer (all in the same room) to the network. So I got a 
Linksys Router/Access point, and plugged two desktop PCs into that and then 
use wireless to hook the notebook to the network.   That works fine, too.

I haven't tried it any place where you can connect into a public network yet.

The one limitation in all of this is distance. There's a finite distance 
the signal will carry. Perhaps one of the people with more tech knowledge 
than I have can say what the distance is, and whether there is any way to 
stretch the distance the signal carries.


--Janet Attard
Business Know-How -Celebrating 15 years helping small businesses online
http://www.businessknowhow.com
Subscribe to our free newsletter at
http://www.businessknowhow.com/newsletter/subscribe.htm

==================================================================
  [3]  Inventory Turns or Days Based on Net Sales
==================================================================
Re; Inventory Turns - to try and do the calculations at cost the following 
must occur;

1) you take inventory at the known acquisition cost for each item.
2) you get your gross sales for the year - which will be at retail.
3) you must apply your Gross Margin percent that you get from your income 
statement to the gross sales for the year to calculate  its value at cost. 
This is the problematic issue. The GM factor can be "fuzzy" for these kind 
of calculations and hence not as accurate as the other actual cost of 
inventory that you are using. This taints the result which you will then 
apply another GM calculation against to come up with your.

The other method is to do all the calculations at retail. You know all of 
your sales at retail - so that is not a problem.

You know all of your inventory at retail. The inventory should be counted 
at current retail that represents any current markdowns  that you might be 
running.  The calculation of dividing the years sales by the current retail 
inventory keeps the result cleaner and more accurate in my view.

Joe Dweck

==================================================================
  [4]  Bespoke Solutions Ltd
==================================================================
Bespoke Solutions Ltd, a Bermuda-based company,  offers AFFORDABLE 
consultation services for small retailers. Assistance with e-commerce sites 
that make money.  Our's are not the lowest-priced services,  but affordable 
to a small retail operation.

My experience includes 40 years in the retail business working for both 
large and small companies has given considerable expertise in buying and 
merchandising of branded and Private Label merchandise and e-commerce.  I 
saw the need for affordable assistance for small retailers. Ad agencies and 
design houses can make perfect web site but they do not have the customer 
usability that retailers need and often lack the commercial back end.

Bespoke Solutions Ltd was started in 2001 and most of our customers come to 
us by word of mouth.  Our fees depend on services required. Most costs are 
shown on our web site www.bespokesolutions.com

Richard Woolnough, CEO
Bespoke Solutions Ltd
Penthouse 501  12 Church Street
Hamilton, Bermuda HM 11
Tel: 1 441 295 0951
Fax: 1 240 368 4461

==================================================================
  [5]  Trade Shows
==================================================================
Is anybody going to the 94th Canton Fair in Guangzhou, China  from October 
25-30?  It is the kick off for next year's giftware, and quite a show.

If not Canton, then what other show are/have you attending/attended?  There 
are 53 giftware shows in October; 22 apparel; 317 home furnishings.  Check 
out shows in your industry http://tsnn.com/

In some industries, shows are the only way to sell products.  Buyers come 
to shows, view the offerings and place orders.   So you have to exhibit, 
or, if a buyer, you have to go.  In other industries, they are a waste of 
time for an exhibitor.  How do they work for you?

==================================================================
  [6]  Australian Trade Magazine
==================================================================
We have released a new section in the Australian Trade Community Magazine, 
called "Export Innovations". If you have an innovation, product or service, 
that is destined for the Export market, or is being exported at present and 
you would like to promote it, we have 57,000 business subscribers out 
of  which one or two might see a mutual business interest.

You are invited to send in editorial for any of the Magazine's sections, we 
are looking for material such as: News, Articles, Stories, Press Releases, 
Letters to the Editor, or even short pieces like case studies and Industry 
events; AND, electronic images like JPGs, for possible entry into the next 
issue, November 2003. There is limited space, not all contributions will 
get in, but if you believe it will be of interest to our readers, there is 
a good chance of material being accepted; good PICTURES also help stories 
get in.

The final date for editorial submissions is the 21st October 2003; aim for 
completion is 3rd November 2003; all advertising must be in by 24th October 
2003. Please send your images and editorial to: 
editorial@australiantradecommunity.com for as soon as possible to avoid 
missing the deadline, thank you.

If you go to the new front page of the ATC Magazine website: 
http://www.atcmagazine.com you can see the contents of the latest issue.
This will be the new format.

Sincerely,
Alec Ellis, Editor
The Australian Trade Community - Magazine
3/71 Dundas Court,
Phillip ACT 2606,
Canberra, Australia
Tel: +61 2 6282 0629


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