ETD: 763 Chico's - Excellent customer service; HTML
Newsletters; The Answer to Stopping Spam Is in Your Wallet
E-Tailer's Digest
etd_post at gapent.com
Tue Feb 24 12:34:23 GMT 2004
E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer
Issue #0763 February 24, 2004
George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem at gapent.com
Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com
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CONTENTS
[1] Greetings
[2] Chico's - Excellent customer service
[3] HTML Newsletters
[4] The Answer to Stopping Spam Is in Your Wallet
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[1] Greetings.
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Hi All:
I am back from London. The trip was great, but the exchange rate was
horrendous - $1.91 to 1 GBP. The worst in recent history. In October when
I was there last, it was $1.67 to 1 GBP. Now's the time to come to the US
for a visit or business!
While in London I read about the AT&T Wireless purchase by Cingular. The
headlines in London were "they fell asleep." Seems the team from Vodafone,
the UK-based company bidding against Cingular, decided to all take a nap
after 72 hours of negotiations. Of course, the "official" word was the
final price of $41 billion was too high. IMHO, based on the exchange rate,
they could have gone to $43 billion. So, a new risk category is now in
effect for enterprise risk-management (ERM) - "sleeping on the job."
My thanks to Jim Straw for his Special Report. I'm always impressed with
what Jim does (I subscribe to his newsletter).
Today we have a discussion on a very pleasant shopping experience at
Chico's. This is the chain to watch in ladies apparel! And we have a
continuation of previous discussions as submitted by list members.
Now, let's get to everything for the retailer.
Sincerely
George Matyjewicz, PhD
Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd.
mailto:georgem at gapent.com
http://www.etailersdigest.com
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[2] Chico's - Excellent customer service
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I went with my wife to her new favorite store - Chico's. She was
introduced to it by a friend, and said I need to see this store. So I
went. And I am impressed.
The store manager (Cary) took a personal interest in my wife's
purchases. She had a history of purchases and showed her new items that
would complement previous purchases. My wife stayed in the changing room,
as Cary brought her different items. And she was honest with the items -
saying which looked good on my wife and which didn't.
During the purchase, my wife happen to mention a pair of pants she
purchased last time that had a slight problem. We all forgot that
discussion, during this 2 1/2 hour shopping experience (yes, I sat through
it all and was not bored).
Well, she rang up the $1,100 purchase and we were out of there. When we
got home, my wife noticed that she did not get a special promo on the total
order, so she called Cary who promptly issued a credit for $50.
Monday I happen to take a call from Cary who called to say she reviewed our
sales slip, and noticed another item did not have a discount, so she issued
a credit for $20. Then she said she forgot to address the pants issue, and
told me to have the item repaired and bring them the bill, or return the
item for an exchange. She also asked if everything else was OK, and
whether my wife was satisfied.
Now that's customer service! And it works. In two months, my wife
purchased $1,800 from that store, probably more than she spent on clothes
the past year (she hates to shop - a perfect wide ;-)
I understand Chico's is one of the few ladies apparel stores that is making
money. Now we know why.
George
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[3] HTML Newsletters
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Our moderator wrote...
> Often we hear from people asking to have ETD (and some of our newsletters)
> published in HTML. On the Web Consultants List, Rich Kulawiec posted the
> best reasons ever for not producing an HTML newsletter.
Rich is one of our old sages. Often, when we disagree with him, we later
find out he was right, and we paid for making the wrong decisions.
The problem is usually that we didn't ask the right question. The question
isn't how you send out an HTML newsletter, it is how you DELIVER an HTML
newsletter. That is a broader question with more possible solutions.
The best way to publish an HTML newsletter, is on the web. That is what
the web was designed for.
Send the subscriber the link to the new issue to remind him of the
update. Most mail handlers are set up to let you launch a web browser by
clicking on anything starting with http://
Bonus: You get to see how popular the various articles in the newsletter are.
-javilk-
Today's Photo: http://www.mall-net.com/today/
------------------- IMAGINEERING --------------------
--------------- Every click, a vote. ----------------
----- Do people vote for, or against your pages? ----
-- What people want: http://www.SitePsych.com/free --
-----------------------------------------------------
+++ [Next Post] +++
Speaking as the publisher of an e-zine with close to 3,400 subscribers,
permit me to weigh in on the HTML e-mail issue.
Now, I'll admit that I've been tempted to publish in HTML. But I have
never, ever heard a request for such a publication. And my subscribers
aren't shy about telling me what they want.
So, as long as the subscribers are willing to read my "All text! All the
time!" e-zine, I'll keep publishing it that way.
Martha Retallick, "The Passionate Postcarder"
Grow your business with direct mail postcards!
It's easy, affordable, and FUN! Learn how at:
http://www.PostcardMarketingSecrets.com
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[4] The Answer to Stopping Spam Is in Your Wallet
==================================================================
Our moderator wrote...
> The great thing about an e-stamp system is that if a user gets an e-mail he
> or she doesn't want, the user can simply click on the opt-out button at the
> bottom of the message. Unlike current arrangements, the opt-out lists will
> be enforced because the system, not humans, will enforce it.
So what's in it for me? Who gets the 1 cent? Not me... And why should
spammers hire them, when they can circumvent everything with direct
mailing? As to opting out, how many unique ID's and accounts can a spammer
generate? (How many different ID's do you get the same ad from
today? Six? Ten? Fifty?) I have to opt out from every one of
those??? Sounds like another clueless dot-com dreamer high on his own ego.
Back in 1996 or 1997, I proposed that the recipient set his own price
rules for source and content, charging whatever he felt like it. Sellers
would then either match the price, match the allowable sources, or not be
seen. Set the prices at reasonable levels, and your net usage will be free.
You like sailing? Set your sailing price to zero. Modest interest in
antiques? Set that price to $0.25. Hate cars? Set it to $100. Someone
puts sailing in the subject line, it goes through no charge. Someone is
willing to pay you $1.00 for you to read his antiques list? You earn
$0.25 (or maybe $0.23) by looking at it. Someone else offering $0.10 does
not get through.
Uncle Fred writes about his car and his e-mail address is on your ok list,
he gets in free. All the other car stuff gets returned for insufficient
postage. see: http://www.mall-net.com/spam/
Before sending the ads, spammers would have to put some money on deposit
with a clearinghouse.
The catch, is that this is yet another micro-payments
system. Micro-payment systems didn't seem to do well on the web.
-javilk-
Today's Photo: http://www.mall-net.com/today/
------------------- IMAGINEERING --------------------
--------------- Every click, a vote. ----------------
----- Do people vote for, or against your pages? ----
-- What people want: http://www.SitePsych.com/free --
-----------------------------------------------------
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Links to follow
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