ETD: 1017 Smart Business & Marketing Plan only $44.95; Calculating Open-To-Buy; Tech-savvy thieves drive up shoplifting losses

[E-Tailer's Digest]

Hi All:

We found an excellent program for creating a Business Plan & 
Marketing Plan, and it's only $44.95. We plan to use it for a couple 
of our clients.   If you're not sure where to begin, Smart Business 
Plan's "Smart Wizard" will guide you through the creation of a 
tailored business plan.  The built-in "Financial Advisor" can help 
you find the funding you need, and automated charts and graphs create 
a professional presentation to impress prospective investors. Check 
it out in Unique Business Products.

Today we continue with our series in Business Tips called 
"Open-To-Buy."  We go through the calculations so you know how to 
create and maintain your Open-To-Buy.  Start saving money and 
improving your bottom line!

Shoplifting has gone high-tech.  Smart thieves now print their own 
barcodes that they affix to products in your store, which rings up a 
lower sale.  The problem is, you don't find out about it until it's 
too late, unless, of course, you have software that can warn you of 
lower prices.  Check it out in Member Posts.

http://etailersdigest.com/etd/etd1017.htm

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


Sincerely


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

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  [2]  Unique Products - Smart Business & Marketing Plan - Only $44.95
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Smart Business Plan Deluxe, ideal for start-ups and existing businesses!

If you're not sure where to begin, Smart Business Plan's "Smart 
Wizard" will guide you through the creation of a tailored business 
plan. This fully interactive software includes stand-alone 
applications for writing business plans, marketing plans and a 
financial advisor. Build a rock-solid business plan and learn how and 
where to obtain the dollars you need for your business. Create a 
strategic and vital marketing plan with up-to-the-minute web based 
market research.

The built-in "Financial Advisor" can help you find the funding you 
need, and automated charts and graphs create a professional 
presentation to impress prospective investors.

The Business Plan module offers the option of writing a plan for a 
"New" or "Existing" business for five different business sectors. 
Each module offers sample plans for each economic sector. The 
Business Plan module offers ten sample plans and the option to create 
a plan in five different economic sectors:
  o  Service
  o Manufacturing
  o Wholesale Trade
  o Retail Trade
  o Custom

The Marketing Plan module offers the option of writing a plan for 
five different business sectors. Plus, each module offers sample 
plans for each economic sector. The Marketing Plan offers five sample plans.

Business Plan Wizard.  This interactive application steps you though 
inputting all the financial and marketing information required to 
produce your Business Plan. There you will find all the "Tables" and 
"Graphs" needed to complete your plan already made. You can then 
continue with writing text for each section using extensive 
instructions and examples and customizing your plan prior to 
compiling and printing the final plan.

Financial Advisor. The Financial Advisor is designed to ease the 
pressure of finding funding for your business. An easy-to-use 
interface provides you with quick access to a library of suggestions 
that will help you get the money needed for your business. Some of 
the topics are as follows: finding funding, private investors, 
traditional lenders, Small Business Administration (SBA), venture 
capitalists, steps to take before you apply for a loan, a 
state-by-state list of possible lenders, and much, much, more.

System Requirements. Windows 95/98/2000/NT/XP

Cost $44.95 (plus $5 shipping & handling).
http://etailersdigest.com/etd/etd1017.htm#Unique_Products..._

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  [3]  Business Tips - Calculating Open-To-Buy
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The formula for calculating the Open-To-Buy is:

OTB = Planned Sales + Planned Markdowns + Planned Inventory - Actual 
Inventory - On Order - Actual Sales

Open-To-Buy is not for fashion retailers only. Any retailer could, 
and should use an Open-to-Buy system in order to improve the bottom line.

Let's look at each element of the calculation...
  http://etailersdigest.com/etd/etd1017.htm#Tips...


We hope you enjoyed these tips.  Next we will have tips on "Customer 
Service:The Real Solution Selling."

If you need help with inventory or would like an analysis of your 
operation, please contact us via e-mail.

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  [4]  Member Post - Tech-savvy thieves drive up shoplifting losses
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Losses from retail crime jumped from $31 billion in 2003 to $37 
billion in 2005, according to a University of Florida study, and 
almost half of that can be blamed on employee theft. But professional 
thieves, many of them using sophisticated new methods, also are 
responsible for a big part, says Joseph LaRocca, vice president of 
loss prevention at the National Retail Federation.

The Wall Street Journal reported how one thief had stolen more than 
$600,000 of Lego sets over three years from dozens of stores in at 
least five Western states.  He pilfered the toys by creating 
counterfeit bar codes that allowed $100 Lego sets, for example, to be 
rung up for just $19. Then he resold them on a Web site for toy collectors.

Details at...
http://etailersdigest.com/etd/etd1017.htm#Members_Posts...

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