ETD: 700 Thank you
E-Tailer's Digest
etd_post@gapent.com
Thu, 03 Jul 2003 08:22:40 -0400
E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer
Issue #0700 July 3, 2003
George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com
Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com
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CONTENTS
[1] Greetings
[2] Thank you
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[1] Greetings.
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Hi All:
Issue # 0700! Wow! It's been a fun 5 years and 5 months. I couldn't have
done it without all your help and support.
I decided to do a special issue, reflecting on some of the highlights of
the past 700 issues. Let's hear your comments.
And I want to thank each and every one of you for being part of this
wonderful community all these years. It has been my pleasure to moderate
this wonderful resource. We've come a long way: 3,000 steady members; 70
special reports; excellent resources for any type of retailer.
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
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[2] Thank you
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This is E-Tailer's Digest issue #700 - five years and five months of
publication! And still having fun. And at a time when many of my
colleagues gave up their discussion lists.
I learned a lot these past five years:
1. E-Tailer's Digest is a community -- a great place to share ideas and to
learn. We have some of the greatest minds in varied fields that can offer
expert opinions on a variety of subjects. And who don't mind sharing their
knowledge with others.
2. E-Tailer’s Digest allows us to make new friends, even if we never meet
face-to-face. And it is always nice to meet and put a face to the
writings. I consider the ~~ 3,000 member of ETD my friends and colleagues,
and I am never afraid to ask for help or to extend help whenever I can.
3. As stated in one of our digests, we can assemble a large task force of
talented people to conquer any project, anywhere in the world.
4. Discussion lists are not geared to make money. No way could I generate
income to even cover the costs of maintaining the list.
How many people have that same ability if they are not part of a community
like E-Tailer's Digest?
I started reminiscing and looked through our archives
(http://www.etailersdigest.com/archives/). Interesting stuff:
1. On January 24, 1998, Gary Foote started The E-Tailer's Digest. At the
time, Gary had a very successful list called E-Marketing Digest, and wanted
to put his expertise to ETD. The original plan was to run one issue a
week. He ran five issues, and asked me to take over with issue #6. I
changed the format, and began publishing three times a week, which
continued until 2002 when I cut back to twice a week! At that time, I
brought expertise from being a member of 125 discussion lists, and guest
moderating a number of the bigger ones.
Gary has since dropped E-Marketing Digest and is quite involved with his
businesses, one of which is a bridal resource.
2. The shopper of the decade went to Nancy Roebke Executive Director at
Profnet.Org who bought a house unseen on the Net! Nancy posted that in
issue #2 on Feb 6, 1998. Other than that plane being purchased online by
one of the dotcom moguls, I don’t know of any transaction so large.
3. In 1998 we were still dealing with dialup modems at speeds of 28.8 with
some at 54KB. Not a lot of shopping sites, and a lot of discussions as to
who was doing what and how -- learning experiences. And, as I visit
various companies and plug my laptop into their networks, I think about how
difficult it was back then to set up a network, never mind just plugging in.
4. Some early discussions in the first 10 issues, were about security and
credit card theft. Interesting to note how things have not
changed. That's still an issue.
5. Surveys were common in the early days. List member Michelle Kunz
published a couple, part of her doctoral dissertation at Morehead. And the
market research folks like Nielsen/Commerce Net published them every month
(some still do). Since April 1994, the Graphics, Visualization, &
Usability (GVU) Center at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta did a
very thorough survey of the Net population which had become the de-facto
standard. Their surveys ended in October, 1998.
My favorite was (and still is) NUA (from Ireland), which covered the
international aspect of the Net.
6. On February 17, 1999 we published our first Special Report
- "Effective Use Of Keywords" By Javilk, Webmaster at Mall-Net.com --
IMAGINEERING. And John is still posting regularly. He is probably the
best resource for search engines and the use of keywords.
Today, we have 70 special reports published special reports for retailers
written by retailers!
7. On May 26, 1999 we had "Real-World Success Story" By Todd Mogren,
Director MIS/CIS a/k/a Web Guy, Coastal Tool & Supply. Coastal Tool was
one of the 23 companies featured in Jaclyn Easton's book
"StrikingItRich.com -- Profiles of 23 Incredibly Successful Websites
You've Probably Never Heard Of" http://www.strikingitrich.com/
8. Regular contributors of special reports include Jacques Chevron, the
world's leading branding guru, who contributed five special reports, with
the first being in July, 1999. I've come to know Jacques over the years,
and try to visit him when I'm in Chicago. What he brings to the table
can't be found anywhere - on or offline.
Others include Robin Basset ("How Do I Start and E-Tail Store" available as
a download report), marketing research and focus group guru Phil Glowatz,
Martha Retallick (Effective use of postcards), marketing guru Jim Novo and
Jim Straw and his marketing ideas, all of whom had three or more special
reports.
Phil is another list member whom I have gotten to know, and collaborate
with on projects.
9. Guess which special report I get the most comments about? "Selling and
Poker" which I wrote and published August 3, 2001. Folks find it searching
the Net, and I constantly get kudos. It was a fun report, and I thank
Jacques Werth for the discourse we had on it way back when. I think a
poker game with me and Jacques in it should be quite interesting ;-)
10. This list wouldn't be complete with the technology gurus who always
come to our aid when we need help. Folks like Geoff Knapp, CEO of CAM
Commerce, Dean Martin of Point of Sale and Jerry Grooms, CEO of Bar Code
It Now who take time out of their busy day to respond to a query. And of
course, we have super techno-retailer Joe Dweck, who brings a wealth of
knowledge to the table from his years as CIO of Duane Reade, his
retail/technology consulting and his personal experience with his small
chain of drug stores. I've known Joe for many years, and am always
impressed with his expertise.
11. Patty Sachs is another excellent resource, and a party planner
extraordinaire. She did our 100th issue party -- the first-ever online
CyberCelebration in October, 1998. Patty always contributes very useful
information.
12. My all time favorite resource is the greetings in the various
languages. We have "Welcome", "Thank you", "Merry Christmas" and "Happy
New Year" all contributed by list members. We still get updates to the
list. The greatest thrill for me was when I was in a store in Mexico, and
on the way in was a sign that had our "Welcome" and when you left the
store, on the flip side of the welcome was a sign that had our "Thank
You." That owner knew how to market! We talked about the lists, and he
was glad to find them online, and, since he was in a tourist area, believed
they would be apropos for his store.
13. Frequent contributor Jan Owens provided us with some excellent
resources. One that is helpful to newbies to the retail world is the
"Academic Programs in Retailing" - schools that offer retailing courses.
14. And the media has always loved us. For a couple of years, E-Tailer’s
Digest was a regular column in Gifts & Dec magazine, the largest giftware
magazine on the market today. We were even published in Madras, India in
the Times of Management. And publications are always asking permission to
publish articles and special reports, with the latest request coming last week.
Today we have close to 3,000 members in 60+ countries worldwide. The
activity has slowed down a lot from the early days, when the Web was new,
and we were all experimenting. Nonetheless, the posts we do get are quite
good, and right on target. I like to think that we all have gained
something from E-Tailer’s Digest. I know I have.
I can't thank all list members personally, so, to all I want to say…
Thank you, Dankie, Sukran, Shukran Gazillan, shur-nur-ah-gah-lem, Thoinks,
Moite, Dhannyabad, Blagodaria, Hvala, M'goy, Do jey, gràcies, moltes
gràcies, merci, Xie_Xie, Kia Manuia, Djenkuie, tak, dank, Thanks awfully,
old boy, Aitåh, Vinaka, kiitos, merci, Merci Madame, Merci Mademoiselle,
Merci Monsieur, Abarka, Danke, Danke Schoen, Danke sehr, Vielen Dank,
Efharisto, Efkaristo poly, Aguije, Abarka, Aabar, Mahalo, Toda, Toda raba,
Dhan-ya-vaad, Syukriya, Köszönöm, Terima kasih, Terima Kasih Banjak,
Banyak, Go Raibh Maith Agat, Grazie, Grazie tanto, Mille Grazie, Arigato,
Domo arrigato, Matur nuwun, Thanks mon, Dhan-ya-vaadaa, Kamsa hamaida,
Paldies, Achu, Waybale, Waybale Nyo, Nandi, ,Nani, Terima Kasih, Kia
Manuia, Cheers, Kiaora Koe, Kiaora Korua, Kiaora Koto, Kiaora Tatou, Maori,
Takk, Shakkran, Soolong, Aguije, Mam'noon, Mo'teshake'ram, Salamat,
Maraming Salamat, Dziekuje, Obrigada, Obrigado, Muito Obrigado, Muito
Obrigado com Voce, Bhala Hove, Shakkran, Multumesc, Va multumim frumos,
Spasiba, Blagodaryu, Premnogo blagodaren, Spasibo balshoye, Fa'afetai,
Fa'afetai tele lava, Talofa, Miigwech, Dankie, Baie Dankie, Gracias,
Gracias a todos, Nuhun, Hatur Nuhun, Ahsante, Ahsante Sana, Tack, Tack så
mycket, Maururu, Nandri, Manjuthe, Khob Khun Kha, Khob Khun Krab, Khop Khun
Mak, Khop Khun Mak Kha, Khob Khun Mak Krab, Khob Pra Khun Kha, Khob Pra
Khun Krab, Thuk Ji Chhe, Tesekkurler, Çok tesekkur ederim, Saðol, Saðolun,
Tesekkurler, Thanks y'all, Dyakuyu, Shukria, Maherbani, Kam ouen, Nkosi,
Shakkran, Modupe, Ngiyabonga
And for those who wonder from what language is each thank you, visit
http://etailersdigest.com/resources/saythanks.htm
George
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