ETD: 734 What's next?; ETD in upcoming book; Lack of Consumer Excitement for Holiday Shopping Season; PHLANDER Company; RFID and Wal-Mart

E-Tailer's Digest etd_post@gapent.com
Thu, 30 Oct 2003 07:21:47 -0500


  E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the  Retailer
  Issue #0734                     October 30, 2003
  George Matyjewicz, Moderator         mailto:georgem@gapent.com
  Published by:  GAP Enterprises, Ltd.  http://www.etailersdigest.com
==================================================================
   CONTENTS

  [1]  Greetings
  [2]  What's next?
  [3]  ETD in upcoming book
  [4]  Lack of consumer excitement for Holiday shopping season
  [5]  PHLANDER Company
  [6]  RFID and Wal-Mart

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

I received a request today to have one of our Special Reports printed in an 
upcoming book.   Folks, these Specials are referenced often.  So... when 
can we expect a Special Report from you?

Interesting to note that porn and gambling are very big and continually 
growing. How about some wholesome forms of business?  What's next 
online?  What do you see as the next wave of innovation?

According to the latest statistics, there is a lack of consumer excitement 
for the Holidays.  What are you going to do?

For those of us who sell to Wal-Mart, you better get on board the RFID 
express. Wal-Mart has mandated RFID shipments from its suppliers by 2005.

Today we have Jim Straw's PHLANDER profiled,  which will remain  for 
posterity at our  "Members: Who Are You?" site. 
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]  What's next?
==================================================================
I see the X10 has filed for bankruptcy.  They are the company who invented 
pop-up ads.  Let's keep our cheers to a mild roar.  Their concept is still 
being carried on by many others.

Interesting to note that pop-up ads do very well with online gambling 
sites.  According to Forrester analyst Chris Charron, gamblers are more 
likely than other Internet users to click on ads, to be less annoyed by 
them and to be more likely to remember advertising messages. Also, they are 
more likely to sign up for e-mail marketing and to open e-mail promotions.

Maybe it's guilt.

Online gambling is a major growth industry.  A December 2002 report by the 
U.S. General Accounting Office stated that future growth in the online 
gaming industry will occur mainly outside the United States. Yet Americans 
now account for half of industry revenues.

So, my question is what is the next new thing online and what is the next 
big growth industry?

George


==================================================================
  [3]  ETD in upcoming book
==================================================================
I received this request today.  The Special Reports that our members are 
kind enough to submit are referenced often.  Authors looking for material 
(like this), folks who want to quote the report, media, etc all review 
these reports.  So... when can we expect a Special Report from you?
-----
We would like to request permission to reprint excerpts from an October 18, 
2000 Etailer's Digest Special Report ("Measuring Customer Retention and 
Value in Online Retailing" By Jim Novo) in a forthcoming textbook titled 
Managing (e) Business Transformation that is scheduled to be published by 
Palgrave Macmillan.

We would greatly appreciate if you would be able to assist us with our 
request.

The details of our publication are:

Title: Managing (e) Business Transformation
Primary Author: Ali Farhoomand
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan, Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS,
United Kingdom Sponsoring Editor: Gavin Ursula (Direct: +44 (0) 1256 302993 
Fax: +44 (0) 1256 320109)
Language: English
Publication Date: March 2004
Number of Copies to be printed: 5,000

Requestor's Contact Details: Dr. Ali Farhoomand (c/o Amir Hoosain, CABC), 
Faculty of Business and Economics, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, 
Hong Kong. Tel: (852) 2859 7069 Fax: (852) 2858 5614

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions.

Many Thanks,
Amir Hoosain


The Centre for Asian Business Cases
701 Meng Wah Complex
The University of Hong Kong
Pokfulam Road
Hong Kong

Tel: (852) 2241 5245
Fax: (852) 2858 5614
Email: amir@business.hku.hk
Website: www.cabc.org.hk

------
Hello Amir:

Permission granted providing you give proper credit to Jim Novo and 
E-Tailer's Digest.  We would love to see the finished product.

Good luck.

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

==================================================================
  [4]  Lack of Consumer Excitement for Holiday Shopping Season
==================================================================
The NPD Group, a leading marketing information company, released the 
results of its survey of consumer holiday buying intent. The survey results 
confirm that this holiday shopping season could be just as challenging for 
retailers as last year, because consumer shopping excitement remains 
chilly. While 68 percent of American consumers indicated they plan to spend 
the same amount this holiday as last year, 19 percent of consumers 
indicated they plan to spend less this year and only 13 percent plan to 
spend more than last year.

On average, survey respondents plan to spend $637 this holiday season. 
Consumers with combined household incomes under $25,000 annually plan to 
spend $353. Spending increases to $468 for those with household incomes of 
between $25,000 and $44,999 and to $653 for those with household incomes 
between $45,000 and $74,999. Consumers earning $75,000 or more plan to 
spend $945 this year.

Details at...
http://www.npd.com/press/releases/press_031016.htm

==================================================================
  [5]  PHLANDER Company
==================================================================
When you go to a Doctor's office, you will find the Doctor's credentials 
prominently displayed on the wall. -- The same with Attorneys, Accountants. 
Real Estate Agents, Securities Dealers, Insurance Agents, and other 
professionals who serve the public.

Among the diplomas and various licenses hanging on the walls in these 
offices, you will also find certificates verifying their membership in 
various self-regulating associations and societies in their profession.

Unlike diplomas ... which simply show that the professional has passed the 
required course of study ... and the licenses ... which are required by 
government ... a professional's memberships in the associations and 
societies of the profession validate that they have not only studied the 
profession but have been accepted by other professionals in their field as 
being capable of performing the services required. -- These associations 
and societies also self-regulate their respective professions by enforcing 
codes of professional standards and ethics among their members.

I am please to announce that the "Business Lyceum" has been accepted into 
"iCop" ... an association of web sites that bears the "Mark of Distinction" 
- a sign of excellence and integrity - for those who are accepted.

You will now find the "iCop" membership icon proudly displayed on my web site.

If you have a web site ... and can qualify ... you may be able to join me 
in this esteemed organization.

Check it out at:
                 http://www.businesslyceum.com/iCop

Looking forward to seeing you listed among the membership.


Jim


P.S.  "iCop" is a way to show the world who you are and what you stand for.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
                         J.F. (Jim) Straw
                         PHLANDER Company
                           P.O. Box 5385
                     Cleveland, TN 37320-5385
          Phone: (706) 259-2280  --  FAX: (706) 259-2291
         Check out the "POWER TOOLS for Entrepreneurs" at:
              http://www.businesslyceum.com/mdl.html


==================================================================
  [6]  RFID and Wal-Mart
==================================================================
RFID: Just the Facts! Wal-Mart has mandated RFID shipments from its 
suppliers by 2005. Other retailers are following suit. ARE YOU READY?

Better inventory management has long been about the ability to prevent 
out-of-stock merchandise, eliminate outdated products and slash billions in 
inventory costs. So far, the promise of information technology (IT) has 
fallen short because of a lack of actual data about product movement.

But now some of the biggest names in consumer goods and retailing are 
piloting a new approach that could make this promise come true. Phase one 
of the two-phase pilot began Oct. 1. The entire test is projected to be 
completed in eight months. A third phase, which would test unit tracking, 
could extend the program through 2003.

Gillette, International Paper, Johnson & Johnson, Kraft Foods, Procter & 
Gamble, Unilever and Wal-Mart are working with scientists at the 
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Auto-ID Center, CHEP and Savi 
Technologies to validate the use of RFID tags to track inventory.

The test involves a handful of distribution centers (DCs) supporting a 
Sam's Club and Wal-Mart store in Tulsa, OK.

RFID tags are applied to pallets at the DC, then read at the store.

"The first thing we have to do is capture data about what's going on, to 
know what [products] are moving around and where they are," said Kevin 
Ashton, executive director of the Auto-ID Center. "That's the piece that 
can't be done today. The supply chain is a place where you feel your way 
around in the dark and you don't know if you've got an elephant or what. 
The first objective is to turn the light on.

"Once we know the data is being generated in a reliable way, then we can do 
the analysis" necessary to better manage inventories, and the distribution 
of those inventories from plant to warehouse to store, he added.

Potentially, RFID chips and readers can smooth Collaborative Planning, 
Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR), possibly even to the point of 
eliminating mundane tasks such as issuing purchase orders (POs), said Simon 
Ellis, supply chain futurist for Unilever. For retailers, this pilot is the 
first step toward addressing "their biggest problem--the last 50 feet, 
getting product to the shelf."

Details at...
http://www.frontlinemagazine.com/rfidonline/


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