Thursday, July 15, 1999

Re: A Bit Short

<
In going over recent class transcripts, I came up with a question:

Lets say the supplier minimum is 2000 units. After much sales effort, my
'great idea' manages to corral orders of, say, 1500 units. The supplier
won't reduce. At this point, would you 1) drop it (and notify the retailers
who did order that unfortunately you won't be able to deliver -- thus
perhaps sacrificing their confidence in you, etc.); 2) redesign, based on
retailer input, and try to get more orders, while convincing those who
already ordered that this redesign will be even better and they should still
do it; 3) order anyway, hoping you can sell the remaining 500 between order
date and delivery date; or 4) something else entirely???

Thanks.

Josh Samton (aka szammy)>>

Great Question!

If 2000 is a minimum production run, and you only get 1500 orders from a
market test, then what have you learned? I say you have learned it does not
sell very well. Now, aren't you glad to did this against samples, and not
against merchandise in your warehouse?

Can you just dump the orders for 1500? Yes, of course! Recall they are
confetti orders for utterly minimal test amounts. Stores throw such orders
out to new businesses like confetti. Review the addenda I put up at the site
http://members.aol.com/wileyccc that shows such orders and explains this.
Is your reputation shot? You dont' HAVE a reputation starting out.

So forget about it?..not quite. A retailer once cautioned me to inform him
of my decision not to ship. I thought this a bit much, until I realized, of
course, we learned something else besides the fact that it does not sell very
well. We have also learned WHY it does not sell very well. Every time a
buiyer says "no" to a rep, they add on "why". "Wrong...color, weight, shape,
function material..." something you can use ...info you can use to fix the
items problems. When you say to the retailers you wonty be shipping, say due
to market research indicating our "water hats" are just too dry, we will not
ship the current model. We will inform you as soon as our newer, improved
version is available (or some such wording).

So as to your options, you do 1 and 2. Never do #3, but if you come up with
a #4 I want to hear about it. Thanks for your question.

John Spiers


Wednesday, July 14, 1999

Re: Product to Import

Posted to this item:
i am still trying to find a product to import, i stayed up till 4 a.m.
last night reading and racking my brain for a product, i do have a
ntdb cd-rom july 1996, which i bought then, still having difficulty
using it
>
Shouldn't you have an idea first before exploring the Harmonized Tariff Numbers?

I think you'll need to find a customer / buyer in an industry that you feel
comfortable. Along with a Problem / Opportunity to pursue.
What if? Why don't they? If only they could...

Pose these trigger questions in an area of your interest and go to sleep let
your
mind work on it. Fill your subconscious with raw information and ask the right
questions. The answer should emerge.

gk


Tuesday, July 13, 1999

Re: Product to Import

In a message dated 7/13/99 1:31:11 PM, romeos@earthlink.net writes:

<industrial products such as motors, solenoids, valves, sensors, made
in usa, for my marketing co (hengstler) in the philippines, who
solicit orders from mfgs there like san miguel, coca-cola, del monte,
etc.


***You told me your custom work is most profitable...since anyone can source
off-the-shelf, they will...which means you will net no worthwhile
business.****

i am still trying to find a product to import, i stayed up till 4 a.m.
last night reading and racking my brain for a product, i do have a
ntdb cd-rom july 1996, which i bought then, still having difficulty
using it

***Your tax money at work...it may be easier to go to a local library and ask
the librarian for help..dont tell tehm you have a copy of the ntdb at home.
Let me know how it goes****

i also looked at old files and found export hotline & tradebank, kind
of a free faxback on country with hot industry, profile, contacts,
etc. put out by international strategies out of boston,


***why would any of this information be any use to you?****

also looked at newsgroup like alt.business.import-export but seem to
deal mostly with commodities like sugar, and merchandise, is this a
good site in line to what we are doing?

***Such sites strike me as a waste of time...what is the point of receiving
bids from people not really in business or making bids to people not really
in business? Do you think any serious business goes to these sites?***

am also taking USC fastrac ii 12 week summer course on
enterpreneurship, so far i have learned "it is better to have a first
rate management team with a less than first rate idea than a second
rate team with a first rate idea", good management can make a second
rate concept fly while a second rate team can drive a good idea to the
ground, goal by the end of the course is to have a sound business plan
to obtain financing

***How much are you paying for that information? Why worry about financing?
That is the easiest part of the business. Write a business plan when you
have something to write about, like a customer.****

btw, rotflol after reading export humor, reminds of the saying in
tagalog "matapang na kape", literal translation in english, brave
coffee, instead of strong coffee :)>>

***that is funny..but come to think of it..."Brave Coffee" might be a good
name...don't we use coffee for strength and endurance?***


John