Re: [spiers] Book Biz Update
On Wed, 1 Nov 2006 22:58:10 -0800, Paul Snyder
wrote :
Any way to instead ask Amazon to email the
> buyers e-address to you when they ship?
***let's see what info they give for free with a sales report... something I
should add is the
chance of "asking" amazon anything is zero... this entire arrangement has been
by forms
filled out online...there is never any human contact or intervention. On the
other hand, their
forms are so comprehensive and pertient, I need no human contact. it is
interesting to see
what can be done with computers. Note these things are not being done at
microsoft, whose
#1 customer is government, but at google and amazon, who have negligible govt
biz.***
In that way you would achieve:
> o saving money that your printer may charge for printing unique codes
> in each book
***The extra cost to me may be a penny...***
> o allow you to cross-sell to your now known customer base when your
> civil war epic is ready
***LOL... I am pro-peace... Canada made independence from England without a war,
the
south could have from the north without war.***
> o prevents "code stealers" from looking at the store's book or a
> friend's in order to get on your listserve
***Here is what I find: 95% security level = X, and 100% security level = (X x
10). Perfection
usually costs too much to be worth covering the gain. Sometimes you gotta
tolerate a little
theft.***
Thursday, November 2, 2006
Book Biz Update
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
Book Biz Update
Re: [spiers] Book Biz Update
> John,
Regarding the "code". Any way to instead ask Amazon to email the
buyers e-address to you when they ship? In that way you would achieve:
o saving money that your printer may charge for printing unique codes
in each book
o allow you to cross-sell to your now known customer base when your
civil war epic is ready
o prevents "code stealers" from looking at the store's book or a
friend's in order to get on your listserve
I know that e-address sharing is unlikely with privacy concerns, but
it never hurts to ask.
> But the real differentiation will be something that cannot be
> copyrighted, or a copyright
> would be desultory. On the next run of books, I will have each
> copy crash numbered with a
> code on the last page. This code will allow people to join the
> listserv when they enter it on a
> password-protected website. Only those that buy the book "from me"
> will get "me"...
> bootleggers will be selling only to people who will get no follow-
> up with me. I can live with
> that.
>
> Folks, get your business going, whatever it is... there are wide
> open opportunities in every
> field, it works whether you are there or not... you might as well
> be there.
>
>
> John
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Air America Bankrupt
Re: [spiers] Re: Air America Bankrupt
And further Anthony, this report that there are more republicans online then
democrats!
http://tinyurl.com/y58jrk
John
One more Air America comment....
Media Matters for America has an ABC Radio memo
listing nearly 100 companies wanting their commercials
"blacked out" on Air America affiliates. They were
companies like WalMart, Exxon, McDonalds, Navy...
Of course, we all know the political leanings of these
companies...
Anthony
--- John Spiers
>
> On Sun, 15 Oct 2006 11:53:14 -0500, "Jason Carrion"
>
>
> > 3. Their beliefs ideas and thoughts were rejected.
> >
>
>
> Surely business failure and content rejection is not
> the same thing when one is on a subsidized
> business model.
>
> John
Pause for a moment of silence
This product cries out for Chinese import.
Pink Plastic Flamingo Faces Extinction. http://tinyurl.com/y57adc
Keith ( Book reader and two-time attender of John's class.)
Book Biz Update
Folks,
Although anything can go wrong at anytime, I do not think I an tempting fate
with updates
on the book progress.
As a background, the book was conceived as an answer to questions people asked,
but could
only be found in small biz int'l trade companies. The teaching was a means to
test the book
content. As luck would have it, the book came out as bookselling was
revolutionized by
improvements in communication and transportation. The lock publishers had on
distribution
is gone, and so information is free for the time being. Amazon and Google are
leading the
way.
Amazon today ordered 10 copies to be shipped to Reno and 61 copies shipped to
Lexington.
This is the biggest single order for my book, and no doubt reflects the fact
that amazon will
be dropping the list price. Amazon knows the sales rate of my book at various
price
points. Amazon allows competing bookstores to offer my book at a lower cost than
amazon,
on the amazon page for my book. Amazon tracks every sale. Armed with this
no-cost market
information, amazon can work out how many books to order, no risk.
It does not take a computer to figure out that sales will increase at a lower
price, but it does
take a computer to figure out what is the right amount to order. The computer
has spoken:
10 to Reno, 61 to Lexington. Resistance is futile.
I am now most delighted with the book because it gives me an opportunity to play
in a
relatively free market, and see my "philosophy" tested in real world real time,
in a market
uknown to me. So far so good. Goods, services, agriculture, publishing... 4
for 4.
I've been asked, "if you are opposed to IP, how come your book is copyrighted?"
The book is
copyrighted because we live in a copyright regime, and distribution, bookstores,
ISBN, etc will
not work without copyrights in place. But with them in place, the first chance
I get to "give
my book away", that is to say let google offer it up free online, I do so, and
my sales double,
as of course they would under free market theory.
But what if someone copies and sells your book? If they go to the best place in
the world to
have it printed, by agreement the printer will charge a premium and give the
premium to me,
a sort of royalty anyway.
If they print anywhere else, and try to sell it to Amazon, amazon will ask for a
lower price,
which the bootlegger will offer, and amazon will return to me, and I in turn
will get then name
of the bootlegger, lower my price until they go away, and then buy my books from
a
bootlegger at less than they cost me now, since he'll have no market.
Further, I'll have the name of a printer who bootlegs. Could be useful.
But the real differentiation will be something that cannot be copyrighted, or a
copyright
would be desultory. On the next run of books, I will have each copy crash
numbered with a
code on the last page. This code will allow people to join the listserv when
they enter it on a
password-protected website. Only those that buy the book "from me" will get
"me"...
bootleggers will be selling only to people who will get no follow-up with me. I
can live with
that.
Folks, get your business going, whatever it is... there are wide open
opportunities in every
field, it works whether you are there or not... you might as well be there.
John
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Re: Assignment After Week 3
Terry,
Thanks for raising your hand... the net has maybe 3% of retail, meaning 97% is
elsewhere.
Why are you hiding from your customers, and spending so much time and money to
hide?
Take as long a trip through the old west as you can muster, and in Denver,
Jackson Hole,
Susanville, Santa Fe, Dallas and 500 other towns, ask the retailers for what you
want... get
them to say, "good idea and does not exist" the go back with your items, and get
the names
of their favorite reps.
Self employment comes from the customers...go get them first, and then worry
about
everything else..
John
On Sun, 29 Oct 2006 10:10:10 -0800 (PST), "Lon Ottosen"
wrote :
> Hello John Spiers:
> Although I never appear in the chat sessions, I am one of your students in
> the Import Export Now class. I have just finished reading the second week
> discussion (yes, I'm behind one week) and got a good chuckle throughout
> the entire transcript. I saw myself and my (adventures in business)
> throughout. Let me explain...I am a government employee and have tried
> many businesses over the last few years in order to become independently
> employed. First it was the rental website; after over a year on the web,
> extensive advertisement, and a huge amount of $$, it still has not
> received one inquiry about running an ad. Then there's the retail
> adventures resulting in a room full of merchandise that I can't sell.
> I've tried selling on ebay (depressing), auctions, on the phone,
> multi-level cosmetic sales, etc.
>
> It's all very depressing. Which is why I decided to take your class. My
> interest lies in framing and matting historic pictures, (for instance, a
> picture of Jesse James would be matted with a short, 10 or 12 lines,
> biography framed within the matt and perhaps an old sheriff's badge or
> other relic) and also old west gifts, and decorative items. I'm giving up
> on selling on the web after Christmas (I'm currently selling LED Christmas
> Lights and I'm going to hang in there for a few months) and want to pursue
> the old west historical plaques and gift items at fairs, shows, etc. But
> selling to stores may be an option.
>
> I have come to the conclusion I will be making and matting my own historic
> plaques and have applied to Collector's Armoury, LTD
> (www.collectorsarmoury.com) for a wholesale account. I have found they
> are pretty expensive and there is a $100.00 minimum. I also found out
> they import their items from Spain, therefore I thought maybe I could find
> someone that would directly import to me through what I learn in this
> class. Hopefully, I can identify and pursue an avenue that I will love
> and can replace my income that I currently receive from working the grind
> 8 to 5 every day. It's not that I hate the time spent, it's that I hate
> the time spent for someone else in a field that I don't love. I have
> found I spend equal time in my home businesses, but love doing them.
>
> Anyway, wanted to "raise my hand", so to speak, to let you know I'm here
> and kicking and enjoying what I'm learning so far!
> Terry Liberty
> Fairfield, WA.
>
>
> >
> > --
> > Folks,
> >
> > Read through chapter four in the text for next week, week four
> > (already!). (If you have neglected to get the text it is available
> > fastest at U Bookstore still has it...
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/ydqr2r
> >
> > One thing you must learn to do now is to put leverage the entire
> > retail structure to advance your goals in building your business.
> > Less is More in this effort, so enter the stores as a mere customer,
> > not as an aspiring importer. The customer is king, and it is up to
> > you to demand what you want.
> >
> > Here is a training game you can start to play:
> >
> > Level One: See if you can ask an employee of the store for what you
> > are looking for before anyone says "May I help you?" At this level
> > it is never responding "I am just looking..." anymore, it is now "Do
> > you work here...? I need a quart of milk... I need 5 30 oil, I need
> > crepe wool pants with pleats..." Or whatever.
> >
> > Level Two: Same as level one, but at level two you are looking for
> > your idea when you ask, and you get into discussions as to the pros
> > and cons of what alternatives the store has, and gleaning market info
> > you gain as a customer of theirs, trying to buy your idea.
> >
> > Alternative Level One: If you already have a sample of what you
> > think will sell in the store, enter the store with the item and ask
> > the first employee you see if they agree the store would buy what you
> > plan to sell. After this initial contact, anything can happen, so you
> > have to be flexible.
> >
> > The key here is DO NOT TRY TO SELL your item, just get confirmed
> > they would buy it, if it were available.
> >
> > The sense you develop is that entire structure is for you, and you
> > can use it to achieve your ends. You are not abusing the store,
> > since the people are there to answer questions anyway, and your goal
> > is to satisfy the buyers #1 question: "What is new?"
> >
> >
> > John Spiers
> > www.johnspiers.com