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  • Will You Add? - Lessons Learned From An E-Commerce Adventure

    Motivation And Your Career
    Career motivation is a great thing to have and if you do not have it, you should work on getting it. You need motivation to get what you want in life and to have the best career that you can have. If you think that you are lacking in motivation, you need to work on it. There are a few tips that will help you get to where you need to be in your career motivation skills. There are a few simple things that you can do to make it a little easier to get where you want to be in life.Think about a few different things. Are you happy with your career? Are you looking forward to going to work everyday or do you wish that you could just stay home all day? These are things that can help you decide if you are on the right track for career motivation or not. When you are serious about getting on track with your career, you will have a better shot at being happy with what you do and how you earn a paycheck.If you have low career motivation, you should
    urces and prices with links to more technical information, preferred dealer pricing and actual stock levels. Additional features allowed the catalogue to be customized so that any computer reseller could present the database as his own online storefront. This option offered all the search and product information features to his customers, but showed only retail pricing and enabled the online ordering process.

    The product offering quickly received positive feedback and strong indications of support from all the participants – resellers, distributors, and manufacturers. It was a comprehensive, powerful, and effective tool for buying

    A Preschool Job Online Searching Guide
    It has never been an easier task than getting your hands on a preschool job! That is if you are performing a good online job search. The Internet is full of job opportunities, that almost all of us can find an opening that suits his or her needs.Looking at the advantages for both the employers and the employees, the first one to be mentioned is the fact that finding potential employees or employers in this manner saves a lot of time and money! Employers can post preschool job listings any day of the week, and job hunters no longer have to buy the paper, for instance and drop off resumes.It is a commonly accepted fact that it takes less time and effort to look for an online preschool job. You can find new openings all over the world and then submit your resume without anything more than a mouse click. If they are interested, the employer will email you the next days for the phone interview or to invite you over for a meeting.Along with t
    It is better to have tried and failed than never to have tried at all; and even more important to learn from your mistakes.

    That is what I keep telling myself after having invested the time and cash equivalent to a Harvard MBA in an e-commerce start-up that has stalled and is winding down. Not a happy prospect in light of all the media pre-occupation with e-commerce success stories and the young millionaires watching their IPOs rocket into cyberspace. But the headlines ignore the more frequent stories of new e-commerce businesses that do not hit the stock market jackpot. Many of them either settle into a low-key niche or exhaust their resources and fold.

    This is the story of an Internet venture that did not make the headlines, but offers some useful insights for entrepreneurs evaluating their own initiatives. The lessons learned are applicable to your own new venture or to an investment in someone else’s.

    In mid-1998 we launched a new company called nxtNet (www.nxtnet.com) with the slogan … "taking you to the next level on the Internet".

    My partner and I both had prior successful entrepreneurial experience in computer products and wanted to start a new venture together. We decided to develop a business that would catch the next wave of e-commerce services for mid-sized companies seeking to do business on the Internet. After long discussions, searches for a unique service offering, and many draft business plans, we developed a market strategy and then chose Intershop Communications as our software development platform. This product had the advantages of being suitable for single or multiple online storefronts, and offered a flexible, economic and comprehensive solution. We committed to the product, staffing, facilities and equipment to start training and development immediately. The two of us provided the time and cash required to get started.

    By October 1998, we had an initial product with application as an online storefront for an associated computer business. At the same time, we realized that the application had wide appeal to other computer dealers and could be sold as a multi-user database service and e-commerce resource. We had developed a consolidated catalogue of 85,000 computer products from multiple distributor product databases that allowed rapid search and comparison for product information, pricing, and current sources. Users could access the catalogue from the Internet and find a product by manufacturer, category, and part number, key word or price range and immediately see the alternate sources and prices with links to more technical information, preferred dealer pricing and actual stock levels. Additional features allowed the catalogue to be customized so that any computer reseller could present the database as his own online storefront. This option offered all the search and product information features to his customers, but showed only retail pricing and enabled the online ordering process.

    The product offering quickly received positive feedback and strong indications of support from all the participants – resellers, distributors, and manufacturers. It was a comprehensive, powerful, and effective tool for buying

    What Do Air Freight Carriers Do?
    An air freight carrier is an airline which is dedicated to the transportation of cargo and in some cases they may be a division or subsidiary of a larger passenger airline service such as BA, United Airlines etc.The major companies known for their air freight carrier services are Federal Express or as they are now more commonly known Fed-Ex who commenced trading in 1973 and now have annual revenues of $21.4 billion. They employ over 140,000 staff worldwide and have access to more than 375 airports across the globe. Their main aircraft that they use in order to transport air freight are Airbuses, ATRs and Boeings (they have a total of 674 aircraft worldwide).Then there is UPS who were founded in the US in 1907 and has now grown to a $42.6 billion corporation and since 1982 when UPS Air Cargo was set up to provide a way for customers to move their freight shipments. Although their all points international air hub is located in Louisville, Ken
    heir resources and fold.

    This is the story of an Internet venture that did not make the headlines, but offers some useful insights for entrepreneurs evaluating their own initiatives. The lessons learned are applicable to your own new venture or to an investment in someone else’s.

    In mid-1998 we launched a new company called nxtNet (www.nxtnet.com) with the slogan … "taking you to the next level on the Internet".

    My partner and I both had prior successful entrepreneurial experience in computer products and wanted to start a new venture together. We decided to develop a business that would catch the next wave of e-commerce services for mid-sized companies seeking to do business on the Internet. After long discussions, searches for a unique service offering, and many draft business plans, we developed a market strategy and then chose Intershop Communications as our software development platform. This product had the advantages of being suitable for single or multiple online storefronts, and offered a flexible, economic and comprehensive solution. We committed to the product, staffing, facilities and equipment to start training and development immediately. The two of us provided the time and cash required to get started.

    By October 1998, we had an initial product with application as an online storefront for an associated computer business. At the same time, we realized that the application had wide appeal to other computer dealers and could be sold as a multi-user database service and e-commerce resource. We had developed a consolidated catalogue of 85,000 computer products from multiple distributor product databases that allowed rapid search and comparison for product information, pricing, and current sources. Users could access the catalogue from the Internet and find a product by manufacturer, category, and part number, key word or price range and immediately see the alternate sources and prices with links to more technical information, preferred dealer pricing and actual stock levels. Additional features allowed the catalogue to be customized so that any computer reseller could present the database as his own online storefront. This option offered all the search and product information features to his customers, but showed only retail pricing and enabled the online ordering process.

    The product offering quickly received positive feedback and strong indications of support from all the participants – resellers, distributors, and manufacturers. It was a comprehensive, powerful, and effective tool for buying

    Online Six Sigma Training
    Six Sigma is a quality management methodology that follows a data driven approach for reducing waste and improving overall quality of goods manufactured or services rendered. It makes use of statistical tools and techniques that help in identifying exactly what the customer needs and designing sustainable methods to meet those requirements. By implementing Six Sigma, any organization can hope to increase efficiency, increase productivity, and reduce manufacturing costs. By employing statistical methods, companies can look forward to create a near perfect situation wherein the number of defects is reduced to less than 3.4 per million opportunities that exists for such defects to occur. Companies the world over have implemented Six Sigma in their business processes, which has helped them in attaining optimum competence and saving millions of dollars through phenomenal reduction in the amount of waste.Why Online TrainingThe success of Six Sigma i
    e services for mid-sized companies seeking to do business on the Internet. After long discussions, searches for a unique service offering, and many draft business plans, we developed a market strategy and then chose Intershop Communications as our software development platform. This product had the advantages of being suitable for single or multiple online storefronts, and offered a flexible, economic and comprehensive solution. We committed to the product, staffing, facilities and equipment to start training and development immediately. The two of us provided the time and cash required to get started.

    By October 1998, we had an initial product with application as an online storefront for an associated computer business. At the same time, we realized that the application had wide appeal to other computer dealers and could be sold as a multi-user database service and e-commerce resource. We had developed a consolidated catalogue of 85,000 computer products from multiple distributor product databases that allowed rapid search and comparison for product information, pricing, and current sources. Users could access the catalogue from the Internet and find a product by manufacturer, category, and part number, key word or price range and immediately see the alternate sources and prices with links to more technical information, preferred dealer pricing and actual stock levels. Additional features allowed the catalogue to be customized so that any computer reseller could present the database as his own online storefront. This option offered all the search and product information features to his customers, but showed only retail pricing and enabled the online ordering process.

    The product offering quickly received positive feedback and strong indications of support from all the participants – resellers, distributors, and manufacturers. It was a comprehensive, powerful, and effective tool for buying

    Become a Recognized Authority in Your Field - in 60 Days or Less!
    You don't have to be rock-star famous before you are recognized as an authority in your field. You just have to begin to get the word out. Your goal is to be the person that people think of when your field is mentioned. At first, that may happen only locally, but take heart. Start where you are, with what you have, and you'll light a spark that could eventually become a firestorm of publicity.Maybe you offer a workshop at your office, church, or community center. Get it in the community calendars, from newspapers to cable television. Call up your local news stations, and offer yourself as the subject of an interview. One listing or call at a time, you'll begin to make a name for yourself.When you have an event coming up, call your local news stations and offer to interview on their early morning or noontime talk shows. Prepare for your interview by identifying two or three main points you want to make about your subject. Take a blank videocass
    itial product with application as an online storefront for an associated computer business. At the same time, we realized that the application had wide appeal to other computer dealers and could be sold as a multi-user database service and e-commerce resource. We had developed a consolidated catalogue of 85,000 computer products from multiple distributor product databases that allowed rapid search and comparison for product information, pricing, and current sources. Users could access the catalogue from the Internet and find a product by manufacturer, category, and part number, key word or price range and immediately see the alternate sources and prices with links to more technical information, preferred dealer pricing and actual stock levels. Additional features allowed the catalogue to be customized so that any computer reseller could present the database as his own online storefront. This option offered all the search and product information features to his customers, but showed only retail pricing and enabled the online ordering process.

    The product offering quickly received positive feedback and strong indications of support from all the participants – resellers, distributors, and manufacturers. It was a comprehensive, powerful, and effective tool for buying

    Thinking Beyond Cleaning Office Buildings
    If your business is like many other traditional cleaning companies, you started by cleaning an office, apartment building, retail store or other commercial building. Adding additional clients may have included more office buildings, medical clinics and perhaps even expanding into manufacturing facilities. But have you stopped to think about expanding into residential cleaning? Perhaps some of the people who work in your buildings have asked if you also clean houses. This is an opportunity to break into the residential market.Even if your cleaning business is doing fine with your commercial accounts, expanding into residential cleaning is one more way to increase your profit margin. You probably have all the supplies and equipment that you need to cross over from commercial to residential accounts. And as with commercial cleaning, there is always the possibility of add on services - carpet spotting, carpet cleaning, window washing and floor stripping
    urces and prices with links to more technical information, preferred dealer pricing and actual stock levels. Additional features allowed the catalogue to be customized so that any computer reseller could present the database as his own online storefront. This option offered all the search and product information features to his customers, but showed only retail pricing and enabled the online ordering process.

    The product offering quickly received positive feedback and strong indications of support from all the participants – resellers, distributors, and manufacturers. It was a comprehensive, powerful, and effective tool for buying and selling at all levels within the Canadian computer distribution channel. Resellers recognized the value in an online resource to save time and effort. Distributors and manufacturers saw the opportunity to promote their products, and major publishers in the industry wanted to offer complementary online services to their subscribers and advertisers. How could we fail with all this enthusiasm and support?

    While the potential for success clearly existed, everybody had the same questions and reservations – "Who is there now?" "How many are using it?" and "I don’t want to pay until it’s bigger".

    Reasonable objections we thought, so we added features and content for free. We promoted the product with free trials and low cost subscriptions for reseller access. Then we coaxed, persuaded, sold hard, and made deals. The "contra" became the standard for obtaining press coverage, free ads, mailing lists and promotion in exchange for free participation and future consideration. Activity on the Web site and catalogue grew to 3000 visitors per month with over 800 subscribers and the distributor list increased from three to twelve.

    But revenue remained near zero as most reseller subscribers declined to pay for the service. Reasons were "it should be free – let the advertisers pay", "I don’t use it enough", "there are lower cost options", or "we built our own solution". The audience did not grow fast enough even after we offered it for free, to satisfy the advertisers and content providers. Without persistent and conspicuous sales and marketing efforts, all the participants quickly lost interest. Meanwhile the costs of database maintenance, ongoing development, site hosting, Internet access, sales, marketing, and administration were increasing.

    Clearly the old entrepreneurial model of controlling costs and growing revenue was not going to apply. We had to realign our profile to show how zero revenue and high initial costs could still lead to significant investment returns like other well-known Internet ventures. So from early 1999 we started an aggressive search for financing, estimating our requirements at $500,000 to $1,500,000 over the next two years before achieving positive cash flow. More business plans, spreadsheets, and glossy presentations to demonstrate future valuations up to $20 million, even $40 million.

    We knocked on many doors, from banks to government agencies, from angel investors to venture capital, from stock promoters to business consultants, and again received lots of encouragement, but no financi

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