Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!ames!oliveb!sun!pepper!cmcmanis
From: cmcmanis%pepper@Sun.COM (Chuck McManis)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: What do you want in a Mail order shop?
Message-ID: <87108@sun.uucp>
Date: 26 Jan 89 18:57:04 GMT
References: <7009@louie.udel.EDU>
Sender: news@sun.uucp
Reply-To: cmcmanis@sun.UUCP (Chuck McManis)
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Mountain View
Lines: 61

In article <7009@louie.udel.EDU> (Shawn Clabough) writes:
>Since I have just started in the Mail order business, I would like to
>know what you like in a Mail order shop?

Well for one thing we'd like you to _not_ use this newsgroup/bbs/notesfile
(or whatever it appears to look like at your end) as an advertising medium.
That is strictly forbidden by the terms and conditions underwhich most of
the hosts share information on this and other noncommercial networks. 
That aside, as far as I can tell it is extremely easy to be the best
mail order business in the country. All you need to do is :

	1) Stock everything - Buy several copies of every program and
		every piece of hardware that comes out for the Amiga.
		That way, no matter what you get asked for, you'll have
		it in stock. This actually saves on advertising too since
		your add need only say "We've got it in stock, call us at
		555-1212"

	2) Evaluate everything - Always buy a copy for yourself of everything
		you get and try it on all possible machine configurations.
		Then when someone asks "Will it work on a 1000 with the 
		512K memory hack, a LUCAS board and the CMI Kickstart
		eliminator?" You'll know right off the bat if it will or
		not. 

	3) Price it at 5% over cost. This will guaruntee that you have the
		lowest prices because everyone else will probably be trying
		to make more that $1.50 on each software package they sell.

	4) Have 27 technically sophisticated amiga enthusiasts standing by 
		24hrs a day on an 800 number. Nothing is more frustrating
		than trying to call a mail order shop and either getting
		a busy or being put on hold. Even worse is to have someone
		actually answer the phone and then not be able to answer
		those interesting questions like in #2.

	5) Offer a full 100% money back guaruntee for 30days if the customer
		isn't satisfied for any reason. 

	6) Honor all manufacturer warranties, so that if anything is warranted
		and it breaks, you should be able to fix it in under a week.
		You, of course, will cover all shipping charges to and from 
		the customer.

	7) Answer all technical support questions your customers ask such
		as "Will this work with DPaint brushes?", or "How do I 
		install it on a janus disk?"

Well if you haven't guessed *I'm* making a joke. The sad part is that several
hundred individuals out there will expect you to do just this, and if you 
don't you will be flamed to a crisp on BBSes around the country. The point
of this posting was to illustrate _why_ there is mail order and why there
are dealers. If you do all seven of these things you are nearly guarunteed
$100 million dollars in sales per year. Your over head will probably be 
something like $99,999,999. or worse $100,010,000. So you lose. I'm not
trying to discourage you, just let you know what you are in for ...


--Chuck McManis
uucp: {anywhere}!sun!cmcmanis   BIX: cmcmanis  ARPAnet: cmcmanis@sun.com
These opinions are my own and no one elses, but you knew that didn't you.