Book Description

* How do consumers process information?
* How do they make choices and decisions?
* How are decisions translated into actions of consumption?
* How can marketing influence and respond to consumers?

The Social Psychology of Consumer Behaviour illuminates an area of intense academic and wider interest, bringing together research and practical insights into how theories in social psychology can be applied to consumer behaviour. Core themes include information processing and social cognition, communication processes, attitude models, emotion, social identity theory, and action theory. Within each of the major areas of social psychology, a historical perspective is provided, current knowledge reviewed, theories and findings critiqued, and directions for future research appraised. The Social Psychology of Consumer Behaviour provides a deeper perspective than standard texts which tend to be either atheoretical, overly encyclopedic, or outdated. It considers why consumers buy what they do, and how they go about making individual and group decisions concerning consumption. The result is essential reading for students, researchers and practitioners in psychology and marketing, as well as for those in related fields such as public policy, public health, health psychology, political science and sociology. ... Read more

Book Description

Keith Bradsher has been at the forefront of critical SUV coverage since his posting as Detroit bureau chief for the New York Times from January 1996, through August 2001. While in Detroit, Bradsher won the George Polk Award and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for being the first reporter to cover the many problems created by SUVs.

Winner of the New York Public Library Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism

Winner of The Washington Monthly's 2002 Annual Political Book Award

A New York Times Notable Book of the Year

A BookSense 76 Pick

Since High and Mighty was published in the Fall of 2002, regulators and consumers have become increasingly suspicious of sport utility vehicles and their poor safety records, heavy air pollution, and misleading marketing. Yet SUV sales continue to rise, leading average fuel consumption of new vehicles to a twenty- two year low and pushing traffic deaths to the highest level since 1990. As aging SUVs enter the used market, the problem is likely to grow much worse.

Bradsher makes a powerful case that these vehicles are much worse than cars-for their occupants, for other motorists, for pedestrians, and for the planet itself. In so doing, he pulls off a work of investigative journalism that shows how a flawed regulatory system, a desperate Detroit, and our national love for "bigger and better" have combined to create this highway arms race.

The paperback includes an epilogue covering new developments and an appendix explaining how to drive an SUV more safely. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Reads Like A Novel With Lots of Facts
This is an excellent book written by a Detroit bureau chief for the New York Times. He worked on and off on the book for almost five years and has produced a compelling and fact filled read of 440 pages plus notes. Excellent job.

I would not call the book "anti-SUV" per se, but rather it is a comprehensive review of the vehicle with some related comments on mini-vans. The facts speak for themselves. An SUV is a passenger vehicle that uses a truck base (motor, frame, suspension) with a special body made from a combination of truck parts and custom parts with luxurious interiors and lots of sound proofing. It costs the same to make as a truck but sells at the price of a luxury car - or higher - and has a marketing prestige value now associated with the vehicle.

The book covers the history of the SUV vehicle type, how the vehicle evolved from the early Ford SUV built by Henry Ford for camping trips at the beginning of the last century, panel delivery vans, the history of the WWII Jeep, the GM Suburban, the Jeep Cherokee, and the Ford Explorer, etc

The author covers the costs to make the vehicle, the taxes on the vehicle, the import barriers on imports, how the unions viewed the vehicle, how the gas consumption CAFÉ regulations were circumvented, how politicians have supported the vehicle, and how environmental groups have tacitly supported the vehicle, etc. The bottom line is that the basic construction is relatively cheap while the selling price is high. So the SUV's have become the cash cows of the auto industry leading to economic revival at GMC, Ford, and Chrysler with similar revivals of the local economies in Michigan, Detroit, and Ohio. Many auto executive careers have been tied to the SUV success and this is discussed in the book.

From a marketing viewpoint the turning point for the industry was the black 1986 Cherokee Limited with gold exterior trim. That car and the SUV's that followed were big seller in the cities and became a substitute for the luxury car. That vehicle was followed by products from GM and Ford, of ever increasing size and profit including the Lincoln Navigator, Cadillac Escalade, etc. These latter vehicles generate huge profits for the auto makers and have in fact displaced the luxury car and have become very popular in unlikely places such as New York city.

Cars and SUV's are marketed and sold by appealing to emotions not common sense. Despite the truck base technology that gives poor handling compared to a car, and the heavy weight and truck engines that give poor gas economy, the car companies have pushed the SUV in order to capitalize on the simple truck technology for the sake of fat profits. In a free society that makes good business sense. However the down side is that unlike Europe that has managed to keep oil consumption relatively constant over the past decade or so the US has increased its oil consumption by 50% due in part to these high gas consumption vehicles - fed by imports of oil from the unstable Middle East. In addition to the increased fuel consumption, the environment has been burdened with more pollution by less efficient (truck) vehicles that has compounded the insult to the environment. Finally, because of the truck construction such as the weight and the high center of gravity of these vehicles - although seeming to be safer, the SUV has a poorer safety records both for their occupants and for the cars they hit - as recorded by the insurance agencies - than for regular mid sized cars. So based on the record the SUV is more expensive, has poor truck like handling, wastes gas, and is even less safe than a mid sized car. One can draw their own conclusion.

The author does an excellent job summarizing the facts. He describes the auto executives running the companies, the technology, how the CAFÉ laws were circumvented, safety, etc. It is a compelling read.

Highly recommend 5 Stars.

Jack in Toronto

How can we be so short-sighted?
If you have any compassion for the future of children and other living things, you will be downright frightened by the information and inferences in this book. The author has amassed and analyzed an overwhelming amount of evidence condemning the greed and selfishness of people who produce and purchase these dangerous vehicles. We should all open our eyes to the consequences of using SUVs as they are now classified and regulated. The quality of life that we want to create for our children is being seriously compromised. How can we stop the proliferation of these vehicles of mass destruction? This book presents some cogent suggestions...

Informative but not Mind-blowing...
Well, I'm in the market for a car, and reading this book was sort-of an eye opener. Bradsher indicts SUV's for a host of crimes, but I can't imagine his case converting many who didn't agree with his charges prior to reading this book. You might want to file "High and Mighty" in the "preaching to the choir" section with "Fast Food Nation" and "Earth in the Balance".

That being said, it is a well researched, informative book. Bradsher isn't afraid to criticize the environmental movement, which he believes was co-opted by the sophisticated marketing of the auto industry. His chapters on the history and development of the SUV are first rate. Also interesting was his thorough documentation of the POSITIVE effect the SUV has had on communities in the United States where these behemoths are built. These descriptions, coupled with a tendency for Bradsher to assert harms in the future tense, combine to diminish the strength of his over all argument: that SUV's are baaaaaaaaad.

One thing is for certain: SUV's benefited from a series of regulatory loopholes designed to benefit "light trucks". The very existence of these loopholes are detrimental to the safety and health of American drivers, and action should be take to amend them forthwith. ... Read more

Book Description

We are how we shop. From Mesopotamian merchants and the fairs ofmedieval Europe to marble palace department stores and now Wal-Mart and the Internet,social, cultural, economic, and moral forces have shaped our shopping. In this engagingand generously illustrated book, Ann Satterthwaite traces the history of shopping andconsiders its meaning and significance.According to Satterthwaite, shopping hasbecome part of the American dream. To choose and to buy constitute not only a basiceconomic liberty but also the capacity to improve and transform ourselves. How we shopalso reflects our culture, as in the twentieth century disposable incomes have grown,women's roles have changed, and new styles of shopping and advertising have made theirimpacts on an old adventure. But there is a downside. Shopping used to be a friendlybusiness: shoppers and clerks knew each other, the country crossroads stores anddowntown markets were social as much as economic hubs. Shopping was meshed withcivic life--post offices, town halls, courts, and churches. In place of this almost vanishedscene have come superstores and the franchises of international companies staffed bypressured clerks in featureless commercial wastelands. Shopping and community havebeen savagely divorced.However, shopping as a social plus need not be lost, saysSatterthwaite. Examining trends in the United States and abroad where new approachesto an old activity are strengthening its social and civic role, she states that shopping ismore than ever a public concern with profound public impacts. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Shopping and the Public
This is a very well- written, extremely informative and thoughtful book useful to planners and anyone interested in understanding and influencing the way in which places to shop are developed.The breadth of the book, which includes a survey of shopping through the hstory as well as an examination of modern shopping via the interent, puts the act of shopping into context by exploring the relationship between community and shopping.Is it possible for the public and local governmentto mold and shape where andhow shopping occurs without drastically impeding the ability of retailers and other providers to sell their products?Is the modern way of shopping destructive to the structure of community?These are questions that plannersand communities must address. Reading this book will place the elements of the debate into perspective. ... Read more

Book Description

The Observational Research Handbook explores the burgeoning qualitative marketing research technique of ethnography or "descriptive anthropology," the observation and analysis of how consumers respond to a product within their own environments based upon their cultural values and relationships. The most comprehensive professional reference available on the subject, The Observational Research Handbook acquaints marketing and advertising professionals, market researchers, and manufacturers of consumer products with what observational research is, what it can add to a consumer marketing effort, and how an ethnographic marketing study is conducted. The book includes insights on setting study objectives, selecting the appropriate research method, defining the parameters of a study, creating interview scripts, applying specific practices and tips to the actual observations, and then compiling and analyzing the results. A complete case study—featuring a real proposal for an observational research study as well as an actual script and analysis of the results—is included in the appendix.Praise for The Observational Research Handbook:"Building great brands means constantly fishing for new ideas with the power to move consumers. This book should be in every marketer's tackle box. Bill Abrams provides a guide to observational research that's fascinating and instructive. -- Elizabeth Ellers Director, Brand Planning & Research Grey Advertising"Bill Abrams takes a topic that is surrounded by academic mystery and makes it understandable and usable for people in business. The learning that Colgate has obtained from observing people shopping and using our products in their homes has been invaluable in designing new products that meet their needs. Observational research is a cornerstone of our consumer insights program." -- Jim Figura Vice President Consumer Research and Insights Colgate-Palmolive Company"Bill Abrams creative director turned observational research guru, opens your eyes to how you can determine how consumers actually relate to and use your product. When you finish the book, you will be a believer!" -- Charles D. Peebler Jr. Chairman Emeritus True North Communications ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Interesting but probably poorly understood by executives
A bit repetitive at times, perhaps because the author didn't have permission to discuss a lot of different client projects. I came away thinking that observational research (which includes interactions with consumers - not just watching them) is a sophisticated research and planning activity that only the most advanced corporations (e.g., General Mills, Xerox, Hallmark, P&G, Toyota) understand and hire for (or maybe they use their own in-house experts, something that Abrams discourages). I would also expect that it takes a lot of training and experience for someone to do this without unintentionally influencing the study - although Abrams reinforces the point that this is subjective and qualitative - and that is part of it's value. Sure seems like if a observational researcher can do this well, they could discover things that could change an entire industry (like the Palm Pilot or the Chrysler Mini-Van). Overall, I found the book to be "okay," the method itself - potentially ground-breaking. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Senior marketing executive Elliott Ettenberg argues thattraditional marketing techniques are outdated relics from the far-offOld Economy and in this post-9/11 world, we've already left the NewEconomy behind. So with reaching its public still vital to anybusiness's survival, what's a 21st-century company to do? In TheNext Economy, Ettenberg sees the economy changing to one "that willbe characterized by a huge withdrawal of customer spending, apolarization of North American demand, an exponential increase indemands for service and a consequent shift in business priorities fromsatisfying shareholders to delighting customers." To meet this neweconomic environment, Ettenberg proposes a four-pronged strategy thatincludes a commitment to "segment and target customers in terms oftheir values, associations and loyalties;" focus on the "fewer butbetter customers;" substitute the old four Ps of marketing, product,place, price, and promotion, with the four new Rs, relationships,retrenchment, relevancy, and reward; and develop innovative comarketingarrangements that help expand opportunities and lower costs. With hissolid grasp of the past and credible vision for the future, Ettenberglays out a thought-provoking vision of the 21st-century marketplacethat any business executive would do well to consider.--Howard Rothman ... Read more

Reviews (5)

an amazing book for futuren economy!
This book clearly reveals the secret for the upcoming economy trend that most individuals and enterprises still cannot figure out. 4P concept is no longer effective for current global need.
As China is entering the game, global economy is becoming chaotic and more unpredictable, only 4R concept (relationship, relevancy, retrenchment and rewards) can help those wise bueinss entities to survive or growth. In fact, most of the old concept oriented businesses will soon fade and go into history.
I study I-Ching, the most treasurous ancient Chinese wisdom from 5000 years ago. If for me to adopt its concept, our economy is situated in the decending, downtrend, shrinking stage, same to our civilization, due to the worsening ethics, environment...etc. However, thing dies for the reborn, human being is heading towards this inevitable progress of life.
All people should start early and behave right to survive in this global economy turbulance and Mr. Ettenberg's wisdom can be one of the good references!

Escapee from a time warp?
This book is puzzling. On the one hand, it opens with an interesting analysis of contemporary demographic trends. That analysis is, to my eye, the most useful part of the book.Surprisingly, limited attention is given to how younger age cohorts, even one that represents nearly as much of the US population as the Boomers, are entering the high product demand phase the Boomers are exiting. This cohort represents an excititing opportunity for marketers that is basically ignored.

The book asserts that the 5Ps are no longer relevant. I interpret the provided analysis to suggest instead that the failure resides in the inability of many companies to design effective marketing strategy.

The discussion of "want based" marketing appears to have been written 20 years ago, put into deep storage, and just escaped from its cryogenic vault.The notion of marketing to consumer "wants" rather than "needs" has been a fixture of principles of marketing texts for at least 20 years.The advocay of VALs - as a methodology useful for illuminating consumer "wants" -- is also about 20 years old.SRI just introduced VALS-III to remedy shortcomings of VALS-II. Ettenberg proposes an update to the time proven 5Ps (or 5Cs, depending on how you prefer to express them). At the core, Ettenberg seems to be trying to reposition the core of marketing as relationship management. That, too, is a standard feature of contemporary marketing principles texts.Further, the book emphasizes marketing of traditional tangible goods (e.g., bread). More contemporary value offerings -- such as services or transformations -- receive limited attention. This is surprising given the demographic analysis with which the book opens.Could the predicted decline in Boomer consumption of conventional goods merely reflect increasing consumption of services and transformations?

Rather Chilling Economic Portrait of the Future
Ettenberg is not Orwell's equal when it comes to writing a classic dystopia, but that is not to blame Ettenberg.

Ettenberg's idea is simple--the old ways that dominated much of the 20th century are outdated, the "new" economy ideas have vanished since 9/11, and what is to come is something different, a paradigm shift.

The focus will transition from shareholders to customers (this is new?Hasn't a mantra been satisfying and keeping the customer?)In fact, forget the mass market, Ettenberg argues.Go for that one niche.Oh, and rich and poor in the U.S. will resemble the Third World.

Guerrilla PR: Wired by Michael Levine also preaches how to reach consumers in the new age, but hardly portrays the darkness that Ettenberg preaches like a fundamentalist Baptist preacher full of fire and brimstone.

I take comfort in the belief that no individual knows the future, including Ettenberg.While his work makes for a powerful read, I find the full implications of his words are chilling.

Highly Recommended!
Elliott Ettenberg offers a wealth of new tools and strategies that you can apply to your business. His focus is on marketing, but not in any traditional sense. Instead, he analyzes how the technological advances of the 1990s have altered the competitive landscape and proposes an inventive and practical list of post-New Economy business practices. We [...] strongly recommend this book not only to marketing professionals, but also to anyone charged with developing business strategy.

Best Marketing Book for Students
I am a student in Marketing at Queens, and I have never read a more comprehensible and insightful book then "The Next Economy".Ettenberg writes in a fashion different from every other business book that I have read.The book is great because it is not boring or repetitive.The author has something to say, and he says it clearly and in a concise manner.I recommend this book for anyone who wants to understand what the future has in store for marketing, and it is a must-have for all marketing students. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Centered Selling teaches you the secret of the world-famous Xerox sales training program. The secret, Robert Jolles reveals, is reversing the conventional selling practice of searching for customer needs. To truly create urgency, you must focus instead on the customer's problems and decision-making process. Jolles provides a systematic, repeatable, predictable approach that teaches you to anticipate and influence behavior as the customer moves through an eight-stage "decision cycle" and ultimately discovers his or her needs. The book includes a series of case studies, activities, and exercises that enable you to better understand the principles being taught, so you can immediately apply them to your own unique scenarios. This book is a "must read" for all sales professionals, sales managers, and managers in need of a disciplined approach to persuading others. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Excellent Across the Board!!!
TThis book is terrific...It answered many questions I had about sales approach to b2b selling. If you are selling b2b or your product/service has a high value, you will love the tools this book will give you to succeed! It has great examples, and useful exercises to make the material 'stick'. Rob breaks everything down to minute detail, so everything is duplicatable and understandable. I hope to see an audio version sometime in the future. I love the questioning sequences detailed by Rob and his honest and ethical approach to every step in the sales cycle.

This book also teaches you how to use the selling principles in everything else in life from managing employees to bringing up children. I am already beginning to be more pursuasive with my fiance and my boss. I am loving it!!!

Robert Jolles teaches you very SOUND techniques and not hype like Tom Hopkins, Zig Ziglar or Joe Girard. I love the fact that he was a senior sales training consultant at Xerox, which is world-known for its investment in sales research and its training methodologies.

Good Book - but its missing that little "something"
I am pretty new to the world of sales - a reluctant salesman who has realised that selling is central to success in any relationship based endeavour. What I have been searching for is a sales 'system' - a repeatable process that allows you to 'advise' the client for mutual benefit, rather than simply sell him. And Robert Jolles almost hits the mark. He gives you a sales strategy - a strategy with 8 steps in the selling process, that with a bit of practice will make the sales call more of a consultation.

But, for me, the book contradicted its title somewhat. This is particularly evident where Jolles uses the boxing metaphor for selling (he compares selling to you and your client stepping into the ring for a few rounds) and 'bleeding' your client. Now maybe I'm naive, but I think this is what is totally wrong with the sales profession - I don't think you're ever fighting your client, or should be trying to 'bleed' him or her, or make him hurt.

Now perhaps Jolles was simply trying to make the point that the client needs to be fully aware of the implications of his/her problem etc, but it was the way he says it that shows he doesn't have the customers true interests at heart. And to me,its the philosophy of the sales professional combined with sales effectiveness that is critical to building long-term, mutually benefical client relationships.

I would recommend this book to you - it teaches a sound sales process that is repeatable. But for me it missed that extra something.

Takes selling to the next level
Clearly defines the steps to making a sale along with the understanding of how and when a customer makes a buying decision. People don't make a large purchase decision until they have a "problem". So if you are selling large ticket items and or programs, then you better understand how to move the decision maker into the "problem" stage. I thought that the author's examples and situations outlined in the book were excellent and really drove home the points he was making. It is an easy read and thoroughly enjoyable!

Repeatable and Predicatable....can you really find that?
I have been teaching Rob's methods for close to 2 years at the Univ. of Houston. Rob is a genuine person and his methods work...period. Yet, you cannot just read this book and expect it all to sync the first day. You need to practice this....daily to have the impact required.

Reader
I read this bood in the Chinese translated version. It is very similar to the book "Solution Selling", afterall, both authors were trained by Xerox Corp. A bit technical in this presentation compared to Solution Selling. Both very eye-opening to the art of selling. Great book. If you want to master selling and be the top sales person in your firm, this is a book that can help you get there. ... Read more

Book Description

Internationally Acclaimed Branding Guru Challenges Corporations: "It’s Time to Act as Good Citizens"

What have today’s brands in common with politicians? - They need to take an active, positive role in people’s lives in order to be elected —locally and globally, says Marc Gobé, the founder of the widely successful Emotional Branding concept. Today’s all-powerful, post-hedonistic consumers expect a deepening level of emotional commitment and social responsibility from the brands that they choose. In CITIZEN BRAND, an evolvement of his revolutionary EMOTIONAL BRANDING concept, the internationally acclaimed branding guru tells corporations how to become the socially relevant, caring community members that are elected in today’s consumer democracy.

Three quarters of consumers would vote for corporate community involvement and ethical business practices, say recent polls. Yet while "cause marketing" programs abound, few corporations truly understand the emotional power of the "Citizen Brand" approach, argues Marc Gobé. Using brands like Starbucks and The Bodyshop and Home Depot as examples, CITIZEN BRAND reveals how companies can create strong and deep partnerships with people in America and across the globe by enriching their lives in creative and truly relevant ways.

The bursting dot.com bubble, anti-globalization protests in Seattle and Genoa, an economic slowdown, and the September 11 tragedy. . .the events of the past three years have changed dramatically what consumers expect from today’s brands: they seek emotional support and orientation an increasingly complex, strenuous reality. Getting this right requires an intimate understanding of one’s customers and their deepest values, saysMarc Gobé. CITIZEN BRAND reveals how smart companies have responded to this reality check by treating their customers–-and employees—with a new humanistic, emotional sensitivity. Nucor has made it a point to not lay off any of its people in the face of recession;other companies have followed the example of The Bodyshop by establishing community programs for customers and employees; Coca-Cola is using its trucks in Africa to bring medication and education to local customers.

As Gobé underlines, CITIZEN BRAND is not a comprehensive form of philantrophy or a new business strategy, but an inevitable consequence of global change: ". . .in a global world influenced more and more by local politics, religious upheaval, and social awareness, the role of businesses will change in a dramatic way. The need to reassess one’s corporate responsibility is critical in a changed world." ... Read more

Reviews (3)

"Interesting" but not "good".
I found this book less brilliant than his previous title ¡§Emotional branding¡¨. Gobe is simply repeating himself in a loosely knit 10-chapters format. There are many interesting case studies, but the author does not focus them tight enough to make those examples relevant to the chapter title. For instance in chapter 2 he talks about trust and cause marketing, but he cannot solidly tie the two together; as trust does not always equal well-carried cause marketing campaigns, what IS trust in terms of branding? What are the mechanisms of ¡§trust¡¨? I think he should give us a global definition before diving into the subject.

There are numerous examples of such poorly related text in the book, I would advise you to read his first book ¡§Emotional branding¡¨ and skip this one.

Shifting into the future, the right way!
A book, a philosophy, a plan for the future - and one after my own heart...

In an age where many business fear for the future, claiming that customers are jaded, and even anti-business, Gobé presents the situation in more than a constructive manner, he gives a hopeful one.

Rather than throwing his hands up to the sky, pointing to groups that plan 'Don't Buy Anything' days as the end of it all, he shows us that commerce is not over, it is evolving.

More than heart-warming, I think he is right. (He sure has described me as a consumer!) And I know I want to run my business by these ethics, goals & philosophies.

However, his message is more than an uplifting moment, or one of personal identification for me - he gives concrete examples of how businesses can connect with today's customers.

If you can invest in only one branding book this year, this is the one to get.

A definite winner!
A fantastic and very useful book--a must read for any marketing professional today. This book is about far more than how to build effective "cause marketing" campaigns. It is nothing short of a revolutionary/revelatory new approach to business in our difficult era!

Gobe is a branding visionary with a very insightful and inspiring approach to building strong brands. While I enjoyed and appreciated his last book, Emotional Branding, I am even more impressed with this one. He proposes here a whole new shift in thinking that is of course-- in a post-Enron, et al.. world-- very a propos today.

He argues that a holistic, consumer-centric and ethics grounded approach to both business and marketing strategies is not only "good" but also good business--it's the new expectation (and biggest opportunity as many will fail to recognize the changed landscape...). This is something I have believed strongly and observed in action for many years as a marketing executive for a global corporation with major consumer brands and it's rewarding to see these ideas put forth in such a fresh and engaging manner.

But besides giving us a provocative new way of looking at marketing strategies from a big picture perspective, the book also has a lot of value from a very practical, hands on point of view. It is full of useful information, such as highly original insight into the latest consumer trends and demographics research, lots of well thought out and unsually interesting case studes and examples of what the most innovative branding professionals are doing. Most of all, the book gives marketers a practical detailed process for how a brand can become a "Citizen Brand" for consumers today and continues the theme of his last book giving insight on how marketers can touch consumers on an emotional level that will inspire that rarity of all rarities--brand loyalty! ... Read more

Book Description

There may not be a more practical addition to the library of any book lover, parent, or college student this year than Stephen Windwalker's Buying Books Online: Finding Bargains and Saving Money with Booksense Stores, Amazon Marketplace, and Other Online Sites.

Windwalker is the longtime bookseller who wrote the book on Amazon Marketplace and online bookselling with his recent bestselling entrepreneurship title Selling Used Books Online: The Complete Guide to Bookselling at Amazon's Marketplace and Other Online Sites, one of the top 20 small business titles of 2002 at Amazon. In his new book Windwalker demonstrates the same capacity for providing the inside scoop as he shows book buyers how they can safely navigate the global internet book marketplace to find the new, used, or rare books they want and need, in great condition, at huge savings.

For starters, Windwalker's book helps buyers to understand the basic terminology of bookselling so that they will be able to distinguish between different copies of a title with respect to condition, edition, binding, size, and age. They will learn how to evaluate the apparent professionalism of a seller based on customer feedback, book descriptions, customer service policies, and other available information, and are provided with a helpful listing of the best places to buy books on the Internet. Beyond these basics, the book buyers will pick up some useful "tricks of the trade:"

· How to use "pre-orders" and "wants lists" to get the more scarce books you seek, at the best possible prices;

· When and how to use email to communicate with a seller to pin down important information;

· How to build a special relationship with a seller by establishing yourself as a responsive, repeat buyer;

· How to request and get special assistance in building a collection, acquiring a set of an author’s first editions, or buying the books on your college course syllabi;

· How to read, use, and leave customer feedback to help yourself and other potential buyers;

· How to make the best use of available payment methods to protect yourself against fraud and to get your orders shipped as quickly as possible;

· When to consider re-selling or donating one or more of the books that you have purchased, and how to make the most of that experience;

· How to use a title-searching site such as Bookfinder.com to help you identify the "best buy available" for any book you are seeking;

· How to develop a quick reference checklist to evaluate a seller before clicking through to submit a purchase; and much, much more. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Why do you need this book?
As e-commerce is more and more integrated into our lives, many more people are using the internet to find and purchase books they need for many different reasons. How is a buyer to make decisions? To know how to choose which seller to use? The price of this book will be saved again and again as any buyer becomes more aware and more knowledgeable about buying books online. Whether you hope to provide books for your children, for a college class, or to find the best deals on the latest best sellers, you will become a more savvy buyer after reading this book. And remember, the more knowledgeable a buyer is, the more we sellers need to be knowledgeable. Knowledge benefits all of us.

Very useful and fun to read
This book is going to save me a lot of money on books for myself and for my son, his cousins, now and probably when it is time to start buying college books too. It's a very thorough manual with helpful glossaries, abbreviatin guides, and some very good advice for finding the online booksellers most likely to provide good customer service. It's also enjoyable to read and it is obvious that the author has a great sense of humor, loves books, and understands what drives people to buy them. ... Read more

Book Description

This new and expanded 16th edition reveals exactly how to get thousands of fantastic free things of every type and description... free money for college, free gifts from the President, free recipes, free product samples, free things on the internet and LOTS more! ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Advertising a mystery no more!
You won't find any glitz or glamour in this book, just very intelligent writing about why advertising really works - and how to create advertising that works.

The wonderful part about this book is that it provides you with the key measures you need to use in seeing whether or not your advertising is/has worked. When clients want to justify their budgets, agencies can now help them do this by translating the results of their creative work into hard numbers.

For anyone serious about knowing how to create great advertising, this is a must read.

Breakthrough thinking
I have been consulting in the advertising business and have taught
graduate level advertising courses for over 20 years. I have never found a book that brought so much insight to the advertising issues associated with effective selling. I highly recommend this book to all.

Well Written and Full of insights
The book dissects the advertising process and analyzes the different elements that make up the ad.

Backed by years of tracking TV commercials down under, Max Sutherland has first-hand knowledge of what qualities make an ad work and what others make no or a negative difference in the ad's effectiveness.

The book commences with an introduction to advertsing's facts of life and a clarification of what is substantial and what is not in the public's perception of the industry.

It ends with a couple of interesting chapters that introduce the reader to the basic concepts of ad-effectiveness research. All in all, a good and solid book.

It does, however, use brand examples throughout that are known only to Australian readers and primarily discusses broadcast advertising.

Don't bother reading the reviews, JUST GET IT!
To all advertisers and consumers; This is a must for your knowledge. Finally, a book that evades the 'magic' of advertising and pins down the psychological factors that make an ad succesful or not. It is seen from every point of view; the advertiser, the consumer and even the psychologist. It will change the way you advertise and see ads As an advertising student I found it to be my little bible.Get it!

Advertising for pleasure and profit
This book is great. It cuts through the hype, the b.s., the nonsense. Everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) has a view on advertising, but not many have a view that is as comprehensible and as reasonable as that expressed by Max Sutherland in his book. Combining psychological theory with good doses of common sense, Professor Sutherland reminds us what so many of us tend to forget -- that marketing and advertising is practice supported and expanded by theory.

Advertising as a domain tends to be dominated by either practitioners or academics. The practitioners can have a tendency to do a lot of 'hand waving.' That is, they talk a lot, it may even look pretty impressive, but they don't necessarily talk a lot of sense. The academics for their part are caught up in theory. The academics ignore the real world as it presents (or at least may present) a disturbing set of facts that inconveniently do not match the truth of the theory.

Max Sutherland manages to bring the two sides of practice and theory together masterfully. In fact, it is really hard to decide from reading the book whether he is an academic or a practitioner -- it is perhaps not surprising to find that he is a bit of both. He's done well to bridge the gap between these two worlds.

The book's 'bite-size' chapters make it especially readable for anyone. And the reader can pick and choose from the range of topics that are offered - such as subliminal advertising, conformity, silent symbols and badges of identity, vicarious experience and virtual reality, etc. This is a book that will be enlightening for both the practitioner and the academic, and a delight for any person, including a lay person, to read.

This is advertising for pleasure and profit! ... Read more

Book Description

"I didn't want to remain a hick from the mountains... In my cultural naivete I saw McDonald's as a place somehow where modern culture capital could be dispensed. Keeping these memories in mind as years later I monitored scores of conversations about the Golden Arches in the late 1990's, it became apparent that McDonald's is still considered a marker of a modern identity."

So begins a complicated journey into the power of one of the most recognizable signs of American capitalism: The Golden Arches. The Sign of the Burger examines how McDonald's captures our imagination: as a shorthand for explaining the power of American culture; as a symbol of the strength of consumerism; as a bellwether for the condition of labor in a globalized economy; and often, for better or worse, a powerful educational tool that often defines the nature of culture for hundreds of millions the world over.

While many books have offered simple complaints of the power of McDonald's, Joe Kincheloe explores the real ways McDonald's affects us. We see him as a young boy in Appalachia, watching the Golden Arches going up as the—hopeful—arrival of the modern into his rural world. And we travel with him around the world to see how this approach of the modern affects other people, either through excitement or through attempts at resisting McDonald's power, often in unfortunate ways. Through it all, Kincheloe makes clear, with lucidity and depth, the fact that McDonald's growth will in many ways determine both the nature of accepting and protesting its ever-expanding presence in our global world. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The best book in cultural studies and labor
This book is a refreshing break from the self-indulgent prattle of cultural studies. Taking an autobiographical theme, blending it with a bricolage of good research, the author looks at the power behind the McDonald's corporation. Examining the hegemonic implications of McDonald's, Kincheloe never ceases to entertain, teach, and create the best page-turner of the year--read this book if you are interested in consumer colonialism. ... Read more

Book Description

"We live in what may be the most consumer-oriented society in history. . . .Once a purely utilitarian chore, shopping has been elevated to the status of a national passion."--Juliet B. Schor, The Overworked American. A unique and definitive reader on our "national passion"--buying stuff--and its consequences for American society. We are citizens, owners and workers, believers and heathens, but today more than anything else we are consumers. How this came to be and its consequences for us all is the subject of this pioneering reader on the rise--and continued rise--of consumerism. The Consumer Society Reader features a range of key works on the nature and evolution of consumer society. It includes classics such as the Frankfurt School writers Adorno, Horkheimer, and Marcuse on the Culture Industry; Thorstein Veblen's oft-cited writings on "conspicuous consumption"; Betty Friedan on the housewife's central role in consumer society; and John Kenneth Galbraith's influential analysis of the "affluent society." The book also includes much-discussed recent work by such leading critics as Pierre Bourdieu, Thomas Frank, bell hooks, Bill McKibben, and Janice Radway. A landmark in social criticism, The Consumer Society Reader is sure to become the standard book on the subject. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

May have bitten off more than I could chew =)
I have read numerous books regarding consumption, simplicity, etc. I have read all of Juliet Schor's books also. This books is an excellent thought provoking book, HOWEVER, be sure that you have a clear mind and a good chunk of time on your hands. Yes, the book is long, but that's not really the issue. It's a compilation of essays, some quite old. They do offer a lot of insight, but it tends to be more economic insight. If you enjoy reading about environmental issues and voluntary simplicity, this does have some of that, but much of it is information about things like trends in buying, capitalism and advertising. While it's an interesting read, I would advise checking it out of the library and reading the essays that interest you. Keeping this book in your library doesn't serve much of a purpose. Not even for inspiration and motivation, which is a reason I keep many of the simplicity books that I enjoy. Bottom line... pretty good read, but borrow, don't buy it. ... Read more

Book Description

Consumption has often been called America's true national pastime. From the earliest European explorers trading with Native Americans to today's Internet shoppers, consumerism has driven American society. Until recent years, however, consumerism has received little serious attention from historians and other scholars.

This welcome volume offers the most comprehensive and incisive exploration of American consumer history to date. The first book on this topic to span the four centuries from the colonial era to the present, and the first to propose theoretical frameworks, the volume brings consumer society to the center of American history. Indeed, its authors demonstrate the many ways their research enhances knowledge of a broad range of historical topics, such as politics, labor ideology, immigrant life, and race, gender, and class relations. By including types of consumer studies which are seldom linked, this volume offers both a basis for historical synthesis and a springboard for further inquiry.

With contributions by Raymond Williams, Jean Baudrillard, Juliet B. Schor, Kim Moody, Jean-Christophe Agnew, and many others, plus the most comprehensive bibliographical essay ever produced on the historiography of American consumption, Consumer Society in American History will take its place as the definitive sourcebook for this emerging field.

Contributors Jean-Christophe Agnew, Yale University Joyce Appleby, University of California, Los Angeles James Axtell, College of William and Mary Jean Baudrillard, Paris Wendell Berry, Kentucky T. H. Breen, Northwestern University Colin Campbell, University of York Lizabeth Cohen, Harvard University Alan Durning, Northwest Environment Watch, Seattle John Elkington, London James Fallows, Washington, D.C. Lawrence B. Glickman, University of South Carolina Cheryl Greenberg, Trinity College, Hartford Julia Hailes, London Andrew Heinze, University of San Francisco Joel Makower, Washington, D.C. Elaine Tyler May, University of Minnesota Kim Moody, Detroit, MI H. F. Moorhouse, University of Glasgow George J. Sanchez, University of Southern California Juliet B. Schor, Harvard University Michael Schudson, University of California, San Diego Mark A. Swiencicki, University of Connecticut Steven Waldman, Washington, D.C. Robert E. Weems, Jr., University of Missouri, Columbia Raymond Williams (19211988), Cambridge University ... Read more

Book Description

Current and fresh, yet firmly rooted in proven personal financial management techniques, this text features a conversational writing style that is highly readable and understandable.Covers the individual's roles and financial responsibility as a student, citizen, family member, consumer, and employee. ... Read more

Book Description

Americans have been conditioned to appreciate, cheer, and serve economic growth. Brian Czech argues that, while economic growth was a good thing for much of American history, somewhere along the way it turned bad, depleting resources, polluting the environment, and threatening posterity. Yet growth remains a top priority of the public and polity. In this revolutionary manifesto, Czech knocks economic growth off the pedestal of American ideology. Seeking nothing less than a fundamental change in public opinion, Czech makes a bold plea for castigating society's biggest spenders and sets the stage for the "steady state revolution." Czech offers a sophisticated yet accessible critique of the principles of economic growth theory and the fallacious extension of these principles into the "pop economics" of Julian Simon and others. He points with hope to the new discipline of ecological economics, which prescribes the steady state economy as a sustainable alternative to economic growth. Czech explores the psychological underpinnings of our consumer culture by synthesizing theories of Charles Darwin, Thorstein Veblen, and Abraham Maslow. Speaking to ordinary American citizens, he urges us to recognize conspicuous consumers for who they are-bad citizens who are liquidating our grandkids' future. Combining insights from economics, psychology, and ecology with a large dose of common sense, Czech drafts a blueprint for a more satisfying and sustainable society. His ideas reach deeply into our everyday lives as he asks us to re-examine our perspectives on everything from our shopping habits to romance. From his perspective as a wildlife ecologist, Czech draws revealing parallels between the economy of nature and the human economy. His style is lively, easy to read, humorous, and bound to be controversial. Czech will provoke all of us to ask when we will stop the runaway train of economic growth. His book answers the question, "How do we do it?" 2 line illustrations ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Shoveling Fuel for a Runaway Train
Very interesting and thought-provoking book. I firmly agree with the author's assessment of neoclassical economics and our seeming obsession with economic growth (at least the politicians and the media give it enough hype). However, his system of social classification based on the degrees that people "liquidate" the planet's resources and proposed methods of changing liquidators into steady-staters left me skeptical about the feasibility of such an ambitious plan of psychological and social conditioning. Could be Czech's solution is right, and I'm just too pessimistic. How our environment and planet ends up will depend to what extent the masses become enthralled (and tolerant of) crowded cities, suburbia, computers, Hollywood and video games that offer people better and better virtual reality. Lucky for some of us there are still a good number of environmental kooks out there that may be able to keep that from happening.

A plan to stop the runaway train
Brian Czech is a wildlife bioligist by profession and it is interesting that he should choose to write this book on the topic of steady-state economics. He notes in the prologue that his epiphany came while on a trawling boat in the Bering Sea. He wondered how the ship could hold the enormous catch it was bringing in until it dawned on him that the fish were being caught for their roe and then pumped out to sea "as a sort of ichthyological hamburger." It was the beginning of the realisation that the real roots of environmental destruction lay in economic growth and that if he wanted to save the forests and wildlife that he loved he would have to work on the challenging the assumptions of neo-classical economics.

Shoveling Fuel for a Runaway Train is divided into two parts. The first part is entitled "The Runaway Train" and it details the problems with economic growth and neo-classical economics and gives an overview of ecological economics. The second part is entitled "Stopping the Train" and it details Czech's model for a "Steady State Revolution" which would transform the growth economy to a steady state economy.

Czech does an exceptional job of explaining the problems of neo-classical economics and its obsession with growth. He cleverly redefines economic growth as "economic bloating" and he avoids bogging the reader down with technical terms. This makes the book accessible and interesting to readers of all backgrounds.

He argues that there is need for a Copernican revolution in the world view of neo-classical economists. "Only when we have a more Copernican economics will economists live in a world in which economic growth is limited, where the rest of us common folk are already stuck," Czech writes. Just as the universe does not revolve around the world, neither can limitless economic growth occur in a finite world. Indeed Czech rightly points out that this is simply common sense, but he is also aware of the power of the paradigm and also the power of politics which both seek to maintain the status quo.

In the last chapter of part one Czech introduces ecological economics. The chapter is entitled "Copernicus, are you out there?" which again alludes to the need for a paradigm shift. He notes that many of the great discoveries in science have been made by people working outside their field. This is because they work with fewer assumptions and "do not suffer the tunnel vision of the paradigm." This is the reason why many of those who challenge the economic growth model come from a background in the physical and biological sciences.

It is also noted that the contribution of scientists alone to ecological economics is not sufficient. Those devoted to the study of economics still have an important role to play for it is they who truly understand the nuances of what makes an economy work. It is here that the work of Daly and others is significant.

Having spelled out the problem and given an overview of the solution, Czech delivers his manifesto for a "steady state revolution" in part two of the book. He asserts that there is a need for "nothing less than a revolution, a social revolution to match the academic revolution of ecological economics." (p. 111)

The target of Czech's revolution is over consumption or more specifically what he defines as conspicuous consumption. This is the indulgences of the very rich which go way beyond any kinds of need.

The steady state revolution is based on a radical definition of the classes (although it should be noted it has nothing to do with Marxism). Three new classes are defined-the liquidating class, the amorphic class and the steady state class.

There are some interesting reasons for targeting the super rich and perhaps one of the best ones is that a vastly disproportionate share of the additional wealth created by economic growth goes to those in the liquidating and amorphic classes. This statistic is interesting: "The average income of the 80 percent of Americans who are non-managerial has declined over the past twenty years." Another interesting statistic is that "approximately 99 percent of the annual increase in American's wealth goes to the 20 percent that is most wealthy.

While I see there are some problems with Czech's idea for a steady state revolution they do not really detract that much from the book overall. Shoveling Fuel for a Runaway Train is an engaging read and provides much food for thought. It is a welcome addition to the body of literature that explore alternatives to the current economic system.

Another important clue in uncovering the world we live in
Brian has really impressed with his thoughtful analysis of our economy from both an intellectual and spirtual viewpoint. Unfortunately, none of this can be easily proved, but that is the case with the most important things in our lives, all of which have a spirtual base (religion, our role in society, role in the family, etc.).

Brian has uncovered and clarified issues which have probably been rolling around in the back of many of our minds, for example the link between Darwinism, Maslow's heirarchy, and sexuality. (The real spirit of how things work is deeply embedded in our passions, sexuality, etc, and we must uncover these things to get to the root of all critical life issues). He also proposed a viewpoint of the role of the wealthy in our society, how their behavior impacts our economny and ecology, and how we all are capable of the same behavior if we had a few more dollars in our pocket, so perhaps a little better understanding of each other across "classes" is in order.

Brian only loosely alluded to the role of addiction in the behavior of the wealthy (e.g. if you have a hundred million dollars, why do you need more, what are you trying to prove, and aren't you in a position to exercize the most important human / spirtual values?). Perhaps a closer look at the role of addiction and prevalance of addictive behaviors and how they contribute to "success" and sustain destructive behaviors and ego based delusions at the expense of a more spirtual well roundedness would be in order.

Brian makes an excellent point about how a real solution requires a change in the mindset of the populace (very Jeffersonian) to be more aware and more involved in solving these problems, however he falls short with solid solutions. But then again, maybe there are no simple solutions. This book is about awareness, and it does a great job at it.

Part I by itself would have earned 5 stars
The first 106 pages of the book are well written and present a number of interesting notions about the dangers of our society's high regard for economic growth. Czech's arguments against the practicality of infinite growth (even though it may be theoretically possible according to neoclassical economists) are clear and well documented.

The underlying theme of the book is that neoclassical economists support a theory that the economy can sustain infinite growth, while the ecological economists claim that at some point, the growth will inevitably slow and then stop (more likely crash) because it is impossible in practicality to sustain growth forever. The book starts off with some interesting points about economic growth and sustainability in Part I, and then goes off the deep end in Part II as the author shares his proposed plan for achieving a 'steady-state economy.'

The plan in a nutshell: everyone should live very modestly, regardless of their income level, and whenever they notice someone else spending more money than they feel is necessary, they should immediately judge them and try to shame them into changing their ways. The goal is for society to become repulsed by conspicuous consumption to the extent that those in the financial top 1% of society are pressured to reform themselves and give their extra money away to those in need.

Although Part I is good enough to justify the purchase price, I would recommend skipping Part II in its entirety.

Rampant overspending begins with buying this book
I was drawn to this book after it was suggested as an alternative here at Amazon to a so-called "perpetual growth" tome (a book, by the way, that actually points to no such thing), but I've decided against buying Czech's book for fear of becoming an overspent American. Sorry, but I'm not contributing to the royalty check of Czech. ... Read more

Book Description

In The High Price of Materialism, Tim Kasser offers a scientific explanation of how our contemporary culture of consumerism and materialism affects our everyday happiness and psychological health. Other writers have shown that once we have sufficient food, shelter, and clothing, further material gains do little to improve our well-being. Kasser goes beyond these findings to investigate how people's materialistic desires relate to their well-being. He shows that people whose values center on the accumulation of wealth or material possessions face a greater risk of unhappiness, including anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and problems with intimacy -- regardless of age, income, or culture.

Drawing on a decade's worth of empirical data, Kasser examines what happens when we organize our lives around materialistic pursuits. He looks at the effects on our internal experience and interpersonal relationships, as well as on our communities and the world at large. He shows that materialistic values actually undermine our well-being, as they perpetuate feelings of insecurity, weaken the ties that bind us, and make us feel less free. Kasser not only defines the problem but proposes ways we can change ourselves, our families, and society to become less materialistic. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Insightful!
This very short book demonstrates the truth of the proverb, "Money does not buy happiness." Author Tim Kasser cites numerous studies as he makes a compelling case that materialists are lonely, narcissistic, hampered in relationships, compulsive, insecure and disconsolate. This excellent, necessary work should be required reading for every graduating student and mid-career executive or professional. It is not quite a self-help book, although the author does offer a chapter of advice on how people can attempt to change their ways and even to form a less materialistic society. This is not merely a psychological study, although it recapitulates numerous experiments. It is only in part a polemic against materialism. On the whole, it is a curious work, one that may be a bit too facile and popular in tone to satisfy the most rigorous academic reader, yet far too packed with source citations to appeal immediately to many casual readers. We appreciate this thorough presentation of evidence for a truth to which even the most ardent materialists (such as the Material Girl herself) pay reflexive lip service. No individual or society can legitimately ignore the fact that material success does not correlate with satisfaction or well-being but has a high correlation with low self-esteem, depression, divorce and various forms of abuse.

Absolutely priceless
Great book. Can't say enough good things about it.Kasser breaks down materialism and the effects it has on society.It talks about its effects on one's mental and physical health, how it effects relationships and how it ultimately effects the environment.It is academic, but not so much that someone without a psychology background can't understand it.I didn't find it dry at all like one reader said it was.I was entertained and informed (what a rare combination these days.)

In the final chapter he provides things inviduals and communities can do to fight back against the rampant materialism we're constantly assaulted with and how fighting it will help improve our lives, the lives of the ones we love and the world in general.Make the author happy and check the book out from a library or borrow a copy from a friend.

Good book - great message
Definitely a good book with a great message. Heavy on statistics and studies. Like others have said, the chapter about what can be done to help change some of the materialistic values of our society was a great read. It is amazing how materialistic our society is. Just look at all the ads around you, painted on buses, in stadiums, on billboards, on TV, on the Internet, in magazines, and in schools. True happiness and fulfillment cannot come from materialism.

A must-read
Tim Kasser's subject in this book is the relationship between materialist values and psychological well-being.He and his colleagues have done a significant amount of work to identify links between materialism and a host of social evils, including the breakdown of the American family, our culture's lack of concern for the environment, and declining social consciousness.Some elements of the argument are weakened by the fact that psychologists have been studying the subject for a comparatively short time, and relevant studies are few; however, Kasser admits this failing when it is relevant, and support for the most important aspects of his theory is significant.

The most interesting part of the book is the final chapter, "Making Change", which discusses strategies for changing our values.In this chapter, Kasser notes the danger in assu