Book Description

Retailing has become a high-tech, global industry. Retailing Management covers the latest developments in information technology for retailers. It also covers current trends and practices in international retailing.

An interactive website offers additional resources for the reader.

Reviews (2)

Basic introduction with a few bright spots
This book serves as a basic introduction to retail, though it often feels like "baby talk". It basically describes, without much analysis, the types of policies retailers adopt in several areas including merchandising, inventory management, ordering, HR, finance, store layout, etc. Good as a reference to what others are doing, but not at the cutting edge of retail.

A realistic review of Retailing....
RMgmt is a great book with valuable case studies from people with REAL experience.

From concept to info systems, the book helps the reader really understand the critical areas of a retail business and the virtal measures ... Read more

Book Description

This best seller provides a balance between theory and practice, useful career information, and a comprehensive package of ancillaries. It takes a strategic approach to decision making.The volume provides an overview of strategic retail management, and provides a careful examination of situation analysis, targeting customers and gathering information, choosing a store location, managing a retail business, merchandise management and pricing, communicating with the customer and integrating and controlling the retail strategy.For retail training directors. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A full coverage of all major retailing topics
A very useful book, not only for students, but for any person envolved in retail business.
For students it is a comprehensive companion text. A good teaching package.
For the managers and entrepreneurs, including those living outside the USA, giving a full coverage of retail market in USA, this book widens the horizonts ... Read more

Book Description

Electronic Commerce 2004 describes the essentials of electronic commerce—how it is being conducted and managed as well as assessing its major opportunities, limitations, issues, and risks. It is a clear, simple, well-organized book, and provides all the basic definitions as well as logical support. Using extensive, vivid examples from large corporations, small businesses, government and not-for-profit agencies from all over the world, it makes the concepts presented come alive for readers.Beginning with a comprehensive introduction to E-commerce, the book explores internet marketing, B2B and C-commerce, E-marketplaces and internet consumerism, E-government, mobile commerce, auctions, security, electronic payment systems, and strategy and implementation to launch a successful E-commerce business.Written by experienced authors who are well-versed in real-world practices, this book will prove invaluable for managers and professional people in any functional area of business; as well as those in government, education, health services, and other areas that can benefit from a knowledge of e-commerce. ... Read more

Book Description

If there’s one thing that’s consistent in today’s business world, it’s rapid change. So how do you not only stay steady but actually grow—and quickly enough to stay safely ahead of your competitors? Built for Growth delivers specific solutions to create a brand and presence that generates true customer passion, as you lay a solid foundation for long-term success. Author Arthur Rubinfeld was a major driver in Starbucks' unprecedented retail expansion from 100 stores to more than 4000-- and its transformation into one of the world's most recognized brands. Here he draws on his singular expertise to present a proven, holistic approach to conceiving, designing, and executing your business plan: creating exciting concepts, growing them to fruition in local markets, expanding rapidly, and keeping your brand fresh and relevant as it matures. His revolutionary approach to business strategy embodies strong personal values, promotes exceptional creativity, leverages scientific methodology in finance and market analysis, and brings it all together with 'old-time' customer service. Each lesson is clearly distilled with detailed examples from one of the best business writers, Collins Hemingway, co-author with Bill Gates of the #1 bestseller Business at the Speed of Thought. So whether you're seeking to reignite growth or planning your first store, Built for Growth will be utterly indispensable. Foreword by Jeff Brotman, Co-founder and Chairman of Costco, the world's #1 warehouse club. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Solid And Straightforward
Everything you ever wanted to know about success in retail in jammed into this one book.This author covers it all, not just by focusing on the brand or location, but real solid ideas on people management, property management, finance and long term strategy.Somehow the author covered both how an upstart company can get it done and how a big and bland organization can get back on the right track.The books main focus is helping a retail business expand into becoming the next Starbucks.

The author starts out by detailing some rather hard facts.Most new business owners jump into the enterprise.They do little planning and as a result over half fail within the first year.The author details that the real issues are not always a lack of cash, but that the entrepreneur had a lack of knowledge of how to avoid mistakes, how to efficiently operate a business, and how to think through business issues.The author believes that you need a holistic approach to conceiving, designing and carrying out a retail business plan.This book gives you real world examples on how to keep your brand fresh and relevant.On top of all this the book is also well written and easy to read.The pages fly by.Overall I thought the book was wonderful.It had a ton of insight and more good ideas then you can possibly use.This is one of those books that you keep handy and keep going back to.

Great Overall book
I am only half way through this book and have more than gotten my money worth.I am not a retailer but a service business owner and would still consider this a must read.If you like Good to Great, you will like this as well...

Required Reading!
Run, don't walk, to pick up this book. This is one of the most stimulating and thought provoking books I've read in quite some time. Built For Growth unveils the secrets of the Starbucks expansion. It is full with magnificently researched concepts, leaving a great trail of other inspiring materials. Well written sets of practical tools can be put to use right away.The book outlines growth models that are going to be essential to get ahead. Want to stay one step ahead of the competition? You have to read this book then!

Add This to Your Buisness Bookshelf
Rubinfeld and Hemingway identify their audience by asking a simple question, "Who doesn't want to run his own business?"Then they segment the audience between the young who "think about it from time to time" and the old who "wish [they] had opened that little shop before the kids came."I fall in the latter category.Still this book offered me much to consider.

The chapter most directly relevant to me described how to create, train and motivate an effective organization.It was written in the context of hiring a retail team, but the authors' advice carries over well to creating organizations in general.In the hiring process, dig beyond the resumes.A person's values and abilities are the characteristics that make them succeed, not their pedigree.Get past the formal questions quickly and ask less formal ones, ones the interviewee can't anticipate and prepare for in advance and ones that reveal their core values. Look for "utility players," people who can adapt their experiences to different situations.Don't rush the hiring process.Make sure you find the right person and once you do, immerse him or her into the culture of your company as quickly and completely as possible. To get the best you need to be able to tell a compelling story for why that person should want to work for you.You, the hiring manager, need to prepare as much as the interviewee.

Throughout the book, Rubinfeld and Hemingway stress the importance of articulating your core values when you define your retail business and suggest an exercise:Create a mantra of three words that captures your values, then in a sentence or phrase, explain how each word reflects your values.The examples they give for the companies Il Fornaio Cafe and Bakery, Omaha Steaks and Gateway Computers are instructive for retail purposes, but it occurred to me that this was a valuable exercise even for my own personal values and I took the time to work through my own mantra.

The strength of the book is definitely Rubinfelds' experiences working with companies either as an employee or a consultant.The authors use those experiences effectively to support their views about what it takes to create first-class retail businesses.The stories of Starbucks, Blue C Sushi, Potbelly Sandwiches and others are each interesting in their own right and they are told over the course of the book in an interesting fashion.

"Built for Growth" is a book worth reading and keeping on your bookshelf next to other classic business books like Jim Collins's books "Build to Last" and "Good to Great" both of which are referenced by Rubinfeld and Hemingway.If you found the Collins books interesting, you'll enjoy "Build for Growth."

Business Book Page-Turner
This is a fun, well-written book that provides unique, expert insights into all the tools and concepts needed to turn an idea into a successful retail business.
It works on two levels.It's a great, practical nuts-and-bolts primer on the process of drafting a business plan, getting investors interested, deciding where to locate, negotiating the lease, designing the store, tailoring your goods to the customer's needs, and developing customer loyalty.It can be scaled up from a single store to a large chain. Co-Author Arthur Rubinfeld, now a prominent retail consultant, was a leading architect of the strategy that turned Starbucks into a household name throughout the world, so his advice is well-taken.He's generous with that advice; filling the book with interesting and amusing anecdotes about the real-world application of his principles.The "inside scoop" on Starbucks' wild ride reads like a good novel.
On a different level, the book explores the "big picture" ideas that form the zen of retailing.The authors provide hard-won guidance to prospective entrepreneurs in the difficult process of determining what their real goals are, how their retail store or chain will help realize those goals, and how that success will benefit their customers and their community. The authors make an effective plea for a more human approach to establishing a business identity, "branding", through quality service and not just fluff.Along the way they demonstrate that a little soul-searching in the beginning of the process can save many days of regret and lots of money.It will be a very useful and enjoyable addition to your library..
... Read more

Book Description

Do you dream of opening up your own retail business, but don’t know how to get started? In Retail Business Kit For Dummies, retail marketing guru Rick Segel gives you the expert advice you need to get your business on its feet, with unbeatable advice on branding, marketing, and merchandising. You’ll figure out how to start and run your business, including day-to-day operations and procedures as well as all the little details retail professional handle on a daily basis.

If you’ve ever wanted to make your living interacting with customers and being your own boss, this book offers all the inside advice you need to get going. In fact, this book is perfect for anyone:

• Who wants to be her own boss
• Considering a career in retailing
• Who loves working with people
• Thinking about opening their own business
• Who loves to sell

Retail Business Kit For Dummies covers all the nuts and bolts of setting up shop — finding the perfect location, choosing and purchasing merchandise, and hiring employees. You’ll also discover how to write a business plan and deal with paperwork like taxes, permits, registrations, and other requirements. There’s also great advice on the art of selling and the fundamentals of promotion and advertising. You’ll also benefit from such practical advice like the ten keys to retailing success and ten ways to impress customers. And there’s much more:

• Branding your business
• Identifying and targeting your ideal customer
• Developing a marketing plan
• Pricing your merchandise
• Fulfilling legal and financial responsibilities
• Getting the word out
• Choosing the right media to advertise in
• Setting up and running a sale
• Fundamentals of accounting and financial statements

The book also includes a helpful CD-ROM packed with sample financial reports, customizable legal and business forms, checklists, and tools for building your own coupons, gift certificates, and much more. Whether you’re thinking about starting a business or need help running the business you already own, Retail Business Kit For Dummies is the fun and easy guide to big profits. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Great for basics, too general for experienced marketers
I should preface this review by saying that I am probably not the typical reader the author had in mind when writing this book. As a marketing consultant, I was recently was engaged to develop retail feasibility study and project plan for an Internet retailer planning their first bricks and mortar store. Although I have retail marketing experience, I bought this book to make sure that I had all bases covered and to get some fresh ideas on visual merchandising, retail POS systems and operations for small retailers.

This book is a great tool for a would-be entrepreneur thinking about starting their first retail business. It covers all the basics needed to plan, set up and manage a retail business, from writing the business plan to making the business a reality. The author makes good use of case studies which illustrate some of the retail successes and failures that he has observed. Another feature I found particularly useful are the tips on all aspects of retailing that could take years of trial and error to learn on your own. Last but not least the CD contains a wealth of useful forms and checklists.

Some areas that I would like to see developed in future editions are:

• Visual merchandising and store layout - more on principles and examples of floor plans
• Software suggestions - small business retail POS systems, planogram and merchandising design software
• Sample budgets and project plans
• Links to online sources of information - where to find designers, software, sales staff etc

To summarize, an excellent book on retail basics and if Rick Segel writes an "Advanced Retailing for Dummies" book, I will be the first customer.

Great book for retailing entrepreneurs!
I'm a CPA in Redmond, WA with a heavy retail clientale. (I'm also the author of QuickBooks for Dummies and Quicken for Dummies.)

This is a great book for people looking to start successful retail stops. Tons of great ideas. It's also a great book for established retailers looking to improve their profitability.

My one gripe with the book is that the tax advice and information is wrong. But your accountant or attorney can and should provide that information to you.

...P>Steve

Learning to serve customers the RIGHT way
The most interesting parts of this book were the ones about customer service. Generally I HATE shopping, because salespeople are either all over you the minute you walk in the door, or else they ignore you. (I bet everyone has experienced the
you're-inconveniencing-me-while-I-gab-with-my-friend-on-the-phone syndrome!) It makes you want to buy everything from the Internet-hey....

Sorry I'm being so negative, I just feel that too many stores have forgotten that they exist TO SERVE THE CUSTOMER! Okay, I've vented and I feel better now! My point is that Retail Business Kit For Dummies HASN'T forgotten that. The author (Rick Segel) is adamant that retailers should wow their customers and be appreciative of them. I especially like the chapter on soft suggestive selling-no, it has nothing to do with sex, it's all about offering hassle-free, non-pushy service.

In closing, I think every store owner and manager should read this book. It would make the retail world a much more pleasant place for customers-which would, in turn, make the stores more profitable. Obviously, that's the bottom line.

Everything You Need to Know About Retail Businesses
Hi, Amazon.com shoppers. I would like to say a few words about Retail Business Kit For Dummies. I work in the retail industry, and I was drawn to this book because I heard Rick Segel speak several years ago. He was so funny and inspirational, and I really enjoyed his presentation, unlike some speeches I've heard that put me to sleep. So, I was curious about this book. Let me say that I was not disappointed. I felt that Rick's personality really came across, which made the material very fun to read. (IMHO, it doesn't matter how valuable the information is if it's written in a dry and boring style.) I think the little anecdotes and true stories that he scatters throughout are a great way to illustrate the points he makes. For example, I really liked a story he told about a jewelry store owner who sent out a very elaborate (read, expensive!) invitation to a private sale to his best 78 customers. Almost 50 of them came to the event and spent money, results that totally blew away the response he had gotten to the thousands of cheap postcards he sent out in past promotions. The moral? It pays to focus on your very best customers, even if you have to spend a little more.
Basically, I learned a lot of tips and tricks of the trade that I can share with my colleagues. What a great book! To anyone who's reading this review, check it out! It gives you a ton of great insights you'll appreciate.
Thanks for listening (well, reading!) and have a great day!

This book is priceless!
I loved this book! Actually, I've read several of the Dummies books and liked them all; they really do put complex information in "plain English." Retail Business Kit For Dummies is no exception. After reading it I feel that I could run right out and open up a successful store! I'm not ready to quit my day job just yet. But someday . . . ! ... Read more

Book Description

Shopping centers and other forms of retail properties continue to be among the soundest real estate investments in North America. But retail property is a highly specialized field of real estate development with a unique and complex set of legal, financial, development, management, and marketing variables about which investors and developers must possess a sound working knowledge. Now this book arms with you with that knowledge, and much more.

The most comprehensive, authoritative, up-to-date resource of its kind, Shopping Centers and Other Retail Properties covers every vital aspect of negotiating, buying, selling, developing, managing, and marketing shopping centers and other retail properties. Editors John R. White and Kevin D. Gray, of the leading real estate consulting firm Landauer Associates, and an all-star team of experts in the field of shopping center and retail property development, share everything they know about:

• All important legal issues
• Investment and feasibility analysis
• Valuation requirements and performance measures
• Planning, designing, and renovating retail properties
• Developing and investing in local and community shopping centers, highway retail centers, and regionals and super regionals
• Operating and managing retail centers
• Mortgage financing and financing through public and private equity issues
• Space marketing and lease terms
• Macro and micro market analysis
• And much more

Shopping Centers and Other Retail Properties is an indispensable working resource for both new and experienced retail property investors and developers as well as those who work with them, including attorneys, accountants, analysts, appraisers, planners, managers, brokers, and consultants.

"Timely insights into an industry undergoing tremendous change." —

For both newcomers and seasoned professionals in retail property investment, this book provides a wealth of vital information on every aspect of developing and managing shopping centers and retail properties. Written by an all-star team of specialists in the field, Shopping Centers and Other Retail Properties:

• Provides expert guidance on financing, developing, operating, and managing shopping centers and other retail properties
• Covers analysis of retail market demand, investment and feasibility analysis, appraisal, mortgage financing, financing by equity, new planning formats, and much more
• Serves as an indispensable working resource for investors, developers, attorneys, accountants, analysts, appraisers, planners, managers, brokers, and consultants

"An authoritative work that will be immensely useful to anyone interested in retail real estate." —

"Retail developments have become the key investments now targeted in real estate. No two people have commanded more respect for expertise than this book's editors. There are many, many books attempting to guide readers in this field. In my experienced view, none compares to the excellence and usefulness of this text." — ... Read more

Book Description

Paco Underhill, author of Why We Buy, wrote the foreword to Retail Success! Here's how he describes the book.

If you look at the graduates of the five leading business schools in the U.S. over the past fifty years and look at the first job graduates took with their new MBA in hand, only a tiny percentage went to retail companies.

Retail for the last millennia has been something people discovered they had in their blood. Whether brilliant merchant or plodding vendor, retail demanded a special commitment. At any level the only thing guaranteed was hard work.

The point of entry, if it wasn't through family, was often by accident. A part-time job that turned full-time. Discovering a flair or talent for something that precipitated the need to trade. For many senior executives the retail job offer came as a sideways career move. For many small merchants the step into the retail abyss came from the desire to work for themselves. However, running a store or a chain of stores is harder than it looks from the outside. Giving good store means understanding layout and merchandising. It means being able to lead and inspire employees. It means delivering on your promise to the customer consistently day after day.

Being a good merchant has never been easy. The great merchants of the twentieth century learned the details of their craft the hard way--by doing it. They succeed by guts, instinct, and ability to stay focused. If they were lucky, they had a mentor. Someone who brought insight out of chaos. Someone who was willing to teach and help revisit the fundamentals. Someone who could look and listen. For every merchant or aspiring merchant who has missed having that personal mentor, there is George Whalin.

Unlike Columbia Business School professors, George never uses a twenty-five cent word when a nickel word would do just fine. There are no flow charts or fancy three-dimensional diagrams. George dispenses plain and straightforward good advice. From small comic book store owners to the CEO of giant retail chains, George has been a mentor, coach, and cheerleader. In person, George inspires calm and confidence. He's old enough and gray enough to inspire trust and yet he has an easy laugh and melodious voice that is a pleasure to listen to. In this new book, that sonorous and easy tone comes right through the printed words on the page.

If you are in retail, time never comes to you in big chunks. You get breaks, some when you are bone weary, others when you just need to hide for a few minutes. Believe me, George understands. To be honest, you don't have to read this book cover to cover. You don't have to start at the beginning. You can flip and surf, dip and sip. But if you have anything to do with retail, I do recommend that you get to know George and this book is a great place to start. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Should have read this a long time ago!
This was great. Good advice. Sensible. Logical. Would have avoided so many costly mistakes if I'd had this book when I first got into retail.

Attended Mr. Whalin's seminar and then reread his book!
I read this book when it first came out and really got a lot of ideas from it. Every now and again, I would go back and look something up or reread a chapter. Last week, after attending a seminar given by Mr. Whalin, I decided to read the whole book again. I can't say enough--I keep finding more good stuff that inspires me. And if you ever get a chance to go to one of the author's seminars, do it!

I bought this book for all my managers
After reading this book, I bought a copy for all my managers. We discuss various points in our monthly meetings. As an example, there's Chapter 13: Great Store Managers Make Great Stores. It tells what the best managers do and how they manage their stores. We use it as a guide for improvement and self evaluation.

Many of my managers also use the book to help with their sales associates. There are several chapters on sales, salesmanship, and even selling from a customers point of view. The fact that this book isn't as "technical" as other retail business books I've read is a great plus. I think it's the reason my managers have been so willing to embrace the concepts and pass them along to their employees.

I highly recommend this book.

Anybody who didn't like this book didn't read it!
If you are in the retail business and want to get good ideas, read this book...period!

I ordered this book, and returned it.
A lot of buzz words, no compelling arguments, facts or supporting data. This book is published with big font in double spaces, so not much information - like an article. ... Read more

Book Description

Innovative Ideas for Retail Success

"A well-written book that covers all aspects of specialty retailing. A wonderful resource for anyone in retail or thinking about opening a shop." –Kim Mack, Vice President, Crabtree & Evelyn

"Specialty Shop Retailing is a bonanza of savvy ideas and an excellent road map to success in specialty retailing.... Schroeder apparently has done it all, or most–and, thankfully, shes willing to share it with the rest of us!" –Phyllis Sweed, former editor in chief, Gifts and Decorative Accessories

"Everything you wanted to know about specialty retailing you can learn right here.... A must-read by all prospective owners and all key employees.... Add your own creativity and fun, and you have the formula for SUCCESS!" –Joan F. Gillman, University of Wisconsin School of Business—Madison

"The first book you should read if you want to open a successful retail specialty shop, and a must book to read if you want to compare your store with one of the best in the field." –Bill Haefling, President, Haefling & Haefling, Inc.

"If you plan to open a specialty retail store, this book is a must!... I guarantee that those with existing retail operations, regardless of the maturity of the business, will also benefit from this book. Enjoyable reading!" –Anne McGilvray, Anne McGilvray & Company

"Carol Schroeders insightful and humorous approach, combined with her broad human understanding and expertise, make for enjoyable as well as instructive reading. This book is essential for anyone who is considering opening a retail store." –William E. Little Jr., Chairman, George Little Management, Inc. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Pretty good book but Retail Business Kit for Dummies better
Let me start by introducing myself and explaining an apparent potential conflict of interest...

I'm a CPA in Redmond, WA and am always on the lookup for resources that I can suggest to clients. I have quite a few independent retail clients and so was interested in this book.

I also happen to be the author of QuickBooks for Dummies and Quicken for Dummies.

Okay, all that said, I think Carol Schroeder's book is a pretty good one. The book has lots of good information for the independent retailer or the prospective independent retailer. (As you can see, I gave it four stars!) But I really think that the Retail Business Kit for Dummies is a better book. There's more information in the Dummies book and it's an easier read.

One final comment: Before you say to yourself, "Hey, he's just recommending another Dummies book, that's bogus!" let me point out that both the Dummies series of books and "Specialty Shop Retailing" are published by the same company, John Wiley & Sons.

Maybe the thought I'll leave you with is this: If you're interested in learning more about starting and running a successful retail store, read Retail Business Kit for Dummies first... then, if you want more information and have time for another book, read Specialty Shop Retailing. You will get good information in the Shroeder book that isn't in the Dummies book.

Steve

Provides an illuminating look into a mysterious business.
You have to be in retail before you can appreciate how mysterious and unpredictable it is. Schroeder overviews the basics of getting started, the basics of retail finance, designing your store, buying and merchandising, staffing, customer service, and advertising and promotion. Each of these chapters provides just an overview, although I found her chapter on staffing to be particularly helpful. The book also provides a very good literature review. There are numerous books in the bibliography that will make interesting reading. My only regret is that Schroeder didn't provide more of her own experiences. She has a fascinating story to tell. How a fresh college graduate can purchase a failing retail chain and turn in around almost immediately is beyond my abilities. You are left wanting to know more of her story over her 20 years of experience. How did she really build a small store to $1.5 million in annual sales? Its fun to read a book written not by a professional author, but by a seasoned retailer who is willing to help others. She has made a tremendous contribution. Dr. Ken Bailey co-owner, Wicker & Brass Etc.

Specialty Shop Retail
Took notes throughout the book! Even though I've owned the business for three years I gleaned lots of invaluable information from the experience of Orange and her husband. Would recommend to anyone in retail--new to it or an "old hat."

A MUST!
A detailed well written text that guides the prospective or seasoned shop owner through the business of owning and operating a business. Industry terms are thoroughly explained, other resources given and numerous examples of effective business forms are provided. Ms. Schoeder guides the reader through the book using humor and anecdotes making it hard to put down. This is a must reference for anyone contemplating starting a business.

Fabulous!
I have received this excellent book just before Christmas and spend all Christmas evenings reading it. Extremely helpful, encouraging, wise and funny. Everyone who dreams about owning speciality shop have to read it... many times! ... Read more

Book Description

Praise for Winning At Retail

"Winning at Retail offers the most effective strategies available for retailers. At McDonald’s, the ‘Quick-EST’ model is crucial, because being close and convenient to where our customers live, work, and shop helps us create maximum value. If you want to harness your company’s strengths to become a leader in your category–and stay in tune with what your customers want–this is the book for you."
–Jim Rand, Senior Vice President of Business Development, McDonald’s Corporation

"Winning at Retail provides a thoughtful approach to retail differentiation. Ander and Stern warn of the ‘treacherous middle’ into which retailers too easily drift.They inspire us to avoid this peril through case studies of retailers who have assumed leadership through courageous choice."
–Robert L. Price, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Wawa

"In a difficult retail environment, this book provides crucial guidance for staying on top of your competition–by taking the customer seriously and leveraging your strengths to provide experiences that increase customer loyalty. Will Ander and Neil Stern elegantly argue that you can’t always be the biggest, fastest, and trendiest place on the block, but it takes only one of these ‘Ests’ to be a category leader. Businesses big and small can benefit from the carefully distilled lessons in this book."
–Bernd Schmitt, Professor of Marketing, Columbia Business School and author of Customer Experience Management ... Read more

Book Description

Betsy Burton, owner of The King's English bookstore in Salt Lake City, has been a bookseller for nearly thirty years, and a passionate book lover all her life. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

INSIGHTFUL BOOK LISTS AND MUCH MORE
Betsy Burton's bookstore in Salt Lake is one of those places you'd like to just hole up in for a week, drinking in the atmosphere while devouring a few dozen books.I've never met anyone so knowledgeable about books.What a delight that she has now shared her adventures and challenges as an independent book seller in a readable and delightful book of her own.Her book lists alone make the book a great value. The next best thing to knowing Betsy and her bookstore is to delve into the pages of this charming volume.

Delightful look at owning a bookstore.
If you ever dreamed of owning a bookstore, this wonderful book is athoughtful look inside the business.Betsy opened the King'sEnglish in 1977 and this is a history of what we all hope will be the first 25 years of the store.If you've never been to the store, it is exactly what you dream a bookstore will be.All the books you want to read, knowledgable booksellers who have actually read the books and can recommend others.Betsy and her store is the reason I love books.She learned my tastes and expanded my horizons (which were then mostly true crime ack!)

The book is often witty, sometimes profound and always delightful.It's not only about the store but the state of bookselling in America and all the many authors who have signed books at the store.But perhaps the best thing is the dozens of lists of favorite books by category collected from independent booksellers all around the country.

Bravo for a brave touching story. ... Read more

Book Description

It's a story about entrepreneur, and risk, and hard work, and knowing where you want to go and being willing to do what it takes to get there. And it's a story about believing in your idea even when maybe some other folks don't, and about sticking to your guns. Sam Walton. Meet a genuine American folk hero cut from the homespun cloth of America's heartland: Sam Walton, who turned a single dime store in a hardscrabble cotton town into Wal-Mart, the largest retailer in the world. The undisputed merchant king of the late twentieth century, Sam never lost the common touch. Here, finally, Sam Walton tells his extraordinary story in his won inimitable words. Genuinely modest, but always sure of his ambitious and achievements, Sam shares his thinking in a candid, straight-from-the-shoulder style. In a story rich with anecdotes and the "rules of the road" of both Main Street and Wall Street, Sam Walton chronicles the inspiration, heart, and optimism that propelled him to lasso the American Dream. " ... Read more

Reviews (47)

Great Retail Formula!
An interest in how discount shops work triggered my reading of the book. Sam Walton, a prominent figure in the field, with his phenomenon success in Wal-Mart, had openly revealed his secrets and strategies in his empire building. Being well-organised, this book takes one step-by-step through the whole process of the business setup, enlightening with reasons behind each move he'd made, e.g. taking the company to public. Hence, if you wanna be or are presently a retailer, you probably wouldn't want to miss this great book. Highly recommended!

Great Business Strategies Book
Sam Walton truely gives us a great model on how to run a business in Made in America. It is not so much the autobiography of Sam but the autobiograph of the Wal-Mart Corporation. This book give a great model for how to try to get big in business and still remain small. Sam Walton used his knowledge along with many ideas from other companies to form what Wal-Mart is today. These and many other strategies for running a business are all included in this book. I feel that this would be a great book for a class on general business. It gives great ideas on how to run a business weather it is big or small.

The Most Valuable Book in the World
I can say without doubt that I have come across the most valuable book ever published in the whole of history, which is estimated to be worth around $80 Billion... encouraging, inspiring, insightful, interesting, modest... SIMPLY SUPERB!!!

Hillarious propaganda
This is so stupid. Wal mart was "Made in america" by sam walton and now everything in wal mart says "Made in china." Wal amrt pays its emplotyees next to nothing and breaks strikes and prevents union formations. These pigs and this dead guy are so stupid that they think they can get away with breaking every labor law on the books and get away with it.

DONT GO TO WAL MART ANF BUY AMERICAN.
JOHN KERRY FOR PRESIDENT!!!!!

Ghost written in India?
My copy of this book has many spelling and grammatical errors. It is if this was ghost written in another language and then put through a translator who had no idea of how American English sounds. Also, when I went to my local Wal Mart to fact check the book, all the American flags were made in countries other than the US!
What a disgrace!! ... Read more

Book Description

For well over a decade, Franchising & Licensing has been the standard reference for industry executives, consultants, andacademics. Covering every aspect of these complex but highly profitable business strategies, the new third edition is applicable to domestic andinternational franchising initiatives alike. Every chapter has been brought up to the minute, with timely and detailed information on subjects such as:

* creating market-responsive sales, marketing, and globalization strategies * raising capital, structuring agreements, and protecting intellectual property * meeting regulatory, legal, and employment standards * establishing quality control and compliance measures * assessing opportunities for mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, and other alternatives to franchising

Filled with illuminating examples, stories from the field, and dozens of forms for drafting franchising agreements and licensing programs, Franchising &Licensing remains the definitive resource for corporations in a myriad of industries. ... Read more

Book Description

Governments use them to sell everything from oilfields to pollution permits, and to privatize companies; consumers rely on them to buy baseball tickets and hotel rooms, and economic theorists employ them to explainbooms and busts. Auctions make up many of the world's most important markets; and this book describes how auction theory has also become an invaluable tool for understanding economics.

Auctions: Theory and Practice provides a non-technical introduction to auction theory, and emphasises its practical application. Although there are many extremely successful auction markets, there have also been some notable fiascos, and Klemperer provides many examples. He discusses the successes and failures of the one-hundred-billion dollar "third-generation" mobile-phone license auctions; he, jointly with Ken Binmore, designed the first of these.

Klemperer also demonstrates the surprising power of auction theory to explain seemingly unconnected issues such as the intensity of different forms of industrial competition, the costs of litigation, and even stock trading 'frenzies' and financial crashes.

Engagingly written, the book makes the subject exciting not only to economics students but to anyone interested in auctions and their role in economics.

... Read more

Book Description

eBay is the world's #1 online shopping destination and can be a bit intimidating for first-time users. Thankfully, though, the latest edition of eBay For Dummies addresses all the issues a first-time or inexperienced eBay user will confront. Readers will be up to date in no time on the latest changes in the eBay interface, fee structure, and methods for buying and selling. Readers will quickly be on the path that makes bidding, buying, and selling the fun it should be!
A Reference for the Rest of Us!(r)
* Author Marsha Collier is a recognized eBay expert, thanks to her bestselling books, appearances as an instructor at eBay University events, and appearances on NBC's Today Show, ABC's The View, and numerous print and radio interviews
* Topics include: getting a user name, making first bids, completing transactions, selling items, and what to do if anything goes wrong
* An ideal resource for everyone from corporate customers to mom & pop retailers, as well as individuals who are cleaning out their closets and garages ... Read more

Reviews (42)

Not just for Dummies - a fun reference
Ebay is great for buying things and I have been selling a few items. This book covers all the little details that are easy to forget. I find myself jumping around from chapter to chapter, looking up things I need to clarify. The answers are all there, and I keep the book next to my computer. I'm selling more on ebay now, and the tips I got from the book are helping me get higher prices for my items then I did before. Even though ebay is constantly changing - this edition is updated with all the new features.

Updated and still tops
Grammatical nuances aside, this book is the only book to bring us simplified, up to date information on the ebay site. In Dummies style, its fun and informative and is a solid starting book for the beginner. I found step by step instructions for the the important tasks necessary to be sucessful on ebay. Even though I have been a casual ebay user, I found tips in this book that I couldn't find elsewhere. I recommend it highly for the newcomer to ebay's world.

A solid tutorial on ebay
There are so many books on the subject, that I had trouble deciding which to read. Because the Dummies series rarely lets me down, I bought this one and I was not disappointed! The book helped me gain confidence with buying and selling. It gave simple instructions to complete the requisite tasks and the information was spelled out in a friendly manner. The book had many tips that helped me win items at low prices and even gave me confidence to sucessfully list items for sale. I recommend it for any beginner who needs help negotiating ebay's enormous site.

big disappointment
I was very disappointed in this book. It was rambling, covered subjects of little interest (example: how to ship, post office, UPS, FedEx, etc..) but DIDN'T say anything about how to post a picture of your auction item, how to link to a personal web page, or how to start an eBay store.
Less than one star in my book
Jeff Campbell
Houston, TX

I Was Afraid...I Was Very Afraid!....
This review refers to "ebay For Dummies" (4th Edition) by Marsha Collier....

I did alot of "window" shopping over at eBay, but never actually got up the nerve to bid, buy or sell over there. I felt real safe here at Amazon. I saw so many items over there that I was interested in(you name it..they got it!), but was just afraid of jumping in. Was it safe? Would I wind up with something I really didn't want? How do you know when and what to bid? If your selling, how do you go about that? etc. etc...

This book answered ALL those questions and much, much more. Even this book itself was intimidating to me when it first arrived. There was sooo much 'stuff' in it. Did I have to know ALL that before i could hang out at eBay? So I just started glancing through it and realized what a treasure chest of info it was. Pretty soon I was reading it chapter by chapter just because I found it all so interesting.

"eBay for Dummies" covers it all. From the very basics...getting a feel for eBay, how to sign up,getting the "lay of the land", getting info on the seller, and bidding, to putting items up for sale, completeing cyber paperwork, shipping and dealing with buyers and sellers.There are chapters on rules and a safety program, bidding stategies, and there's even one on how to present the best pictures of your items if you are selling.

Yes..I was afraid..I was very afraid..but there's no better feeling than going into something armed with knowledge, even if you are a newbie! And you don't need to read it cover to cover to get started. It's easy to look up and find answers to questions you have to get started, and it'll always be there as a refrence as you go along and become more comfortable.You'll be a biddin' and a buyin'(and maybe even a sellin')in no time at all. Be careful though..you may get hooked!

Thanks Marsha Collier for this great fountain of new age shopping information for beginners. I'm not afraid anymore!

Go For It...Laurie ... Read more

Book Description

- Beat the big-box retailers -Provide outstanding customer service -Use technology to your advantage ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Retail is Detail...
For anyone who is looking to delve into the abyss of retail planning & success, this is a proper place to start. The invaluable tips & worksheets provide a good starting point. Also, the author(s) put a great deal of emphasis on determining whether retail is right for you & the fact that you need to spend at least 1 year planning. As for me, I am happy to have read this book, and plan on keeping it as a reference guide.

MD

Good Business Sense
This book is full of great advice for anyone wanting to get involved with retail. The authors discuss the seven most important aspects of retail: the basics of retail, merchandising, buying, personnel, sales management, technology, and customer service. (There is a chapter dedicated to each of these topics.) Also included are step-by-step calculations to help you figure out expenses and budgets. Good advice is offered in the department of how to get the best sales out of your team by hiring, training, and treating your employees right the first time around. The tear-out worksheets located in the back of the book are a helpful bonus. If you are thinking of starting up a retail business, pick up a copy of this book first.

Well written! Well organized! Worth reading.
"The Start and Run a Profitable Retail Business book is a comprehensive guide and reference book for every new retailer and even ones who have been in business for some time. Complete with examples and illustrations backed by real-world experience and rigorous research, it is a powerful resource. Well written and well organized, it makes a great book for individuals, small and large businesses alike. I found it easy to understand and apply."

Solid and valuable for new and experienced retailers.
Start and Run a Profitable Retail Business is not a typical start-up book. It does not try to cajole or charm you into the business of retailing. The writers do not wear pink glasses or try to "sell" retailing to you. Both writers know too much about retailing today to try these tactics. The book forces the reader through even the most unappealing parts of retailing - inventory control, cash flow and so on. It suggests that the would-be retailer should understand that in order to be a professional retailer, he or she cannot be also a lawyer, store designer, advertising copy writer, retail trainer or technology specialist. "If you cannot afford to use outside professionals, you should proceed with extreme caution," the authors say. I like the book because it is realistic. It does not talk at the reader and it assumes that the reader knows a great deal about business already. As a reviewer, I am somewhat biased because I happen to know both writers well. But, I am also a writer myself and have written about retailing (in Canada) full-time for the past 10 years. And I have read an awful lot of books about retailing! This book is worth reading. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

How Wal-Mart is Destroying America
I knew Wal-Mart is evil, but not this bad. It made me more secure in my decision to NEVER shop at Wal-Mart. This book has a lot of very important information that shows how Walton Ent. uses horrible buisness practices to add more money to its $500 million+ company. And even though many companies do some of the same things, they aren't doing it all, like Wal-Mart.

A Little More Than Big Business
Some of the practices listed in this book are no more than what big business at the size of Wal-Mart's do. But with that said, many of the practices listed in this book are despicable. The fact that local mom and pop stores go out of business when Wal-Mart moves in would normally be considered a fact of life in American business today were it not for the ruthless way that Wal-Mart specifically targets them to drive them into the ground. The way Wal-Mart employees are treated, the way the vendors are ripped off. And most importantly, the way Wal-Mart uses people and disasters to further promote itself. All the while some of the richest folks in the world are running for tax shelters and dodging charities.

What a shame, with practices like this, no wonder the rest of the world hates capitalism.

Buy this book and reflect on the store you are supporting.

Wal-Mart 'America's Next Terrorist'
This book was an eye-opener. Every Wal-Mart shopper must read this book. It's not a difficult read and all the business and political mumbo jumbo is broken down. After reading it, you'll never want to shop there again, it's that moving. American society is in real danger of a business monoply that most of us never saw coming.

Capitalism run amuck
The last time I spent any time in a Wal-Mart, I think, was roughly ten years ago. Even then, something about the place felt fundamentally wrong. Maybe it had something to do with the overfriendly greeter at the front door, a guy who spent way too much time trying to get my attention. Perhaps the downright filthy appearance of the store set off my internal warning bells. After all, it's difficult to gain a decent impression of a place when merchandise spills onto the floor, products teeter precariously on top of shelving units, and the employees look like they just got out of jail. I left without buying a single item, vowing never to return. And I haven't gone back after all these years. Neither has Bill Quinn, the eighty eight year old author of this slim indictment of America's biggest retailer. The writer, a former journalist and magazine editor, presents a startling array of facts against the House that Sam Walton built in "How Wal-Mart is Destroying America." After reading this book, you will think twice about returning to shop at "The Box," one of the terms Quinn and his sympathizers use in referring to Wal-Mart.

The list of egregious behaviors occurring under the aegis of Wal-Mart, based out of Bentonville, Arkansas, simply boggles the mind. Quinn's key complaint centers on the retailer's anti-competitive outlook, known as "Stomp the Comp," when the company moves into a small town and proceeds to demolish every mom and pop business in the area. Through cutthroat pricing and luring away employees from smaller stores, Wal-Mart takes business right out from under the noses of modest retail outlets. As all other stores in the area shut down, the Box from Bentonville becomes the only significant force in the region. This allows them to lower wages, raise prices, reduce advertising in local papers, and lets them get away with claiming twenty eight hours a week counts as a full-time job. Even worse, Wal-Mart oftentimes closes smaller stores in order to open a regional "superstore," which forces residents of small towns to drive thirty or forty miles to do their shopping. How does this behemoth get away with such activities? Because politicians in many areas fall for the old "jobs, opportunity, tax revenue" mantra chanted by Wal-Mart's bevy of attorneys, engineers, and other assorted boosters. Once the company gains a foothold in your town, the game is over. The retailer takes advantage of tax loopholes, destroys the environment, and eliminates more jobs than it creates.

Quinn outlines many more atrocities. The number of lawsuits lodged against the Bentonville Beast has reached stunning numbers in recent years. According to the book, customers have sued Wal-Mart for injuries sustained from falling merchandise, slipping on objects on the floor, and heinous crimes committed in the stores' parking lots. Employees too have expressed their dismay with the irresponsible employer. One woman filed a claim when the managers at her store dismissed her for dating a black man. Other workers sued over the company's unofficial policy of intimidating employees into working off the clock. Quinn unearthed many vendors whose experiences with the retailer have since led to court actions. Wal-Mart always pushes its wholesalers for deep discounts, and then often returns damaged merchandise in bulk for refunds at full cost. A few smaller companies went out of business after the retailer made a big order and then reneged on the deal a month or so later. It's gotten so bad that many big vendors refuse to sell to Wal-Mart anymore. Quinn goes on and on, listing outrageous behavior after outrageous behavior. Frighteningly, the company is now expanding into other markets overseas using the same shady business models that turned our rural areas into places tumbleweeds wouldn't be caught dead rolling through.

"How Wal-Mart is Destroying America" does have a few problems. Quinn's sense of humor, a fiery rhetoric fused with crotchety old guy attitude, gets old rather fast. I started noticing a troubling tendency to describe Wal-Mart in biblical terms of good and evil. Nothing is more indicative of this fact than a couple of drawings depicting a Bentonville goon sporting horns. Yeah, it's funny, but is this how you really want to make a serious argument? Moreover, the writer's obvious disdain for the retailer clouds his judgment. Is Wal-Mart at fault when a customer slipped on a cough drop? Should we take an ambulance chaser seriously when he claims Wal-Mart stonewalls every lawsuit? C'mon! Of course a lawyer is going to say something like that. I'm not defending the retailer's oily policy of spending mountains of money defending itself against legitimate court claims, but I understand why they do it. Big companies become targets for sue happy citizens very quickly. Should we expect Wal-Mart to roll out the red carpet for every lawyer with dollar signs in his or her eyes? I don't think so.

Still, Quinn's book is a revelation about a company obviously out of control. I suspect the primary reason Wal-Mart gets away with all this stuff is because it goes on in rural areas. If this sort of behavior occurred in New York City, Chicago, Miami, or a few other huge metropolitan areas you can bet we would all get an earful about it. Well, if this book is accurate city slickers may well discover exactly what Wal-Mart is all about before too long. By racking up billions in sales in Rural America and overseas, the Bentonville retailer will soon possess the ability to strong-arm even the biggest cities into submission. Quinn concludes his book with several tips to either cut down Wal-Mart's power or to keep them out of your area. Personally, not shopping at this store seems to be the most prudent course of action. I know I won't ever return.

Is that a 500 pound Tick on my couch?
I don't often review non-fiction books, so I am rolling the flavor of this review around on my tongue trying to figure out how to interpret my taste of the book.

The good points of the book are how Mr. Quinn outlines areas of defense for your community to patrol, like watching all of the zoning requests, even from companies that seem to have nothing to do with WalMart, for often they will purchase and then lease out to the hungry beast.

He gives website information at the end of the book, so that if your interest (and ire) have been adequately sparked, there are outlets for your fiery resistance to flow into.

And, he gives factual information on the tactics that WalMart uses to infiltrate small-town America and ruthlessly destroy small business owners.

Most shocking to everybody should be the fact that WalMart is now the number one large-business employer in America...paying minimum wage and considering 28 hours a week to be "full time". No wonder America is slowly becoming a third-world country. In the past, when I actually shopped at WalMart, I felt like I was entering a third world country when I passed through those wheezing doors. Now I know why.

Teetering on the edge of good-point/bad-point is the simplistic writing style of Quinn's book. On the one hand, it is easy to read and gets the point across rapidly. On the other hand, it tends to sound a bit like Grandpa "going off" as he sat around the old stove at night. (Sigh...those good old days long before WalMart...)

The single most blatant bad point about this book was the fact that *not once* did Quinn mention that the simplest way to stop a carnivorous corporate giant like this is to STOP SHOPPING THERE. He made it sound so much like these places were plowed over with a bulldozer of incomprehensible size, when the simple statement of PROTEST NOW could go a lot further than the whining of people left in the destructive wake of this beast.

Quinn also fails to mention that Small Business (as a singular entity) is still the number one employment means in America, and that it is worthy of supporting NOW before the claws of the giant draw arterial blood.

The facts are that the general American wage is dropping because of minimum wage corporate giants like WalMart; that more people employed at poverty wage mean a greater burden on the country as a whole, and if left to the "Savage Capitolism" of Walmart, rather than the competitive forces of individuals and small business owners, America will eventually become a third world country itself...with a few very wealthy folks and an overall population of slave labor forces.

This book is very good in that it is based on real information and will stir you into some sort of anger. The bad point is that Quinn should have spent more time in pro-active response rather than re-active response.

Bottom line: If you don't like their presence, don't shop there. If people didn't patronize these places, they would go out of business. *steps off soapbox...bows to Quinn* ... Read more

Book Description

Covering all retail operations which revolve around the procurement of products, from stock level management, through allocationof outlet space for products, to the placement of products within the retail environment, this book is essential reading for anyone studying retail product management or buying and merchandising. ... Read more

Book Description

Praise for The Nordstrom Way

"Outstanding customer service and Nordstrom's are synonymous. The innovative approach has allowed them to find out what the customers want and then do it. Their standards of service are what we all shoot for." — David D. Glass President and Chief Executive Officer Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

"Nordstrom is a national model for outstanding customer service. American business should use this book as a primer to learn how to make and keep happy, satisfied customers." — J. Willard Marriott, Jr. Chairman and President Marriott International, Inc.

"When you run a family business that includes your customers as extended family, you're unbeatable. This book outlines an American family saga that has become the admiration of the world." — Leonard A. Lauder President and Chief Executive Officer Estée Lauder Companies

"Nordstrom's business is built on one-to-one communication with the customer. Their professional salespeople bridge the gap between the designer and the consumer. The Nordstrom Way is what the '90s are all about!" — Donna Karan Designer and Chief Executive Officer Donna Karan Company ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Service is almost Spiritual at Nordstroms
Thinking about applying for a position at Nordstrom's, I bought this book to do a little investigating. I ended up reading the book in three days, which is quite a feat for this reader.

Understanding the history of the Nordstrom Family, how their great grandfather from Switzerland put together a small shoe shop with gold he found, was inspirational. Then hearing how humble the Nordstroms are, their democratic way of making decisions within the family, and the simple customer service philosophy, made the family very endearing to me. I'm thinking about a career change so I can help people in general, and I've found this is the store's customer service philosophy. Although they are helping people for their own profit, they still make people feel special by the attention and respect they pay to the customer. I very much recommend this book to any customer service professional, or anyone interested in public service.

Just leaving a customer service organization, I know most companies will not allow the customer service rep to have the accountability and freedom to serve the customer as Nordstroms does. But there are great ideas in this book that will allow any customer service rep to make a difference in serving and owning their customers.

EXCELLENT INSIGHT INTO CUSTOMER SERVICE BEST PRACTICE
A Seattle-based chain of department stores, Nordstrom is acknowledged as 'best practice' in outstanding customer service and is the subject of countless MBA case studies. This book tells the Nordstrom customer service story. It reveals how Nordstrom created and maintains a culture of customer service and more importantly how to translate the Nordstrom customer service principles to your own business.

But the desire to implement these principles must come with a commitment from management to customer service and employee empowerment. Management must respect, encourage, honour and reward the people on the front lines for their creativity and ability to serve the customer. Only than will you be able to emulate Nordstrom. Nordstrom's culture encourages entrepreneurial motivated men and women to make the extra effort to give customer service that is unrivalled in American retailing.

At the end of each of the eight chapters is a useful Keys To Success section which summarises the key principles of Nordstrom success discussed in the chapter.

Robert Spector is a Seattle based freelance journalist who has covered Nordstrom since 1982 for a variety of publications. Patrick D. McCarthy of Seattle is one of the top- performing salesman in Nordstrom, where he has worked for more than 20 years. For 15 consecutive years, from 1977 through 1991,