Book Description

This book describes in much detail both how and why franchising works. It also analyses the economic tensions that contribute to conflict in the franchisor-franchisee relationship. The treatment includes a great deal of empirical evidence on franchising, its importance in various segments of the economy, the terms of franchise contracts, and what we know about how all these have evolved over time, especially in the US market. A good many myths are dispelled in the process. The economic analysis of the franchisor-franchisee relationship begins with the observation that for franchisors, franchising is a contractual alternative to vertical integration. Subsequently, the tensions that arise between a franchisor and its franchisees, who in fact are owners of independent businesses, are examined in turn. In particular the authors discuss issues related to product quality control, tying arrangements, pricing, location and territories, advertising, and termination and renewals. ... Read more

Book Description

"Slam-Dunking Wal-Mart" is written in two parts. The first part describes why Wal-Mart, Home Depot and their kin are a threat to small community life in America.

The second part gives you a game plan to stop Wal-Mart and other big-box retailers in your home town, much the way Al Norman and other concerned citizens kept Wal-Mart out of Greenfield.

The book is a call for the preservation of all the qualities we love about hometown America. It is one man's David versus Goliath story. It can also be a road map for your community's fight to keep its downtown businesses and core values. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Whoa! What a book!
When we heard Wal-Mart wanted to build in our little village, we panicked! Sounded like a done deal... Wal-Mart's so big -- what chance did anyone have at stopping this project? We immediately felt doomed. And then we discovered Al Norman and "Slam-Dunking Wal-Mart"! This book has all the answers we needed, plus all kinds of motivation to fight to keep our village instead of selling out to the big retailer. If your municipality is faced with Wal-Mart wanting to build, but you're not sure that's a good idea, read this book before you make up your mind. Based on his own successful campaign against Wal-Mart in his home town, as well as reports from communities across the country facing the same difficulties, Al Norman provides an enormous amount of information... or... as I prefer to think of it... 'ammunition'. And best of all, he gives you the confidence and information you need to not only be a viable contender in the battle against Wal-Mart, but to actually win the entire war. Thanks Al! :-)

Another side of the WAL we never hear about.
This book takes us behind the WAL to see another side of the company that so many small towns are fighting. I think this book is indispensable to any person who is appalled by what companies like Wal-Mart and Home Depot are doing to communities. Slam Dunking explores not only the quality of life reasons why people are trying to stop sprawl, but the hard economic facts as well. Many local officials think that if a new building is going up, it must mean economic progress. This book refutes that myth, and other misconceptions about uncontrolled retail growth. I liked the handy lists of how to organize a citizen's group, what towns have beaten Wal-Mart and Home Depot, and the strategies that can help bring down Goliath. As Norman says: "It ain't over until the fat company sings," and this book can help local communities find the right song. After you read this book, be sure to pass it along to everyone on your Town Council, and to your local reporters. It's a real eye-opener!

The Activist's Bible
I found out about this book from friends in a citizen's group in Maryland that was fighting a Wal-Mart. They said Al Norman's book was their Bible. I have read other books that are business history titles--but Slam Dunking Wal-Mart actually gives you the information you need to stop superstores in your community. Norman has helped dozens of communities do just that over the past 7 years, and he's become the "guru" of the anti-sprawl movement, to quote 60 Minutes. I found this book more and more useful as I reread it, and I've copied sections to give to my local officials. This is not some pointy-headed academic book--its a good read for the average homeowner or merchant who is looking for arguments and strategies for stopping superstore sprawl. Get one--and get one for your Mayor to read as well! Now I understand why Wal-Mart doesn't like to debate this guy. I was appalled to learn that Wal-Mart has over 300 "dead" stores on the market today. This book also has good info on Home Depot and other logos. The NY Times doesn't know this book exists--but citizens'groups have made good use of it.

I'm so glad that Americans hate Africans
I'm so glad that Americans hate Africans because you can imagine the number of African entrepreneurs, many of whom have successfully put their kids through outrageously overpriced private universities in America, would be decimated by Wal-Mart. Keep up the hatred Mr. American Journalist!

Sleepless In Kent Island Maryland
I'd be surprised if Mr. Norman's book does not keep you awake at night. I know it had that affect on me. Even if you think you like Wal-Mart, after you read this book I doubt you will ever look at a superstore the same way again. The book also provides a common sense, easy to follow game plan for citizens to fight superstore sprawl. I know it will help us in our fight against the invasion of Wal-Mart on Kent Island. ... Read more

Book Description

A complete guide to selling in a retail store. Written in a easy to understand format with do it yourslef exercises for sales associates to practice their skills. Used by many retail stores as a training guide for their sales assoicates. A complete test is available free of charge to test compentency of sales associates. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Too Basic for the Seasoned Sales Professional
This book might be helpful to someone who is just getting started in the retail industry, but for a seasoned sales professional it was too basic.It is written more like a textbook, so maybe it was meant for a beginner, but I was hoping for more "meat" when I bought it.

Finally, a book that explains how it really is!!!!!
Fantastic!Now you don't have to try selling retail merchandise to know just what a tough but very satisfying job it is!Everyone interested in pursuing a career in retail or getting better at it should read this one!

"Another great book from this author"
"Great book!Mr. Dion has done a great service to all of us who workin Retail.To prepare us for the profession of Sales Associate he expandsand illuminates concepts that have been explored for many years but does itwith a fresh and more convincing eye, and presents a practical guide forapplying them.This book is very easy to read and younger Sales Associateswill find it particuarly entertaining. "

"Another great book from this author"
"Great book!Mr. Dion has done a great service to all of us who workin Retail.To prepare us for the profession of Sales Associate he expandsand illuminates concepts that have been explored for many years but does itwith a fresh and more convincing eye, and presents a practical guide forapplying them.This book is very easy to read and younger Sales Associateswill find it particuarly entertaining. "

Retail Selling Ain't Brain Surgery It's Twice as Hard
This book is the perfect primer and a great reminder for anyone in working in sales. It clearly states all the steps needed to complete a successful sale in with any product. These steps do become automatic,with experience, but it never hurts to be reminded. Jim Dion's created an entertaining bookout of what can be a dry subject. I own a clothing store and give this bookto every new salesperson I hire. It can be read in an evening or two.Ihighly recommend this book to anyone dealing with the public. ... Read more

Book Description

The online auction site eBay continues to dominate its unique, revolutionary market, having already forever changed the way goods are bought and sold. Selling merchandise on the site is so profitable and seems so simple that the marketplace has become as fiercely competitive as it is crowded.Whether just starting out or hoping to achieve greater success, online sellers need a solid business strategy to outrun their rivals. This new, completely updated second edition of eBay Business the Smart Way is the answer, covering topics like:* startup * licenses * building credibility * accounting * inventory management * shipping * finding products to sell * creating a storefront Web site * taxes * liability * saving expenses by buying business supplies on eBay * and hundreds of other crucial issues, from how to market your products and your business to hiring employees -- or getting assistance without hiring!A tremendous timesaver that lets readers focus more on selling their products, and less on business processes, eBay Business the Smart Way is the key to running a low-risk, high-profit online auction business. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Proofreader needed... ...
Too many typos mar the information in this book, making me wonder how accurate the information actually IS---and that is if you can find points in the book where the author is willing to take a stand and give his opinion. I'm an experienced eBay seller with over 1500 transactions to date and was expecting some nitty gritty to help me expand and grow my business. Instead I was faced with "try it and see" at every turn....the author seems a bit shy of giving concrete information and instead takes the easy way out. There are far better eBay books on the market...The Dummies series is a great place to start.

Not a smart buy for eBay business
I have been selling fulltime on eBay for the last several years. There is nothing in this book that is not readily available elsewhere. And publishers, listen up: I'm getting a little tired of the text being padded with copious white space to make the tome more weighty.

Some parts of the book are out of date, some parts are just plain wrong. (It is NOT forbidden to sell food on eBay. It is NOT hazardous to buy or sell used clothing on eBay. On the contrary, it is a huge market. The list goes on and on.)

To be fair, trying to explain eBay is like describing a fast-moving sports car. Now you see it, now you don't. But I was not convinced the author was a seasoned eBay seller, merely a seasoned author of "about" books.

The perfect book for mom
Thanks for writing this great guide to eBay. I wanted to help my mother get started selling antiques on eBay and you've written the perfect book for someone like her -- she's smart, but she's just starting out and needs all the help she can get. Thanks for saving me the grief of trying to show her myself -- you're much better at it anyway!

Good for Beginners -- Mediocre for Experienced Ebayers
Sinclair put a lot of good information in this book for beginners, but not very much for experienced ebayers.

However, as other reviewers have noted, he added a lot of "fluff" to this book and there is not a lot of information for experienced ebayers. The book has a lot of pages but not all of them have useful information. The book could have been condensed and sold for a lower price.

It's not a waste of money if you are relatively new to ebay or have never sold anything on ebay and need to know how it works. But don't expect this book to teach you everything you need to know. It falls short of that.

What it does provide is a beginner's insight to selling on ebay and starting an ebay business. Sinclair's book is very comprehensive. It just does not go into any significant depth. For example, he did provide a nice list of wholesale resources for people wondering where they can buy inventory, but he only discusses a few of them and even then not very much.

Sinclair is also obviously biased to using auction management services. However, it is only economical to use such services if and when you are selling a significant volume of products on a very consistent basis. You need to learn to do it on your own first.

Also, when it comes to accounting software, he left out "Simply Accounting." This one is fairly new but is it much cheaper than others and it does the job. I highly recommend it for those starting a small business.

Overall, good for beginners, but get information from other sources also.

A waste of money and time
This book is neither a good book on selling over eBay not a good book on setting up a company. Trying to be "all things" to all people, it comes out as very superficial and almost anecdotal. Don't let the pagecount fool you: the 548 pages, with better layout (almost half of each page is white space) could be cut down to 200 or so, without much information being missed. And then, there's the dubious use of the information left. Having read the more technical "eBay Hacks" at the same time, though not focused on the business side of things, I found it to be a lot more useful. If you're looking to set up an eBay shop, go to eBay and read about it, and save yourself $17.47 in the process! ... Read more

Book Description

In this insightful book, the author, Charles A. Sennewald, a Security Management Consultant shares his professional expertise in the field of retail security with actual cases from the perspective of the person stopped, then from the point of view of the security agent. Following each such scenario, Mr. Sennewald then analyses what occurred and informs the reader whether the detention was valid or done in error...and why! This unusual treatment of this common but misunderstood problem in our society provides the consumer, the merchant, skilled legal professionals and professional store security agents with a new insight not offered by any other book or other written materials.

Shoplifting is a crime that has an insidious impact on everyone’s budget. As the retailer’s losses continue to soar, so do the prices, we, the consumer, have to pay to compensate for the millions of dollars lost yearly nationwide due to shoplifting.

Charles Sennewald’s writing style and interesting experiences during his lifelong career holds an interesting appeal for any reader. He tells his stories with excitement and a passion that clearly exhibits his expertise on this subject, a subject that should be of interest to anyone. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Excellent!
I am new to the field of Loss Prevention. I found this book very informative and insightful. Its too bad I didn't have it when I started six months ago as I would have avoided some rookie mistakes! The case reviews are interesting and instructional.

I recommend this book to anyone just entering the LP field.

Single Item Stops?
It first when I saw the title "Shoplifters vs. Retailers: The Rights of Both" all I could think of was the only rights shoplifters should have is to be "hooked and booked". However, after reading the book I would say the book should be required reading for begining Loss Prevention Agents. I like the Scenario and Analysis set up of the book. But there are far too many "single item" detentions in the book. For me to risk my badge, possibly my job, and a lawsuit on a bad detention if I am wrong on a single item, I have to be VERY certain that a shoplift has occurred and that the individual has the merchandise. Not that I have not been involved in single item detentions, but sometimes it's better to let someone walk with the merchandise; because if the person is a true shoplifter they will be back.

"Must" reading for all shopkeepers & business owners.
While larger companies with professional shoplifter patrols may benefit the most from these case histories, Shoplifters vs. Retailers holds information not readily available in such a specific form and retailers and students of law alike will find it important. Shoplifters vs. Retailers covers legal issues and rights of both retailer and shoplifter, relying entirely on case histories of selected shoplifter apprehension scenarios; and will prove essential to retailers who wonder about recourse in identifying and detailing shoplifters or suspects.

**GREAT READING**
"I have read many books on shoplifting and this tops them all. It is now required reading for all of our shoplift agents. I especially like the no nonsense, straight to the point scenarios."

***BRILLIANT***
"I have read many books on shoplifting and this tops them all. It is now required reading for all of our shoplift agents. I especially like the no nonsense, straight to the point scenarios." ... Read more

Book Description

Bangkok has been at the frontier of capitalism's drive into the global south for three decades. Rapid development has profoundly altered public and private life in Thailand. In her provocative study of contemporary commerce in Bangkok, Ara Wilson captures the intimate effects of the global economy in this vibrant city.

The Intimate Economies of Bangkok is a multifaceted portrait of the intertwining of identities, relationships, and economics during Bangkok's boom years. Using innovative case studies of women's and men's participation in a range of modern markets--department stores, go-go bars, a popular downtown mall, a telecommunications company, and the direct sales corporations Amway and Avon--Wilson chronicles the powerful expansion of capitalist exchange into further reaches of Thai society. She shows how global economies have interacted with local systems to create new kinds of lifestyles, ranging from "tomboys" to corporate tycoons to sex workers.

Combining feminist theory with classic anthropological understandings of exchange, this historically grounded ethnography maps the reverberations of gender, sexuality, and ethnicity at the hub of Bangkok's modern economy. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In the short but wild history of the Internet, few companies have developed such an ideal approach to utilizing the uniqueness of the medium for business as eBay--hence the title of Adam Cohen's colorful and insightful corporate biography The Perfect Store. Cohen, chief technology writer for Time magazine before joining The New York Times' editorial board, is the only journalist to receive complete cooperation from the company for such a project, and the combination of access and experience leads to a well-researched and well-written tale capturing the essence of this online auction-house phenomenon. In the process, Cohen reveals how the pioneering site first developed into a vibrant virtual community, then a cultural icon and a model for Web-based commerce that reported revenue of $749 million in 2001.

From its beginnings as a hobby site on a Silicon Valley PC, to its maturation as a real company under the burgeoning fiscal pressures of cyberspace, to its present status as one of the few original e-business practitioners to survive the dot.com implosion, eBay has always been part of the crowd while managing to stand out from it. Cohen helps us understand why by taking us inside the heads of major players like Pierre Omidyar, the cofounder who imbued his site with a Libertarian philosophy responsible for its heart and soul, and Meg Whitman, the seasoned manager who brought business savvy and a Harvard MBA to its roller-coaster world. What helps make the book so readable and informative, though, are Cohen's accompanying observations of the many other people and events that also helped eBay develop its trademark direction and characteristic personality: the company that formulated its distinctive logo, the Kansas City clothing-iron collectors whose pastime was transformed by the upstart Web site, the quirky listings that generated controversy (and publicity) like the one in 1999 for a "fully functional kidney," even detractors who decry its big-business underpinnings. Fans of the site, along with students of the online world in general, will find Cohen's account both instructive and enjoyable. --Howard Rothman ... Read more

Reviews (47)

An epic journey from a dream to reality
Upon finishing this book I was amazed at the detail Adam Cohen presented to readers about the real inside of eBay. The book travels through time playing on various aspects of the company and reasons to why it became and still is one of the world's most admired and successful companies. Sure, eBay has changed the marketplace as we know it and sure it has affected many lives. But the key element in this story is that one guy's vision of a community, free from obstructing walls, became a reality - something many .com companies failed to achieve. A wonderful read...highly recommended for all!

Informative insider look at a bumbling company
Well, maybe not so perfect. The book itself is fine. What's not so perfect is all the bungling from Ebay's lauded executive team. Particularly by Meg Whitman, the CEO. This book describes the history of Ebay with surprising detail. The author had access to many people involved in that history, including the executives, and it shows. In fact, he was given access to Ebay's premises as kind of their official biographer. These accounts could only come from insiders. It shocks me that Whitman would allow her bungling to come out like this. I would assume she doesn't think she's bungling.

Cohen has a lively and descriptive writing style. Hard to do with a book about corporate business, but he pulls it off nicely. In fact, there where many times I couldn't put it down.

If you want to read the book to figure out why Ebay is so successful I think you may be disappointed. Except for Pierre Omidyar's vision for creating the thing in the first place ... and by the way, the story of him creating it so his girlfriend would have a market for her Pez collection was a fib created by Ebay's promotional person ... what drove the success of Ebay was its community. Every time Ebay's executives bungled, the community stepped in and raised holy heck. Whitman and her staff make poor decision after poor decision yet thanks to the community's outrage Ebay reconsiders and is usually guided onto the right path eventually. And when they're not bungling externally they're bungling internally. Remember that almost 2-day outage in '97? No backups or mirror system! They almost couldn't recover their data and might have had to start over again. Except for Omidyar, who dropped out of the everyday running of Ebay early on, the other executives seemed to be almost amatuerish in their lack of vision and planning. But it did make for an interesting story. The same way that a out-of-control fire is more interesting to watch than a well-oiled machine. I thought Ebay might not have stumbled into their success. I was wrong. The adage about first to market truly made the difference here. This book covers the whole sordid mess surprisingly well.

Surprisingly fascinating
As a frequent user of eBay, I always wondered little things like how the site came to be and why is it called eBay... This book answers those questions. While reading this I was fascinated about how eBay has influenced so many things outside of the internet. The book details the humble beginnings of eBay by one person and his ideals. Along the way it shares stories about the sometimes quirky personalities that have helped make eBay the powerhouse that it is today. It also chronicles the whole dot com era and mentions other players such as Amazon and Yahoo. The book is surprisingly interesting. I don't usually read "business" books but this one I finished in 2 days. I would highly recommend this if you are interested in eBay, the internet, or the internet's influence on everyday life.

Fascinating account of one of the few successful dotcoms
When Adam Cohen set out to chronicle of eBay, he probably did not realize that it would ultimately leave so many other dotcom businesses in its wake. This book is a thoroughly enjoyable account of all the quirky characters who built eBay into an empire, as well as a company that survived the dot-com bust. From the community of people who buy and sell on eBay -- and sometimes wind up getting married in the process -- to the site's enigmatic founder Pierre Obidymar, Cohen's book presents the story of a business that is not just successful but has upset all the traditional business models, became a highly fun place to work -- and extremely interesting to read about. I'd also recommend Andrea Orr's Meeting, Mating and Cheating --- for another fascinating account of a thriving Internet business. This book is about the Internet dating industry and how it has profited from loneliness and infidelity. Another fascinating read.

eBay levels the field allowing free and open trade
One of best books I've read this year. eBay levels the field allowing free and open trade. Cohen should be praised for his outstanding writing capability. You feel the energy of Pierre Omidyar success story as Cohen describes the breakthrough idea of a network of ordinary people collaborating to exchange goods, such that, supply and demand immediately adjusted to the correct price. 1994, Omidyar involvement with eShop made him an instanteous millionare before thirty. Omidyar viewed auctions as "interesting market mechanisms" which produced fair and correct prices. Omidyar said, "if there's more than one person intererested let them fight it out...the seller would by definition get the market price for the item, whatever that might be on a particular day." Omidyar brillance started as he concluded that "most people are honest". From this basic assumption Omidyar built a culture called eBaysian. eBaysian community was grassroot people, who had passions about specific material domains of knowledge and commodities. Message boards, mediators, and rating systems created an unique and safe culture within eBay convincing buyers and sellers to trade. Negative ratings would produce a strong inhibition to trade than a positive rating to encourage a buy. Omidyar vision of people seemed to be correct indicated by the low number of fraud cases. Cohen builds up the story of eBay going public with the selection of a financial officer, Whiteman as the new brilliant CEO, and the surprise that IPO stock prices who jump from $18 to $57 on the first day. Join the soul train as the eBayisians danced around the office. Culturally, it was unpolite to discuss options because upper management thought the fear of depression could strike should the eBay stock take a sudden drop. Skoll, Omidyar, and Whiteman would become billionares within years of the IPO deal. eBay was not without it trials: A few sensational cases occurred, such as, the 15k watch scandal; numerous tolerated crashs and a big crash which helped them realize reduntancy was need and personal changes required to build a fail safe system. Bulletin boards would facilitate the free exchange of ideas and some of the conversation would become heated. Message board regulators kept tempers from getting out of control. eBay would ban certain products: tobacco, alcohol, and guns.
Economics of selling on eBay would remain appealing. Inventory Procurement Services would realize 50 eBay profit margins selling leather jackets. Waites said, "They've always made clear to me that eBay is a level playing field. If I want unique things I don't even ask, because I know we're not going to get them." For example, Stahls promised the community of San Pedro La Laguna she would help stating, "I was watching people who were quitting their jobs to sell on eBay fulltime, I started thinking, if these people can do it, why can't the Mayan people in Guatemala who have all those great crafts do the same thing." Stahl cut out the middle man called the "coyotes", setup computers and laptops, techs to setup a wireless celluar hookup allowing satelite internet feed, and started the trading process. Stahl became half time eBay charity coordinator. The potential existed to create new homes, healthcare, nutrition, jobs, schools for the people of Bethel. eBay brought the Mayian community selling craftsmanships directly into the world economy. "To help the craftsman in the short-term,Whitman decided on the spot that the company holiday gifts that year would be Mayan belts with the eBay insignia, and placed an order for nearly three thousand." I would like one of those belts. ... Read more

Book Description

This authoritative guide profiles more than seventy careers available in retail and sales settings. Broken down into four key sections-Malls and Shopping Centers; Stores, Shops, and Boutiques; Department Stores; and Automobile Sales-each entry provides a job overview and description of a likely career path. Jobs profiled include: Property Manager, Mall Marketing Director, Event Coordinator, Leasing Director, District Manager, Buyer, Merchandiser, Billing Manager, Wholesale Sales Representative, Manufacturer's Representative, Sales Trainer, Sales Supervisor, Purchasing Agent, Personal Shopper, Department Store Manager, Loss Prevention Manager, Payroll Specialist, and Automobile Sales Manager. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

If you are selling information, this is a great manual !
If you are selling information by direct mail - manuals, brochures, designs, books - this is MUST HAVE BOOK! Most of the examples are from Author's own experience, but this should be considered a strong point of the book, not a weakness - providing the author is truthful. He shows you what worked and what did not work for him, and it is up to you to extrapolate his experiences to your own situation. I bought my copy at second hand markets for AU$2.00 one morning when the sun was really shinning. Even at the full price the value of this info could be immense! Go for it!!!

I don't know about this one...
I see these great reviews to this book and wonder if we read the same book...

I wasn't impressed with this book at all. I never give this low of rating but I felt I totally wasted my money and gained nothing from the book.

Like the other reviewers say full of other mail order campaigns. That is right, most of the entire book. If you are looking for ideas as what to see then maybe that can help you. If you already know what you want to mail order I didn't see where this book helped at all. The book is full of photocopies of others campaigns and I got absolutely nothing out of the entire book that helped, enthused or motivated me at all.

Melvin Powers Is A Gifted Author & A Class Act
"How To Get Rich In Mail-Order" is an incredible source of examples, knowledge and inspiration from a man who has been successful marketing several products through mailorder.

I'm not sure why one of the reviews on this book states that Mr. Powers doesn't spend much time on "How To". I believe that this book does provide you with exactly that.

You are not provided with a step by step process because the product that you may want to market and your audience will be different then mine - but the author gives you everything you need and prompts you with thought provoking questions and exercises.

You are also provided with suggested reading to maximize your own mailorder campaign.

You can't go wrong with this book. I devoured it in two nights and at the end of my read, I picked uo the phone and called Melvin Powers. Guess who answered the phone? His wife. She passed me to melvin who appeared to be in his kitchen.

He really does run a million dollar company out of his home. Now I do too. Thanks Melvin.

Steal this one if you have to. It's top of the line.

As an author, I found this book invaluable....
Im JB Stevenson and I have to admit that Mr Powers has been germain to my success as an author and mail order entrepreneur. I used his street savy and implemented many aspects into my own venture, creating a successful INTERNET mail order business. His book also helped me write my book, "Building An Internet Based Mail Order Business First Class" (ISBN 0-9666403-0-6). If you think you want to go into the "mail order" business, take it from someone who has been there and done that, do not begin without his book. JB.

Provides good examples of successful mail order campaigns.
A good historical review of successful mail order campaigns. Contains a lot of print advertising examples with some background information about the sales it generated and the company behind it. Does not really spend a lot of time showing you "How to". ... Read more

Book Description

Richard Longstreth is one of the few historians to focus on ordinary commercial buildings--buildings generally overlooked by historians of "high" architecture. Here Longstreth explores the early development of two kinds of retail space that have become ubiquitous in the United States. One is devoted to the circulation and parking of automobiles on retail premises; the other was introduced soon thereafter with the single-story supermarket. This richly illustrated study integrates architectural, cultural, economic, and urban factors to describe the evolution of retailing and how it has affected the urban landscape. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A great look at the cultural history of Los Angeles
A fascintating look at the cultural history of Los Angeles and the way in which commercial spaces played a part in developing it. A must for anyone that's seriously interested in more than the usual history lesson onTinsletown. Actually, more than simply Los Angeles, this book gives cluesas to how the development of commericial spaces that we've come to take forgranted have influenced cultural history across the entire nation, with LosAngeles leading the way in innovation. ... Read more

Book Description

On television, Wal-Mart employees are smiling women delighted with their jobs. But reality is another story. In 2000, Betty Dukes, a fifty-two-year-old black woman in Pittsburg, California, became the lead plaintiff in Dukes v. Wal-Mart Stores, a class action, representing 1.6 million women. In her explosive investigation of this historic lawsuit, journalist Liza Featherstone reveals how Wal-Mart, a self-styled "family-oriented," Christian company:

Deprives women (but not men) of the training they need to advance.

Relegates women to lower-paying jobs like selling baby clothes, reserving the more lucrative positions for men.

Inflicts punitive demotions on employees who object to discrimination.

Exploits Asian women in its sweatshops in Saipan, a U.S. commonwealth.

Featherstone goes on to reveal the creative solutions that Wal-Mart workers around the country have found, like fighting for unions, living-wage ordinances, and childcare options. Selling Women Short combines the personal stories of these employees with superb investigative journalism to show why women who work these low-wage jobs are getting a raw deal, and what they are doing about it. A new preface to the paperback edition will reflect on Wal-Mart's response to this lawsuit and its critics-including this one. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Parking Lot Nation
Between 1961 when Jane Jacobs and Lewis Mumford published respectively watershed critiques of Modernist urban renewal and suburbia, and 1985 when Bill Kowinski wrote "The Malling of America," almost nothing was written about the fiasco of suburban land development in America. Kowinski's excellent book re-started a national discussion about the frantic enterprise of turning America into a parking lot from sea to shining sea. It also alerted a sleepwalking citizenry (who had taken to calling themselves "consumers") to the dangers of privatizing what had traditionally been the public realm of the marketplace.
This seminal book is now republished with a fresh introduction, and not a moment too soon because America stands fully malled at the brink of an era when the infrastructure of our automobile utopia is liable to fail catastrophically. Parents should put down "Harry Potter" and read this to their children, because to them will fall the task of the de-malling of America.

Ahead of its time
_The Malling of America_ is a cutting, critical look at the consumerist nature of modern-day American society as it manifests itself in that most insidious, most ubiquitous of institutions, the shopping mall. Kowinski studies how malls operate, from their land appropriation practices to their mandatory tenant hours of operation, to give an intelligent, in-depth perspective on consumer and corporate habits in the US. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Once upon a time, it was widely thought that Internet commerce could exist apart from traditional business strategy, and that all theknown financial models previously relied on could be disregarded.

What has become eminently apparent since the dot-com collapse is that standard economic theories apply to Internet business just as much as they do toany other enterprise. Many dot-coms have failed, but e-commerce isn't going away, and business leaders need to understand what went wrong in order todominate in the real new economy. Rethinking the Network Economy examines exactly where, how, and why so many e-commerce firms wentwrong, and how, utilizing traditional economic concepts, businesses can build the foundation for success in the future. The book analyzes issues such as:

* How tried-and-true formulas such as network effects, first-mover-wins, and supply-and-demand relate to e-businesses * Why companies counting on locking in consumers will need to rethink their strategies * When selling products over the Internet makes sense (and when it doesn't) * The dangers of comparing profits of brick-and-mortar firms with Internet firms ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great theory, lousy presentation
I found much of this content to be very interesting and intelligent reading. Unfortunatly, I found Stan Liebowitz to be a pompus author who I was not nearly as impressed with as he seems to be with himself. He strikes me as the type who speaks to hear the sound of his own voice, and writes in much the same style. Many of the examples he used were innaccurate and were out of date, even when this book was published in 2002. It doesn't change the theories that are presented, but it sure makes reading this book unpleasent. Hopefully in future editions, Mr. Liebowitz will write this more like an academic journal and keep some of the first person references and broad generalizations out. People who buy cars on impulse have a "personality disorder"? I'm not a psychiatrist, but that seems very broad and unfounded. If you make a statement like this, you should clarify it or back it up with evidence. "....as I write this book", "...as I discuss below", "I have to admit....". Get over yourself. First person references have their place, and are used in the appropriate context many places within this book, but examples like the above show up on almost every page. It elevates the book to a level of arrogance that I find difficult to ignore while reading.

The Old Rules Remain Relevant
The internet offers incredible opportunities, provided businesses and their advisors do not lose sight of the traditional, fundamental concepts of commerce and economics.

The old rules still apply is the message of author Stan Liebowitz, economist and professor of managerial economics at the University of Texas at Dallas. The Internet creates value by lowering the costs of information transmission. Internet boosters went wrong when they sought to re-write the foundational laws of economics practiced by their bricks-and-mortar competitors. The impact of economies of scale depends on the industry, not on whether the company is internet-based or not.

The author also debunks three other "new" economy myths:
• The first mover advantage. Many internet companies mistakenly rushed to market with inferior products and services - and paid the ultimate price.
• Not everything can be sold on the Internet.
• Customer service still counts.

Liebowitz argues network effects, economies of scale; instant scalability and winner-take-all strategies provide advantages and disadvantages to the consumer. To know which products are likely to succeed on the Internet, the business person must consider:
• Size and bulk of the product relative to its value.
• Immediate gratification factor.
• Perishable items are not meant to be shipped over long distances.
• Some products need to be experienced.

This well-written, often witty book is the first I have come across that seeks to salvage lesions from what is commonly thought of as the "Internet Bubble." The impact of the Internet on our society is not to be trivialized. Information is now available in abundance. Discovering the lessons the media's boosters ignored, Liebowitz argues, if one seeks to learn what the media's "boosters" ignored to their peril, will benefit the reader.

Why the New Economy Is Old Hat
"Re-thinking the Network Economy" is an almost deceptively simple book, and that is all to the good for readers. Stan Liebowitz is a highly skilled economist with the ability to make his professional work accessible to interested laymen. Even more interesting to me, as a small businessman, is his intuitive grasp of the entrepreneurial process. His work just has a natural fit to the business world I know, and that is rare among academics, in my experience.

Though some of his humor can make a businessman wince at times, say his: "And of course, once computers are taught to bend the truth, they can replace salesmen of all sorts".

I once observed a young American woman, on a sunny July day in 1974, practicing her college Italian in one those street bazaars in Florence. I think it must have been written in some Intelligent Woman's Guide to Tourism in Cute Mediterranean Countries, that haggling was expected. When the woman responded to a merchant's price quote with a lower offer, he said in perfect English: "Look lady, it's hot, I'm hungry. If you insist on haggling, come back after lunch, but you're going to pay the price I just gave you anyhow."

She bought the dress, but you can find the reason for the merchant's attitude in chapter 4 of this book.

Also, I'm old enough to have been attended to, as a child, by a doctor who made house calls. The reasons why doctors no longer do so are to be found in Liebowitz's explanations of the efficiencies of supermarket shopping: Customers prefer to substitute their uncompensated time for the paid time that delivered groceries would necessarily entail.

So, why did so many smart people lose billions of dollars trying to make viable businesses out of delivering ice cream, chicken, and orange juice? Liebowitz hazards a few guesses, not all of which are going to sit well with some of his colleagues who gave advice that may have inadvertently encouraged such nonsense. Those of us with first-hand experience of how expensive it is to operate trucks and pay their drivers, who were scratching our heads watching refrigerated trucks drive through our neighborhoods, wondering how this could possibly be a cost effective way for consumers to shop, can have a lot of fun reading about it though.

The penultimate chapter, "Copyright and the Internet" has some, perhaps, counterintuitive arguments to make about digital reproduction and transmission of copyright materials. Including a novel explanation (to me) of how charging libraries for photocopying articles from scholarly journals actually increased the importance of those journals to scholars. This seems to me a major lesson to be learned in the current contentious copyright debates.

In short, Re-Thinking the Network Economy, packs a lot of useful information into its 224 pages. It's erudite, witty, and might have saved the New Economy, and its investors, tens (and maybe hundreds) of billions of dollars had it been published even five years earlier.

Back Cover Blurbs
Back Cover Blurbs:
Absolutely the best book I've read on e-commerce. Liebowitz looks at all the claims made for how "the Internet changes everything" and shows, persuasively, that it changes only a few things. If you want to know how to integrate the Internet into your business or how to judge the future success of Internet-based firms, or if you just want a master economist's understanding of the Internet's impact on the economy, Re-Thinking the Network Economy is the book for you. --David R. Henderson, author of The Joy of Freedom: An Economist's Odyssey, former columnist, Red Herring.

Stan Liebowitz's book brings a breath of fresh air to popular Internet debates. This lively and informative discussion exposes many of the Internet-related myths about network externalities, technology lock-in, and first-mover advantage. Managers would do well to understand his point that tried-and-true business strategies continue to apply-Daniel F. Spulber, Elinor Hobbs Distinguished Professor, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.

"Prof. Liebowitz's analysis is sharp, reflecting an impressive combination of economic theory, history, and just the right amount of geekiness. Whether you are a businessperson plotting your next move or an individual simply curious about why the dot com bust happened, buy this book. The Internet will still be important. Professor Liebowitz tells us why." Sonia Arrison, Director, Center for Technology Studies, Pacific Research Institute

In Rethinking the Networked Economy, Stan Liebowitz dissects the faulty business case that helped fuel the Internet hysteria. The autopsy yields important insights. Liebowitz explains why some businesses suit the Internet economy and some don't, why some industries are winner-take-all contests but most aren't, and why a few industries offer first-mover advantages but most don't. The result is handbook for e-commerce that is grounded in simple but powerful economic reasoning that is fully explained within, and supported by an abundance of real world evidence.-Stephen E. Margolis, Chairman, NC State U Economics.

September 26 Issue of the Economist
From Economic Focus Column:
IN THE late 1990s, firms bet billions of dollars on a theory that turned out to be wrong. It said that in e-commerce, what mattered most was being first. Don't worry about being best, if that slows you down. Sell your product at a loss, give it away, pay people to take it: just build your base of customers fast. Why? Because the weird economics of the Internet-network effects, enhanced economies of scale and lock-in-gave a decisive advantage to first-movers. Now that something approaching 100% of the Internet economy's first-movers have gone bust, this theory looks less plausible. Yet the logic once seemed persuasive. Where exactly did Internet economics go wrong?

A new book by Stan Liebowitz, a professor of economics at the University of Texas at Dallas, and a long-time sceptic of the view that the Internet changes all the rules, gives the most thorough answer so far.

"Re-Thinking the Network Economy" explains what the Internet did change and what it did not, so far as economics is concerned-and it does so in a witty and accessible way. Dr. Liebowitz covers a lot of issues: the exaggerated advantages of Internet retailing over conventional retailing; the false claim that the Internet's lower costs would give Internet firms bigger profits; the inadequacies of the broadcast -television model of advertising revenues; the poorly understood questions of copyright and digital-rights management.

It is the best book to date on the fallacies of the e -commerce craze. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A MUST For The Fleamarketsellers Club Members!
Oh boy guys, this is a great one! It is a MUST have for any
serious Flea Marketer, especially members of The Fleamarketsellers Community.
Sincerely,
Mark Marcarian

Flea Market Trader (12th Edition)
I found the information in this flea market guide to be very helpful in calculating the value of many every day items that you find at flea markets and garage sales. The broad content covering many items made it easy to look up items that I couldn't find in other similar price guide books.

I was very satisfied with the book and prefer it over some other well known antique and flea market price guide books that I have purchased before. It makes an excellent source to refer to when attempting to figure out the worth of an item that can't be found in some of the other guides.

The guide offer a variety of catagories and is certainly a book I would recommend for anyone researching flea market and related items. There is a wealth of good information in the book. ... Read more

Book Description

Foreword by Rick Smolan

32-page color insert and black & white photos throughout

Perhaps the most important key to success for sellers on eBay is providing good photographs of their products. In eBay Photography the Smart Way, eBay expert Joseph Sinclair teams up with professional product photographer Stanley Livingston to give readers easy-to-follow instructions for taking better pictures, helping them show off their products to the greatest possible effect. Paving the way for higher profits, the book shows how to:

* shop for and buy a digital camera
* shoot any kind of product
* photgraph and display entire product inventories
* create great thumbnails
* process photos with image editors
* use angles, lighting, studio props, and backgrounds
* organize process and work flow

On eBay, better pictures mean higher sales. eBay Photography the Smart Way reveals how to take great photos that give customers the confidence to buy online what they can't see in person. ... Read more

Book Description

Your Complete Guide to Mail-Order Success!
Is owning your own business your goal? Then mail order is the low-cost, high-profit way to go. Imagine walking out to your mailbox and finding it stuffed with checks worth hundreds—even thousands—of dollars! Imagine being able to start your own profitable mail-order business on just a few dollars—then building it into a prosperous income source! Tyler Hicks, one of the foremost small business experts in the country, shows you exactly how to turn these dreams into reality.
In this invaluable book, you'll learn how to:
·Start your own mail-order business
·Find your products or services to sell
·Make big money with low-cost publicity and ads
·Reap huge sales on the Internet
·Increase your wealth through overseas markets
·Promote your business using e-mail and the Internet as well as mail, TV, fax, and radio
·And much, much more!
Be your own boss. Build your income and family security. Name the mail-order income you have as a goal—then reach it. Now you can latch on to prosperity. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Even Rich Daddy is better
Another shameless self-promotion with no substance. Push his newsletters on your face like a used car salesman. Even Rich Dad, Poor Dad disguise itself better than this. Don't waste your time and money.

Better books on this subject
This book was okay and it did have a few good ideas. But overall it was more of a marketing ad for the author's products then a book. I would choose another book on the subject of mail order business instead of this one.

Tyler is a class act, this is another one of his good books!
This is a good book for anyone who wishes to start a mail order home-based business. It is even very useful to someone who is already experienced in the mail order trade like myself!

Great Book and Informative
An informative book. I had to write a review because the other reviewer has a totally negative and unimportant opinion. Yes the author does advertise his products, but he gives you valuable information all the same. In fact his offers could be useful to someone getting into mail order. It is a completely legitimate book. I am in no way affiliated with the author. The book is packed with valuable info on all aspects of mail order. Packed with lots of detailed tips to help out the budding mail order business owner.

Not a book, but an advertisement for the author's business
What a disappointment to purchase a book and be left with a 315 page advertisement for the author's business. There is no thin veil to disguise the author's intentions. In fact, on page after page there are blurbs about the author's get rich quick schemes. In short, this should not be sold to people as a book. I had a great laugh at the bibliography entitled " Profit Building Tools from Tyler hicks ( the author) International Wealth Success Library. Hand picked by the author. ... Read more