Book Description

Covering every aspect of the menswear industry, retailmerchandising, and manufacturing, this book instructs the fashionprofessional in assisting the customer in the purchase ofmenswear, including information on the make, quality, and fit ofmens apparel.The book places the reader in "real-world"situations in which he or she must be able to solve problems andadvise the customer.The book is suitable for fashion students,garment industry professional retailers, fashion writers, andwardrobe consultants. ... Read more

Book Description

A one-stop guide to buying and selling on the Internet.
According to Fortune magazine, eBay reports having over 900,000 products for sale in 1,086 categories. The site receives 140 million hits a week! But starting out, either as a seller or a buyer, can be challenging. The Unofficial Guide to eBay & Online Auctions offers step-by-step guidance on everything from reistering and setting up an account, to bidding, to avoiding "auction fever." This book shows you how to maximize your online experience with advice on:

• The values and pitfalls of selling in online auctions
• How to choose the best online auction site
• The right and wrong ways of buying and selling at an online auction
• What to do if an item doesn't sell
• Online fraud--what to do if it happens and how to avoid it the next time

Reviews (4)

Should have had a yellow jacket, and read "for dumbies".
This book was very weak in content. It provides few noteworthy pointers. It is basically a common sense walk-through, of how to view an auction business. If you aren't a complete idiot, you probably have no use for this book.

Like An Inexpensive Crash Course On Online Auctions
When I finished reading this book, I felt like an "auction expert"... even though I've never bid or sold items on an online auction before. It seems to have many good tips only experience can teach you. I felt I learned all I needed in this book to get a good start. It appears there are no loose ends or anything left out. Very complete with urls to web resources such as appraisers, automation and tracking software to making selling at auctions a business.

Excellent book to help you sell
Like the other reviewer, I'm not a high-volume Ebay seller but I do run some auctions every month. This book covered a great deal of what I wanted to know about how to run my auctions and make them more profitable. It has a wealth of information on alternate auctions sites too.

Highly recommended for anyone who wants to get going on eBay.

Excellent--a must for anyone who bids or sells.
I'm not high-volume seller, but I run two dozen or so auctions per month on ebay and Amazon. This book is absolutely indispensable! It covers general info about auctions, how to handle problem customers, reviews of auction management software (this alone has made my business 100% better), pros and cons of the various sites, shipping methods, and pretty much everything else you needed to know. Whether you're a buyer or a seller, you need this book! ... Read more

Book Description

From New York to London, Paris, Los Angeles, Palm Beach, Rome, Miolan, Munich, Madrid, and Tokyo, Shooping Bag Secrets is a chic guide to the most distinctive stores and their most famous status symbols--their shopping bags.It gives seasoned shoppers exclusive access to the best shoppping spots: from locations to specialties, founders to shoppers, anecdotes to raves.Shopping bags are on the streets and in the closets of every major city in the world.They are shown off, collected, recycled, stolen and given away.They are works of art, status symbols, and phenomenal advertising vehicles.They are the greatest freebies of all time.From the classic simplicity of the blue Tiffany & Co. bag to the lavish Mackenzie-Child multi-colored , illustrated, beribboned bag, to the subtle black Barneys bag, this book profiles the most memorable designs, revealing why they have become the icons that shoppers yearn to carry. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

For the collector of shopping bags
I received this book as a gift from a friend and liked it so much I ordered it as a gift for my close friend, who is going to read it after finishing her studies for the law bar exam. We both love to collect shopping bags, especially on vacations as a way to remember the trip.

Not about bags; it's about shopping.
I'm an avid bag collector, and while I was hoping for more information about the bags themselves, this book is an incredible resource of some of the best places in the world to shop. I can't afford most of the things in these shops, but looking is always free! ... Read more

Book Description

Directory containing detailed listings, contact information, physical features, categorized tenant lists, websites and e-mail addresses, visitor traffic counts and siteplans for the over 3,500 major shopping centers and malls in the US and Canada which are approximately 250,000 square feet and above in size. Additional sections include portfolios of the major owner/developer and management companies, listing of over 350 major retail chains with leasing contact, number of units and expansion plans, specialty indices for centers accepting temporary tenants or with a food court and maps of 45 major metro markets with centers location pinpointed on each map. ... Read more

Book Description

Ten years ago, Up Against the Wal-Marts helped smaller businesses take on the corporate retailing empire. Now, with the giants bigger and more influential than ever, the underdogs have an even tougher struggle. The second edition of Up Against the Wal-Marts is here to help, with an updated focus on marketing and brand new ways to conquer (or at least co-exist with) the Goliaths of the shopping mall.

The authors have updated many of the businesses profiled in the original edition -- so readers can see how those companies have refined their operations to stay competitive -- and they detail the best practices of hundreds of successful small companies. The book also examines several fast-growth chains in a variety of markets. With advice for improving customer service and loyalty, maximizing the power of electronic marketing, hiring and keeping great employees, and more, Up Against the Wal-Marts is a formidable strategic tool any business can use to become (and remain) competitive. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

This book was probably helpful in 1994!
I can see that this book may have added value in 1994, but it is entirely out-dated at this point.The copywrite itself is from 1994, and the examples are dated back to that point.I am interested in seeing if the customer examples they list are actually still in business.Although I am sure they are, the techniques recommended in this book are only 1/2 the story for a modern day business.Perhaps the authors could update the book, with new statistics for the Wal-Mart's of the world, along with strategies to succeed on the Internet.It is a little strange to read a book that talks about how important it is to fax, and to trim phone bills by dialing after 11pm... as I said, this book is for the dinosaurs.

An MBA ina BOOK !!!!
I have no relationship with anyone connected with this book - it justsoundslike I do. We stumbled across this book- and have now boughtmorethan 12 copiesfor our key staff over three years.IT IS the BEST TRAINING BOOK for RETAIL MANAGERS I HAVE EVER SEEN.Whoops - sorry I get excited - but youget my point.

It is NOT about Wal-Mart- it is about being smart in operating yourownbusiness - and when you are smart - you have a much better chance of success.

Every chapter is solid with good info-- no fluff.

Try it

A Slingshot, But at Least it's Something
The Wal-Mart behemoth-beast's unchecked onslaught on our landscapes and local economies continues, but now there is more help to at least momentarily stymie the beast. With small victories here and there (the meatcutters' union win, for one, and that decision rendered right there in ARKANSAS, no less), this is one of the books that shows how we can be as good a friend to Wal-Mart as that it is to us, and we can learn from that very intelligent, mutating virus. This book helps a person think about retailing in the shadow of Wal-Mart the way an FBI profiler thinks about a criminal.It's not fighting fire with fire, but learning the weapons of the opponent and then thinking beyond them, to a more advanced level. It's an escalating fight. But it's a fight the little guy will win because Wal-Mart is now TOO big.The little guy is far more agile.
Learned about this book at sprawl-busters.com, a very helpful site (Al Norman's book is great as well!).

A Slingshot, But at Least it's Something
The Wal-Mart behemoth-beast's unchecked onslaught on our landscapes and local economies continues, but now there is more help to at least momentarily stymie the beast. With small victories here and there (the meatcutters' union win, for one, and that decision rendered right there in ARKANSAS, no less), this is one of the books that shows how we can be as good a friend to Wal-Mart as that it is to us, and we can learn from that very intelligent, mutating virus. This book helps a person think about retailing in the shadow of Wal-Mart the way an FBI profiler thinks about a criminal.It's not fighting fire with fire, but learning the weapons of the opponent and then thinking beyond them, to a more advanced level. It's an escalating fight. But it's a fight the little guy will win because Wal-Mart is now TOO big.The little guy is far more agile.
Learned about this book at sprawl-busters.com, a very helpful site (Al Norman's book is great as well!).

Remember the Spanish Armada
Don Taylor and Jeanne Smalling Archer explain how to prosper "in the shadow of the retail giants." This is quite literally a "how to" manual, filled with hundreds of specific examples, suggestions, strategies, andcautions which can be of substantial benefit to literally anysmall-to-midsize retail operation which is currently struggling to surviveand then succeed. Of course, the David and Goliath metaphor is invoked. Theco-authors stress the importance of courage, ten survival strategies, and"about 500 stones." (David needed only one well-placed stone. Today, hewould need more "ammunition" because there are so many different "giants"to conquer. It is worth noting that David did not wrestle Goliath.)Interestingly, the "Big Three" (Wal-Mart, Kmart, and Target) all openedtheir first stores in 1962. They were not the first discounters but theyhad learned a great deal from pioneers such as Ann and Hope, Korvettes,Zayres, Arlands, and Gibson's. Once "Davids" themselves, they eventuallybecame "Goliaths", demonstrating (in process) the importance of the tenstrategies which are examined in Up Against the Wal-Marts.

The authorsorganize the material according to three overriding themes: change,improve, and succeed. In the 1990s, change has been the only constant.Improvement is not an option; it is an imperative. With regard to success,the co-authors leave their reader with this final statement: "Many smallbusinesses are going to be successful competing with the giants, and wecan't think of any reason why yours shouldn't be one of them." ... Read more

Reviews (5)

From Debt to Success
E.J. Cossman's book is part of my support system and changed my life for the better. E. Joseph Cossman advice helped me to go from debt to success (out of debt) in less than 3 years. The book contains advice to help anyone. The advice is not limited to mailorder, and applicable to all businesses and professions. Yes, your job can benefit from the advice. Don't be afraid to invest in this book and use the advice to help yourself from debt to success. Sounds like a good title for a book.

All the best, Franklin

Cossman Changed My Life
I work a lot with new businesses. In fact, that has been a ministry of mine for the past twenty years. This book is the book I recommend or out right give to anyone who is just starting out in business. Just the first chapter alone is worth the price of the book. Those who have sour grapes concerning this book are just ignorant. My father used these same principles to start a successful catering truck business that lasted until he was too old to do it anymore. So, what he has to say REALLY, REALLY works! The book is cheap, gives good advice and is funny as well. What more could anyone ask for? BUY THIS BOOK!!!!!! You won't be sorry!

Motivational at best
Mr. Cossman probably inteaded this book to help others on the road of financial prosperity through a home based mail order business. However he falls well short by only going into little detail on many areas instead of great detail in some areas. If you are looking for a wonderful motivation tool than this book is for you. However, if you are looking to make a million I suggest you purchase something else.

more BS hype
Cossman serves up a bunch of hype that has little or no contact with the real world that he claims to have made it in. THis guy is so full of himself you wonder why the EPA hasn't declared him a walking toxic waste site! Save your money and your time - this book is only a waste of good trees and ink.

Excellent book about Business
E. Joseph Cossman has had a positive effect on my life. This book contains foundation information for any entrepeneur. Business is like a safe with 3 number combination. This book is one of the numbers to unlock the safe to become wealthy. As a Cossman Seminar graduate, I personally endorse his books and materials as very helpful for any person in business. This book is part of any entrepeneurs' foundation. The entrepeneur must add the product and/or service, capital management, innovation & imagination, and the personal drive & desire to become wealthy. This book is part of the entrepenuer's mix. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent coverage of a broad subject
As international retailing grows, American business managers must understand more and more cultures in depth. This book pulls together information and theories from psychology, sociology, marketing, finance,and cultural anthropology in an attempt to inform the reader about majordifferences between buying cultures.The author introduces generalinformation and then reviews specific areas of the world.Cases aboutactual companies are included which can be used to illustrate the chapterpoints.A good start on an evolving subject. ... Read more

Book Description

Retail is amazing. It's immediate, exciting, risky - and downright tough. Running shops gets into your bloodstream. But even though retail has been credited for saving whole economies, it is still possibly the least understood of all business practices. This is the first 'how to' retail handbook. It uncovers the key elements that separate the great retailers from the average, the killer teams from the also-rans and the High Street success stories from the back street strugglers. Covering everything from creating the ultimate in-store experience to understanding your customer and from promotional strategies to building energized and motivated teams, this is the book that will equip store managers, aspiring team-workers, retail entrepreneurs and indeed anybody who sells direct to customers, with practical winning ideas and strategies for retail success. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Anyone can wander around a flea market and buy a few quaint objects guaranteed to mystify her parents and appall her spouse. But it's an art to know the market, find what you're after, recognize the difference between valuable and worthless junk, collect the classics and dabble in trends, preserve what you have and restore what you buy. Sheila Zubrod and David Stern explore not only the flea market philosophy but also selling for profit, Web sites of value, flea market meccas throughout America and the world, and the primo cocktail shakers, coleslaw boards, and club chairs that constitute a true find. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A fun book.
I work with the author's sister, and found out about the book through her ... Read more

Book Description

From the 1930s through the 1970s, Chinese American owned supermarkets located outside of Chinatown, catering to a non-Chinese clientele, and featuring mainstream American foods and other products and services rose to prominence and phenomenal success in Northern California, only to decline as union regulations and competition from national chains made their operation unprofitable. Alfred Yee’s study of this trajectory is an insider’s view of a fascinating era in Asian American immigration and entrepreneurship. Drawing on oral interviews with individuals who worked in the business during its peak and decline, he presents an accessible history that illustrates how this once-thriving business fostered the social and economic integration of Chinese Americans into life in the United States.

Yee demonstrates how Chinese American supermarkets were able to sell American groceries at reduced prices by using the cheap labor of family members and Chinese immigrants whose entry to the United States had been sponsored by their employers. This type of symbiotic relationship was eventually undermined by labor unions’ demands that employees be covered by labor laws and fully compensated for all hours worked. Also contributing to the ultimate demise of Chinese American supermarkets were increasing costs of capitalization and operation, the dominance of national chain stores, and difficulties arising from traditional Chinese methods of business management. ... Read more

Book Description

In a new, completely revised and updated edition of his 1999 classic 1001 Ideas to Create Retail Excitement, public relations and marketing guru Edgar Falk shows small, medium, and large business owners how to make the most of retail opportunities in any economic environment, and teaches all business owners how to think big in the face of growing competition and consumer insecurity.

In our ever-changing economy, Falk's strategies are an absolute necessity for survival and success. Here, he offers a veritable encyclopedia of practical suggestions that show small- to medium-sized retailers how to attract new customers, then goes on to offer solid, time-tested advice on how to keep them coming back, over and over again. From proven-successful ideas for eye-catching window displays, in-store promotions, and special events to tested strategies for market research and publicity, this guide provides everything the small business owner needs to become more aggressive and effective in pulling in customers and fending off competition. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Timely Ideas in Falk's Revised Book
Ed Falk's rolodex seemingly never runs out of ideas. While many of them fall in the category of "hey, I remember doing that a few years back and it worked", the revised edition of Falk's book has lots of new ideas, too. He's broadened his coverage of retail outlets and that makes the book even more useful. The suggestions in this book are clearly stated, helpful and in most cases easy to apply. It is also a great stimulator to help bring that germ of an idea the reader has been carrying around in his or her own head to reality.

Want more ideas?
It¡¦s really a great book. The author start with the theme that ¡§the name of the game in retail is ¡V to attract new customers and get old ones to keep coming back.¡¨

Just like what is mentioned in the title of the book, lots of ideas and comprehensive information are explained in the book. The book provided lots of helpful, informative details about how to create retail excitement.

However, different places have a lot of differences, such as the culture, regulations and policy, etc. It is similar to different customers have different needs and wants. I think that it is very important for the marketer to pay special attention to the different aspects of your target customers. So, the first step mentioned by the book about ¡§how to develop information¡¨ is very important. Once the marketer collect information in the specific region through the primary and/or secondary research, they can get more understanding about their customers and the culture or regulations of the regions. Then the marketer can develop their ¡§excitement¡¨ which is tailor-made for the target customers.

So, if you are the retail marketer who would like to get more ideas, or you are the retail marketer who nearly runs out of ideas, you would be highly recommended to have a look at this book.

Very shallow coverage
If you're looking for a book about big time retail advertising then this is not it. But if you are a small business just getting started you could do worse. However most of the things in this book are everyday ideas that most anyone could come up with. Hard to justify the expense of the book when it is so obvious on so many levels. Can't recommend it unless you get it as a gift for Christmas.

Very basic information
I found this book to be most appropriate for beginners or people running their own business. It did not seem to be writen with the professional Promotion Manager in mind. Tactics that are listed are "tried and true" promotions that you are likely to find being used by a small, local retailer. If you work for a large corporation, save your money.

A real meat and potatoes book for the truly hungry
This is without doubt the best book on creating retail excitement that I have ever seen, and I have read more than a few. The ideas expressed herein are easy to use, not expensive, and truly do work. This is a book that gives you the nuts and bolts of exactly how to create retail excitement, not just a lot of gray area fluff. In addition to the ideas provided, this book will help you to get your own creative juices flowing. I am very appreciative to Mr. Falk for his help. This is a book that is worth many many times its cost. Not an expense, this book truly is an investment. ... Read more