HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: Dale@sol.cs.wmich.edu (Dale Gee)
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
Subject: Re: What's in a name?
Date: 15 Dec 92 01:12:16 GMT
Organization: Western Michigan Univ. Comp. Sci. Dept.

In article <2383@deadmin.ucsd.edu> dwargo@cs.ucsd.edu (Dave Wargo) writes:
>Greetings fellow entrepreneurs;
>
>If I was so inclined to start up a company and wanted to call it "XYZ Company"
>how do I go about doing a search to find out if that name has been taken?
>
>By the way is there an FAQ list for this news group?
>
>And last, but not least what is THE book to get on starting up a company?
>
>
>Thanks for your help.
>
>Dave

We started off seraching telephone books. Both local and in major cites around
the country.  Our library has a good collection of telephone books from around
the nation. We also called 800 directory assitance and check in trade magazines
for our trade.  We was sucessful in not finding anyone with the same name.

But since our metro area overlaps other counties and another area code. 
Another took the same name as ours after we started and got away with it
because they was in the other county.  I would suggest filling your DBA 
in other counties if it looks like this could happen to you.
I talk to the fellow he thought it was cute he took our name, now it's a pain 
for both of us. 

Good luck on your name search.
From: bob@consult.UUCP (Bob Willey CDP)
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
Subject: Re: How to get a reseller's license
Date: 13 Dec 92 16:04:54 GMT
Reply-To: bob@consult.UUCP (Bob Willey CDP )
Distribution: usa
Organization: CCS Enterprises, Inc. - Easton, MD


 
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
Subject: Re: How to get a reseller's license

In article <514@gold.gvg.tek.com> jimd@pequod.gvg.tek.com (Jim Delwiche) writes:
>I was recently thwarted in an attempt to buy something from a
>wholesaler, because I didn't have a reseller's license.  What is
>involved in getting a reseller's license?  Is this a state or county
#function?  How much is it likely to cost, (assuming that taxation is
#the basic reason for such a license)?  I am not really interested in
#putting together a retail operation, but rather was wondering how much
#is involved in setting up a 'company' for the purpose of, well,
#getting started.

What you describe is not the attempt to start a business, but rather
and attempt to establish a "front" for the purpose of purchasing wholesale.

You might want to be really careful (especially in posting a messages
to thousands of people) as this could be seen as possible fraud.
-- 
>.. Bob Willey, CDP          ..  |  ..  uunet!consult!bob  bob@ccs.com   ..<
>.. CCS Enterprises, Inc.    ..  |  ..   Office: (410) 820-4670          ..<
>.. P.O. Drawer 1690         ..  |  ..      FAX: (410) 476-5261          ..<
>.. Easton, Maryland 21601 ......|......... BBS: (410) 476-5098 ...........<
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
From: alusa@sfsuvax1.sfsu.edu (Alfredo Lusa)
Subject: H O W to buy from big guy?
Organization: California State University, Sacramento
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 01:40:22 GMT

I am trying to find wholesale prices for motorcycles (Japanese) and cars
(Japanese and American) in order to export them to South America.

It seems that these industries are highly wary of selling their products
to people (me) other than retail dealers. (Buying at U.S. retail prices,
even though much cheaper than S.A.'s prices, would not be profitable for
me)

Any information on *how to* find a distributor willing to sell these items
would be greatly appreciated.

			(quantity: 4-6 cars; 15-20 motorcycles)

Thnak you in advance for sharing your knowledge.


Alfredo Lusa (alusa@sfsuvax1.sfsu.edu.us)
"Soon to be a finacially viable entrepreneur"
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
From: stgprao@st.unocal.COM (Richard Ottolini)
Subject: Re: Software Retail
Organization: Unocal Corporation
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 20:36:47 GMT

In article <1ginusINNn4u@aludra.usc.edu> josephk@usc.edu (Joseph Kim) writes:
>While I was reading an article in the latest Forbes on Babbages, it
>hit me there are practically no small scale software retailers.
>Why is that?  Is the margin on shrinkwrapped software so thin that
>you have to be the size of Egghead or Software Etc. to make profit?
>It seems like a small stand-alone neighborhood sotware retailer in
>a populated mall area would do nice business.  Any comments?

It is projected to get much worse if there is "software war" among
the major software houses similar to the "hardware war" among PC
makers, e.g., $500 packages dropping to slightly above the price of
publishing or about $50.  Some people have anticipated this bwtween
MicroSoft and Borland.
It is not clear what the equilibrium commodity price for software is
at this time.  It takes a fair amount of R&D, marketing, and support
overhead to get packages like a spreadsheet.  If the price drops too
far, the smaller companies can't ammortize the overhead, they go out
of business, the pressure lessens on the remaining companies, and
the price rises again.

Another way to look it, if you consider software to be a "media", then
you see a warehouseing trend in the other media: books, video, and music.
Similar economice-of-scale forces may operate in all these areas.
From: burgoyne@access.digex.com (J. Robert Burgoyne)
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
Subject: Re: VISA question -- Merchant Accounts revisited once more!
Date: 15 Dec 1992 05:21:30 GMT
Organization: Express Access Online Communications, Greenbelt, MD USA
NNTP-Posting-Host: access.digex.com
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL3

pgt@fc.hp.com (Paul Tobin) writes:
: 
: My wife's business is ready to start taking credit card orders.  She's
: contacted all the local banks, and the best deal is 3.7% for months
: under $2000 (current situation).  Are we missing something by only
: trying the local institutions?  Will out of state banks even want to
: deal with us?  We'd love to hear and learn from your experience!

Say you got 2.7% instead of 3.7% for $2,000 in sales. Excuse me, but
we're talking about $20. Per month minimum charges can easily vary
by much more, and each merchant account incurs an application fee 
usually on the order of $50+.

For small non-traditional businesses it's just great to be able to get a 
merchant account at all.

And don't forget to get American Express too. There is no monthly
minimum charge, no application fee, and the folks seem much more
receptive to doing business than the VISA and Master Card folk.

Robert Burgoyne
From: dwargo@cs.ucsd.edu (Dave Wargo)
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
Subject: What's in a name?
Date: 14 Dec 92 23:00:58 GMT
Organization: UCSD

Greetings fellow entrepreneurs;

If I was so inclined to start up a company and wanted to call it "XYZ Company"
how do I go about doing a search to find out if that name has been taken?

By the way is there an FAQ list for this news group?

And last, but not least what is THE book to get on starting up a company?


Thanks for your help.

Dave
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
From: "Gary A. Woodward" <p00140@psilink.com>
Subject: commerce as a result of the net.
Organization: Performance Systems Int'l
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 15:26:49 GMT
X-Mailer: PSILink (3.2)

Where does the line begin and end concerning business on the net?  A 
good deal of business, I suspect, takes place due to research and 
discussion on thenet.  For example; if someone pays me for a newsletter 
(list and payment done by US mail) can the newsletter be distributed by 
the internet?  I understand the non-commercial requirements-but a lot of 
e-mail seems like it could be of commercial nature.  Is the net a quasi-
government entity like the post office that will help you distribute
information-or something more.  I have little experience with other nets 
(such as Prodigy, AOL, Compuserve, etc).  Are they more in line with 
this commercial goal?


Regards.

Gary
From: burgoyne@access.digex.com (J. Robert Burgoyne)
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
Subject: Re: VISA question -- Merchant Accounts revisited once more!
Date: 20 Dec 1992 05:25:38 GMT
Organization: Express Access Online Communications, Greenbelt, MD USA
NNTP-Posting-Host: access.digex.com
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL3

bob@consult.UUCP (Bob Willey CDP) writes:

[I wrote]`
: #And don't forget to get American Express too. There is no monthly
: #minimum charge, no application fee, and the folks seem much more
: #receptive to doing business than the VISA and Master Card folk.
: 
: You will find that a LOT of people do forget about
: American Express on purpose.!!  It is very expensive for the
: retailer.  Can run up to 2% more for American Express than
: for Visa/Mastercard.  And with ever-shrinking margins, 5.7%
: could be your mark-up, thus generating ZERO revenue, unless you 
: charge a "credit card fee".

NO, NO, NO. 

Average entry level rates for VISA/Mastercard are 3.5 - 4%.
American Express is 4.5%. It's only super high volume stores which
swipe cards across a machine that get VISA/Mastercard @ <2.0%.
Entrepreneurs who do mail order will never get VISA/Mastercard
for those low rates unless the monthly minimum charges are high.

For any startup with small volume, the monthly fees that VISA/Mastercard
charge you cost far in excess of the slightly increased percentage you
pay to American Express.



J. Robert Burgoyne		  Maryland FYI		  Laurel, Maryland
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
From: Dale@sol.cs.wmich.edu (Dale Gee)
Subject: Re: Subject: How can teen make money?
Organization: Western Michigan Univ. Comp. Sci. Dept.
Distribution: usa
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 03:07:13 GMT

>
>P.S. This idea is shareware.  If you use it and earn a profit, send
>a $25 registration fee to me (email me for address).
>-- 
>THANX...Gregg   woodcock@bnr.ca   day 214.684.7380   night 214.530.2495
>*CLASSIC VIDEOGAME COLLECTOR BUY/SELL/TRADE PRE-NINTENDO (ARCADE/HOME)*
>"If you quote me on this I'll have to deny it; I won't remember because
>my memory is so terrible.  Not only that, but I have a bad memory." -Me

25 bucks? Oh get real you would scam some 15 year old girl for advice
in how to raise some bucks for school.  How low can you go?
I didn't know this was the alt.scam.teenagers newsgroup.  
I hope the next you ask someone a question they ask for your visa card 
number first.
 
*flame off*
From: burgoyne@access.digex.com (J. Robert Burgoyne)
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
Subject: Re: Software Retail
Date: 17 Dec 1992 16:32:07 GMT
Organization: Express Access Online Communications, Greenbelt, MD USA
NNTP-Posting-Host: access.digex.com
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL3

josephk@usc.edu (Joseph Kim) writes:
: While I was reading an article in the latest Forbes on Babbages, it
: hit me there are practically no small scale software retailers.
: Why is that?  Is the margin on shrinkwrapped software so thin that
: you have to be the size of Egghead or Software Etc. to make profit?
: It seems like a small stand-alone neighborhood sotware retailer in
: a populated mall area would do nice business.  Any comments?

Here's an interesting example. Microsoft wants to take the air out
of Intuit's sales of Quicken. They are doing this by offering Microsoft
Money for < $10 at retail. Their plan is to get the customer's name,
address, and phone number, and sell them updates, printed checks, etc.

You as the dealer receive none of the back end profit.

The competitive upgrades or "Sidegrades" are an attempt to do the same thing.

The basic problem with all retail businesses is that rent is too high.
High rent means you need high net revenue, which software only offers
if you sell it by the boxcar load.

Egghead offers the Zoom 14.4 K external FAX/modem for $349. Price Club
and J&R Music World offer it for $240. Where would you buy? When I 
confronted the Egghead folks with the other prices, their attitude was
So, go buy it there.

I see the best way to make money in the PC business (with the least capital)
is to be a consultant who installs software and hardware, and teaches people
how to use it. You can make your customers especially happy by letting them
order what they need through the mail without marking it up, then charge
$50+ dollars per hour to install it, teach them how to use it, and to provide
telephone support. If they like what you did, they'll want to buy and learn
new products, and refer you to other clients. There's your back end.

Think about it. From a $ invested/ $ returned point of view, nothing else
even comes close.


J. Robert Burgoyne		  Maryland FYI		  Laurel, Maryland
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Giving You Maximum Performance for your Advertising Budgets -- Guaranteed!
	
  301-317-0726 24 Hours	   burgoyne@access.digex.com	301-317-0587 FAX
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
               	     Have a Happy, Happy Holiday this year!

Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
From: hutch@bellman.lanl.gov (John Hutchinson)
Subject: Re: Software Retail
Reply-To: hutch@bellman.lanl.gov
Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 00:17:54 GMT

In article 1ginusINNn4u@aludra.usc.edu, josephk@usc.edu (Joseph Kim) writes:
>While I was reading an article in the latest Forbes on Babbages, it
>hit me there are practically no small scale software retailers.
>Why is that?  Is the margin on shrinkwrapped software so thin that
>you have to be the size of Egghead or Software Etc. to make profit?
>It seems like a small stand-alone neighborhood sotware retailer in
>a populated mall area would do nice business.  Any comments?

Software retailers (dealers) typically buy their software from large software
distributors at around 50% of recommended retail with some variance thrown in
for specials, large orders, and other arrangements.  The distributors usually
get price cuts from the developers at around 40-45% of retail.  So volume is
the only way they can stay in business and the large overhead of a retail
storefront is often just too much to manage for the "mom & pop" s/w store.

The plight of the small entrepeneur software developer can be even worse,
however, as he has to pick up the tab not only for development, but for
packaging, advertising, shipping and customer service.  It's no wonder many
jump at the chance to sell the rights to their software for puny 5-15%
royalties just so they can concentrate on the fun stuff... programming!
---

___________________________ John "HUTCH" Hutchinson _________________________
_________________ Fair Dinkum Technologies     Member - IAAD  _______________
________________ "No worries, mate... it's from Fair Dinkum!" _______________
____________ email: hutch@bellman.lanl.gov   GEnie: FAIR-DINKUM _____________


Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
From: "Gary A. Woodward" <p00140@psilink.com>
Subject: I SAY YES!
Organization: Performance Systems Int'l
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1992 01:53:42 GMT
X-Mailer: PSILink (3.2)

Recent concerns about your (not our, not mine) education system that you 
see around you seem to be within your own context.  The USA will always 
be a world leader in education because our system (of culture, of 
society) will always *allow* someone to put into practice whatever 
education (and abilities) that they have.   You do not see people trying 
to immigrate into Japan at the level that they are in to the US (Canada, 
UK, FRG, etc).  We do have what the rest of the world wants-the ability 
to practice what we have learned (or not learned-an even better 
education aometimes).

Regards.

GARY.
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
From: ywlee@cs.uiuc.edu (Youngwhan Lee)
Subject: Motherboards and PC clones
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 17:43:47 GMT


Hi,

My friend owns a company which manufactures motherboards and 
IBM PC clones in USA. The company has proved the quality of the 
products as the company became the OEM-manufacturer of a couple
of computer giants.

The company is interested in expanding its sales network world-
wide. Any interested parties can contac me. My friend says the price 
will be VERY competitive if it is not the lowest in the market.

You can contact me at,

	Youngwhan Lee
	2004 S. Wright St.
	Urbana, IL. 61801
	U. S. A.

	email: ywlee@uiuc.edu
	phone: (217)244-7144
	fax: (217)244-7757

youngwhan.	

-- 
ywlee@uiuc.edu, ywlee@cs.uiuc.edu           | University of Illinois
2004 S. Wright St. Urbana, IL. 61801	    | Computer Science
Voice: (217) 244-7144, Fax: (217) 244-7757  |
Yes, I believe in science, but nothing else.| Innosys Computing, Inc.
From: josephk@usc.edu (Joseph Kim)
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
Subject: Software Retail
Date: 14 Dec 92 19:40:12 GMT
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
NNTP-Posting-Host: aludra.usc.edu

While I was reading an article in the latest Forbes on Babbages, it
hit me there are practically no small scale software retailers.
Why is that?  Is the margin on shrinkwrapped software so thin that
you have to be the size of Egghead or Software Etc. to make profit?
It seems like a small stand-alone neighborhood sotware retailer in
a populated mall area would do nice business.  Any comments?

Joseph Kim

p.s. If anybody has some numbers for this business, such as margin
     rate, startup cost, etc., please post.
From: stuczyns@presto.ig.com (Martin Stuczynski)
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
Subject: Re: What's in a name?
Summary: name?
Date: 16 Dec 92 23:34:48 GMT
Organization: IntelliGenetics Inc., Mtn. View, Ca.

In article <2383@deadmin.ucsd.edu>, dwargo@cs.ucsd.edu (Dave Wargo) writes:
> Greetings fellow entrepreneurs;
> 
> If I was so inclined to start up a company and wanted to call it "XYZ Company"
> how do I go about doing a search to find out if that name has been taken?
> 




Check with your county commisioner's office. They have a list of all
business's registered in your county. You can check their list and
then file for what's known as a "fictitious business name" (Don't ask
me why they call it fictitious) that will be registerd in the county.
You will need to be registered to set up a company bank account so you
can cash checks made out to your company's name etc. as the bank will
demand proof that you are registered.
 If you go national you can check with the office of Trademarks and
copyrights to see if someone already has your company name or logo
on file. Their office is in Wash DC.
 You may also be required to publish your name in the "public
announcements " section ofa local newspaper as part of the
registration process.

-MArty 
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
From: jgd@dixie.com (John De Armond)
Subject: Re: How to get a reseller's license
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 92 09:29:14 GMT
Organization: Dixie Communications Public Access.  The Mouth of the South.
Distribution: usa

bob@consult.UUCP (Bob Willey CDP) writes:

>In article <514@gold.gvg.tek.com> jimd@pequod.gvg.tek.com (Jim Delwiche) writes:
>>I was recently thwarted in an attempt to buy something from a
>>wholesaler, because I didn't have a reseller's license.  What is
>>involved in getting a reseller's license?  

>What you describe is not the attempt to start a business, but rather
>and attempt to establish a "front" for the purpose of purchasing wholesale.

>You might want to be really careful (especially in posting a messages
>to thousands of people) as this could be seen as possible fraud.

What rubbish.  To answer the original question, usually the wholesaler
will want to see a business license and a sales tax exemption.
Obtaining the business license is usually as simple as applying at 
your local tax office.  Assuming you're proposing to do something
benign, you should have no problem with the license being for yourself.
The second part is to apply for and get a sales tax number.  Here in
Georgia that obligates you to fill out and return a monthly sales tax
report along with any taxes collected.  Zero activity is OK.  Even
if you pay sales tax to the wholesaler (recommended unless you like
filling out paperwork), the wholesaler will likely use the existance
of a sales tax number as part of the proof of your being in business.

You may run into other arcane requirements depending on what you want to 
buy.  For example, my wife is a glass artist with a studio here in
our house.  In an effort to make entry to the trade more difficult
and to supress competition, many stained glass artists who work out of
storefronts have lobbied some of the wholesalers to only sell wholesale
to those artists who can either produce a picture of their storefront
or supply a copy of a Yellow Pages ad.  My wife does not advertise
and only does commissioned work so no Yellow Pages.  A quick trip and $50
to the custom sign painter got her a vinyl banner we hung in our yard
to take the picture of our "storefront".  Since converted houses are
popular with SG artists, this looks quite correct.  The banner is
handy when we do shows so the money was not wasted.

I guess the short answer is act like a businessman on the phone and
find out what your distributor wants and then get it.

John
-- 
John De Armond, WD4OQC               |Interested in high performance mobility?  
Performance Engineering Magazine(TM) | Interested in high tech and computers? 
Marietta, Ga                         | Send ur snail-mail address to 
jgd@dixie.com                        | perform@dixie.com for a free sample mag
Need Usenet public Access in Atlanta?  Write Me for info on Dixie.com.
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
From: tranl@lib101.its.rpi.edu (Luong T. Tran)
Subject: Re: Subject: How can teen make money?
Reply-To: tranl@rpi.edu
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY.
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 00:53:50 GMT

In article <1992Dec13.030713.18908@sol.cs.wmich.edu>, Dale@sol.cs.wmich.edu (Dale Gee) writes:
|> >
|> >P.S. This idea is shareware.  If you use it and earn a profit, send
|> >a $25 registration fee to me (email me for address).
|> >-- 
|> >THANX...Gregg   woodcock@bnr.ca   day 214.684.7380   night 214.530.2495
|> >*CLASSIC VIDEOGAME COLLECTOR BUY/SELL/TRADE PRE-NINTENDO (ARCADE/HOME)*
|> >"If you quote me on this I'll have to deny it; I won't remember because
|> >my memory is so terrible.  Not only that, but I have a bad memory." -Me
|> 
|> 25 bucks? Oh get real you would scam some 15 year old girl for advice
|> in how to raise some bucks for school.  How low can you go?
|> I didn't know this was the alt.scam.teenagers newsgroup.  
|> I hope the next you ask someone a question they ask for your visa card 
|> number first.
|>  
|> *flame off*
|> 
|> 

Most of the responses I have read focus on some exotic ways for
a teenager to make money.  As I understand the original
message, the girl wants the here-and-now solutions, not long-term
or future solutions.  Many people sounded like they were making fun
for the girl's request for suggestions.  
	I just subscribed this newsgroup and don't know your culture
or professional expertise.  Please excuse me if what I said is against
the culture.  I just want to try this newsgroup to see how it's different
from misc.invest, my favorite newsgroup.  

LTT.

PS:  Note that I am not offering any solutions.  I am just viewing my
comments.