HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: burgoyne@highlite.uucp (J. Robert Burgoyne)
Subject: Re: Credit card fraud etc...
Organization: Gotham Communications Research
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 17:57:10 GMT

asuncion@ac.dal.ca writes:
: 
: Are people willing to leave their credit card numbers with a 1-800 voice-mail
: automated answering service, when responding to a print ad? Are they worried
: about credit card fraud? Will this cut sales drastically?

I've had people leave credit card info on a recording that doesn't even ask the
caller to do so. But my gut feeling is that it is not the right way to go.
Besides, to protect yourself you'll want to call those people back to verify
the orders before you ship them.

But don't take my advice, let your market tell you through a test.

One of the original products marketed with the recorded message technique are
the booklets which tell you how to buy government seized vehicles. These have
been around for more than ten years, so it is reasonable to assume that they
are profitable. (If not on the first sale, then on the back end.)

One of these services I called does not use a 1-800 number, and what they do is
ship you the booklet C.O.D. if you leave your name, address, and phone # after
listening to the message. Rejections for C.O.D. can be high though, so your
cost model will have to take this into account.

One way you could improve upon this idea is to get a more sophisticated 
voice messaging system which lets the call get transferred to a fulfillment
house if the reader so requests by pressing a certain touch-tone key.
The caller starts out by hearing a message, then they are given the option
to order the product by talking with a human being who is well equipped to
process and ship the order promptly.

The services offered by the baby bells don't seem to be able to do this yet.
It needs to be done with more specialized hardware, but there is probably a
service bureau somewhere which can do this for you.

Robert
From: dlhpfm!dlh@NCoast.org (daniel lance herrick)
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
Subject: Re: Estimating number of buyers?
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 92 20:32:31 EDT
Organization: dlh Performance Marketing

ywlee@dante.cs.uiuc.edu (Youngwhan Lee) writes:

> Hi,
> I have a software. I need to estimate the number of purchasers.
> This software is very speicalized.
 
> Say, there is a 10,000 potential buyers. By potential buyers, I mean
> the ones who inquired more information on the software. If the price
> is right, what percentage of them would purchase the software in general? 
> The assumption is no matter how the price goes low, all of them would not 
> buy it. (Am I right?)
 
> Can you people out there guess the number?

This is like guessing the number of beans in the fishbowl.

Giants in mail order have discovered after the fact that they wrote an
ad that invited frivolous inquiries.  The two stage sell is more
complicated than the single stage promotion.

The ad that generates the inquiries needs to qualify prospects, that is
attract the attention of people who actually may buy.  An ad that makes
people ask for more information just to satisfy their curiosity
generates too many frivolous inquiries from people who will not buy.

Publisher's Clearing House sends out millions of copies of that
sweepstakes offer and is content with orders in the 1-2% area.  Jim
(I've forgotten his last name and am too lazy to look it up) told of
sending an unsolicited direct mailing to CEOs at a thousand dollars a
copy and expecting a much higher response rate.

The point of these words is that there is no information in your
question on which to base an answer.

dan  of dlh Performance Marketing  POBox 1419  Mentor Ohio 44061
       NCoast.org!dlhpfm!dlh or ab.com!dlhpfm.uucp!dlh   (216)974-9637
"He who walks in integrity walks securely,
 But he who perverts his ways will be found out." Proverbs 10:9
From: Grant.Cunningham@p55.f54.n105.z1.therose.pdx.com (Grant Cunningham)
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
Subject: ILLEGAL TO OPERATE MULTI-LEVEL WITH PURE MONEY TRANSACTIONS??
Date: 20 Aug 92 04:38:36 GMT
Article-I.D.: therose.714382666.F00001

ecrjbruce wrote about "ILLEGAL TO OPERATE MULTI-LEVEL WITH PURE MONEY
TRANSACTIONS??".
Here's what GRANT CUNNINGHAM thinks:

 e> From: ecrjbruce@economics.adelaide.edu.au
 e> Hmm why do you say Amway is unethical?

Watch this space.....

 e> What is uncivilised about Amway??  They did away with CFC's in 1974

 e> Yet you would no  doubt trust people like Salomon (of the bonds scandal
 e> fame) and Drexel, Burnham, Lambert (of stackbroking fame)  Yet who has
 e> been convicted of criminal offences

 >>> All you've
 >>> actually shown is that their legal departments recognize that Amway
 >>> has successfully avoided being convicted.

 e> Which all Milken's billions failed to achieve for him.....
 e> or to use an Australian example Alan Bond.... or John Gotti ...or...

This is precisely why many people (most, I would venture to say) consider the
Amway membership to be unethical.  Look at your own post:  rather than
discussing Amway's sales practices, you prefer (like EVERY SINGLE AMWAY DRONE
I've ever talked to, read about, or seen posted on any computer network) to
obfuscate.  The references to the CFC contents is specious, and the references
to someone "preferring" convicted criminals over Amway is absurd and disgusting.
 The intent, of course, is to make Amway seem so clean in comparison.  Who said
that he/she prefers Millken to anyone else?  Nobody. All he said was that he
preferred NOT to do business with Amway.

Here it is in a nutshell: Amway people WILL NOT tell you what your real job is
in the organization (namely, selling still more memberships to that
organization.)  They use the hard-earned banners of respected products -- for
which they  are simply one of MANY dealers -- to cloak themselves in
believability.  They won't even divulge the name of their "fine" organization
when discussing it, again using the names of the products they "sell" as a
screen for the real company.  If it looks like sleaze, and walks like
sleaze....

-=[ Grant ]=-

Fight-O-Net:  1:105/54.55
Eunuchs: UUCP  ...!{reed, m2xenix}!glacier!busker!54.55!Grant.Cunningham
         INTERNET  Grant.Cunningham@p55.f54.n105.z1.FIDONET.ORG
From: cliff@allen.com (Cliff Allen)
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
Subject: Re: Super fast and inexpensive marketing
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 92 19:33:20 EDT
Organization: Allen Marketing Group - Raleigh, NC

markh@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Hunk) writes:

>    If I have a software product that expands on a smaller version which had a
> proven track record of popularity in the public domain, would it then make
> sense to start marketing the larger package by a direct mail campaign?
> 
>    For example, I can get a list of (say 1-5 hundred) addresses together, wri
> up an ad/order form, and send out the letters, get a few orders, sell, turn b
> some of the profit into a larger batch of letters in the next round, etc.

When a product is successful in shareware it is inviting to launch it as 
a commercial product, however there are a few differences in the 
expectations of the market that you need to allow for.

When we use and register shareware I think many users evaluate the 
product based on the features of the current version since they realize 
the developer probably has a "real job."  When we evaluate commercial 
software we look for an established company that can provide support and 
regular upgrades.  Also, since most commercial software is more expensive 
than comparable shareware, prospective buyers are a little more 
skeptical.

This means that the commercial developer needs sales literature that 
projects an image that they can meet these needs.

>    It seems if the product really IS popular, I should be able to generate
> progressively larger batchs of letters on each subsequent round and bootstrap
> myself into a profitable self-supporting business after 3 or 4 rounds, with
> very little (< $250) initial capital on round 1.

If you plan to rent mailing lists, keep in mind that most brokers have a 
5,000 name minimum (at around $100 per thousand names) so you'll pay 
about $500  just for the names.  However, usually you can use them over 
several months.  The other initial cost is for printing brochures -- the 
cost per piece goes down rapidly so order enough to cover a few months of 
mailings. 

By the way, don't forget to study your competitors to see what they are 
doing with direct mail, advertising, pricing, support, etc.

Cliff
From: ivory@e7sa.epi.syr.ge.com (John Ivory)
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
Subject: QVC and the like...
Date: 19 Aug 92 14:04:38 GMT
Reply-To: ivory@e7sa.epi.syr.ge.com
Organization: Tower Concepts


We're considering using QVC (one of those 24 hour TV shopping channels)
as a route for getting our new product to market.

- What's "the word"?
- Has anybody had experience with them or similar organizations?
- What kind of cut do they want?
- What should we be cautious of?
- How would this compare to getting distributed through catalogs?

E-mail responses are preffered (although posting here is just fine).
I'll be happy to summarize and repost.  Thanks.


------------------------------------------------------------------------- \ \ \ 
   Tower Concepts                                          John E. Ivory   \ \
   103 Sylvan Way                                       ivory@crd.ge.com    \ \
   New Hartford, NY  13413                     ivory@e7sa.epi.syr.ge.com     \
   (315) 724-1471                                                             \
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
From: markh@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Hunk)
Subject: Re: Patent Search
Organization: Computing Services Division, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1992 01:10:05 GMT

In article <1992Aug7.213050.8922@uwm.edu> markh@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (Hunk) writes:
>   If I'm starting up a business on a new or relatively new product, am I
>right in insisting on a preliminary patent search, followed by a patent
>application (if the search is clear)?

In article <1992Aug10.155700.11985@bilver.uucp> alex@bilver.uucp (Alex Matulich) writes:
>Of course.  And these days you can do it yourself in a matter of minutes,
>if you have access to an online service such as Lexis/Nexis.

I found those services recently.  Is there enough there to do a COMPLETE
patent search on?
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
From: davesum@next10pg2.wam.umd.edu (David Andrew Sumner)
Subject: Credit Cards
Organization: Workstations at Maryland, University of Maryland, College Park
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 21:18:59 GMT

Since I incorporated my business, I've been hearing a lot from people who
want to sell me credit card authorization services.  What's the scoop?
There have been almost as many contacts as there have been letters saying  
that I've won a free trip to Bermuda.  Since most of my business will be  
"on order", I only need to be able to call an authorization service.  The  
machine isn't really necessary.


Any info would be appreciated.
From: rab@sprite.berkeley.edu (Robert A. Bruce)
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
Subject: Re: bar code info needed
Date: 17 Aug 1992 19:14:52 GMT
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: jaywalk.berkeley.edu

In article <1992Jul22.120700.6784@lonex.rl.af.mil> pronif@lonex.rl.af.mil (Frederick P. Proni) writes:
>I'm presently producing a product that I'd like to sell in chain grocery
>stores other than mom 'n pop stores.  These stores have written to me that
>I need a bar code to aid them in check-out.  My question is: Where does one
>go about applying for such an item and is it necessary?

Yes, it is necessary.  Most retail stores (even the mom 'n pop stores) will
not even consider stocking your product if it does not have a UPC barcode.

To put a UPC barcode on your product, you need to get a manufacturer code.
It costs $300 to register.  You can have up to 10^5 individual products.

	Uniform Code Council
	8163 Old Yankee Road, Suite J
	Dayton, OH  45458

	(513) 435-3870

I have no connection to the UCC, other than the fact that my cdrom business
is registered as manufacturer number 47851.

	-bob
From: a_willisgt@ccsvax.sfasu.edu
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
Subject: Trademark vs. Company Name
Date: 18 Aug 92 02:47:56 CST
Organization: Stephen F. Austin State University

Hello, folks -

  I've got a question on my mind.  I'd appreciate any response to this:

  Hypothetical situation:  Mr. John Doe owns and operates a company called
Amalgamated Widget, Inc.  The company produces software and does contract
work. He's been running this company for 18 months, and has marketed his
products and services under that name.  He has not, however, registered the
name as a trademark.

  Ms. Jane Doe creates a software product called 'An Amalgamated Widget'. 
She hasn't yet marketed this product.  If she does, will she be stepping on Mr.
Doe's legal rights?  

  ---

  The way I understand trademark laws, whoever continuously uses a particular
design/logo/etc essentially owns the design/logo/etc, whether it is registered
or not.

  For those who haven't guessed, yes, I need to register a trademark before I
wind up in a potential legal battle.  I have all the papers and such from the
appropriate offices, but there's something I need to know:

  Companies like Apple, Adobe, and others have managed to trademark all or part
of thier company names.  For instance, the name 'Apple Computer, Inc.' is not
trademarked; but they own the trademark 'Apple'.  Adobe's the same way.

  Is that a default trademark?  Since the company is called 'Apple', do they
get the trademark 'Apple' by defauly (asuming that nobody else had registered
the same trademark beforehand), or did they have to register the 'Apple'
trademark seperately?

  Any and all responses are greatly appreciated.

Ty Willis
a_willisgt@ccsvax.sfasu.edu
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
From: rubin@chocktaw.cis.ohio-state.edu (Daniel Rubin)
Subject: Re: DOes your business need an 800 number ?
Organization: The Ohio State University, Department of Computer and Information Science
Distribution: usa
Date: Sun, 16 Aug 1992 17:47:56 GMT

>
>800 numbers available with no installation charge and no monthly charge.
>email for details.
>
>- Ramesh

What is the actual definintion of "voicemail" and how does it work?  I hope
I do not sound too ignorant.  I have heard of voicemail, but never really
knew what it meant...

Thanks								- Dan


-- 
  Daniel Joseph Rubin    |  "...A good football team for the alumni, parking
rubin@cis.ohio-state.edu |  for the faculty and sex for the students."
      GO        GO       |  - President E. Gordon Gee on the three things that
    BENGALS  BUCKEYES    |  a great university president must provide.....
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
From: cd651@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Wally L. Blume)
Subject: Re: Credit Cards
Reply-To: cd651@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Wally L. Blume)
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 92 08:02:32 GMT


In a previous article, davesum@next10pg2.wam.umd.edu (David Andrew Sumner) says:

>Since I incorporated my business, I've been hearing a lot from people who
>want to sell me credit card authorization services.  What's the scoop?
>There have been almost as many contacts as there have been letters saying  
>that I've won a free trip to Bermuda.  Since most of my business will be  
>"on order", I only need to be able to call an authorization service.  The  
>machine isn't really necessary.
>
>Any info would be appreciated.

  You are right if you don't have a high credit card volume and you don't 
have the customer standing there waiting you really don't need the machine.
I'm sure there has to be a voice verification services somewhere. Seems
like the card company would offer this service via 1-800 since it is in
their best intrest.
-- 
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
   /   / __  /  /     |         Wally Blume         |"God does not play dice
  /   / _ / /  / /_/  |      Internet address:      |  with the universe."
 /_/_/ /_/ /  / __/   | cd651@cleveland.freenet.edu | -- Albert Einstein
From: hutch@bellman.lanl.gov (John Hutchinson)
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
Subject: Re: Software packaging/shrink wrap
Date: 20 Aug 92 13:54:53 GMT
Reply-To: hutch@bellman.lanl.gov
Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory

Shrink wrap machines can be purchased from outfits such as Consolidated Plastics
Company, 1-800-362-1000.  Call them for a free catalog.  Be forewarned, however,
that the smaller ones start at $402 and go up from there.

If your volume is relatively low, there is a second, economical answer.  From the
same company you can buy boxes (500 count) of shrink wrap bags in varying sizes
beginning at $36 or so for video tape size.  Then go out and buy one of those
kitchen freezer bag heat sealing units for around $25.  Finally, buy a hot air
gun (used for stripping paint) from a hardware store for around $30.  Place your
product in a bag, seal it with the kitchen unit and shrink it with the hot air
gun.  It will look every bit as professional as "higer price spread".  Try it.


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


---

___________________________ John "HUTCH" Hutchinson _________________________
_________________ Fair Dinkum Technologies     Member - IAAD  _______________
________________ "No worries, mate... it's from Fair Dinkum!" _______________
____________ email: hutch@bellman.lanl.gov   GEnie: FAIR-DINKUM _____________
From: asuncion@ac.dal.ca
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
Subject: Looking for Taiwan manufacturer.
Date: 16 Aug 92 14:31:17 -0300
Organization: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

From:
Robert Speirs
12 Briarwood Cres
Halifax, NS
B3M 1P3, Canada
tel:(902)443-3965
asuncion@ac.dal.ca

I am looking for the Taiwan manufacturer of the Wei's Roll-O-Ruler, patent
number 5,050,309 . Any help with my search will be most appreciated. Thank you.

Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
From: Nigel.Allen@bbs.oit.unc.edu (Nigel Allen)
Subject: Dun & Bradstreet credit rating for businesses
Organization: Echo Beach
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 09:32:28 GMT

Dun & Bradstreet is a credit reporting agency that mainatins files on
companies, not individuals. (It also has a subsidiary that sells software,
which doesn't have anything to do with this discussion.)

Some of your suppliers may want to know if your company is "rated in D&B" --
that is, if Dun & Bradstreet has compiled a report on your company and
assigned it a credit rating. You may not want to give Dun & Bradstreet
all the information it asks for, but your suppliers will probably insist
on getting that information anyway, whether it comes directly from you or
via Dun & Bradstreet.

To have a report done on your firm, call the local Dun & Bradstreet office
and ask to speak to the manager of the businss data division. If you can't
find a Dun & Bradstreet office listed in your local phone directory,
write to:
 Manager, Business Data Division
 Dun & Bradstreet
 1 Diamond Hill Road
 Murray Hill, N.J. 07974
 telephone (908) 665-5000

You may have to be quite patient when dealing with Dun & Bradstreet.
Some of their people don't seem to be very well trained, and they aren't
that good at answering the phone quickly.

I think a company can get a copy of its Dun & Bradstreet report free of
charge just by contacting D&B. This is useful in case a supplier has
reported your company as delinquent, or in case D&B has misunderstood
some of the information you supplied.


--
   The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University of
     North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the Campus Office for Information
        Technology, or the Experimental Bulletin Board Service.
           internet:  bbs.oit.unc.edu or 152.2.22.80
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
From: goodguy@next03pg2.wam.umd.edu (Shen Kai Lew)
Subject: Re: Advertising
Organization: Workstations at Maryland, University of Maryland, College Park
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 15:26:31 GMT

In article <1992Aug11.103722.14365@microsoft.com> muhamk@microsoft.com  
(Muhammad Karim) writes:
> I am not sure is this the right group for this. And
> if it si not then i am sorry
> 
> I would like some idea regarding advertising through TV (in Pakistan)
> 
> I am interested in starting some kind of business activity (seeling 
> product, idea or information through Television Media.  Advertising 
> wont be any problem in Pakistan.
> 
> Basically, I am looking for product idea or information. Hiring 
> someone in Pakistan can be taken care of easily.  I would appreciate
> if someone can guide me what to do.
> 
> i would really appreciate any reponses.
> Thanks.
> muhammad
> muhamk@microsoft.com


I think what you have to do is sit down and assess your financial  
resources, opportunities, and environmental threats before you jump into  
any business activity. Go to the library and look under the business  
section. The questions you have to ask yourself are:

1. what are your strengths
2. are they achievable and marketable
3. do I have enough help (money, friends, information) to do the job?
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
From: bz320@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (John E. Ray)
Subject: Computer Services available (Programming, etc)
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, (USA)
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 92 04:18:37 GMT


I am offering my services as a freelance programmer and system
operator.  All services will be completed to your satisfaction
before payment is made.
 
 
Services Available:
(All items apply to both Macintosh and IBM Compatible systems)
--------------------------------------------------------------
 
Custom Database application programming - Dbase, Helix, etc.
Database maintenance and conversion
Business Mailing Lists - monthly/weekly, etc. mailings
Application programming - Mac/OS, Windows, DOS
 
Email aa1296@freenet.lorain.oberlin.edu for more information.
      =================================
 
Feel free to leave a description of any problems, I am more than
happy to offer estimates in terms of both money and time.
 
---------------------------------------------------------------

-- 
"The wise man said just find your place
 In the eye of the storm
 Seek the roses along the way
 Just beware of the thorns."        -   Scorpions
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
From: farah@sol.ral.rpi.edu (Jeffrey J. Farah)
Subject: Buying into an apartment building & expanding store-front
Keywords: buying into a building, expanding storefronts
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 17:03:02 GMT


Hi Netters:


I am posting this for a colleague of mine who has thoughts on becoming
the next 'Donald'.  Here's the scoop:

He is interested in buying an apartment building in NYC which is
commercially zoned (has a storefront on the bottom floor) and 7 living
units (apatments).  

Problems:

	1) He wants to expand the bottom floor to include the 1st. 
	floor apartment in the storefront.  He's not sure what kind
	of problems, if any, he would encounter when trying to do this.


	2) The building is owned free and clear by the present owners.
	However, he seems to think that the owners incorporated when
	they bought the building a long time ago and haven't paid the
	corporation tax.  If he buys the building, he doesn't want to
	be stuck with paying those taxes, the penalties etc.

Do any of y'all out in netter land have any ideas or comments for him?
Has anyone out there gone through a similar experience?  Any help I am sure
will be appreciated.  

Please respond to my email, and I'll forward the information to him.  He lives
in NJ and we see each other frequently enough that the information will not
be dated.

Thanks in advance:

Jeff

email:  farah@sol.ral.rpi.edu