Re: [off-topic add-on] Re: [mv] minivend and sql, it is not true

[Birgitt Funk <birgitt@minivend.com>]

On Thu, 28 Oct 1999, Mr. Christopher F. Miller wrote:

> ******    message to minivend-users from "Mr. Christopher F. Miller" <cfm@maine.com>     ******
> 
> Yes, that was me, in private because I thought it too off topic.  Maybe
> not.  This issue is a **business** issue, not minivend at all, but the
> same people are involved.  Gee, I thought you were a book seller!
> 

I think it is an off topic issue.

> We have one particular specialty bookstore now doing more than half 
> its business, both buying and selling, online.  $1M+. They have a minivend 
> site; we update various vertical market sites (bibliocity, bibliofind, 
> aa-I-forget automatically every day.  We are starting that with other 
> vertical market/portal/aggregate sites.  My understanding of Alibris.com 
> is that it will roll up sellers anonymously and sell everything under
> its own name.  I've seen the same thing in other industries and
> really expect it to become the norm: clothing, biotech and welding 
> supplies are three others on which we are working right now.
> 
> > Bookmarkets in the US and Europe are quite different in structure.
> 
> I wonder how long that can be true.  Next year will be a very different
> picture. 

It is changing as we speak, rapidly.

> How does this affect all of our catalogs/businesses in the 
> future?  What if Alibris (just to pick a name) offers $9.95 a month 
> or even free catalogs?  What does that do to our customers and 
> their ability to offer valuable and special services?  Or will 
> we all eat at McD's?
> 
> > Ironically, if, for example, MV would have been involved in developing
> > the Amazon site (hey, who knows, may be it was 8-)), an open
> > source and no-cost software would have directly helped to create
> > one of the most monopolistic, international book businesses in less 
> 
> ISPs are already offering complete **free** online catalogs.  Amazon is
> cheap.  I think Lycos and Yahoo have a grade that is free.  Once the system
> is in place, the marginal cost **seems** low.  It does not matter if it is 
> minivend per se.  You can get an online catalog site just as easily and
> smoothly as you can get a copy of MS SQL.   The problem I see: if the
> bottom of the market gets ripped out (too late - already done) how is 
> the typical small business using those generic freebies going to compete 
> with Amazon? 

They won't.

> Or will they just be a kiosk at Amazon, MSN, whatever?

Not necessarily. As with thousands of local ethnic restaurants who can
survive a McDonald in their neighborhood. They survive on their local
clientele. 

In Germany could still compete quite nicely as we had "fixed prices"
for German titles, but that is over soon. It's a **political** issue as
well. 
 
> I'll shut up now.  If this a topic anyone wants to follow up off list
> I'd be happy to set up a mini list.
> 

I would. I just wanted to give notice that any of the MV gurus out there,
who has a powerfull bookselling client, can use my domain name if they
like. I had quite some requests for the domain before but wasn't
ready to give it away. Now I am.

I forgot to say that the client must use MV and must host within Mike
Heins' network (dependent on him wanting that, of course, I didn't
check with him) to use the name and must be an independent brick and
mortar bookseller with existing business. 

Sorry again for abusing the list for this.

Birgitt Funk