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October 31, 2005
Sydney Johnstons’ Auction Genius Course is a Gem
I am very honored to have this testimonial by a student, Dennis Hester. It is reprinted exactly as he wrote it and I feel very humble. Thank you, Dennis!
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Ebay is known as the world’s biggest flea market and there you will find a lot of gems and a lot of junk. And it’s the same with those who teach “how to be successful on ebay,” you will find some gems, and you will find some whose advice is pure junk.
I have found the veteran ebayer and teacher Sydney Johnston to be a gem. She knows more about being successful on ebay than anyone I’ve ever talked with or read about. Her enthusiasm and passion to communicate the way to success on the ebay journey is effective and rewarding for the students who listen and follow her teaching. You know the old saying, “You get what you pay for?” Well, it has never been truer than investing in Sydney’s Auction Genius Class. I’m a graduate of her 16th class.
I found Sydney to be genuinely concerned about my success, which I might add is very rare on the internet or anywhere else for that matter.
Sydney gave our class a lot of inside information. She is an encourager and a realist. She really does say, “Stop whining and get off your butt and get to work. You can do this and if you ever quit trying, I’ll haunt you for the rest of your life.” Well, maybe that is a little strong, but what I mean to say is that Sydney wants you to succeed, and she doesn’t mind telling you the un-farnished truth, that sometimes opposes and even contradicts much of the advice you hear from others.
Along with the nose-to-the-grindstone teaching, Sydney flavors her classes with her energetic personality, humor and heart-felt laughter. Sydney is real. She’s approachable, friendly, and tries to be genuinely helpful. You can sense her honesty and her frustration with some of eBay’s quirks.
Sydney tells it like it is. She don’t mess around or have any time for so-called internet marketing gurus who are out to sell junk and spread a bunch of B.S. about how you can become rich on eBay “by only” investing in their “product or program.”
Without hesitation, Sydney tells you up front that eBay is not simple, it is not easy, and you can’t get rich over night, or everyone would be doing it. But if you have the willingness and determination to work hard and not give up, Sydney says, “This is not rocket science; you can learn to be successful on ebay, and I can teach you what has worked for me.”
Please note what Sydney says. She says, “I can teach you what has worked for me.” Sydney’s way is not the “only way” to do eBay. There are other eBay “Power Sellers” you can learn from, and I’ve learned from others also, but one ingredient in the relationship must be present for me to hear, believe and implement, and that is trust. I trust Sydney.
Realism isn’t what a lot of us want to hear who are starting out on ebay and in internet marketing, but Sydney has been in the trenches since 1995 and she definitely knows what she’s talking about. And, believe me, when someone is as knowledgeable and straightforward as Sydney, she can save you a lot of headache, a lot of money, a lot of time, and get you started on the real road to success a lot sooner than you’ll ever be able to do by yourself.
In Sydney’s class you will learn the difference between auctions that are working and ones that are failing. She will point out the mistakes that sellers make and how to avoid them. She will show you secret tips that she has used in making her auction listings stand out from others.
Listen, the information that Sydney gives on “How to use ebay to make money beyond eBay” is worth the price of her class.” Ebay is a giant business, a money making-machine for entrepreneurs that will invest the time to start mastering it. I say “start mastering it,” because eBay is so hugh and powerful and constantly changing that you have to become a consistent student of eBay.
Sydney continues to be a student of ebay and Internet marketing. She is always learning new Internet marketing techniques that complement what she has already learned on ebay. And get this, she is willing to share all of her learning, resources and inside information with her students. And often she says, “This information I’m giving you today, I share with no one except my students.” Sydney shares her mistakes, her failures and successes. No brag, just fact.
Does Sydney have all the answers? No way! Does Sydney guarantee you’ll become successfully rich by taking her Auction Genius Course? No indeed. Should you stop reading and learning from other powersellers and eBay marketers? Not at all, but Sydney’s teaching goes far beyond the basics, far beyond eBay and “need to know information,” that is advanced and effective and will help you produce results.
I encourage you to take Sydney’s Auction Genius Course the next time it is offered. I mean if you really want to learn the tools and techniques that can help you become successful on eBay, get your name on her list.
And one of the greatest reasons to take Sydney’s class is found in her own words. She says, “Just because the class is over, don’t be a stranger. Let me hear from you. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be glad to help, just drop me an email.” Follow up support and advice after the class is priceless. Thanks, Sydney. And, by the way, I’m not even going to talk about the $1,000 plus dollars of bonuses in ebooks, videos and other resources, Sydney sends you after you complete the course because I think the course stands on it’s on merit.
Don’t waste your time listening to people who say “eBay doesn’t work.” Those people aren’t making any money. Why should you listen to me? Acting as an eBay assistant seller, I’ve sold over $14,900.00 of medical equipment in the past two months, and my commission, from the owner of the equipment, was more than enough to pay for Sydney’s Auction Genius Course. But who am I? I’m just a rookie and one of Sydney’s many satisfied students.
Read more about Sydney’s Auction Genius Course here,
http://auction-genius-course.com
by
Dennis J. Hester
www.Betterchurches.com
www.Vancehavnersermons.com
Hester’s Auctioneering Service
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 6:36 AM | TrackBack
October 27, 2005
Collectible Glassware Teaches Powerful eBay Lessons
Some expensive collectible glassware has valuable lessons to offer anyone wanting an eBay auction business. In this case, the items for sale were expensive Lladro figurines and a friend asked me to help her brother who was in a bind and needed money fast. Normally, I don't have time for individual help, except for my Auction Genius students, but this was an exception. How do we turn down friends, after all?
Expensive items like Lladro collectible glassware requirement extra attention to detail. For instance, here is a Lladro figurine that sold for the astounding (to me, anyway) price of $6,999.99:
If YOU were the buyer of this collectible glassware, wouldn't you have lots of concerns? Like ... authenticity? safe shipping? price?
Learn what I told my friend's brother about selling his figurines on eBay. And by the way ... he was very, very happy with the prices he got! Good for him.
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 11:51 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
October 26, 2005
eBay USA MISInformation Is Everywhere!
eBay USA is (today) the #4 most-trafficked website in the world. So naturally, there are all kinds of so-called experts roaming the web claiming to understand eBay. And some of the ... garbage ... that is published is astonishing. For instance, I found this in a recent article. The topic of this absurdity was about how to get one-way links to your website from eBay:
“After you have successfully registered with the website, you can start placing the products for auction. This would include a link to your website with the product. You can go for multiple links to your websites for even a single product.”
Nonsense!
eBay couldn't be more specific than this:
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May I link to my Web site or Home page from the View Item page?
No, you may not link to your Home page or Web site from the View Item page.
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There's lots more on the subject, of course, but that one sentence will suffice to make the point. And the penalties for disobeying these rules are as follows:
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Violations of this policy may result in a range of actions, including:
Listing cancellation
Limits on account privileges
Account suspension
Forfeit of eBay fees on cancelled listings
Loss of PowerSeller status
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Yes, you can break the rules and stay one step ahead of the eBay police. That is a colossal waste of energy, though. It's exhausting and the amount of time spent could be more profitably used getting real links.
But here's the real point ... what use is it to get a link from a page that will last, at most, for only 10 days?
Yes, there are ways to use eBay to build your online business and we teach those in our Auction Genius Course when we discuss your ebay auction business. But this surely isn't one of the methods. It's ridiculous advice.
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 11:13 AM | TrackBack
October 24, 2005
Google "Hole" Damages Legitimate Businesses!
It's no news that there are unscrupulous and unethical people working on the Net. And high search engine positions - especially on Google - are so incredibly valuable that lots of scumbags exploit the system to the detriment of those who are playing fair. And what does 'playing fair' mean? Simply giving customers real value, rather than throwing up trash and clogging the Net with more spammy sites. The article below is thought-provoking, and rather frightening.
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Google Bowling: How Competitors Can Sabotage You; What Google Should Do About It
by Michael Pedone
Have you heard about the latest 'sport' in dirty online business? It's called Google Bowling and it represents a gaping flaw in Google's system that allows your competitors to sabotage your site to the point of getting it banned or penalized.
This can't happen, right? I mean, Google would have us believe their algorithms are not easily manipulated and that your rankings are safely under your (and their) control. But in fact there's a chink in Google's armor that can have massive consequences for any web business unfortunate enough to have aggressive and unethical competitors.
Here's the loophole, explained
It all began with Google's aggressive attempts to curb link popularity manipulation by penalizing sites that purchase site-wide text link ads to get lots of incoming links in a hurry. (eg: If the ad selling site had 1,000 pages, the advertiser's link would instantly be on 1,000 pages.)
Google began filtering sites that indulged in this kind of linkage and either penalized or flat-out removed the site from its database. Bad news for that business. Excellent news for their competition. Can you guess what's coming next?
Certain scoundrels began thinking: 'If buying site-wide text link ads en masse will get my site into hot water with Google, why not buy them for my competitor's site instead? Then just sit back and wait for Google to solve my number one business headache... the competition.' (Cue evil laughter sound track.)
This, ladies and gentlemen, is Google Bowling. Simple. Devious. Devastating. And not just in theory; it's really happening out there.
Here at eTrafficJams.com, we are hearing from a lot of businesses whose sites once enjoyed great rankings (ours included) and now don't even show up in Google for their own company name.
A small loophole has turned into a devastating black hole, sucking in and wiping out countless quality websites in the process. And it just may be their competitors sending them into the abyss.
Is your head spinning yet? I mean, it was bad enough knowing that with every Google update, your business may go up or down in the rankings depending on the whims of the Google geeks. But now add into the mix the fact that your competitors also have a hand in your search engine health and wellness... well, Houston, we have a problem.
Although this would be a fortuitous time for me to suggest that the solution to this problem is hiring a reputable SEO firm to watch over your rankings, I shall resist the temptation. Instead, I'd like to offer Google - as if they're listening - a simple solution to this nasty problem.
Right now, Google hands out either rewards or harsh penalties for linking strategies - good rankings to reward good linking techniques, and penalties, such as the now-infamous sandbox, to punish un-cool, manipulative linking practices. But there isn't any middle ground.
I say why not create a neutral response... a filter that simply ignores questionable links, neither rewarding nor punishing them?
1) Innocent victims of Google Bowling don't get hurt.
2) If the dubious links actually were perpetrated by the business at the receiving end of them, Google would exclude those links and the site would gain nothing. It would simply be throwing ad money out the window (unless, of course, it was buying site-wide ads in vehicles that generated relevant traffic). And
3) Google's reputation for delivering accurate and fair search results would be restored.
Google needs to do something soon to plug this loophole, not just for the immediate relief of its users but for its own credibility
Although being 'Google Bowled' by a competitor and having your site removed from the database could ruin a small business, the consequences for Google could be just as dire. If chatter picks up that Google's results are easy to manipulate and consequently inaccurate, users may be scared away to other search engines.
Fewer users = fewer clicks on ads = lower revenues. Well, I don't have to spell that out for the financial wizards at Google.
But just think: a few stories on the big TV networks, say on MSNBC (*cough* think Bill Gates' MSN Search, a major Google competitor), revealing how the new sport of Google Bowling is sweeping the nation... well, the average user at home may start to have doubts about Google and maybe decide to try out Yahoo! or MSN Search.
Is it really that far-fetched to speculate that someone like oh, I don't know, Mr. Gates, might take advantage of this situation to solve his number one business headache... the competition?
So I suggest a simple solution to Google's link bowling problem: neutralize suspicious links so they are neither helpful nor harmful. Problem solved. Sorry, Mr. Gates.
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Michael Pedone Founder, eTrafficJams.com, a search engine optimization company specializing in getting targeted, eager-to-buy traffic to your website. Free SEO proposal for your site http://www.etrafficjams.com http://www.etrafficjams.com
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 11:38 AM | TrackBack
October 23, 2005
eBay Keywords Is A Great Research Tool
Did you know there are Arnold Schwarzenegger trading cards? I surely didn't - not until I checked out the eBay Keywords section.
"eBay Keywords is a list of highly popular terms that people search for on eBay. Each eBay Keyword has its very own page that allows you to view all the items eBay has for that keyword."
There are two ways to search:
1. A search box
2. By letters of the alphabet
Just moseying around, I clicked on the letter "S" (for no good reason, except that my name starts with "S" :-). I followed the "Schwarzenegger" path and found:
DVDs & Movies
* DVD (324)
* VHS (154)
* Laserdisc (17)
Entertainment Memorabilia
* Movie Memorabilia (165)
* Autographs-Original (139)
* Other Memorabilia (18)
* Music Memorabilia (5)
Collectibles
* Autographs (48)
* Historical Memorabilia (16)
* Trading Cards (13)
* Photographic Images (9)
* Holiday, Seasonal (7)
Books
* Magazine Back Issues (46)
* Nonfiction Books (23)
Clothing, Shoes & Accessories
* Men's Clothing (19)
* Vintage (11)
Toys & Hobbies
* Action Figures (27)
Beyond curiosity, is there any point to this list? Absolutely. It's great market research tool. If I were doing a site about Schwarzenegger or a site that included him, I would be very interested to know what items were selling well on eBay. It definitely gives me clues because eBay is so 'hot' that we can assume what's true there can be expanded to include the entire net. This may not always hold up, but is more true than not.
And the price is right for this great research tool!
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 11:23 AM | TrackBack
October 22, 2005
eBay Product Reviews: A Marketing Opportunity?
Last month eBay announced their "Product Reviews" section. This is just like Amazon's favorite book reviews - even down to giving other eBay members the right to decide if the review is helpful.
At this time, the only categories in which reviews are allowed are:
* Books
* Cell Phones
* Digital Cameras
* Golf Clubs
* DVD's
* CD's
* Video Games
I am presuming that if eBay decides this is successful, they will expand their categories.
On Amazon, shrewd marketers take advantage of the reivew-writing to create a name for themselves and theoretically bring customers their way. In the Net marketing field it's tough to trust reviews of these books since so many reviewers are trying to curry favor with the author or build their own reputation. It doesn't seem so bad outside this group, however.
Regardless, if you are an expert in any of the areas above, writing reviews might make you a few bucks. Then again, maybe not.
http://pages.ebay.com/learn_more.html
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 11:05 AM | TrackBack
October 20, 2005
Blog Spam = Bane Of Every Genuine Blogger
It really gripes me that blog spam is such a problem on the Net. I'm not surprised, mind you - just annoyed. There are always losers who try to steal (yes, steal!) the recognition they want, rather than earn in ... in this case popularity in the search engines.
Now Google is taking heat for their allowance of blog spam, as reported by eWeek:
"Google Inc.'s free BlogSpot service has become a happy hunting ground for spammers cashing in on the easy integration of AdSense advertisements into the "push-button" publishing tool.
Over the past few days, the situation has spiraled out of control, prompting outrage from bloggers and third-party blog search providers and an acknowledgement from Google that there's a "tricky problem" to be solved."
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1872830,00.asp
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 10:48 AM | TrackBack
October 19, 2005
Dishonest Selling On eBay Tougher With Alert Buyers
I received this email this past week:
"Hello,You Are on my mail list because you may have bought some seeds or bamboo poles from me in the past. There is a guy his ebay ID is ADAMHERSH. He is ripping off a lot of people on ebabay. I`m one of them. Just in the past 30 days he has gotten over 500 neg feedback. There is a petition going around to have him booted off ebay. You don`t have to be a victim of his to sign. Check out his feedback. If you think he needs to get the boot please sign."
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/AntiAdam
Quite fascinating reading and very encouraging if buyers and sellers police the auctions themselves, rather than relying on eBay.
One thing, though ... the gentleman who sent the email above to me has the email addresses of all his customers visible in the email. If I were an unscrupulous scammer, I could take advantage of this error. Not a good thing to do.
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 10:42 AM | TrackBack
October 17, 2005
The Bird Flu and Your Internet Business
Yeah, OK, I know this is a blog about Internet business so why in the world am I talking about the bird flu? Quite simply, if you get sick - really sick - then it costs you time and money. Personally, I'm not sure if the bird flu is a real threat or if it is a media-darling-of-the-moment, but I've struggled with what to do about it. I never, never, ever get shots for the 'regular' flu and author Chet Day has written an interesting article that summarizes my position, too. Whether you agree with Chet and me or not, it makes for interesting reading.
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Why I Never Get Flu Shots or Snorts
I don't diagnose or prescribe, and what you do with your body remains entirely up to you and your doctor (if you still turn the responsibility for your health over to some man or woman in a white smock), but I'll gladly tell you what I do regarding flu shots and flu snorts...
I avoid them like the plague.
In fact, at age 57, I've never had a flu shot, and it would take a Marine nurse and at least four burly wrestlers the size of Jesse Ventura to hold me down for such an injection.
And you'd have to add Mike Tyson to the above list to get a snort of FluMist™ in me since I think you'd have to be out of your mind to purposely accept delivery of a live virus that close to your brain.
Perhaps you already sense I have negative feelings about flu shots and flu snorts?
You're right, I do.
And these feelings stem from personal opinion, reading, and a little common sense.
First off, I don't think toxic chemicals and virus strains grown on living tissue and/or genetically modified in sterile laboratories belong in the human body, even when they're packaged in glass vials or nasal inhaler mechanisms and "delivered" into your body by a medical doctor, registered nurse, or licensed pharmacist.
First, Why I'll Never Snort FluMist™
In the fall of 2003, MedImmune's FluMist™ was supposed to be the next big thing, but, thank God, it flopped like a cow paddy on a dry pasture, and the company ended up giving away millions of doses.
According to a 2003 Washington Times story, "The Gaithersburg-based company has cut the price in half for the vaccine, hoping to eliminate a major barrier to sales from last year, and plans to produce about 1 million doses this year."
Well, it's now the fall of 2005 as I write these words, and MedImmune is still trying to figure out how to get the public to accept FluMist™.
In a move that to me smacks of desperation, I read stories in Google News (search with keyword flumist) in October of 2005 that MedImmune was going to give away enough doses to immunize 53,000 students in the Knox County public schools in Tennessee and more than 100,000 doses to students in Palm Beach County in Florida.
I guess if you can't find a marketing plan that will sell a potentially dangerous vaccine, it's better to give it away than to throw it away, but I sure hate to think about 153,000 or more children serving as guinea pigs for a pharmaceutical company.
Parents do have to sign an informed consent letter before the school systems can spray this reformulated vaccine with a live virus up the nostrils of children, so let's hope enough parents have enough sense to just say no to FluMist™ and that this new marketing approach in 2005 of MedImmune's will fail too.
Here's the bottomline for me concerning FluMist™...
If a medically-sanctioned drug or vaccine appears to be dangerous for just about everyone except those with the constitution of Genghis Khan, it seems obvious to me to not let a "health care professional" shoot the stuff up my nose.
Okay, okay, so what often seems obvious to me isn't so obvious to others.
If you're one of those people who think I'm exaggerating, you'll find interesting the official answer to the question Who should not get vaccinated with FluMist™ (you'll have to click on the Patient Information link at the bottom of the page to read the PDF file listing all the potential problems).
According to the official FluMist™ Patient Information PDF, you should not receive FluMist™ if you:
are less than 5 years of age. In one study, an increase in asthmatic events was seen in children under 5.
are 50 years of age or older.
have an allergy or history of allergic reaction to chicken eggs or egg products or any component of the vaccine (see Additional Information). Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction may include shortness of breath, wheezing, or difficulty breathing; swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or other parts of the body; skin rash, itching, or hives.
are a child or adolescent who regularly takes aspirin, or products containing aspirin.
have a history of Guillain-Barré syndrome.
have a known or suspected immune deficiency disease or condition such as combined immunodeficiency, agammaglobulinemia, HIV infection, thymic abnormalities, malignancy, leukemia, or lymphoma.
are immunosuppressed or have altered or compromised immune status due to treatment with systemic corticosteroids, alkylating drugs, antimetabolites, radiation or other immunosuppressive therapies
have a history of asthma or reactive airways disease
have underlying medical conditions such as but not limited to chronic disorders of the lungs and heart; or have had regularly scheduled follow-up visits or have been hospitalized in the past year because of chronic metabolic diseases (including diabetes), kidney dysfunction, or a hemoglobinopathy such as sickle cell disease.
are pregnant.
And if the above doesn't give you pause, we're then told by the manufacturers of FluMist™:
Due to the possible transmission of vaccine virus, FluMist recipients should avoid being in close (for example, within the same household) contact with immunocompromised individuals for 3 weeks following vaccination.
Three weeks? Twenty-one days? Three quarters of a month? I don't know about you, but I don't want to be within five miles of any "live virus" vaccine that can be transmitted for three weeks.
For the cynics reading this who think I'm a wack case about FluMist™, do yourself a favor and click here to read the FluMist Patient Information PDF file in its entirety.
If, after reading the official FluMist™ Patient Information PDF file you're still thinking about having a "health care professional" deliver FluMist™ up your nose, click here to read an article by Dr. Sherri Tenpenny, who makes what I've written above seem mild.
Anyway, I don't mean to just pick on poor old FluMist™ because personally I don't want any kind of flu remedy cranked out in a sterile lab in my body.
Second, Why I Avoid Flu Shots Too
Do you want any of the following typical vaccine constituents injected into YOUR bloodstream?
Ethylene glycol (antifreeze)
Phenol, also known as carbolic acid (this is used as a disinfectant, dye)
Formaldehyde, a known cancer-causing agent
Aluminum, which is associated with Alzheimer's disease and seizures and also cancer producing in laboratory mice (it is used as an additive to promote antibody response)
Thimerosal (used as a mercury disinfectant/preservative) can result in brain injury and autoimmune disease
Neomycin and Streptomycin (used as antibiotics) have caused allergic reaction in some people.
Some vaccines are also grown and strained through animal or human tissue like monkey kidney tissue, chicken embryo, embryonic guinea pig cells, calf serum, and human diploid cells (the dissected organs of aborted human fetuses as in the case of rubella, hepatitis A, and chickenpox vaccines).
Flu vaccine is prepared from the fluids of chick embryos inoculated with a specific type(s) of influenza virus. The strains of flu virus in the vaccine are inactivated with formaldehyde and often preserved with Thimerosal, which is a mercury derivative.
Well, I refuse to put any or all of the above in my body, and I hope when your doctor starts telling you it's time for your annual flu shot or flu snort that you'll require him to defend the annual injection or nasal delivery. You or your insurance company is probably paying at least eighty bucks for an office visit, so get your money's worth.
Have your doctor read you the insert that comes with the vaccine.
Then have him/her explain why it makes sense to inject toxic chemicals into the human body and how such substances can aid the delicate immune system.
Chances are he/she will fall back on questionable statistical and demographic explanations that the medical establishment has used for decades to justify immunization.
Try to engage your doctor in a non-confrontational discussion because this is an opportunity for him/her to actually give some serious thought to what he/she is injecting or nasally delivering into the bodies of patients day after day after day.
Many traditional doctors who haven't studied diet and life style aren't going to change unless we help to educate them to what drugs and vaccines may really be doing long-term to people.
Okay, I'm a realist so if I were still thinking traditionally, part of me would almost buy into the typical rationale for flu vaccines:
that so many people are spared the annual flu and
only a few die or
have their lives ruined after being injected.
I'd buy into that if I were convinced that injecting or nasally delivering a toxic and/or genetically modified live virus into the body actually made sense.
When one digs into the vaccine history (check out the Swine Flu vaccine and smallpox vaccines if you want two real horror stories) and scientific research (especially in Europe), it quickly becomes apparent that nobody really knows what these toxic stews of chemicals and microorganisms do in the human body.
To look at another disturbing possibility, click here to read an account written by a CFIDS sufferer, a narrative that shows the cause and effect connection between flu vaccines and terrible immune disorders.
Well, readers and a few medical professionals have called me a simple-minded dolt on more than one occasion, but since 1993 I've approached the yearly flu shot hype with the understanding that if I eat and live properly, I won't have to worry much about catching the flu.
The flu vaccine I use -- eating and living as healthfully as I can -- actually works.
Not only that, but it doesn't cost a dime, and nobody's going to have his/her life ruined because of a "bad batch" of vaccine that triggers some mysterious autoimmune disease that lays a person out of commission for years.
But let's say you eat and live conventionally.
Okay, I can understand that, but my next question would be "Which is better? Some rest time with the flu or having toxic chemicals injected into your bloodstream or nasally delivered?"
I mean, seriously, before I got healthy I almost looked forward to a yearly bout with influenza because it meant I could go to bed and get some rest instead of working practically every waking moment of my life.
I might add that I haven't missed more than two consecutive days of work from an illness for over eight years as I write this update in October of 2005, so a non-vaccine approach does work for me.
This non-drug approach has resulted in a level of health that continually amazes me, especially when I see other men and women my age who are miserable and without energy. Men and women who spend all too much of their time drifting from doctor to doctor in endless pursuit of solutions that don't get to the cause of their problems -- diet and life style.
Still thinking about taking a flu shot or a flu snort?
Do yourself a favor and think twice, and before taking that jab in the arm or nasal delivery, review some natural approaches to building health by clicking here.
And learn a LOT more about vaccines by Learn more about Learn more about clicking here.
Oh yeah, lest anyone accuse me of being one-sided, for the status quo rationale for why the flu shot or snort must be taken every year, courtesy of the Center for Disease Control, Learn more about click here.
Finally, the decision regarding a flu shot or snort is yours to make, but I urge you to make that decision from a position of strength and knowledge.
So do your homework.
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 9:13 AM | TrackBack
October 16, 2005
Review of Movable Type & Its New Spam Filters
I am a big fan of Movable Type. I've been using their blog technology for over a year and have no complaints at all ... except ... the spam filtering has been terrible. Lots of web owners use automated software that submits their junk to blogs. Yes, it's junk because they aren't really comments. They're only for the purpose of getting links. (There's always someone who abuses a good thing! Like blogs.)
Every day I got hundreds of spam links from poker sites, porn sites, cialis & viagra sites - in other words, the dregs of the Net. The only way to stop it was to refuse all comments, which I didn't really want to do.
Not only did it take time to remove all this garbage, it also ate up our server space.
But all that is in the past, I'm happy to report. In its recent update, Movable Type has so improved its anti-spam filter that the tidal wave has died down to a meager trickle. Some days I get none, and as my filters improve I believe/hope it will stop altogether.
Kudos, Movable Type!
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 10:07 AM | TrackBack
October 15, 2005
Overstock Auctions & Trusted Merchant Program
We all know that credibility is a biggie when trying to sell on the Net. There are companies online who help with this issue and Overstock auctions has done their part with their Trusted Merchant program.
Buyers can be reassured: "Have you hesitated to participate in online auctions in the past? Now you can bid with confidence knowing that items from Overstock.com Auctions Trusted Merchants are bonded with buySAFE and are guaranteed up to $25,000. Our Trusted Merchants have passed extensive business inspections, have a proven track record on Overstock.com Auctions, and are committed to providing buyers with a safe and outstanding shopping experience. Buyers can be sure that bonded items will be received exactly as described in the listing."
Sellers can increase their own believability by applying to the program. You must be an Overstock member before you can even read the requirements.
http://auctions.overstock.com/sm-trusted-merchant-program--pg-static_sp-551.html
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 9:48 AM | TrackBack
October 14, 2005
How To Sell On eBay Through Garage Sales
When learning how to sell on eBay, my students are always concerned about how to find products to sell. I am very outspoken about the notion that garage sales are not - repeat not - a business model. They are great for folks who just love to go to garage sales or who have an eBay hobby, but they're not for folks who want a full-time income from online selling.
Why not? Simply because your source of supply is so uncertain. Yes, you might go out today and find some choice goodies that allow you to double, triple or even quadruple your money. But it's also possible that you can spend the whole day garage-sale-hopping and find nothing worth selling.
Plus, even here in the heart of the southland, Atlanta, Georgia, there are cold months where the garage sale is only a memory. Unless you live in perpetually warm states like Florida or California, there may be no sales for months at a time. What do you do then? Does you eBay biz grind to a total halt?
To generate a full-time income on eBay, we need a certain and reliable source of supply.
Having said that, though, garage sales do have their purpose. They can be a great way to learn the business and they're fun for some people (although not me!)
Rob Wilson, the marketing director for Worldwide Brands, has explained 12 tips that just might make you a fist full of dollars on eBay. Take it away Rob.
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1. Go! Go regularly, go to lots of places. This is a numbers game. You need to be buying week-in, week-out to get the inventory you need, and to snag those really great buys. Garage sale “inventory” has a very short life span on the day of the sale, as in a few hours at most. Remember to keep moving to the next and the next and the next garage sale. As soon as you know the one you’re at is a time-waster, go onto the next one. The more good sales you hit on a Saturday morning, the more good stuff you’ll find.
2. Early bird gets the…best stuff. Garage sales are competitive. So get up and at ‘em early. First come, first served and good items go fast. But be respectful, too. Instead of waking people up too early (like 6 am!), show up 15 minutes before the advertised time.
3. Small cash is king. You can buy faster and better if you have tons of small bills and change. Your wallet ought to look like this when you head out:
$1 bills 20
$5 bills 10
$10 bills 10
$20 bills 10
$50 bills 5
Total: $620
4. Ask for more. Sometimes, people holding garage sales have items they couldn’t get at, or forgot to put out. Jog their memory - ask if they have anything else for sale. I watched someone do just that once. They walked off with a leather sofa, a matching entertainment center and étagère, and two framed prints for pennies on the dollar. Too big to get out the back door – but easily bought right in the living room and carried out the front door. Lesson learned.
5. Take notes. Sounds simple and it is. Here are notes to make to help buy better and smarter.
a) Get the seller’s name and number when your offer is refused. Call back to see if it sold or not. Many times Lady Luck will let you can scoop it up after the crowds are gone.
b) Network. Jot down the names of people you meet who are on the prowl for special items. Share with them what you are looking for. And when you find something they want, call and let them know. You’ll slowly build a top-quality referral network.
c) Write down items you think are good but not sure about. Check around later and find out if it is good (and call the seller back and see if it’s still for sale.) Then the next one you see becomes a “must buy”.
6. Dress for success. Fancy duds (and cars) work against you when bargaining. Don’t dress like a bum, either. You want to be seen as a middle class, clean, acceptable and polite person. Dress accordingly.
7. Make an offer! Don’t hesitate to make an offer on an item – it’s why you are there! No need to whip out your cash and pay “sticker” price. Better still, put a group of things you want together and make an offer.
8. But don’t haggle on a good deal. The idea is not to beat the seller into the ground. It’s to get merchandise at a low price that you can sell at a much higher price. So when you see a good item fairly priced, just buy it. Trying to bargain the price down could put it right into the hands of the smarter guy behind you.
9. Be respectful. Wait until the person before you has finished with his negotiations or questioning. Be courteous to the other people there. Treat the seller the way you would like to be treated. And above all, do not take things away from others. A good reputation takes a long time to build. A bad one can be created in an instant.
10. Get a grip on what you want. When you find a bargain, PICK IT UP and carry it around with you. And don’t let go until you are counting out the money to buy it. Otherwise, by the time you get back to it, it could easily – and most likely will be – in the hands of a happy buyer.
11. Take what you can. Sometimes you’ll buy something that you can’t take with you right away. So take a part of it – drawers from a dresser, chairs from a dining set – anything that will make it impossible for someone else to buy it before you can get back to pick it up. And make sure you get the name, phone number and address of the seller. It’s easy to forget such critical info when hitting a number of sales in a given day.
12. Pull the trigger. You’ll come across items that you cannot make up your mind about. Should I, shouldn’t I. Maybe, maybe not. If you think you can make a profit, just buy it. It’s not often you’ll regret buying, but there will be many times where you play the “woulda, shoulda, coulda” game. Establish a risk limit and stick to it – then make the buy.
There you have it. Twelve Tips on making smarter, more profitable garage sale Product Sourcing purchases. Establish a weekend routine and stick to it – make it a habit to hit “x” number of garage sales every weekend, and follow these tips. Before you know it, you’ll have the extra inventory you need to fill out the unique items you want to sell online.
- - -
Worldwide Brands is the owner of
* The Dropship Source Directory
* The Light Bulk Wholesale Directory
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 9:23 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
October 12, 2005
Learn How To Sell Pnysical Products On The Internet
I am thrilled to announce that Brad Fallon, Andy Jenkins, Sydney Johnston (me! :-), Todd Taylor and two special guests will be teaching interested folks how to sell physical products on the Internet.
WHO: Brad Fallon, Andy Jenkins, Sydney Johnston, Todd Taylor, Robin Cowie, Ken Giddens
WHAT: The knowledge and power to efficiently and professionally sell physical products on the Internet
WHEN: January 20-22. We begin at 5:00 PM on Friday, January 20 and conclude at 5:00 PM on Sunday night, January 22 .
WHERE: The Georgia Tech Conference Center in Atlanta, GA.
We will announce special teleseminars from the conference faculty tomorrow.
Sell Physical Products Seminar
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 12:58 PM | TrackBack
October 11, 2005
Overstock Auctions Is One Year Old
Did you forget to send Overstock Auctions a birthday card? :-)
You should have, because it's a year old and its first year is quite impressive. It has sold almost $30 million through 11+ million unique listings.
Overstock points out that they have "40 times the listings and 16 times the users that eBay had at this age”. Of course, when eBay began 10 years ago the Internet was so different that it's hard to even remember it, plus nobody had even thought of an auction on the Web. So, the comparison is really meaningless.
Here are a few facts furnished by Overstock (especially note the highest number of bids.)
* Number of registered users: 660,000
* Number of unique items listed: 11.6 million
* Fastest increase in listings: surged from 50,000 to 121,000 in February when eBay raised its fees and Overstock lowered its fees
* Highest number of bids on a single item: 403 on a 40GB iPod
* Greatest number of winning bids by one user: 3,246
* Final bid for two VIP tickets to JLO boutique opening on 9/22: $6,936
* Other high-profile/celebrity auctions: a rare, 23-carat natural yellow diamond; the 2005 Chrysler Crossfire Roadster won by “The Apprentice” Bill Rancic; classic rock star memorabilia donated for Earth Day; and NASCAR memorabilia donated for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
I'm really rooting for Overstock Auctions. eBay needs competition and they are a feisty company. I wish them every success.
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 12:40 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
October 10, 2005
Get A FREE Copy of 'eBay Secret Interviews'
If you want a free copy of eBay Secret Interviews, consider our October special.
Anybody buying the CD of our Auction Genius Course, complete with bonuses, gets a free copy of eBay Secret Interviews. If you've ever considered buying our CD, now it the time. You can find the details here:
http://auction-genius-course.com/october.shtml
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 1:58 PM | TrackBack
October 9, 2005
Auction Genius Course Student Responds To Armand Morin Tactic
Ross Parker, a really bright guy and a student in my Auction Genius Course classes, spent some time responding to my previous blog entry. His points are intelligent and thoughtful and definitely worth sharing.
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Wow, interesting what you posted in your newsletter about the "Web Sites for Sale" category frequented by Armand Morin. I looked at several listings in this category. Ever since I studied Stomping The Search Engines, I always look at Google Page Rank. I just can't help it. Hehe. So here are some thoughts.
> Very few, I mean VERY FEW of these sites had any Google page rank. Most were 0/10. Zero, Ziltch, Nada. According to what I've studied in Stomping, this usually means one (or more) of three things.
1) The site was established around or after the last Google Dance Page Rank update (which I think was around early July or thereabouts).
2) The owner has never done any linking SEO work on the site.
3) The site was established, but has been blacklisted by Google. None of these are terribly positive aspects when considering buying a "going concern". There were a few notable exceptions and some of them took great care to adverstise the fact they had page rank,
example: http://cgi.ebay.com/PR6-CREDIT-WEBSITE-NO-RSV-INC-PROOF-Avg-5-000- hits_W0QQitemZ7551316160QQcategoryZ46687QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://www.CreditCards1by1.com/ Google Page Rank 6 mmm-mmm Good!
So anyway, that is my 2 cents. I suppose I would pay a few bucks for some of these PR0 sites, because you get the design and presumably functionality already in place but I probably would need to determine why there is no page rank (would not want a Blacklisted site!). Also the next Google Dance is due soon.
- - -
Thanks for sharing, Ross and you're right - Armand himself says you're not going to find high PR and flourishing sites for a paltry sum of money. What he's looking for, in fact, are exactly those people who don't know what we know about Page Rank and how to optimize a site. The truth is that most folks know nada about marketing. Those of us who know anything at all are way ahead of the game!
Here is one of Ross's optimized sites:
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 1:24 PM | TrackBack
October 8, 2005
A Fascinating Look At How Armand Morin Uses eBay
Months ago, I was interviewed for a product called eBay Secret Interviews, along with Armand Morin, Chris Malta, Jim Cockrum, Todd Taylor and Dale Calvert. This was produced by the Hundred Million Dollar Roundtable. a nine-member 'exclusive club' who got their name because together they have sold a hundred million dollars worth of products via mail order and the Internet. (As the lone woman in a group of 14 guys, I really had to stand up for myself. :-)
I know Chris, Jim, Todd and Dale well and have heard them speak or read their writings often, so the biggest revelation was what Armand Morin had to say about eBay.
Go to eBay and check out the following entries:
Back to Business & Industrial Overview > Websites & Businesses for Sale
Today there are 6559 auctions and I've never paid much attention to this category. I was surprised to discover that millionaire Armand Morin spends a lot of time here! He buys businesses for trivial amounts of money - usually $200 or less - and either:
1. Turns them into ongoing profit streams
2. Resells them for a generous profit
The tiny investment coupled with the large returns captured my interest immediately and I've spent a lot of time in this section in the last couple of weeks, including buying a couple of sites & businesses myself. Here is some of what I've found.
Quite honestly, I'm new at this myself and I can more easily spot deals that don't suit me, rather than those that do. For instance, this site sold for $202.50 and is a shopping website that promotes Amazon and AdSense:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Google-Adsense-Amazon-Integrated-SHOPPING-Website-WOW_W0QQitemZ7549997328QQcategoryZ46689QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
This is simply a one page site that can be created by software in a very brief time - plus if I buy software I can then build as many other sites as I wish, instead of just owning just this one.
Here is a site which claims " $8,500+/MONTH WITH PROOF - NR! OVER 500,000 UNIQUES PER MONTH - 15 MILLION+ PAGE VIEWS:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ESTABLISHED-WEBSITE-8-500-MONTH-WITH-PROOF-NR_W0QQitemZ7549996375QQcategoryZ46687QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Even if this is true (and I'd need really strong proof), the BIN is $38,500.00. Armand looks for potentially valuable sites that are undervalued and this definitely isn't one of them.
Here is a business that is most likely legitimate, and possibly very valuable to someone:
http://cgi.ebay.com/WINDSHIELD-REPAIR-HOME-BUSINESS-FOR-SALE-L-K_W0QQitemZ7549973466QQcategoryZ46685QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
First of all, you'd need to live in New Jersey.
Secondly, it advertises house calls to repair windshields. Even if I lived in the area, I certainly don't want to do that.
However, it might be possible to make a business like this pay ... what if I located a windshield repair company in the area who would pay me a referral fee for every customer I sent their way? Has possibilities.
One site sold for 99 cents but it is selling firearms:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Firearms-Accessories-E-COMMERCE-BUSINESS-for-sale_W0QQitemZ7549358717QQcategoryZ46687QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem
There are incredible regulations and restrictions for selling weapons in the US. Unless you're really determined, don't go there.
Here is a site that sold for $132 and it's about AdSense + Mesothelioma:
http://cgi.ebay.com/MESOTHELIOMA-COM-GOOGLE-ADSENSE-WEBSITE-3-DAYS-ONLY_W0QQitemZ7550022599QQcategoryZ46687QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Do you know why the topic is Mesothelioma? It's because it's the highest paying keyword on Google AdSense and the auction mentions this. "THIS ADSENSE WORD IS WORTH $35-$75/ CLICK!" But here's the thing ... advertisers can choose to restrict their ads to Google-only. I checked the first 20 sites on Google and none of them have Google ads on their site. Coincidence? Maybe, but I doubt it. If all we had to do was put up a quickie site and click on it 2-3 times per day to make $100/day, there would be zillions of people doing it - and there aren't.
One site is offering "597 Ready To Use Sales Letters and Business Forms". 10 years ago, and more, when I was involved in mail order, that same old tired offering was around. It was old then and it's even more tired today.
Then there are the absolute and total ripoffs (not even close to 'questionable"):
* One sells you a beat-the-casino system that is "guaranteed" to make you money and also guarantees that you can never lose even a single penny. Yeah, right.
* One that will submit your site to a bazillion search engines and "guarantees" a listing in the Open Directory. At this time, the Open Directory has one million+ sites backed up for review. Possibly, the seller is an editor for the Directory, but even if he is that doesn't mean that he's an editor in the exact category the buyer needs. What if he's an editor in a sports section and you have a movie site?
There are other sites selling books that are found for free on the Internet or are written by other people. That is in violation of eBay rules, which says the seller must own the copyright on whatever he is selling.
Actually, I've placed bids on two sites. Armand likes BIN, because he doesn't want to wait but in this case I'm willing to see what happens.
* One is a pet site that is already set up for dropshipping. It looks good and has a multitude of products. Could I build it myself? Yes, absolutely. But - the price is modest and it would cost me or one of my employees that much in time.
If I win the auction I will definitely make some changes. For instance, it has a "fake" forum. It currently says there are two guests and one member in the forum - but those words are printed on the website, so obviously they're not true.
It also is "ready to accept orders", but it's connected to PayPal and I will definitely add my own merchant account if I win.
* The second sells an ebook that I would like to own. Yes, I could have it written for me, but this one is already in existence and I will own the rights to it.
And, no, I'm not telling the auction URLs. I don't want anybody bidding against me, if I can help it. :-)
One piece of advice - stay away from the how-to-make-money-on-the-net sites. It's a terribly crowded field, and some of the best marketers in the world play here so it's very hard to compete unless you're a skilled marketer yourself.
Here is a small sample of what Armand teaches:
* Private label your own products for maximum eBay dollars
* Spot a lucrative "Google flaw"
* Armand's two requirements for buying a business on eBay
* Why to rub your hands together in glee when a website has crummy sales letter
* See Armand took a $29.95 set of ebooks and turned them into an auto-pilot profit
* Why you can forget the eBay duplication issue
* Understand why to run from Guaranteed Traffic websites
* How to figure out what when a website or business is profitable
* Understand the power and problems of "turnkey", or duplicate, sites
http://auction-secret-interviews.com
You can listen to a 15 minute recording of Armand being interviewed on the page above.
Get $50 Off eBay Secret Interviews:
If you would like to get $50 off the price of the program, use the code below when you are checking out.
sei-ag
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 1:16 PM | TrackBack
October 7, 2005
George McKenzie & How To Write A Press Release
George McKenzie is a radio personality whose career spans 33 years and he's been on ABC, NBC, CBS, ESPN and CNN. So - I think we can assume that he knows a little something or two about writing press releases. :-)
So, it was a pleasure to read one he has written. It's now a powerful how-to model for me:
- - -
I saw another one on a local TV newscast a few days ago... you know...one of those stories about a stay-at-home mom who had turned eBay into a stay-at-home job.
I like stories like that, and I especially admire people who have found a way to make more money on eBay (without leaving their house) than they could commuting to a "regular" job.
But I also know this: even most people who are doing eBay "full time" haven't figured out yet how to make really big
money with it...like Sydney Johnston is doing.
Sydney is known as "The Queen of eBay" or "The Auction Queen." She was one of the original sellers on eBay and has been selling on eBay since the winter of 1996.
She told me during a recent interview on my San Antonio radio talk show that she runs her eBay business very
differently from most people.
"You can spend all day Saturday going to garage sales," she said. "And that’s fine, there’s nothing wrong with it. But if you want to make a real a business of it, you better have a systematic method. The problem with going to garage sales is, you can’t rely on your inventory.
Sydney also mentioned the stories we've all heard: how someone found a trinket in their attic, put it up for bid on
eBay, and sold it for hundreds of dollars.
"There ARE some incredible stories out there," she said. "But they're flukes. You have to have a steady source of
supply and it’s got to be something you can rely on. That's step number one"
"Step number two is to take that steady source of supply and sell the same items -- over and over again -- using the same listings."
She says her one of her other big secrets is selling to the same people -- over and over again.
"If you buy a men's shirt from me on eBay," she continued, "I assume that you'll buy more shirts in the future. And if
I’m selling men's shirts, you’re going to keep hearing from me. I'll email you, for instance, to let you know about
my Fourth of July sale on men’s shirts. You’re going to keep hearing from me until you tell me that you don’t want to
hear from me anymore."
"Furthermore, when you buy something from me, there will be an invitation to buy something else inside your package when it's delivered."
Sydney shared about a dozen of her "secrets to success" on eBay during our time on the air. To read a transcript of the entire interview, or to listen to an MP3 recording, click on http://www.ebay-auction.ws/sydney.htm
Or of course, you could spend a couple of hours this weekend cruising the garage sales...
There might even be a TV crew hanging around one of them.
- - -
You can read the full release here:
http://www.articlealley.com/article_10815_15.html
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 1:03 PM | TrackBack
October 5, 2005
The Effects Of Katrina & Rita On Your Internet Business (Part 2)
I sent out the article above to my ezine list and received this response from a reader name Mahaki in New Zealand:
- - -
USA ...deserves everything it gets from NATURE,
USA....will not be DEFEATED from sources outwardly
but, will be DEFEATED from the "ROT" that lies within...
Where will the great USA, be when China comes on the scene
cowering within its decadence....
- - -
I guess I'm always shocked when anyone takes joy in the suffering of others, no matter who they are ... Americans, Chinese or New Zealanders. Too bad for this hate-filled loser that he lives in such an angry and violent world. It must really suck to be him.
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 12:49 PM | TrackBack
October 4, 2005
Free Radio Station Interview By Sydney Johnston & George McKenzie
George McKenzie, formely a radio talk show host for KAHL AM, in San Antonio, Texas, recently interviewed me, Sydney Johnston. George has graciously posted this free radio station interview online - both in audio and print format - and invites folks to listen to it. George is one of the good guys and he has a rich, mellow voice that makes listening a pleasure. Check it out here:
Free Radio Station Interview
Here is an excerpt:
"George: You’re known as the “Auction Queen” around the internet and we had you on the show once before but it’s been some time and I know we’ve picked up a lot of listeners since then. And when we talked about eBay particularly, people think, oh yeah, you know, you can do something on eBay.” You go around to garage sales and you go around to estate sales and things like that and you pick up stuff that people don’t want. You get it cheap and then you put it on eBay and you make a fortune with it right?
Sydney: Wrong. Not at all!
George: How do you do it? You do it much differently than most folks do and there are some people out there who make a fairly good business out of eBay but they’re not doing it the way you are.
Sydney: Well you can go to garage sales and the usual things but it’s not a way to make a lot of money. That’s what I call an “eBay Hobby” instead of an “eBay Business.” And that’s fine, there’s nothing wrong with that. People who love doing that, more power to them, but if you want a business you better have systematic method because the problem with going to garage sales etc is, you can’t rely on your inventory.
You know you can spend all day Saturday going to 20 garage sales and come home with $10 worth of stuff, you know, and of course all the great stories, like George I was recently at seminar and you probably know Randy Sherack and he’s talking about he had a $0.99 cent magic trick in his bookcase. Put it up on eBay and got $310 for it. And the whole audience goes “Ooh you know,” but you know that’s a fluke.
George: Yeah.
Sydney: It’s not something you can count on and I was talking to people about it and they said, oh we want to do that. So yeah, think about it. If you got a truck load of those magic tricks, they would no longer be worth $310."
Free Radio Station Interview
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 12:22 PM | TrackBack
October 3, 2005
The Effects Of Katrina & Rita On Your Internet Business
The effects of Katrina & Rita have been well documented on the news media. The horrifying pictures have resounded in the consciousness of all of us and my writing skills are certainly inadequate to express my feelings about the heart rending scenes we've all witnessed.
Instead, I'd like to muse about a less emotional topic - the effects of these two storms on Internet business, yours and mine. These two storms have devastated our oil refineries and we're going to feel the effects for months and possibly years to come. Getting oil isn't the problem - getting refined oil is the problem.
Here in Atlanta we're feeling the gas crunch. Metro Atlanta uses 90+% of the refined gasoline we normally get. Currently, we're only receiving 60% of our normal supply, up from 40% only a couple of weeks ago. For a time, that wasn't a problem because the state used its reserves. But those are gone now, and there are many stations here in metro Atlanta that have no gas at all. Rationing is almost certain to follow and, according to the news, it might be a year or more before we receive the allotments we used to get. Diesel fuel is in even shorter supply - the diesel fuel necessary for such organizations as the public school system.
The shortages and the escalating prices of each gallon will have a strong effect on our economy. Inflation and increased prices - very increased prices - on many commodities is certain.
The Internet will most likely increase its share of the consumer dollar. As folks travel less, they will be turning to the Net to buy and have goods delivered directly to their home. Shipping products will cost more, but the individual gas savings will make up for this.
Hopefully, this will increase public demand for alternative sources of energy, something that has been possible for a long time but has never received the support it deserves.
There has been a ripple of uneasiness in the consciousness of Atlantans, and it is a tangible thing. These storms have revealed a vulnerability that we weren't aware of before. It's uncomfortable. And maybe that's a good thing. Being shaken out of complacency often leads to giant growth spurts.
Posted by SydneyJohnston at 10:49 AM | TrackBack
October 1, 2005
The Effects Of Katrina & Rita On Online Sales
The effects of Katrina & Rita have been well documented on the news media. The horrifying pictures have resounded in the consciousness of all of us and my writing skills are certainly inadequate to express my feelings about the heart rending scenes we've all witnessed.
Instead, I'd like to muse about a less emotional topic - the effects of these two storms on Internet business, yours and mine. These two storms have devastated our oil refineries and we're going to feel the effects for months and possibly years to come. Getting oil isn't the problem - getting refined oil is the problem.
Here in Atlanta we're feeling the gas crunch. Metro Atlanta uses 90+% of the refined gasoline we normally get. Currently, we're only receivng 60% of our normal supply, up from 40% only a couple of weeks ago. For a time, that wasn't a problem because the state used its reserves. But those are gone now, and there are many stations here in metro Atlanta that have no gas at all. Rationing is almost certain to follow and, according to the news, it might be a year or more before we receive the allotments we used to get. Diesel fuel is in even shorter supply - the diesel fuel necessary for such organizations as the public school system.
The shortages and the escalating prices of each gallon will have a strong effect on our economy. Inflation and increased prices - very increased prices - on many commodities is certain.
The Internet will most likely increase its share of the consumer dollar. As folks travel less, they will be turning to the Net to buy and have goods delivered directly to their home. Shipping products will cost more, but the individual gas savings will make up for this.
Hopefully, this will increase public demand for alternative sources of energy, something that has been possible for a long time but has never received the support it deserves.
There has been a ripple of uneasiness in the consciousness of Atlantans, and it is a tangible thing. These storms have revealed a vulnerability that we weren't aware of before. It's uncomfortable. And maybe that's a good thing. Being shaken out of complacency often leads to giant growth spurts.
