Business Opportunities Weblog

September 25, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 1 Comment

Life on the road is about to get easier for business travelers who are not content to check their luggage for short trips, yet face a sweeping ban on liquid products in carry-on baggage.

Still want to fly with just carry-on luggage, but don’t know what to do about taking your toiletries?

Here’s an interesting new business idea. Mywetstuff.com lets you pre-order trial sizes of water-based toiletries and other travel amenities.

Give them your travel date and the hotel where you’re staying, and MyWetStuff.com delivers a personalized travel kit ahead of time, waiting for you to get there.

Michael J. Miller, founder of the business says, “Fliers who never would have checked a bag for a short trip now find themselves either adding considerably to their time spent at the airport, or scrambling around in a strange city trying to find the personal care products they use every day.�

Editor note: A recent relaxation of the liquid ban could affect this business concept.

In Ideas, Niche, Startup | 1 Comment

September 24, 2006 by Ty Tribble | 0 Comments

An effort by San Jose State to ban the Skype phone service has been
put on hold in the face of fierce objections from students and staff
members.

Administrators said they would meet with eBay, the owner of Skype on
Tuesday in order to give the San Jose-based company an opportunity to
address the university’s concerns about network security.

San Jose State is the third California university to impose restrictions on Skype.

In January, UC Santa Barbara announced it was prohibiting Skype
because the license agreement it presented to users gave third parties
access to the university’s network. UC Santa Barbara said it would
allow other computer-calling services.

Cal State Dominguez Hills has long discouraged use of all computer-calling services, including Skype, a spokesman said.

Skype has also been banned by some universities in the United Kingdom.

Jennifer Caukin, a spokeswoman for eBay, said Skype was looking
forward to having “a direct dialogue with SJSU officials to discuss
their concerns and educate them about how Skype works.” Caukin declined
to discuss other bans.

ContraCostaTimes.com | 09/23/2006 | Skype’s parents get a call from school

In Ebay & Online Auctions | 0 Comments

September 24, 2006 by Ty Tribble | 0 Comments

Offering free international calls with Skype support, Wi-Fi technology, wireless music player functions and remote controller features, the AiGuru S1 is a must-have for any true digital home. 

With
802.11b+g support, the AiGuru S1 enables Skype calls without wire
constraints, meaning users are free to roam around their homes while
chatting. Unlike conventional wireless
Skype phones based on Bluetooth technology, the AiGuru S1 provides
superior wireless signal quality and larger signal coverage. It doesn’t
matter where the computer is located, users of the AiGuru S1 is no
longer tied down next to their PCs or notebooks.

The AiGure S1 comes equipped with a high-quality speaker that turns it
into an MP3 player. Access and stream songs stored in the PC via Wi-Fi
connection for wireless music enjoyment. It also includes remote
controller functions and Microsoft Media Player support, allowing users
to manage music library, and play, stop, pause and skip songs without
being right next to the computer.

ASUS Launches World’s First Wireless Music Skype Phone @ PhoneMag.com

In Ebay & Online Auctions | 0 Comments

September 24, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 2 Comments

NicheGeek.com:

On the surface, Rick Field, a Yale graduate and former TV producer, would not seem the most likely candidate to become a pickle peddler, much less spearhead a new pickling movement. But he has done just that. The entrepreneur behind Brooklyn-based Rick’s Picks is offering New-World twists on an Old-World condiment, inventing a whole new pickle palate in an industry whose heyday was a century ago — and creating a market in the process.

It started as a hobby. Field learned the art of pickling when he was growing up in Vermont. Inspired by the trend in ethnic food fusion, he infused his brine with new flavors and essences such as coconut and dried cherries, dreaming up innovative varieties of pickled cucumbers, cauliflower, and string beans.

Initially, Field gained a local following selling his wares at the Union Square Green Market in Manhattan and on his Web site. Culinary nods from New York magazine and Food & Wine soon followed, and Field found himself in the brine full-time.

Photo by Rick’s Picks.

In Ecommerce, Entrepreneurial Lifestyle, Niche | 2 Comments

September 24, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 2 Comments

MarketWatch:

Google Inc. plans to introduce a new shopping feature in time for the holiday season, an analyst noted Friday, which sets the stage for an even bigger clash with eBay Inc. and other online-commerce companies.

In a report for Bear Stearns clients, analyst Robert Peck described a new feature that’s based on Google Base, a feature Google launched last October that lets people freely list items for sale.

Simultaneously, Google intends to “de-emphasize” its own Froogle shopping search engine, a Web site featuring paid listings from eBay and other online retailers. Google intends for Froogle to no longer be a standalone Web site; instead its listings would be absorbed by other search features, Peck wrote in his report.

The new shopping feature is likely to rattle electronic merchants, especially eBay, which has been working for some time now to ensure its own listings are included in Froogle shopping results.

In Ecommerce, Sales, Strategy, Tools | 2 Comments

September 24, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 1 Comment

TechNewsWorld:

Weina Scott answers about 100 tech support e-mails a day. The Web site must be perfect — one glitch, and 6,000 irate customers will bombard her inbox.

First, though, she has to study her physics.

At age 17, Weina is the chief executive of her own Web-based podcast hosting company and makes an annual salary of US$40,000 for working 20 hours a week. Her office is her laptop in her parents’ townhouse near North Miami Beach, Fla. She balances her work duties with doing homework for seven advanced placement classes at Krop Senior High School and applying to colleges.

Passion is something Weina has plenty of. She is the creator of Switchpod.com, which gives users space to upload audio and video programs as podcasts. She started the site last year with the help of friend Jake Fischer, a 16-year-old living in Minnesota.

The two met while posting on a message board on the topic of Web site hosting. She was looking to start a company; he was looking for a programmer. They agreed to team up to create Switchpod. Within a few months, they had 300,000 monthly visitors.

In Ideas, Niche, Startup, Teens | 1 Comment

September 24, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 0 Comments

Unusual Businesses Ideas That Work:

While golfing with his brother one day, Andy Yocom saw prime advertising space on the flags on the course. He and his brother Timmy reasoned that any marketing messages would get prominent attention if they were placed on the flags, since golfers focus on them when they take their shots.

He was able to hook up with some golf course management companies-they had several courses under their umbrella and could see the benefits of the idea. Once some well-established courses signed on, Yocom presented the concept to corporations that might be eager to market to the golf crowd.

The strategy is working: At press time, Invision Golf Group sales were standing at $300,000 a year, and the company now has a presence on 142 golf courses in 26 states.

Photo by Invision Golf Group.

In Ideas, Niche, Startup | 0 Comments

September 24, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 1 Comment

It’s a tradition in the northeast. Colorful fall foliage season means it time for the Yankee Invention Expo. This year’s Expo and workshops will be held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, October 19-21, in Waterbury, Conn.

Inventors - take the opportunity to showcase your product to manufacturers, investors, venture capitalists, distributos, licensing firms, wholesalers, retailers and marketers.

Fabulous, informative workshops will cover topics such as financing your invention, publicity, licensing, marketing, using the computer to perform a patent search, and so much more!

Even if you’re not planning to exhibit, it’s worth the trip just to attend the workshops alone!

In Education, Inventions, Networking | 1 Comment

September 22, 2006 by Ty Tribble | 0 Comments

eBay has upgraded its new eBay Express fixed-price marketplace. Unlike eBay, eBay Express uses a shopping cart that allows shoppers to buy multiple items from different sellers in one transaction and pay using either PayPal or a credit card. When the service launched in the Spring, there was a limit on how many different sellers one transaction could encompass. Now, shoppers can buy items from up to ten different sellers in one transaction; previously, there was a five-merchant limit.

eBay did not publicly announce the upgrade, but notified AuctionBytes after it ran an article on Thursday about eBay Express and other online marketplaces entitled, “Shopping Online with eBay Express, Amazon, Overstock and Google Checkout” (http://auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y06/m09/i21/s01). According to an eBay spokesperson, eBay upgraded the shopping cart the first week in September.

eBay Express Upgrades Shopping Cart

In Ebay & Online Auctions | 0 Comments

September 22, 2006 by Ty Tribble | 0 Comments

An eBay bidder bought Warren Buffett’s Lincoln Town Car for $73,200 Friday, almost five times the 2001 vehicle’s worth.

Proceeds of the auction of Buffett’s car go to Girls Inc., a national nonprofit youth organization that provides educational and recreational programs to girls, particularly those in high-risk, underserved areas.Click here to find out more!

The winning bid was submitted by “billzanker.” In 2004, Bill Zanker, president and founder of The Learning Annex, paid nearly $60,000 in an eBay auction for lunch with media mogul Rupert Murdoch.

Buffett’s Car Goes for $73,200 on EBay

In Ebay & Online Auctions | 0 Comments

September 21, 2006 by Ty Tribble | 0 Comments

eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY) has announced the launch of their own affiliate linking infrastructure called Project Rover, according to blogger Scott Jangro.

The eBay affiliate program has been powered by Commission Junction since March 2001.According to an e-mail from eBay published on Jangro’s blog, “Project Rover has been designed to work seamlessly with the Commission Junction interface, increase the effectiveness of our affiliate’s marketing campaigns, and will be rolled out to all countries.”

• eBay touts the following benefits of the new linking structure:Reduced Ad / Cookie Blocking: Rover decreases the potential for Ad / Cookie Blocking by utilizing an eBay hosted domain.
•  Limited Redirects: Rover will use fewer redirects reducing the risk of user drop off and improving speed and performance.
•  Global Infrastructure Improvements: Rover will enable eBay and Commission Junction to develop increased global tracking capabilities, allowing for more seamless international affiliate promotions.

eBay to CJ: It’s not you, it’s me

In Ebay & Online Auctions | 0 Comments

September 21, 2006 by Ty Tribble | 0 Comments

EBay Inc. said Wednesday it plans a “vigorous” defense against new allegations, from French retailers, that it’s not doing enough to keep people from selling counterfeit goods through its site.

“We’re baffled, quite honestly, by some of what’s going on, and we plan a vigorous defense of the lawsuit,” eBay spokesman Hani Durzy said Wednesday, in response to a question about the mounting legal pressure against the San Jose, Calif.-based online seller.

On Tuesday, French fashion maker Louis Vuitton, owned by LVMH (FR:012101: news, chart, profile) , and luxury goods provider Dior Couture filed a complaint against eBay along these lines in a French court, according to Durzy.

A representative for the two firms couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

Their complaint, seeking an estimated $47 million in damages, among other things alleges that nine out of every 10 Vuitton items for sale on eBay are counterfeit.Chart of EBAY.

Also Tuesday, a group of French retailers, known collectively as Unifab, released a letter highly-critical of eBay’s counterfeit policing efforts, and which promises to seek legal redress if the problems aren’t solved. The group is expected to file a lawsuit against eBay in the next few weeks.

eBay plans defense against French fraud allegations - MarketWatch

In Ebay & Online Auctions | 0 Comments

September 21, 2006 by Ty Tribble | 0 Comments

In a collaboration effort between Skype and Thomson, the two companies have announced a partnership to develop a family of new consumer products. Today, the companies announced their first joint offering, the GE DECT (News - Alert) 6.0 Wireless Handset.

Digital Enhanced Cordless Technology (DECT) is included in the Skype (News - Alert)-certified handset, meaning callers not only enjoy improvements to quality of their cordless telephone experience, but are also able to use the phones to make calls over the internet.

This new combination further drives the adoption of internet telephone communications in the home by making it accessible to user’s right from their handheld telephones.

Cordless telephones have in the past been noted for providing not so perfect communications including static and popping. With the DECT 6.0, these worries are resolved because technology built into the device offers optimal voice quality, free of interferences.

Skype and Thomson Partner on New Family of Consumer Products

In Ebay & Online Auctions | 0 Comments

September 21, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 1 Comment

Globe and Mail:

A recent study by Forrester Research Inc. shows, just because people are ready to buy on-line doesn’t mean they will.

The Massachusetts-based research firm reviewed more than 200 merchant websites, and then judged them on a range of factors, including layout and design, menu clarity and accuracy of keyword searches. The result: In seven out of the 11 categories, the majority of websites received failing grades.

Easy access to information and legibility are the two things consumers want most in a website, Forrester’s research found. Trusting the site’s security system and the speed with which search results appear rounded out the top four things consumers crave. Customers tended to care less about the visual appeal of the site or superiority of content, the study revealed.

Photo by wagg66.

In Ecommerce, Operations, Public Relations, Strategy | 1 Comment

September 21, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 0 Comments

ecommerce-guide.com:

Di Ana Ford’s mission is to keep women pampered, healthy and in business. She started out her first home business, a direct-sales home party business that hosts at-home spa parties for women.

In the course of researching products for her parties Ford stuck to solely women-owned, women-made products.

Many of the women had lip products to sell, but Ford said that they didn’t work for an at-home party where women are sampling products. “You can’t be passing around and trying on lipstick,” she said.

But one night as she lay in bed, inspiration struck. Why not set up an online “lip boutique” highlighting all the lip glosses, gels, butters and balms that she had come across in the spa business?

From that night of insomnia, Ooh La Lips began to take shape. The site is currently selling products from some ten vendors. All of the vendors are women-owned businesses, all the products are hand-made (nothing is mass-produced) and none are tested on animals.

In Ecommerce, Entrepreneurial Lifestyle, Niche, Startup, Women | 0 Comments

September 21, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 3 Comments

CNNMoney.com:

Starting a business from scratch is the ultimate gamble, so before you throw in all of your chips, take some advice from a former airline executive who built a small business out of helping others build theirs.

So for those who have already gone down the entrepreneurial road or are just thinking about it, Neil Anderson, president of The Courage Group offers these tips for avoiding the startup graveyard.

1. Market and Sell

2. Have a Sense of Urgency

3. Hunker Down

4. Take Nothing for Granted

5. Exercise

6. Down with Negativity

7. Have a Daily Business Plan

8. Visualize Success

9. Remember the Alternative

10. See No. 1 Again!

Photo by eye2eye.

In Planning, Startup, Tools | 3 Comments

September 21, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 2 Comments

BusinessWeek Online:

A compelling slogan can be a vital business tool. Doing it yourself requires creativity, clear thinking, and some constructive criticism.

Don’t pick a slogan that simply reiterates your company name. It should enhance and complement that primary statement about your company and provide would-be customers with new, positive information about you.

* DEFINE YOUR NICHE. Once you have an idea how the slogan will advance your brand, sit down, either by yourself or with a key group of collaborators, and take a hard look at what your company is, what it does, and why the world should care.

* TEST ADAPTABILITY. After that brainstorming session, you, or someone to whom you assign the task, should come up with several ideas for slogans that you can discuss at a second meeting.

* CHECK FOR MATCHES. Narrow down your selection to the top three or four slogans and run them past people whose opinions you respect, making sure that you aren’t so wedded to one possibility that you ignore constructive criticism.

Run your finalists through the Web site of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, to check whether someone else has already filed or registered the same, or a very similar, slogan.

Photo by LeoL30.

In Advertising, Marketing, Psychology, Public Relations, Strategy | 2 Comments

September 21, 2006 by Rich Whittle | 0 Comments

Reuters:

Nearly one-fifth of American adult users of the Internet in August 2006 spent some time reading about politics or the coming U.S. election, a big increase from November 2004, according to a survey released on Wednesday by the Pew Internet and American Life Project.

“You have more people reading blogs, some of which are political, and there is the ‘You Tube’ phenomenon for viewing political videos, which add up to a more attractive environment,” he added. You Tube is a free Web site that lets users upload and view videos.

The entire survey is published on the Internet.

Photo by finn.

In Government, News | 0 Comments

September 20, 2006 by Dane Carlson | 3 Comments

Business Week:

Why wouldn’t an entrepreneur want to use her personal credit accounts to start up a company? What’s the advantage to using a business credit card?

The major advantage is that when you open a business credit account, make purchases with it, and then pay them on time, you’re establishing business credit in your company name. And, as I said, business credit records are becoming more important for all kinds of financial decisions.

I recommend that if your business is using anything established in your personal name, something like a telephone account or a bank account, you should put it in your business name. It makes your company more professional, and if you’re purchasing and paying on time, it helps you gain a positive credit history that will help build up your business credit and improve it. And that will help you get better rates and terms in the future.

How does a startup company get a first credit card?

For a brand-new business, a credit provider will probably start by examining your personal credit history. Generally they’ll also default you to a higher interest rate and a lower credit threshold until your company proves itself. The important thing to remember is that after six months of good history with them, you can go back and renegotiate your credit terms.

In Financing | 3 Comments

September 20, 2006 by Ty Tribble | 0 Comments

Online auctioneer eBay Inc. has begun trying to keep other companies from using the rather pedestrian phrases at the heart of its 11-month-old “it” marketing campaign.

The foundation for the new effort was first laid in March, when eBay (EBAY :ebay inc comNews , chart, profile, moreLast: 26.14+0.19+0.73%5:48pm 09/20/2006Delayed quote dataAdd to portfolioAnalystCreate alertInsiderDiscussFinancialsSponsored by:EBAY26.14, +0.19, +0.7% ) asked federal authorities to grant it trademarks for the phrases “You Can Get It On eBay” and “You Can Sell It On eBay,” in which the word “it” is in three colors, while the rest is presented in black and white.

The San Jose, Calif.-based company is also seeking a third trademark to keep others from using the word “it” when the word appears in the same hues as eBay’s marketing material.

Most recently, eBay began defending the trademark-in-waiting in courts. For instance, on Wednesday, eBay filed a trademark-infringement lawsuit against World Auctions Inc., a five-month-old company based in Chicago.

In the suit, eBay alleges World Auctions is a “blatant copycat” because, among other things, it uses the same “it” phrases, and colors the word “it” the same manner as eBay’s site or marketing material.

EBay stakes ‘it’ claim, files trademark lawsuit - MarketWatch

In Ebay & Online Auctions | 0 Comments

September 20, 2006 by Ty Tribble | 0 Comments

They first announced this way back in the misty days of January, but Netgear is finally shipping their new SPH101 Skype WiFi Phone.
We were lucky enough to get our hands on one this very morning, and so
far we like what we see. Connecting to a WiFi network (even a protected
one) is a snap, and making calls is as easy as it is on a cellphone.
Click on for some gadget porn!

Netgear SPH101 Skype WiFi Phone unboxing and hands-on! - Engadget

In Ebay & Online Auctions | 0 Comments

September 20, 2006 by Ty Tribble | 0 Comments

Students and faculty at San Jose State University may have to find a new way to communicate with people around the world if a ban on Skype, a voice-over Internet protocol, is implemented.

A policy statement was released last week explaining why Skype may no longer be allowed at SJSU.

Don Baker, interim associate vice president of university computing and telecommunications, said some of the reasons include the use of state resources for retail purposes and the fear of acquiring computer viruses.

According to the Skype Web site, “Skype is a little piece of software that lets you make free calls to anyone else on Skype, anywhere in the world.”

Steve Sloan, help desk and information technology support services specialist, said Skype can also be used to chat, similar to Instant Messenger, and to send files.

Baker said one problem with Skype is that it uses grid computing.

Campus may ban Skype - News

In Ebay & Online Auctions | 0 Comments

September 20, 2006 by Ty Tribble | 0 Comments

Many small businesses and entrepreneurs want to take credit cards online, but are put off by the time and capital investment required by a Merchant account, a gateway processor, secure server space, and a security certificate…all tools you need to succeed with e-commerce.

For many of these people I suggest “dipping their toe in the e-commerce ocean” by starting with PayPal. However, there are both good and bad aspects to this popular online payment system.

The Good
It’s damn easy to get started with PayPal. If you have a bank account you can set up your business account at PayPal in a matter of minutes. You can quickly generate buttons that allow your visitors to “buy now” or “add to cart.”You don’t need a Merchant Account. You don’t need a gateway processor. You don’t need secure server space. You don’t need a security certificate. PayPal handles all of these issues for you.

MaineToday.com | Internet Marketing 101: PayPal: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

In Ebay & Online Auctions | 0 Comments

September 20, 2006 by Ty Tribble | 0 Comments

An internet domain company based in Panama is auctioning off the domain name Saddam.com on eBay this week.

Web Management had acquired Saddam.com only a few weeks ago with plans to hold the domain name as a long-term investment. But the firm said today that large numbers of unsolicited offers from around the world prompted the decision to auction the domain.

The company said it “acknowledges the inherent controversy” in selling a domain name associated with the former Iraqi president who is on trial for genocide, but “believes, however, that the domain name will be a valuable brand for the right buyer”.

Scotsman.com News - Sci-Tech - Internet firm lines up Saddam site for eBay auction

In Ebay & Online Auctions | 0 Comments

September 20, 2006 by Ty Tribble | 0 Comments

U.S. sellers are livid over today’s eBay Inc. (NASDAQ:EBAY) promotion: a 20-cents listings day but only for Indian sellers and on the U.S. site. Just go to the comments here and here or go to the eBay sellers’ forum to see how merchants feel about this.

Some are even suggesting this promotion could be a ploy to boost core listings for the benefit of Wall St. This is one hell of an accusation, and could be one hell of a plan on eBay’s management part if it were true. With all the negative sentiment among sellers these days, it is sometimes hard to decipher between what is said as an angry comment ‘in the heat of moment’ and what should be taken as real reason for concern.

TWX - eBay: What’s behind the 20 cents promotion? - Blogging Stocks

In Ebay & Online Auctions | 0 Comments