AboutJim Novo Expertise Questions about using customer data to inmprove online profitability, particularly in retailing. Topics include profiling customers using weblogs, figuring out which ads generate the highest value customers, how to reduce the numnber of 1x buyers, how to generate higher sales from current customers, customer analysis, ROI calculation, reducing discounts while increasing resaponse rates. Do you collect customer data (purchases, page views, surveys) and not really use it for anything? Want to find out how? Just ask.
Experience
Past/Present clients Cellular One, MBNA, SteelTorch Software, Retek Direct, CBS Sportsline, Kobie Marketing, Aerial, Tupperware, Barnes and Noble, Comcast Corporation, Home Shopping Network
Question Say I am trying to work with wholsalers on consignment, how do I do this, I want people to purchase items from my site. invoice the wholesaler of items purchased and have them ship directly to the customers. How is this done when I set my prices at my store, and buy from wholesaler at most times cheaper price. Do I have to buy in bulk and warehouse these items myself. or can I do the process explained earlier where the warehousing and shipping is done through wholesaler. Do I share with the wholesaler the number amount I intend on selling these items for? Confused?
Answer I think you're explaining what is called "drop shipping". You set the price and take orders, send orders to drop shipper, they send product to customer. More on drop shipping here:
"Buy in bulk and warehouse items myself" is the standard commerce business model, and is generally more profitable, but logistically more difficult to execute.
