The Future of Online Independent Businesses

Posted on by alexesguerra

From the Independent Business Org’s reviews and surveys for 2015 it looks like the future is very promising yet as any small independent business lies the challenges.

With the recent numbers of low unemployment paving the way for hiring comes still the lack of funding to sustain operations. Coupled with that is the tough competition online specifically on online book selling where the big online giants eats you up alive by selling lower than what publishers or distributors sell new books for example.

Sometimes, one may wonder how can they do that but the word “BIG” comes with the saying meaning they have the promotional expense funding to utilize so who cares. What’s really funny is with the so called giants comes the big consignors also dropping down prices favoring the atmosphere and if they can sell even new books for $0.01 they will.

I recently had a town hall discussion on our small shop and I raised the question as any independent bookseller would. “If your shopping online e.g. books and your browsing on description and price what do you normally look for and what’s important?”

The brave souls then responded, “We’ve even consider buying acceptable book conditions as long as they are the cheapest price in there” So as gracious as I want to feel, what can I say as for all these years our “Affordable” wasn’t cheap as cheap but “quality” comes with it.

So my take on this as we prepare for Book Expo America through the American Booksellers Association initiatives on May 2016 at McCormick Place in Chicago is it’s time to re-express what book selling and book lovers is about. Quality, experience, joy and great service should still be jointly capitulated on our initiatives and expressions and continue to educate the retail and online consumer what it’s all about.

After all 3 out of 10 online cheapest price sales comes with either the return or negative feedback and guess what? Today even feedback are no longer are deterrent as the culprits invade the cheapest price market on book selling.

The Future of the internet towards human nature

Posted on by alexesguerra

 

The future has began with the digital technology age today.  From video-cams, landlines, instant messaging and reading, the internet has transformed a new way of life.

With online virtual communities and social networking, one does not need to travel thousands of miles to meet and learn about society and culture.

Expressing emotions and ideas are ways to create  a real sense of healing especially when humans go through difficult times in their lives.  Understanding human ordeals is hard especially if we have never experienced the same hardships and situations.

It is no longer assumptions towards realities and analyzing trends but listening to people.  On the other end, the listener has to have the compassion and sentiment to elicit a more positibe attitude.

This is not just about the business aspects of creating niche but also sharing personal experiences over life.  The key is simply accepting what is present and then move on towards a new beginning. This is the real message depicted on the ideology behind why we have constantly promoted the online virtual community.

Collecting Books as Hobby and Business

Posted on by alexesguerra

On a Young Entrepreneur speaking engagement I spoke, on an open forum preceeded by being asked if I used a Book Scanner. Nowadays, book scanning is the high tech ingredient where you use your smart phone or blackberry integrated with a scanner. You scan the back of the book’s UPC, Bar Code or ISBN no.
My answer is that I do have the capability as it is a real cool dundy tool must have. However, on another side, I come from the old school of being a book reader, collector, dealer and then seller.
A book for me is a tool and guide for information and learning. I started reading Hardy Boys and Marvel Comics by DC when I was five. Then I also did speed reading and took pilot (beta test) schooling at that time which is commonly known as home study. As an army brat, I had to go into different schools and start over, thank GOD for being a accelerated student then.
The different kinds and variations of books is not only interesting but for me makes the sense why I collect books as passion, hobby and business.
If you are like me to loves learning new things, romance, and adventure then books might be something to think about.
Coming from the old school, I look for the First Printing or First Editions and can easily tell if a rare book is a BCE or blind copy.
Another question is value because it is how a person perceives books. Why then did we come up with the business model of http://www.affordable-booksonline.com/
It is because the way I look for books is not to be to expensive that no one will buy it until you die or not too cheap as it was always a flea market style ( sounds familiar?).
Human factor is a big deal in the books business. Whether your bidding on ebay at user: affordable-books-and-things, at http://www.biblio.com/ user: ADLE International, an www.alibris.com/bookstores/affordable librarians or even the rare phenomen with ABE Books Exchange (AFFORDABLEBOOKS).
Not the less, if you love doing what you do and love charity and giving with http://www.biblioworks.com/ through us at http://www.adleinternational.com/

More Power and Success.