In answer to your question about who is a customer, I had two major types of training over a long period – one for sales, and one for Total Quality Management (TQM).

The sales approach is a tiered approach and can be confusing at first –
- Someone who has never bought, but might do so, is called a prospect.
- Someone who has bought once (and maybe never been in contact again) is a Customer.
- Someone who has bought (maybe more than once) and maintains regular contact, is a Client.
The object of the sales approach is to move everyone to Client status, but it stresses the numbers game. You need vast numbers or “pre-prospects” to identify “qualified prospects” who will become customers. Then you need to filter the customers to identify “Customers qualified to become clients”. Obviously this system comes from direct sales rather than retail (online and offline) but some of it transposes across and fits with your comments regarding not turning people off from buying from you.

The other answer from TQM is a lot simpler – TQM teaches that EVERYONE who interacts with your business is a customer – buyers, suppliers, prospects, even staff and investors, government agencies etc. This opens the “Customer” definition wide open – even your Mum, wife, kids are customers at any point they interact with you or your business. That takes some getting used to and at times is really difficult to consider, and much easier to communicate than to operate.

Gaz(LanNaThai)

Amazon won’t accept “moldy, badly stained, or unclean copies” for sale on their site. But if the books you’re selling don’t fall in that category, just make sure to explain their condition thoroughly in the Condition Comments box.

Re: selling ads – yes they are good to sell. It can be a little labor intensive, but profitable. Even the articles will sell quite well. There is an older ebook by Avril Harper about that very subject. You can find it at: http://www.clippingsfactory.com/.

I had a similar experience in San Francisco over 20 years ago. I was headed for the men’s room in a McDonalds. The shift manager yelled at me over the counter that the bathroom was only for customers. Without missing a stride, I told her I could either go in there or right out here in the open. She didn’t try to stop me. I bought something afterwards just so they wouldn’t have a cow.

I get the reasoning, I just don’t agree with it. Back when my wife and I had a retail store we never stopped anyone from using the toilet. I figured if it was that important, the least I could do is provide the facilities.

I like your take on goalsetting too. It’s important we do what we’re good at because that’s where we’ll make the most money.

And the tip about checking on the price of books before you buy one is a good idea. I get some great books at one of the local hospitals. The auxiliary have a little cart full of books for sale. I pay between 25 cents and a buck for hardbacks in very nice condition. They must get regular donations because they always seem to have new books I didn’t see last time I checked.

I’ve read your ebooks and have set my sights on selling some books this year. I’ve sold almost everything I own that’s not nailed down on eBay. I’m still working on the niche and product source.

FBA sounds great, so I’m trying to schedule my time (hard for me to do) between eBay and sourcing books. I may have to do some driving, We have one small Goodwill, a consignment shop and a library here.

Thanks for your help, ( Newbie with a noisy head)
David

Your find of the KARDOCK book is interesting. There are none on Amazon, ABE, Powell’s, etc.. Sales ranking on Amazon is over 6,000,000… A search through some of the UK web sites may turn up information. A few years ago I paid a dollar for a rare book from the late 19th century. ABE had 5 listed in various grades for $475 and up. I had the book on ABE for about a year at $400. Then, I tried eBay several times while lowering the price down and down. Finally, I sold it to a lady for $75 who was very happy since she had read the book as a child and wanted to read it again.
I loved reading your restroom saga. When the person in the small pastry shop said the restroom is for customers only I would reply ” I am a customer who likes to eat with clean hands I will be right back ” . One of my local thrift shops has let me use their restroom a couple of times over the last ten years or so, but I have also been declined depending on the staffer since I am often in the shop 3-4 times a week.