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    THE ANTIQUE and CRAFT MALL
    BUSINESS e-JOURNAL

The Official e-Journal of Antiques SOS (tm) and Crafts SOS (tm)
Complete Mall Business Management Software

May 2000 Vol. 2 Issue #3

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This publication is intended to provide you, the owner or
manager of an antique mall, craft mall or design center
with timely, usable information. We sincerely hope that it
serves this purpose well. Please let us know what articles or
columns would be of interest to you. We welcome qualified
subscribers and will be pleased to provide The Antiques SOS(tm)
Antique and Craft Mall Business e-Journal to them at no charge.
Because the costs of printing and mailing a publication are so great,
regular delivery of the Business e-Journal will be by email only.
Please pass this issue on to a friend or associate. Both they and
we will appreciate your consideration.

(C) Software Gallery, LLC    May 31, 2000

David P. Cunningham, Editor
email: editor@antiques-sos.com
http://www.antiques-sos.com
subscribe by sending an email to:
subscribe_ASOS@antiques-sos.com

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We value every subscriber and respect your privacy. If you
received this publication in error or wish to receive no further
issues, email remove_ASOS@antiques-sos.com. You will be
promptly removed from the list. NOTE: Our subscriber list is
strictly private and is not made available to others for any reason.

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IN THIS ISSUE.....

1. Your Business Plan -- Part 1
2. Marketing Tip -- Your Business Focus
3. Sales Tip -- The Key to More Sales -- Part 2 of 2
4. Mall Operations Tip -- Making Your Mall Customer Friendly
5. Dave's Soapbox -- Your Computer Guru
6. Internet Neighborhood
7. Nerd's Corner -- Privacy on the Internet -- Part 1
8. A Little Light on Windows -- More on Fat Pipes -- Part 2 of 2

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TOPIC OF THE MONTH

Your Business Plan -- Part 1 of a Series

by
David P. Cunningham, P.E.

Introductory Article in a Series -- Your Business Plan

With this issue we are starting a series of articles concerning your
business plan. You may well have the reaction "Business plan ?
Who in this business needs a business plan ? We're too small for
that level of formality. Besides business plans are dry and boring."

The answer is -- YOU need a business plan. No matter how small
or how large your business is you do need some sort of business
plan. We agree that business plan development can have the
potential to be somewhat dry and boring. However, the thrill of
designing, implementing and growing a thriving business more
than compensates for a few hours of potential boredom. And, a
few hours of boredom is vastly overshadowed by the days and
months of recrimination you'll suffer if your business fails as a
result of inadequate planning.

Businesses fail every day -- primarily from a lack of planning and
direction, poor management decisions and the inability to focus
upon the things that are really important. Business owners and
managers find themselves doing only that which appears at the
moment to have to be done, and barely that. They pay bills, sell,
place advertising, recruit dealers and do 1001 other "important
things. What they don't do is plan the path they want their
business to take and make sure that the plan gets implemented
and the results measured.

A good business plan provides not only for consideration of what
you want your business to be, but also allows you to develop the
focus you require for growth and success. A good business plan
need not be overly complex. What it should be, however, is
carefully designed, built and tailored to the specific needs of your
business.

So, why is a business plan important to the success of your
business ? It certainly isn't to simply put another sheaf of papers
in the filing cabinet -- or to provide sloppy weather entertainment.
Not only does it provide focus, but it also is a document against
which you can measure your progress, financial as well as physical
growth. Additionally, if you need to seek financing at any point in the
development of your business, a soundly conceived and
implemented business plan will be a certain requirement.

Such a business plan will help determine how you will build upon
your and your mall's strengths. It will help you focus upon how
you use the strengths you have identified to form a unique
competitive advantage to add value and to become and remain
profitable. The old ways of doing business simply will not work in
the long term because there are too many competitors seeking a
share of a business with limited growth opportunities.

Your business plan will provide a terrific way of tracking and
evaluating the progress that your business is making toward the
goals you have established for it. Without a business plan, and
the business model, which it encompasses, you have absolutely
no way of knowing where you are, where you are going, how you
are going to get there and when you have arrived. A great
business plan is an excellent way of attracting the top dealers you
need to succeed.

We'll examine and decide how to incorporate your and your mall's
unique strengths -- and make sure that we understand the
weaknesses which are inherent in any business. We'll look at the
markets you intend to address; local, regional and national and
how you plan to do so. Recruiting dealers which meet the criteria
will be considered. And, we'll bring your business model under
intense scrutiny to see how well it corresponds to your stated
goals -- and reality.

We are going to address the following aspects of business plan
development in the forthcoming issues of the Antiques SOS
e-Journal:

• Who --     who needs a business plan ?
• What --     what is an appropriate level of complexity for a good
    business plan ?
• Why --    why do you need a business plan ?
• When --    when do you need to prepare it and use it ?
• Where --where do you go for help in preparing your business plan ?
• How --    how do you go about preparing it & how much effort
    is appropriate ?

Copyright Notice: Copyright 2000 David P. Cunningham, P.E.
This article is available upon request by from our web site
http://www.antiques-sos.com by downloading a copy. Or,
we'll email a copy to you upon request.

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MARKETING TIP
(A brief tip for marketing your mall)

Your Business Focus

What do I mean by the term "Your business focus" ? Quite simply,
each successful business must, if it is to succeed, have a clearly
defined focus. Why a focus ? Having a clear and precise focus
to your business, or any other business, has never been more
important. Virtually all of us have finite resources. That means
that we have to concentrate those resources where they will
create the greatest positive impact upon our businesses.

Similarly, there has never been a time when it is more important
to highlight what makes your mall different from all other malls.
Again, this is a direct effect of the large number of choices of ways
each customer faces about how to spend their limited free time
and available money on a daily basis.

Ask yourself the question "Why would anyone come to my mall as
opposed to someone else's mall, going fishing, a taking in a
concert or some other form of entertainment. Answer the question
honestly and you will see that you probably have work to do.

There are a limitless number of apparent "opportunities" which
present themselves to both you and your customers. They
compete for your potential customer's time and interest and yours
too. If you try to be all things to all people it will only be a matter
of time until you are subsumed by more clearly defined competing
interests.

If you actively consider and act upon an "opportunity" presented
to you, it must be evaluated in the context of your business plan.
More importantly, it must be considered with your customer base
clearly in mind. Whatever you do must be in your customer's best
interests. Never forget that your business is not about you. It has
never been more clear that the antique or craft mall business is
really about your customers. If it isn't good for them, it isn't good
for you.

Your focus has to be upon your customers because your business
will grow and prosper only if you excellently fulfill and exceed their
expectations. And, oh yes ! Don't forget that you have at least
two and perhaps three unique sets of customers. There are those
who walk through the door of your bricks and mortar operation.
There are those who purchase from your internet offerings. And,
there are your dealers and consignors. You may face quite a
balancing act because each set of customers can sometimes have
somewhat different interests.

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SALES TIP
(A brief tip on selling more to customers --local
and remote and increasing revenue)

The Key to More Sales -- Part 2 of 2

The following reasons are the most significant reasons why sales
do not occur.

No need

No one really "needs" antiques. For the most part, they don't feed
or shelter us. They don't keep us clothed or warm. Antiques
fulfill other, mainly psychological, needs and are, therefore,
something we want rather than need. Advertise and sell antiques,
and crafts too, where the people who want them congregate,
either literally or figuratively.

No money

In today's market, it can be difficult to find qualified buyers for
less than the very best premium merchandise. When you do, it
may be necessary to make buying easy. That is, you may have
to accept checks, provide for layaways, and accept various credit
cards.

No hurry

For the most part, if the merchandise you are offering is of
sufficient quality, rarity and desirability there will be little tendency
to dither. Lesser merchandise will invite "shopping" and the
customer may not return for it so you need to make the sale NOW.
Limited time only deals or similar ploys may help here.

No trust

This is a major issue. Your strong reputation and extensive
knowledge of the merchandise you carry will help you here.
Guarantees are essential if the merchandise is expensive and
reproductions in the field are known to exist.

No knowledge

You might well argue that a customer shouldn't be purchasing
merchandise he knows nothing about. You would be correct but
somewhat unrealistic. Some effective antidotes are to maintain
copies of articles by known experts, maintain an in house library
and provide seminars by experts.

No availability

Its really hard to sell anything to even the most financially capable,
knowledgeable customer if you don't have it available. This points
up the critical importance of having great dealers in your mall. It
also highlights the importance of having an excellent business model
and business plan as well as a superb implementation strategy.

Non-competitive pricing

Even the most fanatic collector won't purchase merchandise
which is grossly overpriced. Once again, the critical importance
of having great dealers in your mall becomes apparent. They
are inevitably skilled at both buying and pricing exceptional quality
merchandise. And, they have access to collections and merchandise
ordinary dealers cannot obtain.

Competing choices

If there are other things which attract the attention and interest
of a customer, they will, of course, compete with what you are
trying to sell. Your job is to demonstrate why the choice you have
to offer is the better one. Your knowledge about rarity, condition,
desirability and value then become very important in the decision
making process.

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MALL OPERATIONS TIP
(A brief tip about improving antique
mall operations)

Making Your Mall Customer Friendly

In previous issues we've talked about various topics concerning
mall operations. Almost all of our discussions have been centered
upon the mall itself and the mall owner's interests. One issue
we've not discussed is that of making your mall customer friendly.
After all, it is the customer who will or will not make your mall
successful.

You have to work harder than ever to retain your customers and
dealers. Further, attracting new customers isn't getting any easier.
The antiques, collectibles and crafts marketplace is extremely
competitive. Many savvy new sales bourses have opened and
internet sales opportunities are legion. All compete vigorously for
the customers you want to attract and, especially, retain.

If you pay attention to details, its very clear that there are things
which you can do to improve sales to your customers. Your
business really isn't about merchandise is it ? It's about people,
your customers, and satisfying their wants and perceived needs.
Really, isn't it about everything you do, or should do, which is
done in support of your customers -- if you want to be successful.
Use your imagination !

Whatever you can do to enhance your interactions with your
customers and make them more comfortable and at home will
improve your sales. The personal touch, without being intrusive,
is very important. Some of the major aspects of developing this
approach to customer satisfaction and retention follow.

Physically friendly

Your mall should be well laid out and very easy to navigate.
People really don't like to get lost within a physical space and
your customers are no different. Signs which point to the front
desk or to a snack area are a welcome addition. Plenty of
adequate seating and places to rest are essential. Customers
are frequently either older or accompanied by those who are older
or are in some way handicapped. If concerns about comfort or
physical staying power interfere with purchasing, reduced sales
will be the result. Help with heavy objects should be readily
available as should packaging and shipping. Finally, handicapped
access is not only the law but it also makes really good sense.

Safety issues

If customers feel that they are at risk, they will either not enter
your mall or once in, will not stay. Aisles must be wide enough for
comfortable passage, lighted sufficiently and free of trip hazards.
Snow must be cleared from parking lots and sidewalks and all
potentially slippery surfaces treated with ice melter and abrasives.
Stairways must be clearly marked and stair treads secured and
well lighted. In compliance with almost universal regulations, all
exits must be clearly marked and free of boxes, trash and debris.

Comfort

Malls should be reasonably comfortable; air conditioned in the
summer and heated in the winter. The mall has to be at least
reasonably clean; free of dust kitties, soiled carpet and obnoxious
odors. Clean, well maintained restrooms are required to keep
customers coming back. Clean, newsprint free wrapping materials
should be provided at the checkout counter.

Lighting

The lighting provided must be appropriate to the tasks being
illuminated both in intensity and color. Illuminating paintings or
fabric with sodium vapor lamps is the kiss of death for such objects
with warm color tones because customers know that they are not
seeing true colors. Cases must be well lighted so customers can
actually see the merchandise they contain. Stairwells, exits and
aisles must be properly lighted for people to be comfortable using
them. Exterior lighting of parking lots, sidewalks, entry ways and
exits is very important as well for the same reason.

These are, by no means, all the things you can do but simply a
starting point. You can probably find a significant number of other
things which will work specifically for you and your mall.

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DAVE'S SOAPBOX

Your Computer System Hardware Support Guru

About 65% of all support calls we receive at Software Gallery
concern, in one way or another, computer system hardware or
network problems. We've always tried to help you, which
sometimes results in other SOS users having to wait with
questions legitimately related to our Antiques SOS™ products.
This despite the fact that, with limited exceptions, we don't
provide hardware and specifically exclude hardware support.

Each client site at which Antiques SOS™ is installed is different.
As you would expect, there is absolutely no consistency from site
to site with respect to computers, configurations, printers,
networks, power quality, personnel, operational competence or
anything else.

There is simply no way for us to know the specialized configuration
of your computer hardware, the other software you have installed,
the cabling arrangements, the network configuration and other
very important details. Nor is it our responsibility to do so. It is
somewhat akin to calling your word processing software vendor
and expecting them to troubleshoot your network and hardware.

Therefore, it is to your advantage to establish a working
relationship with a local, highly qualified equipment and
applications software professional. They can provide the prompt,
reliable help you need to set up and troubleshoot your network,
sooth a cranky computer or deal with the many quirks of the
Windows (R) operating system.

The money you "save" buying your equipment from bargain
sources, unless you are well qualified or have very well qualified
help, simply is not worth the aggravation. A locally available
computer professional is worth his or her weight in gold when
your computer fails or Windows® throws a hissy fit. Establish
that relationship now, before you need it. You'll be very glad you
did.

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THE STUFF THAT PAYS THE RENT

Antiques SOS (tm), Antiques SOS Lite (tm) and Antiques SOS
Basic (tm) and their Crafts SOS(tm) counterparts are Software
Galley, LLC software products which serve the Antique and Craft
Mall trade. Our products are installed in over 260 antique and
craft malls in 39 states and Canada. Antiques SOS (tm) was
first installed in 1987 and Antiques SOS Lite (tm) was introduced
in 1998 to satisfy a need for computer software for smaller malls.
Antiques SOS Basic (tm) was introduced in 1999 and has been
very well received. All products are fully Year 2000/Y2K
compliant. Please refer to complete information which has been
posted on our Antiques SOS (tm) web site
-- http://www.antiques-sos.com

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INTERNET NEIGHBORHOOD

Cool web sites

http://www.cnet.com

CNet.com is an excellent site devoted to news concerning high
technology, computer hardware evaluations, software reviews
and a myriad of other information. Easy to use and navigate,
CNet is highly recommended for those who need to know about
such things.

http://www.mysimon.com

My Simon is an exceptionally useful shopping robot. Once you
get past the superciliously smiling character, the site is very
useful. You can search for a wide variety of things which may
interest you and receive large amounts of information about them.
Highly useful and recommended.

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NERD'S CORNER
(A light approach for non-techies
concerning need to know issues)

Introductory Article in a Series -- Privacy on the Internet

As everyone who has read the Antiques SOS eJournal knows, I
am more than a little fussy about privacy, particularly privacy on
the internet. And, I think that many others are too. You probably
wouldn't be too thrilled to discover that someone had riffled
through your purse or wallet. Or, you might not find it too
entertaining that all your private records and personal information
had been added to what are essentially public information
sources. So why should you be any more pleased that companies
and individuals can do the same thing by using the internet --
completely without your knowledge and permission.

If this whole concept doesn't bother you, you can skip the series
of articles which will follow this lead-in discussion. If it does,
welcome. As far as I'm concerned the invasion and destruction of
personal privacy is an insidious and pervasive problem. It is a
problem which is growing and takes place outside of our normal
everyday stream of conscious thought but is, none the less, quite
serious.

Practiced by individuals, industries, health care agencies,
insurance companies and governments, they ultimately compromise
and destroy personal privacy. This leads to the corrosive
reduction and loss of our hard won freedoms. What Master is
being served ? Is the convenience for Big Brothers worth the price
YOU have to pay ? I don't think so and I'm betting that you don't
either.

Diatribes aside, we're going to pursue a series of rational
discussions about the issues involved in personal privacy. We're
going to examine the ways in which your privacy and mine are
compromised and twisted to other's use. We're also going to
examine the ways you can protect yourself against the more
egregious examples. Some solutions involve the use of
technology, some do not. They vary from simple to complex
depending upon your needs and willingness to take the steps
necessary to protect yourself.

Some of the areas and issues which we are going to examine are:

· Who me ?
· Why should I care ?
· How snooping is done
· Browsers
· What is being done with the information ?
· How the information can be misused
· What are cookies and how they can be misused ?
· Software that blabs
· Current legislative status
· Prospective legislative status
· Anonymizing services
· Encryption
· Asides -- credit bureaus, licensing agencies
· Web bugs (clear GIFs) and their impact
· Email identity grabbing
· Black and White and shades of gray
· Spam
· Where to get more information
· Firewalls
· DSL/Cable modems
· What can you do ? The role of common sense

Be sure to let me know what interests you. We'll try to cover it
and address your interests and concerns.

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A LITTLE LIGHT ON WINDOWS

More on Fat Pipes -- Part 2 of 2

Satellite connection

Satellite based internet connections are a technology whose time,
although coming, has not yet come. Although Hughes DirecPC
advertises a satellite based internet connection, the connection
is a receiver based downlink only connection. The uplink
connection is by standard dialup modem. Service is limited
and sporadic.

By the end of 2000 an enhanced two way satellite internet
connection is supposed to be available from Hughes/AOL using
an 18" satellite dish. Similarly, a service from Gilat/MSN
(Gilat is an Israeli company and MSN is Microsoft Network) is due
to be available, also by the end of 2000.

Currently advanced vaporware (that is in the advanced planning
and preliminary financing stages) are several other very high speed
two way downlink/uplink satellite based systems which are due by
the end of 2003. The announced speeds are in the megabyte per
second range. The current market penetration for satellite based
internet connection systems is approximately 1%. The expected
penetration by the end of 2003 is less than 2%.

Fixed Point Wireless

Fixed point wireless internet connection systems are being
employed in a relatively small number of installations in scattered
geographical locations. Relatively low power transmitter/receiver
units are placed within the area to be served and each computer
location is similarly equipped. Most current systems operate in
900 MHz frequency range. Because the competition for this
frequency band is intense the reliability of such systems can be
problematical.

Some higher frequency (2 GigaHz) wireless systems have been
proposed and even fewer implemented. They apparently work
reasonably well but impending competition from satellite based
internet systems is causing more than a little concern about their
viability. Fixed wireless systems currently enjoy less than 1%
market penetration. It is expected that by the end of 2003, they
will have approximately 2% of the market.

The downlink and uplink speed available using fixed wireless
internet service varies from approximately 128 kbps to 1500 kbps.

Consequences of "always on"

A significant consequence of an "always on" connection to the
internet, e.g. with DSL and Cable modems, is that additional
protection for your computer system is required. At a minimum,
constantly upgraded antivirus software, a really good firewall and
excellent passwords are required.

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Dave Cunningham is one of the principals of Software Gallery,
LLC the developer and owner of Antiques SOS (tm) and
Antiques SOS Lite (tm). He specializes in technical issues
which affect the Software Gallery client base. Dave's special
interests are: e-commerce and its appropriate use; privacy issues;
human/computer interface design and time saving aspects of
technology. He has accumulated an assortment of wallpaper from
a number of fine institutions of higher learning as well as The
University of Life. The foregoing qualifies him to issue profound
mutterings, occasionally stumble into solutions to user problems
and, when necessary, cook dinner.

Sue Cunningham is also one of the principals of Software
Gallery, LLC. She's been writing computer software
professionally since 1964 and has been an antiques dealer since
1967. She's a self proclaimed "nerd" who even had "FOXPRO"
on her Pennsylvania license plate.

Software Gallery, LLC is a business venture of The
Cunninghams. Long active in the antiques world as dealers and
in software development, Sue and Dave Cunningham live and
work in Laramie, Wyoming after having been located in
Denver, Pennsylvania for many years.

The Antiques SOS (tm) product line has its own web site at
http://www.antiques-sos.com. More information about
Software Gallery, LLC and its products can be found at
http://www.softwaregallery.com.

To subscribe to The Antiques SOS eJournal email to:
subscribe_ASOS@antiques-sos.com

To unsubscribe email to: remove_ASOS@antiques-sos.com

_________________________________________

(C) 2000 Software Gallery, LLC

We encourage you to forward a copy of this issue (w/ all
copyright notices intact) to as many antique, craft or design
mall owners or managers as you wish. This information may
not be altered, transmitted or transferred; electronically or
otherwise for any other purpose without written permission
from Software Gallery, LLC. All rights reserved.

_________________________________________

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