12/99

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    THE ANTIQUES SOS
    e-JOURNAL

December 1999 Vol 1 Issue #10

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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) e-Journal to them at no charge. Because the cost of
printing and mailing a publication are so great, regular delivery
of the Antiques SOS(tm) e-Journal will be by email only.
Please share this copy with a friend. Both they and we will
thank you for your consideration.

(C) Software Gallery, LLC    December 30, 1999

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
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IN THIS ISSUE.....

1. Can the Internet Work for You ?
2. Marketing Tip -- The Importance of Great Brochures
3. Sales Tip -- Your Sales People -- Professionals or Conscripts
4. Mall Operations Tip -- Mall Security - Part II
5. Dave's Soapbox -- Fulfilment
6. Internet Neighborhood
7. Nerd's Corner -- Scanners Part 1 of 2
8. A Little Light on Windows -- Improving the Performance of
            Windows 98 (R)

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TOPIC OF THE MONTH

Can the Internet Work for You ?

Sure, but how about answering some questions first. For
example, what do you want to do with the internet ? How well are
you doing with your present business ? Have you really
embraced the technology and understand it intimately ?

The internet isn't going to make the lame walk nor leap tall
buildings at a single bound. A successful internet based business
doesn't just happen. An internet based business requires
excellent planning, execution and management skills. If you are
currently operating a successful antique mall, you already have
an advantage. You are going to need all the management skills
you currently have and then some if you really want to make a
success of your internet venture.

Because the pace of the internet is so great, changes are
detected and amplified almost immediately. Your sucesses and
good decisions become quickly apparent as do your errors.
Constant monitoring and adjusting are required to control and
grow an internet based business. One cannot simply create a
web site and walk away from it expecting instant riches.

If you have a great concept, are near the head of the line, execute
flawlessly and are very, very lucky you may do very, very well with
your internet business.

How well do you really understand what the internet is all about?
The internet is no different than any other business in that it,
despite the current buzz, obeys the long established basic laws
of business and customer interaction. The internet is very
different in that the path to arrive at an functional and successful
internet business, even though it must obey the same basic laws,
is also very different than that taken by a bricks and mortar
business.

Always remember that the internet is an interactive media. I
nternet-based businesses function best when they are structured
to take advantage of that interactivity.

The internet is a unique media with its own set of rules. Yes, it is
radically different in a functional way, than print media, face to
face selling, TV, radio and your "bricks and mortar" antique mall.

The blind attempting to lead the blind is an appropriate description
of much of what is going on in the internet/antique world. Many
of those who claim to understand the internet and its applications
to the antique mall world clearly do not. If not, you are going to
have to hire competent help to do what needs to be done. Don't
waste your time and money with amateurs.

Are you prepared to work and I mean really work at making the
internet work for you. Who is going to design, build and maintain
your web site? Do you or someone who works for you have the
time required to devote to the project ?

Do you own your own URL ? To be taken seriously, it really is
necessary to own your own URL. Having your primary business
site be a subset of someone else's site is really an indication that
you aren't totally committed to your business. (MORE)

How are you going to reach your audience ? What are you going
to tell and sell them ? What information content are you going to
provide ? Remember that your site should be at least 50%
nformation content if you expect people to return to it after their
initial visit, as they should.

Remember our discussions about your mall's personality ? What
personality will your web site have ? This is far from a trivial
question. It is, in fact, on of the most critical questions that you
need to ask yourself. The "personality" you choose for your web
site will determine the content you employ, the structure of the
site, the visitors you attract and retain, and ultimately, your site's
success.

Where are you going to find the content which will bring them
back over and over again ? To be really effective, most of your
content should be original. Regurgitated pap is singularly
unattractive and all to common in online sites and publications.

Lets be direct !! The days of slapping up a half baked, static web
site and having it be even a modest success are gone forever.
The competition for the available antique dollars on the web is
intense and making a go of it is very hard work indeed.

Can it be done ? Sure ! Find a niche for you product or service.
Avoid the 2000# gorillas and plan upon working overtime.

by
David P. Cunningham, P.E.
Copyright 1999

Copyright Notice: Copyright 1999 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)

The Importance of Great Brochures

Your brochure is a very important part of your marketing system.
The brochure is your silent salesman but to be effective, they
must be strategically placed and distributed. Take one boxes in
strategic locations are very effective.

Use your brochures as fillers in direct mail (the letter sells, the
brochure tells). It makes a very potent combination. Have your
dealers distribute your brochures at shows and in their mailings.
Chambers of Commerce frequently provide rack space for their
members and include your information with their handouts.

Tourist centers and information kiosks offer an excellent place to
locate your brochures. Make sure that they are professionally
designed, up to date and inviting. Having at least one color to
dress up the brochure is quite important. After all it is a sales
piece describing the benefits of stopping with you.

Tie your brochure into that for other attractions. Join a
multi-attraction brochure. Consider a special free gift for bringing
in your brochure on a first visit. Do combination mailings with
other attractions. Arrange special discounts at local restaurants,
motels, bed and breakfasts and at other attractions in which your
customers could have an interest.

Emphasize your mall's personality by explaining what sorts of
merchandise a customer could anticipate finding. Include a map,
your telephone number, an email address, and your web site's
URL. Print your brochure on slick heavy coated paper to convey
a quality impression. Use short sections with short sentences,
words and paragraphs to make your brochure highly readable.

Your brochure helps to establish credibility and explains things
visually and in words. It helps to convince the prospective buyer
that the product offering proposition and the organization behind
it is real. The brochure tells and the letter sells. Your brochure
tells people what to expect and provides information about your
mall -- use illustrations, drawings and photos effectively. Make
sure that the brochure accurately reflects your mall and that you
can deliver what your brochure promises.

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

Sales Tip -- Your Sales People -- Professionals or Conscripts ?

As you well know, the antique mall business is intensely
competitive. Additionally, a myriad of operating business models
exist. All antique mall businesses operate using a business
model, whether the business model is consciously chosen or not.

At one point or another you will face the issue of how to optimally
staff your antique mall to facilitate and encourage sales and fit
your budget. How you staff your sales floor really depends to a
great extent upon your business model and the "personality" you
have adopted for your store. Only you can decide whether you
will use a professional sales staff, force your dealers to do
"duty time" each month or find another appropriate method.

What antique mall owner hasn't asked the question "How should
I staff the sales function for my antique mall ?" In the past, most
antique malls took their sales staff from dealer conscripts, if they
had a sales staff at all. This is especially true of antique malls
who have adopted a "space rental only" business model.

The early antique malls were relatively small, as many still are
today, and customers were expected to find what they wanted to
buy without sales help. Times have changed, however, and the
antique mall business has evolved and changed as well so there
is no predetermined business model. It is either chosen with
some deliberation or it simply evolves.

Many malls continue to use conscripted dealers as floor sales
personnel. Others use professional sales personnel. Each has
there own reasons for doing so and the method they use may be
perfectly adequate for their individual needs.

Which is really correct ? Most likely both because each antique
mall's circumstances differ. However, it is an area to think
seriously about because sales of merchandise has such a
profound impact upon your mall business. We'll talk more about
this in future editions.

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

Mall Security - Part II

Fire

Fire is a major enemy of antique malls. Many malls are in old
buildings and they are stocked with merchandise that tends to
be flammable. We talked extensively about fire safety in a
previous article. It is important to have an adequate number
of fire extinguishers on hand and have your personnel trained
to use them. Be sure, also, to plan for and discuss with your
personnel, what to do in the event of a fire. Frequently, your
local fire department or insurance company will help you
achieve this.

Even where not required by local or state codes, fire detection
and suppression instruments can be a very good investment.
This can be as simple as installing local alarm smoke detectors
or as complex as a zoned alarm system with a fire suppression
system and central station reporting and fire department
dispatch. Investigate all alarms and take whatever action is
needed to resolve them.

Make sure that you take your backup computer disks off site
at least once each week. Without the information they contain
you will not be able to restart your business and it will quickly
fail. We have had the unfortunate experience of seeing fire
destroy several of our client's antique malls as well as several
others. In at least two cases, the fires were set by burglars
trying to cover their escapes and destroy evidence.

Burglary

Every antique mall is a potential target for burglars. This is
especially true for malls which house dealers who specialize in
expensive easily fenced "smalls" such as jewelry. Take all cash
off site every evening or place it and your daily backup disks in
an appropriate fire proof safe. Install and use professional
grade motion detectors and low light level capable security
cameras equipped with stop motion video tape recorders. All
windows and doors should be equipped with sensors which will
detect entry or breakage. Any alarms resulting from this
department or 24X7 monitoring organization. Please note that
these pieces of equipment described, as well as others we have
discussed, need to be installed and maintained by professionals.
This not a job for amateurs nor should the equipment selected
be less than professional quality.

Armed Robbery

Willie Sutton, the infamous bank robber, was once asked why
he robbed banks. His answer was a classic "Because that's
where the money is !" Armed robberies (holdups) of antique
malls seem to be remarkably rare. It is our opinion that this is
only because criminals don't have any concept of the amount
of cash which passes through a typical antique mall and how
very easy it would be to take it. From our observations, mall
robberies certainly don't occur because malls present hardened
targets.

Once again, you best defense against robbery is to take away
the incentive and opportunity. If significant amounts of cash
accrue in the cash drawer, remove it by substituting a fresh
drawer or removing a significant portion of the cash. Always
physically conceal the cash so bystanders cannot gain a concept
of the amount of cash which might be available at any given
time. Cash should never be handled or counted in public view
and should be stored securely. When transporting cash for
deposit always vary your route and time of departure. If
appropriate, arrange for an armed escort.

If you have the misfortune to be the victim of a robbery, above
all remain calm. Instruct your staff not to resist. Follow
instructions while unobtrusively observing important details.
Do not play hero ! Money, in reality, is nothing but used dirty
paper and can be replaced; lives cannot.

Check all areas to which the public has access at closing and
move customers from the extremes of the mall toward the exit.
Do not allow people to linger but politely and firmly move them
toward the checkout. As a part of your overall security system,
if the risk is sufficiently great, install hold up alarms. Never try
to apprehend or detain an armed criminal yourself; the risk to
you and bystanders is simply too great. Remember that if a
"druggie" will shoot and kill a convenience store clerk for
$25.00, think what he'll do to get the kind of cash that passes
through your hands on a busy weekend. Don't give them the
opportunity !

Bad Checks

Checks, to be accurate, are little more than promises to pay.
Regrettably, some people's promises aren't worth much with
the result that many bad checks get issued every day. To say
that bad checks are troublesome is an understatement. The
prospect of significant financial loss is one thing but the
aggravation and annoyance are another. It is certainly worth
taking all available steps to (1) prevent accepting bad checks
and (2) to collect the amount due if you do get one. It's
beyond the scope of this article to discuss the particulars of
check recovery. It is sufficient to say that it can be exceedingly
difficult and tedious. Consult your local Chamber of
Commerce, attorney or check recovery service provider to
determine what is legally permissible in your area. Don't be
surprised to discover that you are at a significant disadvantage.

You can, however, take steps up front to minimize your
exposure to bad checks. Always ask for photo identification --
two pieces if available -- and look at them very carefully.
Make sure that the addresses on the offered identifications
match each other and that on the check. Very carefully
examine the check. Make sure that it has not been altered, is
not postdated (dead men can't write checks) and is printed
upon alteration resistant check safety paper.

Do not accept third party checks and do not accept any payroll
checks unless the payee is known to you. Maintain a working
relationship with your fellow area merchants. Informally trade
information about bad checks and suspicious individuals who
are in the area. Finally, if you are really concerned about bad
checks (and who isn't) sign up for one of the nationally
available check verification services such as Ok Check.

Security is a very important part of your business. You can
positively impact security through modest steps you can
implement yourself. And, by taking these steps you can make
yourself a significantly less attractive target for criminals. So,
go to it !

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DAVE'S SOAPBOX
by David P. Cunningham

Dave's Soapbox1299

Fulfillment

The past holiday season is now history. The promise of bang up
internet sales was actually realized with online sales roughly
doubling from the 1998 holiday season. That is the good news.
The bad news is that many online sites failed to deliver, in a
timely manner, the merchandise which was ordered, even though
orders were placed prior to deadlines. Many of these sites will
not return for the 2000 holiday selling season.

How did they fail ? For the most part they didn't fail to sell. S
elling, in fact, is the easy part of the equation. What they did fail
to do was to fulfill the commitments they made to their customers.
That is, the commitments they made to deliver a particular
product, at a particular price and, especially, to deliver it on time.
Some major "bricks and mortar" retailers, including world class
retailer Wal-Mart, aimed for and committed to an internet
presence early in 1999 -- and then backed off. They knew that
they weren't quite prepared to fulfill the commitments that they
knew they had to make and backed away from them rather than
risk their reputations.

So what does this have to do with the antique mall business ?
Simply, this. If you make commitments, in your ads, brochures,
fliers, or direct mail, keep them. Customers can be unforgiving.
If you promise that they will have a selection of Roseville to
choose from make sure that its there. If you place desirable
merchandise on the internet make sure that its really available
and properly represented.

Ruthlessly weed out any merchandise, and the dealers who
present it, which is misrepresented or otherwise not what it
should be. Don't represent your antique mall or dealers as
anything but what they are. If your mall contains a mixed general
line say so. Be honest and be direct. Fulfill your customer's
expectations. It pays big dividends!

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THE STUFF THAT PAYS THE RENT

Antiques SOS (tm), Antiques SOS Lite (tm) and Antiques SOS
Basic (tm) are Software Galley, LLC software products which
serve the Antique Mall trade. Our products are installed in 250
antique 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.inc.com

Is a site constructed and operated by the same folks who bring
you Inc. Magazine, source of loads of excellent articles and
terrific how to stories. Lots of excellent information. Well
presented and informative and worth reading.

Http://www.garden.com

Garden.com is the ultimate gardner's web site. Filled with great
products, excellent sources of information and accompanied
by great service. Highly recommended

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

Scanners

What is a scanner ?

A scanner is an electronic/mechanical device which step by step
takes an electronic picture of a surface. The surface can be a
photograph, a printed page, a film strip, a business card or any
other flat surface. The electronic picture created by an array of
CCD devices is an analog image of the original surface. The
analog image is converted to a digital image electronically by an
analog to digital converter. A less expensive alternative employs
an array of contact image sensors (CIS) which do not require an
analog to digital converter.

The image is generated by light which is either reflected from the
surface to be scanned or passed through it. Scanners use arrays
of charge coupled devices (CCD) or contact image sensors (CIS)
to detect the light and create an image from it. CCD systems are
capable of much higher resolutions than are CIS devices which
are cheaper. CIS devices are, however, not sufficiently cheaper
to make them a desirable alternative to CCD systems.

The resulting digital image stored electronically and then be
processed and manipulated by application software which is
installed in your computer.

Why would someone need a scanner ?

At one time not so long ago a scanner was the only practical way
to create a digital format image from a photographic image or a
printed image or surface. Of course, with digital cameras widely
and cheaply available today, that's no longer completely true.

Creating a digital file through the use of a scanner isn't a new
technology. However, until recently, using a scanner was
something of "black" art, difficult to implement and quite expensive.
Even as short a time as a year ago, scanners required calibration,
color correction and dithering pattern, brightness and contrast
adjustments.

Scanners are great for creating archival records of printed pages,
photographs or documents. Digital images are created to make it
possible to manipulate the images, alter or to transmit them.
Scanners still provide a very effective means of creating digital
images when existing non digital images need to be converted
into digital format or when film is to be digitized.

Who needs a scanner ?

A scanner is appropriate for anyone who wants or needs to
preserve or transmit old photographs or documents as well as
create digital images from high resolution photographs or flat
objects. These can be used in selling, presentations or
advertising. Further, scanners are great for creating easily
accessible document archives.

Where are scanners best used ?

Scanners are best used in fixed installations such as an office or
studio. Hand held or portable scanners are available but have
limited functionality.

How do you select a scanner ?

Scanners are available in a wide variety of configurations, styles
and qualities. As a mall owner or manager your use of a scanner
will probably consist of digitizing old photographs, documents, flat
format antiques such as advertising, or photographs of highly
detailed subjects. Therefore, your most appropriate choice of
scanners, and the cheapest, is probably a flatbed scanner.
There are many other types of scanners including sheet fed,
photo and film scanners. A good flatbed scanner, with proper
attachments, can handle most any need you might have with, the
exception of sheet fed scanning.

Your need for a top quality scanner, with its attendant top quality
price, is probably quite limited. Mid level scanners which are
priced in the $145 - 300 range are more than sufficient for almost
any need you might have. On the other hand entry level scanners
usually lack important features and precise mechanisms,
reflecting their low prices. Therefore, they should be avoided.

What do you look for in an appropriate scanner ?

First, we suggest that you consider purchasing a midlevel flatbed
scanner suitable equipped to handle photographs. There are
several important issues which you should consider. They are:
· Interface to your computer
· Resolution
· Color
· Speed
· Software
· Computer hardware requirements

Part 2 will continue in the next issue

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A LITTLE LIGHT ON WINDOWS

Improving the Performance of Windows 98 ®

This month's column is short and to the point. Microsoft ®
Windows 98 ® is a huge complex mass of code. Understanding
it completely could be lifetime project.

There are, however, ways of significantly improving the
performance of Windows 98®. We highly recommend that you
trot yourself over to the CNET web site (http://www.cnet.com) and
look at their article on this subject "Windows 98® Speed Tweaks".

This article contains an excellent presentation of the issues and
is highly recommended reading for users of Windows 98®. This
is a very useful, no nonsense, to the point discussion.

They (CNET) know more about windows than I do and they say
it better. So, why should I try to reinvent the wheel ?

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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 Year 2000/Y2K issues; e-commerce and its
appropriate use; 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) 1999 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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