The January e-ret@iler contains:

1. The article of the month: More than 20 tips
that move inventory
2. e-ret@iler advisory of the month: Ringing
3. Web tip of the month: Accounts receivable
aging
4. Our Power Promoting idea of the month:
Create a drop off center
5. Book of the month: Why people buy things
they don't need
6. Your e-ret@iler subscription, contacting
Profits Plus and Tom Shay

O => Print the January issue of the
e-ret@iler so you can read it at your leisure.

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1. Article of the month: More than 20 tips that
move inventory

Hey e-retailer readers! How about a New Year's
resolution to increase that turn of inventory?
Moving some more inventory can definitely
improve the cashflow and increase profits. So,
read through the article of the month to start
your new year and make a resolution to make
some improvements.

More than 20 tips that move inventory

O <= After printing the January e-ret@iler, check
here if you plan to read the article of the month.

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2. e-ret@iler advisory of the month: Ringing

In the past month, there have been a couple of
personal experiences that I would like to share
with all of you.

It began with the e-mail that I received from
someone that is a merchant. He had some very
profound comments. Let me share some of them
with you.

"I realize that I have failed to cast the
vision for my grandchildren's future in my
business. I am second generation and I have
been more focused on what is not working than
what is working. I am sure this is common with
many owners. However, what son or daughter
would want to be a part of a business that Dad
comes home each night complaining about?

I think it presents a mystery to them as to
why we continue to do it. They are not party
to the good sales, the great service by the
majority of our vendors, the thank you cards
from our customers - the very thing that moves us
to remain engaged in what our fathers have
done before us because there is a hugh reward
in doing what we do. I make a difference in
people's lives."

What a deeply thought provoking letter! The
second part is an experience I had two
weeks ago as I was ringing the bells for
Salvation Army in front of a grocery store in
a strip center.

A lady that had shopped in our store for
many years was walking out of the grocery
store. As she stopped to say hello, another
person that recognized her stopped to speak
to her. She introduced him to me and we
quickly found a common point of discussion.

He owned a store that shipped packages for
people. We offered the same service in one
of our stores. I spoke about how much fun
it was during the Christmas season. I
mentioned how we would engage customers in
conversation about what they were shipping
and who was the recipient. We talked with
our customers about what they were doing for
Christmas. I said it was fun as we got to
share in the experience with our customers.

This store owner's response can be summarized
in the statement, "I never saw what I do as
fun."

With the point of the first letter, and the
comments of the person owning the store,
I do not understand people that "live" in
that kind of world. The letter writer now
understands things in a different light.

The last part I want to share with you
comes from sitting in the balcony recently
and watching, "The Polar Express". The
theme of the movie deals with children that
reach the point of no longer believing in
Santa Claus. The story compares believing
to being able to hear the sound of a
sleigh bell. He has a sister, Sarah that
is having the same challenge.

Watching the movie, I think about believing
in the spirit of Christmas and believing
in the spirit of being a retailer.

The closing line of the movie goes like this,
"At one time most of my friends could hear
the bell, but as years passed, it fell
silent for all of them. Even Sarah found
one Christmas that she could no longer hear
its sweet sound. Though I've grown old, the
bell still rings for me as it does for all
who truly believe."

Tom Shay sees the person that owns the
package store as being one of his friends.
I see the person that wrote the letter as
being like the central figure of the movie.
He questioned his beliefs, but has since
decided he wants to continue hearing the
ringing of the bell. And as for Tom Shay,
as I grow old, the bell still rings for
me as it does for all who truly believe.

To each of you as we start the new year, I
ask, "Is retailing (the bell) still
ringing for you?

O <= After printing the January e-ret@iler,
if you plan to review this material for your
business.

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3. Web tip of the month: Accounts receivable
aging

So, we talk about a New Year resolution of
increasing the turn; now let's take a look
at how your accounts receivables are aging.
Follow the attached link and you can see
how you are doing with regard to collecting
your accounts receivable.

Accounts receivable aging

O <= After printing the January e-ret@iler,
check here if you plan to look at the financial
ratios calculator.

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4. Our Power Promoting idea of the month:
Create a drop off center

This idea worked very well in our store. We
were looking for ideas of how to get more
customers into our store. We quickly found
there were many things that customers needed
that would also cause these customers to
come to our store more frequently.

Depending on the type of store you have, there
are many things you could offer to be a drop
off center for: alterations, lamp repairs,
power equipment, scissors sharpening, vacuum
cleaner repair and many other things.

The key to finding these opportunities is
found by simply listening to your customers.
What are they asking your advice on? "Do you
know where I can find a ....?"

And as you will notice with our list, many
of these things will require the customer to
come in twice - once to bring it in and once
to pick it up.

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5. Book of the month: Why people buy things they
don't need by Pamela N. Danzinger

This book is talking about my kind of people! These
are the people I want shopping in my store and
your store. As you read the book, you can
understand why people do this and then you can
better understand how to get more of these people
in your store more often.

If you have already read this book, or are looking for
more books to read, follow this link to the list
of suggested readings on the book referral page
of the Profits Plus website.

Book Referral List

O <= After printing the January e-ret@iler,
check here if you plan to read the book of the
month.

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7. Your e-ret@iler subscription and contacting
Profits Plus and Tom Shay.

The subscription is free. Just remember if you
are changing your Internet service provider, you
will need to enter your new e-mail address
to keep the e-ret@iler coming. Every month we
see that 50-75 of you fall off of our
subscription list as you change e-mails and
hope that you are remembering to update your
e-mail address.

Contacting us is just as easy:
The phone is 727-823-7205
The fax is 727-898-3179
The mailing address is:
PO Box 128
Dardanelle, AR 72834USA

That's our message for January. We hope you
found the investment of your time to be
worthwhile as you read our monthly newsletter.

For month after month I leave you with a
reminder. Today I had an experience that
truly bothered me. I was shopping in a
jewelry store of which I have known the
owner for over 25 years. I mentioned to
him that I was looking for a lighting
supply store to purchase some new fixtures
for my home.

His suggestion for the purchase was one
of the big box stores. I still like this
guy, but why would any independent business
send a customer to a chain store for any
purchase?

Again, my reminder. Make a point to do
business with another independent. When
you do, you will likely meet a person
that will become a friend and runs a
neat business - just like yours.

Get your Profits Plus. May God bless you
and yours. We will see you in February.