RE: Food For Thought

Well, I read the article *sigh*...

My first reaction was to get in the car and drive the ten minutes to his
store and smack him upside the head LOL...but I'm not the violent type, so
I had a glass of wine instead and mumbled a lot :) 

I have only been back in this country six months after living for the last
three years in the US, so I'm a bit behind the times when it comes to this
guys rep. However, I am reliably informed that he's a bit of a business
whizkid and his "predictions" apparently come to fruition a good deal of
the time so I'll take that on face value.

However, *if*, as he says in the begining of the article, e-tailing is such
a dead duck, why does he maintain a website. Because it costs him very
little and he is getting *something* out of it. Granted, what he is getting
maybe minimal, but for him to not have a web presence, given his business
interests, IMHO would be foolish...something which appears not to have
escaped him. 

I would think that, given his success, he does his homework very thoroughly
and his comments relating to *his* business are correct, but I would be
interested to know if every single person that enters his store is
questioned as to how they came to be there. Some people use the web like
the Yellow Pages...look it up, browse the catalogue, visit the store, buy
the product. Is it possible that "some" have slipped through his market
research net ? Maybe, maybe not...but.....

What galled me about that transcription was the man's arrogance and his
apparent glee at the failure of some to succeed in an industry that is
fraught with potholes at the best of times. Usually when someone denounces
something so vehemently, it's due to a lack of understanding or envy, but
given this man's reputation, I'm disappointed and surprised that he would
be so quick to bite the hand that feeds him.

Sadly, the government in this country seems to be bound and determined to
cripple the internet with draconian legislation and the media promotes the
web as an evil place, inhabited by nothing but porn mongers and snake oil
merchants ready to either take your money and run or stalk you.

Is it any wonder that Australians don't buy online when they are fed daily
with such negativity. 

I for one will never buy anything from a Harvey Norman store, either online
or off which I'm sure won't bankrupt him, but since he seems to know so
much about web designers and how they "operate", I'm sure he won't miss my
money.

Kym





At 04:56 PM 06/12/2000 , Craig Foot wrote:
>Well ... I've seen another interview or report from an interview where he
>espoused the same sort of drivel. I used to buy there until I woke up to the
>fact that his software and hardware are above market prices. If he can't, or
>won't, sell on the Net, it only means one thing ... his prices are too high.
>
>But then again, he may wish to maintain his current margin for as long as
>possible and only bow to the pressures as a last resort. No doubt a lot of
>smaller retailers would follow his every word in the hope of emulating his
>success, so why not decry new selling techniques when given the opportunity.
>It must deter a few from entering this new sphere of retailing (plus put our
>jobs in jeopardy)
>
>But, he is maintaining his website just in case.
>
>regards
>
>Craig
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: owner-hwg-business(at)hwg.org [mailto:owner-hwg-business(at)hwg.org]On
>Behalf Of Dennis Lapcewich
>Sent: Monday, 12 June 2000 3:51 PM
>To: 'hwg-business(at)hwg.org '
>Subject: Food For Thought
>
>
>Folks,
>
>I know we're all in the web business (or think we are ...)
>
>You might want to take a view at the following interview with one of
>Australia's most successful business and retail giants, Gerry Harvey of
>Harvey
>Norman.
>
>The gist of the transcript can be found at the very beginning:
>
>REPORTER: Have you seen any e-tailers that you think do have a future?
>
> HARVEY: No.
>
>
>See http://businesssunday.ninemsn.com.au/bs_itvtrans.asp?id=1205

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