Do business ideas help all businesses

As I've been slowly getting this store going, I've been trying to apply some concepts from the business classes I'm taking. I am trying to set up an inventory system, a customer database, an order database, as well as a table of product information, and supplier information. I got to wondering, is this overkill? I mean, yeah, a small business should have these systems in place, but this is a small business, run out of my dorm room. My inventory is probably less than $250, and I'm just not sure if I have the type of business that requires this kind of organization. I've thought about it a lot, ever since I took my Managerial Marketing class. I used to apply those concepts to different businesses I've run in the past, not actually applied them, just thought about how those concepts could have helped it more.

I guess these systems are good to have, just in case this thing does blow up and I need a management system, it would be better to have than to not have. Also, this does provide good practice for when I need to do this in the real world. I'm simply creating an Access database, which doesn't require much (but man, if you mess up Access, it just doesn't work) but I'm also thinking it's powerful enough to run a small business. the more I type the more I think this probably is a good idea, since this could ultimately help me to run forecasts and produce some effective charts, so I can see how my business is running.

My ITM group is working on this project right now, where we have to take our "grandfather coffee shop" that we "inherited" and write about how we could use a few aspects to technologically advance it. We talked about a biometric payment system and it seems pretty cool. I wish Michigan State would use this kind of technology. You set up a central account, and can link a credit card to it, as well as your address, phone number, and a username and password. You then set up your fingerprint next time you come in, by putting in your password and recording your fingerprint. Then, each time you come in, you place an order, scan your fingerprint, and it automatically charges your credit card. I thought that would be nice for state. You could use your spartan cash (campus cash account, lets your swipe your ID to spend your money) and even get into the cafeterias with it. You could also use it to provide access to different buildings, say Student A has clearance to use the chemistry labs, he can use his fingerprint to open the door. It just seems like that could be a fun technology to work with. Of course there are some security issues, like what if someone loses their finger, or entire hands, they wouldn't be able to use the system. Also, let's say some unsavory characters wanted access to your stuff, they might do something you wouldn't want to happen to you. I know that's one reason they dont' do this with ATM's, same with retinal scanning; those are body parts, but their not exactly body parts you can't lose.

This weekend, the rest of the shot glasses are definitely going up, as well as the temporary tattoos. I figure the tattoos are good add-ons, I just hope people don't only buy those, because then they'll be paying $5.50 for shipping a little $0.50 tattoo. I should include that in the description. I wonder if ecrater will allow you to do something like that, where it costs $1.00 shipping if they buy it alone, but nothing if they buy it with something else. My shipping tables are specific enough, and they can't be made specific enough. Anyway, keep reading, I'm back into posting.

Check out the store:

www.dorm-gear.com

I got the shot glass up

Well, it's not where I expected to be at this point, but I have one shot glass up on the store. I plan to put more of them up, but I'll be generally without internet this weekend. You can see the shot glass on my store, they're really quite cool.

www.dorm-gear.com


I also have some temporary tattoo's to put up, as well as 3 other colors of shot glass. I got my first order on the site, but Google Checkout screwed up and I didn't get an e-mail, so 6 days later I find out I have an order waiting. I felt really bad, but it went out on time. That's all I'll say to protect privacy. Anyway, I know I've been falling off on posts, but I'll post more next week, I finished my week with 3 exams this week, with a very small amount of sleep; next week I'll have plenty of time to take care of this.

I got more Inventory, it goes up after my break

Well, I'm on my spring break right now in Texas, but as soon as I get back to Michigan, my new products go up on the store. I got glow shot glasses, 16 blue, 16 red, 16 green, and 12 yellow. One of them was pre-cracked (it came glowing, which means I can't sell it) so the company I bought from put a credit on my account so I can get an extra one next time I order from them. I also bought a bunch of temporary tattoos. I was going to put these up before spring break, but I decided to wait until after spring break to upload the products and really promote the store. I figured if someone ordered something while I was in Texas, there was no way I could fulfill the order, and that would be bad for business.

Since I got to see one of the shot glasses pre-glowing, I was able to see how cool it was. It was really quite awesome. I just thought it was going to have a little novelty, but I really liked taking a shot out of it, there's something cool about a glowing shot glass, it just felt right :)

Anyway, I should probably begin uploading the products on Monday, and I'll start serious marketing. As far as I can tell, I am going to have some of the least expensive glowing shot glasses on the web. The tattoos are going to be great add-ons to other products. They'll be cheap, but they're really cool tattoos. I got the armband ones, wristband, and a couple types of Chinese symbols. I figure they're fun little items that people can pick up with their purchase.

This is going to be a short post, because I have to go get ready for a dentist appointment, but it's been good to get a few thoughts out there and let everyone see where I am.