Grocery e‐tailing can, in theory at least, lead to savings of time and money for both buyers and sellers. However problems remain where delivery is concerned and these can threaten the overall profitability of the exercise. The main question is: how do sellers provide an efficient, appealing...

There is an old direct marketing saying that half the population won’t buy mail order. It does not matter how much you reduce the perceived barriers, these people are that way out about the idea of mail order, you cannot convert them to its delights. It seems reasonable to assume that the same...

Everyone knows the party is over for the dotcoms. The morning after, some party guests have completely disappeared, others are regretting their behavior and promising to be sensible in the future. The guests that just had a few drinks are relieved to be still standing. So what did happen last...

Next time you receive a birthday‐card that really catches your eye, it might have been thought up by the Hallmark Idea Exchange. This is not a team made up of the best and brightest card designers at Hallmark Cards Inc., but instead comprises about 200 volunteer consumers.

The next five years will be extremely crucial to the global automotive industry. In facing many challenges, not least continuing over capacity, most manufacturers are looking for ways to bring back the customer, boost brands, and so improve shareholder value, profitability and market share. The...

In a current advertising campaign, a major bank has a reassuring message for its customers. The HSBC describes itself as “the world’s local bank”, presumably to establish that it has the virtues of both service to individual customers and size. These are, as the Chinese would say,...

Intel is the world’s largest producer of integrated circuit chips and has customers around the world. But it also faces stiff competition from companies such as Advanced Micro Devices, Motorola and Texas Instruments. In 1997, Intel began to look into e‐business. Right from the start the...

The idea that investors are only interested in short‐term results carries more than a grain of truth. It does, however, begin to look a little bit shaky when the fortunes of DuPont are examined. The US chemical company’s shares are underachievers compared to those of 3M. And it is 3M which...