Ideas
© 2009 Max Lent
I generate ideas. I generate many more ideas than I have the resources to implement. What follows is a collection of
ideas that are yours for the taking with a couple of qualifications. If you use my ideas, it is required that I receive
credit for the idea. If my ideas are used in commercial ventures, I will expect reasonable compensation.
The descriptions of the ideas presented here may make them appear easy to implement without additional input from me.
Past experience has shown this is not so. Hundreds and thousands of details that would show up in business plans are not
and purposely not included here. Developing these ideas into profitable businesses requires more information than I have
provided. If you like the idea and want to make a business out of it, I am available to partner and consult.
Idea Collection
Marketing Women's Shoes Locally
Concept
Women buy lots of shoes, many more shoes
than they need. Yet, shoe stores market women's shoes
exactly like men's shoes, toasters, and other commodity
items. They show photos of shoes in expensive ads and
list prices. Although this seems like a simple and
workable process, it is broken. First off, toasters don't
come in a full and half sizes like women's shoes. If I see
an advertisement for a toaster, I will assume that the store
will have the toaster in stock when I arrive at at the
store. This is not so with women's shoes. Large and
small sizes are rarely stocked. Secondly, there are
many more manufacturers of shoes than manufacturers of
toasters and the range of models made by any manufacturer is
smaller than the range of models offered by shoe
manufacturers. Thirdly, there is no need to try on a
toaster. It is rather unlikely that a toaster buyer will
even open the box before making a purchase. Women
prefer to try on shoes. They can't try on shoes that
are not in the store's inventory. The challenge is to
provide women with information about what is and is not
available.
My wife wears size 5. Rochester, NY shoe
stores rarely stock size 5 shoes or shoes at the other end
of the size scale. They only stock the middle sizes. And no
single store has decided to serve size 5 customers. That
means that they don't order size 5 shoes and that they don't
sell size 5 shoes. Because size 5 shoes are not sold
locally, size 5 customers buy their shoes out of state or
through Web shoe stores. This tells manufacturers that there
are few if any size 5 customers in Rochester, NY, which is
false. Last year, my wife bought 15 pairs of size 5 shoes in
Massachusetts. When the buyer for that store looks at their
data, they will assume that there are a large number of size
5 customers in their market. This is not so. Their data is
just as wrong as that collected by local shoe stores.
When I have suggested to local retailers to stock size 5
shoes for my wife, they disregard my suggestion using the
misinformed logic that there are no size 5 customers in
Rochester. I suggested that if they were to take the
initiative and purchase size 5 shoes and advertise their
availability they could corner the market. Unfortunately,
they repeat that there is no market. Again, a false
assumption. So, what does my wife do? She buys shoes through
the Web shoe stores. She pays no shipping and no taxes and
she gets her shoes faster than if she ordered through a
local store. Some Web shoe stores even pay for return
shipping if the shoes don't fit. When I tell shoe
store employees that they are losing sales to Web shoe
stores by not implementing my suggestions, they look at me
dumbfounded. No matter how clearly I spell out their
doomed future to them, they can't see the logic. I
haven't even been able to convince local shoe stores to list
the sizes available in print ads.
There was one store in Rochester, NY that
catered to people with problem feet. They were so popular
that customers had to take a ticket when they walked into
the store in order to be waited on. That store only
closed because the owner retired for health reasons. He was
probably working too hard. A shoe store that caters to small
and large size customers and advertised their specialty will
also be very busy and very profitable.
What is even more amazing is the lack of
service at brick and mortar store. I visited
three local women's shoe stores recently with my wife and
with her sister. Two of the stores were upscale stores
in Pittsford. The first store seemed to be abandoned when we
entered. A few minutes later a salesperson came out from the
storeroom to curtly asked if we wanted something. We asked
if they sold size 5 women's shoes. She replied that only one
or two of the styles she carried came in size 5, but was
unwilling to tell us which one. She seemed very relieved
when we left the store and she could return to her personal
tasks in the back room.
The first thing we asked when we entered the second store
was whether they stocked size 5 women's shoes. The
salesperson said that they had lots of size 5s. The
following scene was very similar to the cheese counter scene
in the movie
Borat.
My sister-in-law started down a row a samples and asked to
see them in size 5. Not a single shoe out of the more than
dozen pairs displayed was available in size 5. When my
sister-in-law gave up and requested to see anything in size
5 the employee also gave up and admitted that there were no
size 5 shoes available.
The third store was in Penfield. As soon as we were in the
store, we asked the young salesperson if they carried size 5
shoes. She responded that they did and that they were in the
corner of the store on a 50% off shelf. Her tone was less
than friendly. She didn't appear to like her job and made us
feel as though her day would be a lot better if we just
left. The sale shoes deserved to be in the 50% off section.
The salesperson suggested that my wife should try on the
size 6 shoes because they ran small. The didn't run small
and the salesperson tried to suggest that the overly large
shoes should be worn that way. We left and will never
return. The other upscale stores will also never see us
again.
The reason for my including these experiences here is to
demonstrate that a combination of poor service, lack of size
options, and Web competition will eventually drive these
stores out of business. The eventual closing of these stores
will open opportunities for shoe retailers who understand
marketing, training, the value of data, and the power of the
Web.
Local brick and mortar shoe stores need to
put their inventories on the Web if they want to compete
with Web shoe stores. Nearly every shoe store has an
inventory database. Making that database available on the
Web and at an in-store kiosk is essential and easy to
implement. Manufacturers will supply product photos
and the stores already have all of the other data at hand.
When these stores go online they need to collect size data
from their Web visitors, especially those who do not buy
shoes. Brick and mortar stores could be collecting
this data now, but they aren't. The reason they aren't
is because they think they are selling toasters.
Assumption
What women want, but probably don't know
that they want, is to know if the advertised shoe is
available in their size and in a particular color. Of
course, it is possible to pick up the phone and call the
store to see if the shoes are available in a particular size
and color, but that is often unsuccessful. Shoe store
employees are generally poorly paid and seem to be poorly
trained. Women would buy more shoes if the process
were easier and if the shoe stores stocked shoes in their
sizes.
Profit
If the shoe fits they will buy it.
If they buy shoes the stores will make money.
Social Book Network
Concept
The current trend in Web social networking applications
is to connect users with other users or content that
matches their interests. Amazon.com does this with
its content. Once you have purchased a product,
Amazon will suggest other similar products. For
example, if you liked one book, Amazon would suggest other
books within the genre or similar content..
Last.fm performs the
same service with music. If you like this artist you
may also like these artists. What is missing is the
same type of service with more advanced features to
connect users with books. Amazon is too primitive
and isn't always accurate. Last.fm does a better job
with music. Amazon does not include social
networking in its system. Last.fm does. My
concept would employ the best of class services of
Amazon.com, Last.fm and other social networking groups.
Assumptions
Every child or adult would love to read if they were
presented with books that spoke to their interests.
For example, I didn't discover travel narratives until I
was 30 years old. No one told me about them, I
didn't know that they existed, yet I loved travel and
traveled a great deal. I hated most of the books I
was given to read in high school. In fact, high
school and college English classes almost weaned me
completely from fiction. The current books that I am
reading came to me from reading a book I found in a
bookstore in a distant city. That book lead me to
another book, which lead to another, which lead to the
series that I am now reading. I could not have found
this series through Amazon.com's system. If I had
the ability to connect to a social groups that also read
these books, I would likely discover even more books that
I would want to buy and read.
Profit
Like all such services, the profit would come
from selling products and advanced services.
Web Magazine
Concept
A paper magazine with an online membership only
component that covers new Web resources. A recent
news announcement says that there are more than 100
million Web sites. There are also thousands of
Web-based applications and more are being offered every
day.
This magazine would inform its readers about new search
engines, new medical Web sites, new travel Web sites, and
much more. It would inform readers about new
Web-based applications such as Google Earth, NOAA weather
radar, and all of the emerging applications. It
would tell readers how to use these applications.
The topics covered would be of value to a broad
audience including homemakers to scientists. The
emphasis would be on doing new practical and useful things
using the Web.
Assumptions
The Web is growing much faster than anyone person can
follow without assistance. This magazine would
enable lay people to learn how to utilize the Web better.
Profit
The profit model would be similar to any magazine.
It would be supported by subscriptions and advertising.
The Web site would be for magazine subscribers only and
would require a sign in to access the same content on the
Web. This would enable magazine subscribers to
access Web URLs with having to type them.
Anti-Bacterial Doorknobs and Other Surfaces in Medical
facilities
Concept
On a recent visit to a doctor's office I noticed that
every patient entering or exiting the office used the same
door handle. If this were a pregnancy clinic there
would not much of an issue, but this was a general
practitioner practice with half a dozen doctors.
People came in with cold, flu, and who knows what other
communicable diseases. All of the infectious people
exposed other patients who had non-infectious problems to
communicable diseases.
Manufacturers such as Samsung offer a silver nano
anti-bacterial coating which could be applied to surfaces
like doorknobs, counters, and other surfaces in doctors
offices and other medical facilities to reduce the
transmission of communicable diseases.
The actual product would be replacement door handle
hardware with the coating.
Assumptions
Doctors are sworn to do no harm. If they know
that they are, by inaction, transmitting communicable
diseases through contaminated doorknobs and door handles,
they have to ask if they are doing harm. I believe
that they are.
Profit
Sales and installation of the new hardware.
Recycling the old hardware metals.
Wall Lighting for Flat Panel Televisions
Concept
Several flat panel television sets come with rear
lighting to reduce eye strain. A soft diffuse light
is shown on the wall behind the television. The
product that I imagine would be a flat panel led lamp that
would sit behind a flat panel television set and
illuminate the wall with a low lumen diffuse light.
This unit could also be made to hang on the wall with
spacers at the corners to hold it away from the wall.
Assumptions
As more high end flat panel televisions are sold with
the rear lighting feature, this inexpensive unit would
enable purchasers of lower priced flat panel displays to
have similar features.
Profit
This lighting unit must be inexpensive. I
would be made in China. The mark up would be
substantial.
e-Auction Shop
Concept
Imagine a place, not unlike Kinko's, where you could take an object that you wish to sell through an online auction
and have it photographed, posted on an auction Web site, held in a kind of escrow until sold, then packaged and shipped
to the buyer for you.
Assumptions
I believe it is safe to assume that more and more people are going to participate in online auctions. Published data
shows that the number of people with broadband access now exceeds the number of people with dial-up access.
Profit
Charges to customers include:
- Photographing object with digital camera (no film & no processing)
- Registering the object on an auction Web site
- Processing the fees
- The float
- Packaging
- Shipping
Follow-Up 5/16/04
This idea was implemented by
iSold It in California a year after it was first
published here. However, iSold It appears not to have
envisioned a national or international franchise for this
concept. Imagine working out an arrangement with all
of the Mailboxes Etc., Kinkos, UPS, or even video rental
stores in rural locations where this concept were
implemented. Imagine expanding this concept
internationally. Imagine marketplaces in Africa, the
Middle East, and in European countries having a little shop
that does nothing, but help local artisans sell their goods
on Ebay. Imagine if UNICEF used this technique to help
artisans around the world create a world market for their
goods. It is an idea than can scale in many ways.
Concept
Geographic specific travel agency services provided to motorists through toll free numbers.
Motorists traveling through a specific geographical regions such as cities or the Finger Lakes of upstate New York
would see roadside signs advertising free travel information and offering a toll free number to call from a cell phone.
When motorists call the toll free number they are connected to a local call center populated with knowledgeable
travel advisors. The travel advisors would offer the following:
- Hotel reservations
- Restaurant reservations
- Campground reservations
- Information about and directions to attractions
- Emergency road service
- Travel advice
Assumptions
- Travel agencies are seeking new revenue sources as a result of cut backs or total elimination of airline
reservation income.
- Travel agencies are already equipped to make reservations.
- Travel agencies have access to travel information, especially about their own cities.
- Visitor bureaus are always looking for ways to increase tourism to their locales. The needs of the visitor
bureaus and the motorists could both be profitably satisfied through such a service.
- The service makes use of existing technologies.
- The concept has been proven by General Motors and Ford Motor Company. General Motors offers a fee-based
satellite-based communications service to its customers. This service enables their customers to request road side
service, travel information, and location information.
Profit
- Reservation fees
- Membership fees
An annotated guide to ground as seen from commercial airliners.
Concept
Aerial and satellite photos of the earth corresponding to flight paths of commercial airlines.
Assumptions
- Airline passengers with window seats, not over the wing, have a wonderful view of the earth as they fly from
city to city.
- Pilots rarely identify what geographic feature their aircraft is passing over at any given time.
- Large quantities of free and inexpensive aerial and satellite photos exist of the U.S.
- Airlines generally follow strict flight paths.
- News stands in airports represent an excellent point of sale.
- Airlines may want to purchase the guides for inclusion in in-flight magazines.
Profits
Sale of soft cover and hard cover books.
Follow-Up 8/2/04
Window Seat: Reading the Landscape
from the Air by Gregory Dicum is now a book. The book
does not follow my concept exactly, but it does a pretty
good job of showing airline travelers what they are seeing
from their window seat. What this book misses out
is that it does not provide mile by mile views of regular
airline routes. So, there is still a book to be
written.
Travel agencies that provide fee-based travel services
that cater to middle and upper class travelers. An old
idea returns. If you visit India today, you will find
that travel agents there provide services more like what
travel agents provided a hundred years ago. For
example, an Indian travel agent will do more than issue a
ticket. They will make arrangements for a car to pick
you up from your hotel and drive you to the airport.
At the airport, the driver or representative from the travel
agency will walk you through the process of getting to your
plane. If you are taking a train, a representative
from the travel agency will see you to your train, locate
your seats and stow your baggage overhead before bidding
farewell. At your destination, another travel agent,
part of a network of cooperating travel agents will be
waiting for you with another car and a translator/guide to
take you to your hotel and to tourist attractions.
Their role is to constantly look after your needs and supply
whatever you need to make your trip enjoyable. If you
want to go by car from one city to another, they will
contract with a driver on your behalf. As a traveler,
your arrangements are made and the details worked out
without need for your participation. Parts of this kind of
system are available today in the U.S. You can, for
example, arrange for a car (not a limo) and driver to pick
you up from the Los Angeles airport and take you to where
you want to go. The fees are not much more expensive
than renting a luxury car from a car rental service.
However, it is unlikely that your local travel agency will
know about this service or how to arrange it for you.
It is also unlikely that you would know about such services. The concept of this business is to create a network of
boutique travel agencies that work with each other to offer
personal services to middle and upper class travelers for a
fee. A travel agency in NYC city would provide cars
and drivers to pick up customers and deliver them to their
departure terminal. Tickets, luggage handling, even
food would be provided to the traveler. At the
destination, another car and driver would be waiting to pick
up the traveler and their luggage and deliver them to their
hotel. The hotel would be prepped to receive the
traveler and have whatever amenities the traveler desired
already in their room. This might include flowers,
foam pillows, liquor, or even a maid to hang up clothing.
A representative from the Los Angeles travel agency would be
constantly available 24 hours a day to make reservations at
restaurants, plays, or other entertainment venues. A
car and drive would be available on 15 minutes notice 24
hours a day. For foreign travelers, translator/guides
would be provided to show the traveler the city.
Business travelers would be provided secretarial/translator
services. The traveler's travel agency would profile their
customers thoroughly to find out what their travel needs and
desires are. This exists to some degree already on
some of the online travel reservation services. For
example, I can book a non-smoking room. Imagine this
being carried to a higher level where the contents of the
in-room mini-bar could be ordered in advance without your
having to ask for it each time. Imagine, being able to
request foam or fiber fill pillows, a fragrance free room,
or a room away from the street in advance without having to
ask for it each time you travel. What would make this
system successful would be the customer profile.
Believe it not, these are the kind services that were
offered by travel agencies long ago. If you were
British and you planned to travel to a distant land, your
travel agency, through a complex network of representatives,
would make your journey trouble free. Everyone along
the way knew in advance of your arrival and your needs. What is amazing is that many of these services are available
today at a low cost, but few travel agents know that that
they exist. Most travel agents are trained to issue
tickets and not much else. A few can tell you about
which cruise boat is better than another, but this advice is
usually heavily influenced by commissions from the cruise
line rather than the client's needs. The advice that
travelers would get if the traveler were paying the fee
could be quite different. The bottom line is that
successful future travel agents will be service rather than
sales driven. The first agencies to set up a network
of travel agents to deliver exceptional customer specific
services will be the next American Express or Thomas Cook
Travel agency.
Assumptions
- Existing travel agencies are being replaced by
self-serve travel Web sites on the Web.
- Revenues from ticket sales are shrinking
- Profitability is becoming harder to maintain.
- Middle and upper class travelers require more services
than bargain travelers.
- Middle and upper class travelers will pay fees for
services that go beyond issuing tickets.
Profits
There is no question that service costs. However,
given a menu of desirable services, middle and upper class
travelers will pay for services they want.
There are several pricing models available from
percentage of fees to flat fees. The travel agency
will have to evaluate which model works best to provide
travelers with the most service for the least fees and
still be able to make a profit.
A travel agency that charges a hundred dollars to issue
a ticket and reserve a hotel room is not going to survive
in the scenario I describe. The travel agency that
charges a couple of hundred dollars to make every aspect
of the traveler's journey a customized pleasant experience
has a chance at survival and profitability.
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