Online retailers ramp up deals to capture dollars

NEW YORK (AP) - Online retailers are ramping up heavy-duty deals to turn skittish shoppers into buyers during the crucial Thanksgiving weekend and "Cyber Monday" - but even so, online sales are expected to be fairly flat after years of strong growth.

Free shipping is virtually a given, and many are offering financing options such as no payments for 90 days and deals like $10 off purchases of $50 or more, along with traditional discounts on products.

"Last year, people were spending a lot more money on gifts and products," says Jeff Wisot, vice president of marketing for online retailer Buy.com. "With the economic challenges arising this year, people are definitely spending less."

"Cyber Monday," a term coined by the trade group National Retail Federation in 2005 to describe the Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday, is the unofficial kickoff for the busy online retail season.

However, this year, consumer spending has dropped dramatically - down 1 percent in October, the largest amount since the 2001 terrorist attacks - as consumers grapple with a shaky economy, mounting job losses and a prolonged housing slump.

During the holidays, the trade group expects overall holiday spending will total about $470.4 billion, a 2.2 percent rise from a year ago and the slowest growth since 2002, and online retail is being hit along with brick-and-mortar stores. ComScore, a digital technology monitoring company, said Tuesday it expects online retail spending for November and December to be flat compared with the same two months in 2007. Last year's growth rate was 19 percent.

The expected slowdown in online growth is "dramatically different than what we've seen," says Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at NPD Group. "Consumers are not in a rush to shop."

In an effort to entice them, online retailers are offering a bounty of deals.

Wisot of Buy.com says his site is offering free shipping on most items, instant rebates and deals on TVs, GPS devices and other items.

Online jeweler BlueNile.com sent out a targeted e-mail promotion offering $100 off a $500 engagement ring, valid until Tuesday. And through Bill Me Later, an online payment site eBay.com is acquiring, BlueNile.com is offering 0 percent financing on purchases of $500 or more for six months. Bill Me Later has similar promotions for other online retailers.

Meanwhile, Amazon.com will take up to 65 percent off watches and offer one-day deals such as knife set that is usually $157 on sale for $49.99.

"We're bringing prices down as low as we can get them," Berman says. "These are great deals."

Online auction site eBay.com is holding what it calls the largest sale in its history, with $1 holiday doorbuster items hidden on the site that consumers hunt for, including a 65-inch Panasonic plasma HDTV and a 2009 Chevy Corvette. EBay also will offer items typically in demand for the holidays for bids starting at $1.

Toys "R" Us is offering more online promotions on Cyber Monday than last year, including 70 percent off Star Wars figures, $50 off the normally $59.99 Guitar Hero wired guitar controller from Activision and other deals.

And PayPal, another online payment site that eBay owns, is partnering with several retailers on deals. At Toys "R" Us, customers get $10 off purchases of $50 or more. Elsewhere, customers using PayPal can receive cash-back incentives ranging from 5 percent to 30 percent off at retailers including American Eagle Outfitters Inc. (AEO) (AEO), Overstock.com and Blockbuster.

Whether all the deals, rebates and discounting offers will help remains to be seen, says Dr. Michael Belch, a professor of marketing at San Diego State University.

"There's little doubt the consumer is still going to be very price sensitive," he says. "They're going to be looking for values."

IMF Wants A Financial Hand

The fund desires an additional $100B to help countries impacted by the global credit crisis.

The International Monetary Fund has roughly $200.0 billion in its treasury for struggling economies, but with the global financial crisis spreading deeper into emerging markets, the IMF is going to need more funding, according to its managing directors.

"It is true to say that because of globalization, the amount which the IMF is asking for is increasing rapidly, and the list of countries asking for some support is increasing every day," said IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

Developing countries are being hit by the financial slowdown despite hopes that their limited exposure to the soured structured investment vehicles that tightened global credit markets would keep them largely insulated from economic weakness. Foreign investors, however, began pulling much-needed funding from the countries, pressuring their currencies and banks. (See "The Global Financial Crisis.")

"A lot of capital has left emerging market countries where stock markets are down 30.0% to 50.0% and currencies have come down," said Arvind Subramanian, a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development. He said the Fund seems to be preparing for a protracted global slowdown since it has enough money to cover countries' needs in the short term.

"It would seem prudent to aim for a doubling of the resources available for Fund lending, even if the resources appear adequate in the current situation," said IMF First Deputy Managing Director John Lipsky, emphasizing that resources may not be enough if financial weakness isn't corrected before it spreads further. (See "The IMF Only Has So Much Oomf.")

The Ukraine, Iceland, Hungary, Serbia, Belarus and Turkey have already been talking to the IMF, which has 185 member countries.

So far, only Japan has offered additional funding with a $100.0 billion unilateral loan although Strauss-Kahn seems to be expecting more countries to come forward. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has been lobbying Saudi Arabia and China for more money, and Subramanian said China is certainly in the position to offer financial support--though neither country is likely to give money without also asking for a more active role in managing the Fund, he added.

Gadget Teknologi Tinggi Susah Diperbaiki

Kapanlagi.com - Belakangan hampir semua produsen peranti elektronik menawarkan produk dengan teknologi tinggi. Tuntutan untuk membuat gadget yang mampu mengerjakan banyak tugas dan mampu terkoneksi dengan peranti lain membuat gadget-gadget yang dijejali banyak fitur itu jadi tak mudah diperbaiki saat mengalami kerusakan. Setidaknya itulah hasil riset yang dilakukan baru-baru ini.

Pew Internet & American Life Project yang melakukan survei terhadap pengguna komputer, portable music player, ponsel, dan smartphone. Dan hasil dari survei ini menunjukkan bahwa sekitar 15% dari pengguna peranti ini yang mengalami kerusakan akhirnya menyerah karena tak bisa mencari teknisi untuk memperbaiki gadget mereka.

Hasil survei tersebut juga menunjukkan bahwa sekitar 38% dari pengguna menghubungi customer service sedangkan 28% mengaku berhasil memperbaikinya sendiri. 15% dari pengguna ini berhasil mencari 'pertolongan' lewat internet sementara 15% sisanya mengaku putus asa dan memutuskan untuk membeli gadget baru.

Seperti diberitakan oleh Associated Press hari Senin (17/11/08), tingginya tingkat kompleksitas dari produk gadget akhirnya membuat para produsen mulai 'merangkul' komunitas online untuk membantu mereka memberikan solusi bagi pelanggan yang mengalami kesulitan. Banyak produsen mulai menganggap bahwa fitur dan teknologi yang mereka cangkokkan pada produk mereka tak lagi dapat diatasi dengan layanan customer service.

Sementara dari sisi konsumen sendiri kadang juga mengalami masalah saat harus menghubungi costumer service karena mereka menggunakan dua produk dari produsen berbeda. Misalnya saja Anda menggunakan produk komputer dari satu produsen sementara printer yang Anda gunakan dibuat oleh produsen lain. Ini membuat konsumen kesulitan karena tak tahu harus menghubungi customer service yang mana. (ap/roc)

Spesifikasi USB 3.0 Sudah Beredar Resmi

Kapanlagi.com - Setelah cukup lama jadi pembicaraan di internet, akhirnya USB Implementers Forum melepas juga spesifikasi resmi dari USB 3.0 yang konon akan mampu memberikan kecepatan transfer data hingga 10 kali lebih cepat dari yang ditawarkan USB 2.0 saat ini. Selain lebih cepat, SuperSpeed USB ini akan lebih hemat daya dibanding pendahulunya.

Dalam sebuah pernyataan resmi di hari Senin kemarin, Jeff Ravencraft, presiden USB Implementers Forum menyampaikan bahwa ukuran file yang digunakan kebanyakan pengguna komputer saat ini sudah sangat besar sehingga dibutuhkan kecepatan transfer lebih tinggi untuk tetap dapat memindahkan file ini antar komputer dan gadget dengan mudah.

Jeff Ravencraft berharap di akhir tahun 2009, produk komputer yang beredar sudah menggunakan USB 3.0 sementara gadget yang menggunakan teknologi ini diharap sudah beredar di tahun berikutnya. Spesifikasi USB 3.0 ini dirancang untuk dapat tetap kompatibel dengan versi sebelumnya.

Menurut sebuah berita yang dilansir ZDNet hari Senin (17/11/08) disebutkan bahwa Intel, HP, Microsoft, ST-NXP Wireless, NEC dan Texas Instruments juga terlibat dalam pembuatan spesifikasi USB 3.0 ini (kpl/roc)

China Akan Perbaiki Harga Minyak

Kapanlagi.com - China diperkirakan akan memperbaiki mekanisme harga minyak dalam 20 hari ini sebagai bagian dari upaya untuk mengurangi konsumsi dan polusi udara, demikian dilaporkan media Rabu (19/11).

The China Daily yang mengutip Website yang tidak menyebutkan sumbernya sebagai mengatakan sistem harga baru akan disiarkan dalam 20 hari ini.

"Hal itu bertujuan untuk melengkapi perbaikan pajak bahan bakar China untuk produk minyak di bawah regulasi pemerintah.

China berkeinginan untuk mengubah model pertumbuhan ekonomi dengan mengurangi polusi dan lebih menekankan efisiensi, tapi para ahli mengatakan kebijaksanaan itu masih lebih banyak dikaji lagi untuk mencapai tujuan tersebut. (kpl/rif)

Harga Minyak Berhenti Pada US$50 Per Barel

Kapanlagi.com - Harga minyak mentah dunia turun menjadi US$50 per barel, sebagai akibat menurunnya permintaan energi dunia dan pasar menunggu diumumkannya data mengenai cadangan minyak AS.

Harga minyak mentah Brent untuk pengiriman Januari turun 82 sen pada 51,02 dolar per barel pada perdagangan pagi di Bursa Intercontennetal London (ICE).

Sebelumnya harga minyak menyentuh US$50,61.

Pada Bursa Mercantile New Yorka, minyak mentah light sweet untuk pengiriman Desember turun 70 sen menjadi US$52,69 setiap barel.

Harga minyak menurun sekitar dua pertiga di atas US$147 pada Juli sebagai akibat menurunnya ekonomi dunia yang membawa pengaruh terhadap permintaan minyak dunia.

Sehubungan dengan anjlok harga minyak di London minggu lalu hingga menjadi US$50, negara-negara pengekspor minyak anggota OPEC menyerukan pertemuan darurat di Kairo guna membahas tingkat produksi.

Kemudian Rabu, Departemen Energi AS menyiarkan laporan mingguan cadangan energi di Amerika Serikat, negara konsumen terbesar dunia

G20 draft outlines concrete action plan: sources

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A draft communique prepared for consideration by leaders of the Group of 20 advanced and emerging nations meeting this weekend will contain an action plan outlining concrete proposals, European G20 sources said on Friday.

"The summit will have concrete results. You can take this as guaranteed," a senior official of a European G20 country said.

The official said the draft statement contains both a section dealing with the causes of the global credit crisis and an "action plan."

"The action plan will contain several headlines, under which concrete proposals are summarized," the official added. "There is a division between actions which should be taken immediately until March 31st and medium-term actions."

G20 leaders gathered in Washington on Friday for weekend talks aimed at finding ways to turn back a virulent credit crisis and protect the global economy from the risk of severe recession. The nations also plan to discuss ways to prevent future crises.

"Among the headlines are more transparency, more regulations, more supervision and a closer international cooperation in all these areas," the European official said.

The source said the G20 will also ask countries to resist rising protectionist pressures and call for reaching an agreement to pave the way for completion of the Doha round of global trade talks by year-end.

(Reporting by Gernot Heller; writing by Tim Ahmann; editing by Todd Eastham)

Dollar mixed against rivals

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The U.S. dollar was mixed against its major trading partners Thursday as investors responded to bleak economic news and falling stock prices.

The euro was trading up against the dollar at $1.2495 from $1.2479 late Wednesday in New York. The 15-nation currency briefly fell below $1.24 overnight after German finance officials said Europe's largest economy tumbled into recession.

The British pound was down another 3 pence at $1.4607 from $1.4938. The dollar rose to a 6-year high against the pound Wednesday as investors bet the Bank of England will continue to aggressively cut interest rates.

Against the Japanese yen, the dollar rose to ¥95.46 from ¥94.94. The yen fell 1.3% against the euro to trade at ¥119.95.

The yen's decline came after the Reserve Bank of Australia confirmed that it is buying Australian dollars to help prop up the Aussie currency. The RBA's move bolstered the market's appetite for risk as investors speculated that other central banks will intervene.

But grim news about the German economy damped enthusiasm for higher yielding currencies like the euro.

Germany's gross domestic product contracted by 0.5% in the July-September period compared with the previous quarter, according to the country's statistical office. It was a much sharper fall than the roughly 0.2% decline economists had expected.

In the previous quarter, Germany's GDP fell 0.4%, which was the first decline since late 2004, after a 1.4% growth rate in the first quarter.

Despite the dour economic news, the Germany's DAX stock index rose 0.6% as investors appeared to have priced in the weak GDP numbers.

"It's not a surprise that the Germany economy is in a recession," said Ashraf Liadi, chief currency analyst at CMC Markets in New York.

But the euro has managed to remain relatively buoyant despite the heavy burden of a German recession.

"The market is showing a brief interruption in the selling that we've seen in five out of the last six sessions," Liadi said. Currency traders are "doing some buying so they can do some selling later on."

Other European markets were mixed. France's CAC 40 rose more than 1% while the FTSE in London was down 0.3%.

In the United States, stocks were down for the fourth day in a row, falling below key support levels as fears of a prolonged recession weighed on the market.

The selloff comes despite a government report that showed the nation's trade balance narrowed in September.

While the report would normally have been considered a positive, the improvement was largely due to a decline in oil imports and weaker exports due to global economic weakness.

"Equities appear to be pulling the currency market around by the ear," said Steve Malyon, currency strategist at Scotia Capital in Toronto. "So the focus will likely remain on whether the stability in Europe can hold, or a fresh round of selling gives a renewed lift to the U.S. dollar and yen."

Group of 20 countries

• Argentina

• Australia

• Brazil

• Britain

• Canada

• China

• European Union

• France

• Germany

• Indonesia

• Italy

• Japan

• Mexico

• Russia

• Spain

• South Africa

• Saudi Arabia

• South Korea

• Turkey

• United States

Pushing for global reforms at G-20

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- World leaders will descend on Washington Friday to talk about what's needed to get the global economy back on track. But few expect quick fixes.

Leaders from the so-called Group of 20, which includes the United States, members of the European Union, China, Saudi Arabia and Brazil, agreed to the summit late last month at the height of the global financial crisis.

Stumbling blocks are already emerging for the two-day talks.

Some European officials including French President Nicholas Sarkozy, are expected to push for more coordinated regulation, which could include greater oversight of credit-rating agencies and hedge funds.

It is far from clear, however, that the White House would endorse any concrete measures.

For one thing, President-elect Barack Obama has said he will not attend the summit.

"The fact is that anything big will necessarily have to wait until the next administration," said Arvind Subramanian, senior fellow at Peterson Institute for International Economics.

In addition, in a speech Thursday, President George W. Bush stressed that the purpose of the meeting was to lay the foundation for reforms, but not necessarily the exact structure.

"This undertaking is too large to be accomplished in a single discussion," President Bush said, speaking before the Manhattan Institute in New York City.

Bush administration officials said at a press briefing earlier this week that they expected another G-20 meeting to take place sometime in early 2009.

The summit represents the latest effort by countries around the globe to address what continues to be a painful and unrelenting economic crisis.

What began as a problem in the U.S. housing market more than a year ago has spread far and wide, infecting all corners of the global financial system.

Hoping to stem the crisis, countries around the globe have acted both in concert and individually in recent weeks.

Last month, for example, central banks from several countries enacted a coordinate interest rate cut.

Major economies, including the United States and China, have announced massive stimulus plans. Many have taken measures, such as investing in their banks, to lubricate credit markets.

In many ways, this weekend's talks are already shaping up to be a meeting of historic proportions, as all heads of state from the G-20 will convene for the first time.

Some observers have referred to the summit as "Bretton Woods II" - a nod to a similar global economic summit held six decades ago.

In July of 1944, world leaders convened in the New Hampshire resort town of Bretton Woods in an attempt to reverse some of the painful trade and foreign exchange policies enacted in the wake of the Great Depression. Those talks ultimately gave rise to both the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Few experts expect that G-20 leaders will enact such sweeping policy measures this weekend, but there are certain areas that appear ripe for change.

Create new market for credit default swaps: One area certain to go under the regulatory knife could very well be the whopping credit default swap market, which some have argued contributed to the current crisis by helping to bring such major financial institutions as AIG (AIG, Fortune 500) and Lehman Brothers to their knees.

There have been increasing calls to create a central clearinghouse for these opaque, over-the-counter derivatives, to limit the fallout when a firm that both buys and sells these products fails.

"Had these instruments been traded on exchanges or more specifically a central clearinghouse, these problems would not have had such a massive ripple effect across borders," said Benn Steil, senior fellow and director of international economics at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Accounting rules: Accounting rules have been a concern among many individuals involved in the crisis.

Some industry experts have argued that current mark-to-market accounting standards have caused billions of dollars in losses by forcing banks to report artificially low values for assets on their balance sheets.

Bush administration officials indicated this week that creating a global accounting standard could certainly win favor among leaders as G-20 talks continue.

Such a move could provide investors around the world greater clarity about the securities they purchase, such as mortgage-backed securities, which helped fuel the fallout when the U.S. housing market soured.

Global regulation; more power for the IMF: Other areas could garner attention during the talks, including what actions should be taken regarding credit rating agencies as well as the likelihood of any further economic stimulus.

But what could prove to be one of the trickiest parts of this and any future summits, are discussions centered around markets and large financial institutions.

World leaders seem to agree that the existing regulatory framework needs to be updated, but opinions on what steps need to be taken vary wildly.

One approach could involve granting greater powers to the Financial Stability Forum, which represents central bankers and regulators, or the International Monetary Fund, which has played a large role in recent weeks helping to bail out struggling countries.

Leading international economists, such as Daniel Gros, director of the Centre for European Policy Studies, note that the IMF's profile could be elevated to serve as an early warning system for the next crisis.

"G-20 members should boost IMF independence so it can act as a global 'whistleblower' to help call the next crisis," Gros wrote as part of a project sponsored by economics professors Barry Eichengreen and Richard Baldwin for the Centre for Economic Policy Research.

One idea that could crystallize, notes Steil from the Council on Foreign Relations, is the creation of a college of regulatory supervisors that would exchange notes about some of the trends and risks they are seeing within their own borders.

Take a large bank such as Deutsche Bank (DB), said Steil. It has a footprint in countries around the globe. If the company were to get into trouble, Germany could warn fellow regulators about the firm's weakened state and take coordinated action, helping to stave off a contagion.

"I think that idea has legs," Steil said. "There is a strong case for having at the very least most international coordination to deal with systemically important financial institutions."

What bad banking news means to you

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Bad news about the banking industry may have you wondering about the safety of your hard earned cash at your own bank.

In the past year there have been four bank failures.

And the chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp and banking industry experts foresee many bank failures down the road.

"Regulators are bracing for 100-200 bank failures over the next 12-24 months," says Jaret Seiberg, an analyst with the financial services firm, the Stanford Group.

Expected loan losses, the deteriorating housing market and the credit squeeze are blamed for the drop in bank profits.

The problem areas will be concentrated in the Rust Belt, in places like Ohio and Michigan and other states like California, Florida and Georgia.

The number of institutions categorized as "problem" institutions by the FDIC has also grown from 50 at the end of 2006 to 76 at the end of last year.

But to put that in perspective -- by the end of 1992 -- at the tail end of the banking crisis -- there were 1,063 banks on that "trouble" list says David Barr of the FDIC.

Banking experts say there is one thing that will save your money if your bank goes under. That's FDIC insurance. "It's the gold standard," says banking consultant Bert Ely. "The FDIC has ample resources. It's never been an issue," he says.

The FDIC insures deposits in banks and thrift institutions. The federal agency was created during the Great Depression in response to thousands of bank failures. The FDIC maintains that not one depositor has lost a single cent of insured funds since 1934 as a result of a bank failure

Experts say you shouldn't panic.

"The banking industry comes into this in a very sound condition," says Ely.

Seiberg agrees. "This is not a repeat of the S&L debacle of the late '80s and early '90s. Banks are entering this credit cycle with better capital and better earnings. Many more of them can weather the storms ahead," he says.

And there could be a silver lining. Banks looking for cash may offer some of the best short-term CD rates. "It's a cheap way for banks to make money," says Greg McBride of Bankrate.com.

Protecting your money

Here's how to make sure you pick a safe bank. First, look for the FDIC logo at your local branch. If you don't see it, ask the bank, or go to the FDIC's Web site and click on "Bank Find." Here you'll be able to see if the bank carries this guarantee.

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This step is especially important if you're using an Internet-only bank or a bank you've never heard of. You can also check out the financial health of a banking institution at www.bankrate.com.

The FDIC also maintains a list of bank rating agencies on its Web site that can assess a banks financial stability. But in many cases, these companies charge a fee.

As loan delinquencies rise, and bank failures increase, the FDIC is shoring up its reserves. The agency is bringing back formerly retired employees to bolster a division that deals specifically with bank failures. Many of these agency veterans worked for the FDIC during the late 1980s and early 1990s, when thousands of financial institutions failed during the savings-and-loan crisis according to Barr..

Know your limits

As an individual, your deposits are insured up to $100,000 in an FDIC-insured bank. This includes your savings, your checking, any certificate of deposits (CDs) and money market accounts. Joint accounts can be insured up to $200,000.

IRAs and Keoghs -- these are retirement plans for people who are self-employed -- can be insured up to $250,000. These retirement accounts are considered separate from your individual bank accounts.

If you have money in a credit union, the same protections exist. However, instead of the FDIC insurance, deposits are insured under the National Credit Union Administration, another government agency.

Of course, banks offer much more than your bread-and-butter savings and checking accounts. Some offer investments such as mutual funds or stock funds, which generally promise higher rates of return than CDs, are not insured by the FDIC nor are they insured by the broker/dealer. The general rule is deposits are FDIC-guaranteed, but not investments.

And keep in mind, annuities, life insurance policies -- even the contents of your safe-deposit box -- are not insured. If you're worried you don't have enough insurance on your accounts, the FDIC Web site has a tool that will allow you to calculate your insurance coverage. It's called the electronic deposit insurance estimator -- or EDIE for short. You can also call the agency at 877-ASK-FDIC.

And rest assured if you have U.S. savings bonds or treasury bills, the principle and interest on these products are backed by the faith and credit of the federal government so there's no risk of default as long as you don't sell these products before they mature says McBride.

If your bank bites the dust, there's nothing to fear according to the FDIC. A healthier banking institution normally buys the failed bank according to Barr. "There is little or no interruption to the consumer," he says. "If you go to bed one night as a customer of a bank, and you wake up as a customer of a new bank, there is nothing you have to do." Your checks will still clear, you can still use your ATM card.

But, there can be changes to the terms of your original deposit. For example, if you took out a CD with an annual percentage rate of 3.5 percent, it's entirely possible the new bank will drop that interest rate. If that happens, you have the option to withdraw your funds without penalty.

Loans are handled differently. If you took out a loan with a bank, for example an auto loan or a mortgage, those interest rates and terms of interest remain the same regardless of the new bank.

If no buyer can be found to take over the failed bank, customers are written a check with their deposit money within 48 hours.

Belajar Dari Kegagalan

Kegagalan merupakan label yang seringkali kita hubungkan dengan suatu tindakan yang tidak berhasil dan begitu diterapkan, label ini membuat kita dikatakan orang yang tidak mampu. Hal ini menurunkan semangat kita untuk menjadi orang yang sukses. Pada saat kita masih kecil, kegagalan tidak mempunyai makna, karena kita tidak mempunyai konsep “kegagalan”. Jika kita memiliki konsep kegagalan, maka kita tidak akan dapat berbicara, tidak akan dapat menulis dan tidak akan dapat berjalan. Karena untuk berbicara, menulis dan berjalan harus melalui kegagalan yang tak terhitung jumlahnya. Demikian juga dalam dunia bisnis juga dapat meniru kegagalan kita di masa kecil dan kita dapat belajar dari kegagalan tersebut.

Coca-Cola mengalami kegagalan pada tahun pertama penjualannya. Penjualan dilakukan dengan menempatkan Coca-Cola pada tempat minuman di Apotek dan menghabiskan dana 73,96 dolar untuk melakukan promosi lewat spanduk dan kupon iklan. Kegagalan tersebut membuat Coca-Cola membuat kesadaran adanya media lain, yaitu media massa yang mempunyai kekuatan lebih disbanding media lainnya saat itu dan mempromosikan Coca-Cola dengan suasana kegembiraan.

Matsushita memproduksi untuk pertama kali adalah adaptor steker. Adaptor ini sesungguhnya telah diusulkannya kepada majikannya terdahulu tetapi tidak memperoleh tanggapan. Untuk membuat produk ini, Matsushita bersama empat kawannya membutuhkan waktu empat bulan. Setelah produk ini jadi, ternyata tidak seorangpun mau membeli produk ini.

Pada tahun 1993, Compaq yang pada saat itu sebagai pemimpin pasar penjualan PC, melalukan pemotongan harga untuk menyaingi Dell. Hasilnya Dell Computer menderita kerugian 65 juta dolar pada enam bulan pertama, yang menyebabkan hampir bangkrut. Dell belajar dari kegagalan ini. Ia mencoba mencari cara lain untuk menjual komputer. Akhirnya Dell melakukan perubahan yang sangat mendasar dalam proses bisnisnya yang disebut rekayasa ulang. dalam bisnisnya dengan mengenalkan E-Commerce. Pada 1999, Dell dapat menjual 1,7 juta dolar per hari lewat situs E-Commercnya. Saham Dell naik 2000 persen dalam dua tahun. Dell mampu bersaing dengan perusahaan berkelas dunia seperti IBM, Compaq, HP, dan Bell-Nec. Bahkan pangsa pasar dan keuntungannya terus meningkat dan akhirnya menjadi penjual PC terbesar di dunia.

(Edit From M.Suyanto.com)

Global Crisis was Reflected by Difficulty to Open the L/C

Global crisis was reflected by difficulty some exportir to open the Letter of Credit (L/C) to United Stated of America (USA) and European market. Almost 50 percent of export contracts from Indonesia especially for long term contract was cancelled by the importir. Head of Indonesian’s Association of Enterpreunership, Sofwan Wanandi, said that the demand from USA and European market was decrease and it has been impact directly to our textile, shoes, electronic and fishenary sector. Some of these contracts agreement has been cancelled by the importir. Our exportir was begun difficulty to realize their export market to the overseas like USA and European market. It caused by no more L/C-guarantee from the importir. Some of the importir has been implementing some regulation for consignee system only for our products, it means that the payment will be realize if the products was sold. It is very worse condition for our exportir growth and the government must be solving the problem by quickly to guarantee the payment by another system. For the informastion that on August 2008, export value for non-migas sector was reached US$ 9,56 billion and US$ 1 billion was contributed by USA market.

from(http://mybusinessblogging.com)