Anyone experienced in internet retailing?

[Eikon]

Hey Nico, I'm looking for some help. Not sure if anyone here is an expert in the area, but I think it's worth a try. We have a pretty diverse community, so it's always possible that we might have someone here who really knows a lot about this topic.

I need to take a crash course in "internet retailing". Is anyone here an expert? Would you mind donating some time in trading some emails to help me out? Can you recommend any books or websites that I can find to read and learn from? I need to be able to answer some questions about internet retailing.. like expected ROI from advertising expenditures, etc..

Here is the back-story on this request:
In short, I put in a resume to work for Amazon.com. They have a few different positions designed for MBA grads in areas like corporate finance, vendor management, and product management (One which is in the video game sector, which I think would be awesome!!!) I graduate in May of this year with my MBA, and I am trying to find a good job. I think Amazon might be a great opportunity as it is the strongest company in the fastest growing segment of business. I also LOVE Seattle and would enjoy living there very much! But to have a chance, I need to sound like I know what I'm talking about if they interview me.
I'm no programmer... I'll never be able to write code and help design systems or other technical stuff, so that is not what I'm looking for. What I am is a well-educated business student with sales, management, marketing, and finance experience. I need to be able to demonstrate some understanding of their business so that I will sound like I'm qualified for the position.

So... Any ideas for me NICO? Anyone know anyone who works for Amazon or a similar company?

Thanks!!

[Jesda]

If you'd have posted this a week ago, I'd have a free book for you called "E-Marketing". Someone just bought it from me for $70.
http://www.amazon.com/Marketing-5th-Jud ... 0136154409
Its a little confusing because its aimed at marketing majors, and its a rather tedious read, but you're an MBA so you'll figure it out. Most of the material you'll otherwise find out there relates to small startups and small operations.

If I were you, I'd read specifically about Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Inside-Giant-Mach ... 086&sr=1-1

[Eikon]

Thanks Jesda! I bought the one you linked about working at Amazon. I'll try to read through it this week.
I have heard from numerous reviews on www.glassdoor.com that Amazon has a difficult culture of competitiveness and long hours, which often gets in the way of a good work/life/family balance, so I'll have to think more about that.

My understanding is they do anywhere from one to three phone interviews and then if you are still attractive to them, you may be invited to Seattle for an interview. If I'm fortunate enough to make it that far, I'll probably buy that first book (E-Marketing) and read it through prior to the interview.

Thanks for the advice Jesda!

Always looking for more good input if anyone else has anything to contribute..

Thanks!!

[S133P3R]

hey eikon,
i have contacted you in the past while working on the 240sx database project about a year ago... anyways, just saw this and thought id chime in. I work fro www.swell.com and we are a leading surf e-retailer.
i asked around my office in a few different departments and am waiting on replies from people but a good place to start is
"informationweek" -small magazine, should be available online and is sent out pretty frequently (weekly im assuming). they cover a lot of different topics and should be a good place to see how it all moves around e-commerce, it deals a lot with utilizing all avaible tools/resources. our CFO reads it all the time and its always on her desk.


ill post more when the replies come back. good luck!

[Eikon]

Thanks!!!!

I'll check that magazine out.

I'm hoping I'll hear from Amazon HR to at least get a phone interview. Though I'm a little worried about some of the reviews I've read. It was echoed in the book that Jesda linked me in his post... It sounds like Amazon is pretty brutal on hours worked. Every employee review I've read seems to say they have a poor "work/life balance".. which means in effect that instead of a 40 hour work week, it's more like 60. I wouldn't mind that personally, if I were engaged in a job that I really enjoyed... but I have a wife and two little boys that I need to be a husband and father to... so it wouldn't be very fair to them to be working 8-8 every day... I just wouldn't get to see them.

SO... I still have the resume in with Amazon, but I'm hoping I'll hear from Microsoft and Google... two other companies that I've put in resumes with.


Anyways.. thanks again for the input, and thanks in advance for any additional you can provide.

[S133P3R]

I have been told to charge you for "career consultation" by my CFO.. lol.
heres what the CFO reccomended:


"Here's some ideas:
This is a book about eCommerce (can get in most book stores or on-line) - Will give a foundational understanding, highly recommend to someone wanting to get into eCommerce:
http://www.amazon.com/Commerce-Dummies- ... 0764508474

Couple of sites that have LOTS of reference material... but you need to know terminology and stuff for these to make sense:
http://www.ecommerce-guide.com/news/trends/index.php - Good site to hear about current things going on in the industry that you could reference in a conversation / interview

http://www.retailsolutionsonline.com/do ... mvc/browse

Other ideas:
Google terminology... what is a site certificate, tracking tags, etc. if you hear/read a term you don't know... google it.
Retail terms... ECommerce is retail on-line, instead of "brick and mortar" (that's physical store) it's on-line - This site is a glossary of retail terms:
http://retail.about.com/od/glossary/Glo ... ailing.htm"



-------------
hope those help.
and yes, online retail is brutal... i sometimes have to stay working late nights on this specific section (watch out swimsuits- http://www.swell.com/Girls-Swimwear)

[PEZi]

^ i hate you

[S133P3R]

I do it for my country.

[Eikon]

you rock!!!!

[S133P3R]

a few more from the director of marketing and umm facebook
( i havent looked at any of these, im just a funnel for your success!)
"Sure – here are my favorites:
http://searchenginewatch.com/
http://research.directmarketingiq.com/
http://www.websitemagazine.com/content/ - they have a great catalog, too"

[Jesda]

SWELL ORGANIC POLO
Item# SWM0107OPL
WAS $40.00
NOW $14.99


I like this shirt and I might order it. I'm a sucker for obnoxiously bright blue. Are the sizes pretty accurate?

[S133P3R]

SWELL ORGANIC POLO
Item# SWM0107OPL
WAS $40.00
NOW $14.99


I like this shirt and I might order it. I'm a sucker for obnoxiously bright blue. Are the sizes pretty accurate?

umm, what size are you? ill have one pulled so i can measure the shoulders/chest/etc... our house brand stuff is relatively true to size and im pretty sure that is just a knock off of a billabong style. email me at jonathan[at]swell[dot]com and ill look into it

[Jesda]

I'm a Large at Target. If its tight around the waist like most trendy clothing then I'm not quite ready to buy.

[S133P3R]

****sorry to threadjack eikon!

Jeswick,
albeit that its made by the same children's hands... its probably a slim fit. sorry boss.