Go Big or Go Home

Give Buywyz a Try

We all have run into this scenario before.  You're in the store, Best Buy, Dick's Sporting Goods or a wine shop, and you see a product you want to buy.  You ask yourself - is this a good price, does it have a good rating, what do my friends think about his product?  The new Buywyz beta enables you to get all of this information directly to your phone immediately by simply taking a picture of the product barcode, texting the product number from the barcode or calling in the product code.  The applications integrates with your Facebook or Twitter account so you can immediately get feedback from friends. 

Your're also probably thinking to yourself, I've heard of this before.  You're right, there are popular iPhone applications and Google android applications that enable some of this functionality.  The beauty of buywyz.com is that it works on any phone and you don't need to download any software.

Simple is best.

Slapped by Amazon.com

Just when I think great strides are being made to personalize marketing messages, I get a slap in the face to remind me that we still have a long way to go.  It especially hurts this time because the slap came from the company that put the "e" in e-commerce.  Yes, Amazon.  Today, I received an email offer from them to buy the new Kindle.

The message said  "As a current Kindle owner, we'd like to offer you a special opportunity to be among the first to experience Kindle 2. Even though we've increased our manufacturing capacity, we want to be sure our original Kindle owners are first in line. Order Kindle 2 by midnight PST on February 10th and you will be given priority."

One the surface, the message seems, kind and thoughtful, but what they should have recognized that I invested in 2 Kindle v1's less that 60 days ago!!  So instead of thinking that this is a good offer, I'm disappointed that they didn't tell me about he new version as I was investing $700 in the now outdated version.  Now, of course I know they wouldn't (nor should they) do that, but my point is that I should be the last one to get this message, not the first. 

Sure, I don't live under a rock so I am aware of the exciting new, shiny Kindle 2, but Amazon doesn't need to rub it in - by saying, "hey dummy that just bought version 1, how 'bout re-up-in' "  A classic example, of how some marketing manager just sent a generic marketing email to a segment of their database that was clearly too broad.

The good news is that if Amazon can't get it right, there is room for opportunity.

Obama takes a play out of VC Handbook

Obama has taken a play out of the VC handbook. Executive pay limits for company's receiving TARP funds is absolutely justified.  It is standard for VCs to set cash compensation limits for executives.  Incentives are provided through stock options to align interests with shareholders.  Increase in equity value is makes lots of money for executives as well as shareholders.  With stock prices of major banks less than a hat size, the same opportunity is available.  Plenty of upside for stock options, but limit the cash compensation.