Wednesday 20 May 1998 Hate malls? Net commerce is for you by Matthew Friedman Hartco is, at least by Canadian standards, a massive operation and the move by such a large computer retailer to the Net - in such a big way - is evidence that consumer-oriented electronic commerce in Canada has finally moved beyond the early stage of pilot projects and wildcat entrepreneurs.

Richard Wajas ex of Credit Suisse in Toronto returned to Wednesday Night on the 15th and brought with him young Jeffrey Hart, Executive Vice-President of Hartco Enterprises which franchises computer stores in Canada, operating under the names of "MicroAge", "Compucentre", "Northwest Digital" and "CompuSmart". Hartco also owns and operate 61 department stores and 23 telephone boutiques.
This was a night for tekkies and followers of successful public companies, as well as bankers and those in related fields!

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Wednesday Night # 815 By Herbert Bercovitz

The October 15 session of the Wednesday evening salon at the Nicholsons did not follow the usual format. Past events were all but ignored as the diverse group of bankers, economists, business analysts, politicians, lawyers, humanists and students shone light on the path ahead. Following a dazzling demonstration of the cutting edge in multi-media computer technology, this diverse group numbering between twenty-five and thirty, entered into serious discussion focussing on the human dimension of Canada on the cusp of the third millennium. At the end of the evening there was no detectable hint of despair among the group. As midnight approached, the blue jeans group felt at ease with the grey hair set, and the bankers joked with the socialists.

Retailing:

The first phenomenon investigated was the secret to success in the highly competitive retail field where each product sold is essentially identical in all outlets. The factors identified were

• Good negotiating skills.
• Foreseeing and meeting customer wants.
• Competitive pricing.
• Intimate knowledge of product.
• Unhurried, competent, accessible service.
• easy and friendly access to knowledgable personnel.
• Excellent employee and customer relations.
• Good merchandising.
• Establishing the retail outlet as an integral part of the community.

The franchisers saw the franchising route as ensuring store managers most dedicated to these principles. The youth regarded social and environmental sensitivity as a major factor.

Generation X:

The generation X phenomenon was likened to the Renaissance, when the existing labour pool had been severely depleted by the plague, and unbounded opportunities existed for youth. As the twentieth century grinds to a close, the baby boomers have matured, now followed by a well-educated youth, smaller in numbers coming on to the labour market at a time of declining national financial deficits and increasing prosperity. The existence of multiple opportunities enables each to carve out a personal niche to explore and exploit. The downside is not lack of money, but inexperience. They would do well to select as mentor, an older person possessing the needed experience without necessarily, the expertise now being acquired by youth.

By Herbert Bercovitz