"Open Source as a Model for Business Is Elusive" Comments

NYTimes Article link

It is now doubt that MySQL is the friend of the small business.  If you have a small business you are probably running MySQL.  If you are then you should.  However, the recent acquisition of Sun by Oracle ( the bain of small business) has the open source community very concerned.  MySQL is definately the "database of the people."  While it would be ashamed to see Oracle wreck MySQL, I do not believe governement intervention is warranted.  As much as I dispise Oracle and the their "big business" tactics.  I dispise "big" governement more.  If Oracle moves to destroy MySQL another Open Source database of equal or greater stature will quickly rise to fill the void.  The process of "creative distruction" is as much a part of Open Source software as the attemts of 'big business" to monetize it.

Key Considerations in Selecting a Product Fulfillment Company

Your business has made the decision to begin outsourcing product fulfillment, and the task at hand is to find the right fulfillment services company. Among the many considerations are a few that fulfillment service professionals consider key in making a successful choice. The first and foremost consideration is whether the product fulfillment company is passionate about getting to know your business, your expectations, and what you believe would most benefit you. Communication is always the first key to success.

Another key is to choose a group of fulfillment professionals with decades of experience in the industry. Find out if your chosen fulfillment company has a proven record of being proactive and staying within budget or even coming in below budget. Has the fulfillment company established a client transition process to ensure that all systems are in sync during the critical transition of product fulfillment services? An experienced team will know about you, care about your money, and know how to get your business’ product fulfillment smoothly transitioned.

The importance of a fulfillment company’s philosophy is key and cannot be overstated. Is your product fulfillment company’s philosophy one of personal responsibility? Will they serve your business and take care of your inventory as if it were their own? If you begin your selection process with these key questions, you may decide that SBC Fulfillment is your best choice for product fulfillment services.

Interspire ecommerce

Link

I just got a call today from someone building an ecommerce site on a platform called interspire.  It seems that there are a million SaaS ecommerce platforms out there from Prostores to Shopify to Big Commerce to Volusion.

How do they differntiate themselves?

Then you have the open source products like OS Commerce and Magento.

What is the future of ecommerce?