Got to Start Somewhere: My Raw Notes for the M-Commerce Business Model

Posted on October 28, 2009 by Ed

mobileshopping

Your hustle starts with an ideal on paper or computer, but no one talks about the best way to write it down initially on paper when you got the grand scheme idea in your head. As a professional information architect, it is my profession to listen to people ideals and turn them into solid feasible requirements that can be made a reality. So I’m going to share my techniques for you cats who had a great ideal but don’t know how to put it together on paper.

These are raw, unedited notes for the m-commerce model I created as a business model to share with yall in the upcoming weeks. I already moved on this and will provide more detail down the road. I jotted this all down on the flight back from Tokyo on how this can be set up. What I want to point out that is important is how I created a “mental model” of the whole m-commerce process from the perspective of someone who lives in the hood and focus on every aspect of how they would interact with this ideal.

What you is looking at is the mind-mapping technique of having major sections of thoughts and putting down bullet point notes on each major node. Using mind maps like FreeMind helps out a lot with your initial ideals and you can save and refine your notes with other people later down the road.

So, look at the notes I provided and what I wanted to know is if yall can see what is going on. Keep in mind that I’m pretty much 5-6 steps ahead of the game and will provide the details later, but I wanted yall to see if you cats can see the next steps from the notes. For example, you should be able to see the database structure I have to setup, you should see services I have to sign up for, you should see deals I have to make and you should also see the type of people I need to hire and places I need to spy on.

So check out these raw notes and remember that it has to start from somewhere and I’m giving it to you raw:

Marketing Stuff

  • Slogan: Window shopping now has a new meaning..
  • Offer $25 credit for each person they sign up and make a purchase.
  • Existing customers can forward invitation to friend via SMS
  • Sell Gift Cards with unique ids

Setting Up the Account

  • Customer can text to get web site address to sign up
  • Customer go to mobile web site and register with their phone number and password and name and address.
  • Once they registered their account, all they need is their phone number.
  • We need to identify if their phone model is compatible
  • We need to see if they can accept our SMS message
  • Have them type in number of someone who referred them
  • Special keyword in case they want us to lock their phone.

Depositing Funds

  • Would be nice to go to a cash station and deposit funds into account.
  • They can dial into a IVR and put in the amount. It will be pending until we get our money.
  • This would be a depositcompany in the database and we need a transaction of the amount.
  • Another option is to deposit using Paypal and we will credit their account once the cash has been processed.
  • We can SMS or email them once the deposit occurs.
  • Another good ideal is a kiosk that can take currency or cards.

Browsing Catalog

  • Items for sale will be on physical display or LCD screen
  • Physical display can show in a similar fashion like Dave and Buster/Chuckie Cheese toy selection.
  • Customer can click an image of the QR code and get an URL
  • We can give them an SMS item to send and we send them back a URL
  • Customers who done registries at Macys or Target used barcode scanners so this is not new.
  • URL format is http://xxxx/productid/item_name
  • Display product with detail and a buy or save button
  • Save button allow them to add it to a wish list to buy and review later, we can give them update on inventory and shipping time.

Purchase Item

  • Customer can click on the buy button with quantity
  • They give option of having us deliver it to them or ship it out. We deliver only in the local radius.
  • We will show them their balance, the order and tell them to confirm
  • All they have to do is click confirm order and we process the order.
  • This probably should be ssl

Fulfilment

  • We notify them we received their order via SMS
  • We order the product if it isn’t already in
  • We pack in our box or bag wrapper
  • We notify if they want to pick up or have us ship it out
  • To fullfill the order, they can display a qrcode we can scan to show their order bundle, we will let them enter once
  • This can be the same type of thing for a return authorization.
  • We put a QR code on the cell phone to register the package and them and offer it to them. This is the same with delivery.
  • Once they scan it, then it means they have received the package
  • We will send them an authorization stating they have received the page.
  • Delivery guy if they have to sign it, then they will have to make them sign a paper waiver that they receive the item.

Return Authorization

  • We provide them with a QR code or number to bring to the place
  • They scan with their camera and we ready to accept their return
  • Once we accept their return, we credit their account balance
  • We need to get a reason why the return happen. This is to help us serve you better. Didn’t like it is a valid excuse.

Follow Up

  • We ask about the quality of service and get feedback
  • Was the delivery satisfactory
  • The delivery person
  • The time it took to order

Cash Out

  • The user has a right to cash out their account at anytime.
  • They come visit us and we either right out a check or provide cash at the place.

Notes

  • What can we sell? Basic stuff that the cats in the hood do not need to drive miles to Target to get.
  • Undegarment. Contact Lens Solution. Leggings or Spandex, Hair Care products. We can order all of this wholesale.
  • Look through CVS, Walgreens, Rite Ad Sunday paper ads to see what they pushing as products
  • What about markup and profitability? We focus on volume.
  • We can distribute items wholesale through a LCD system and allow merchants to register and display these items for sale. If people buys it, then they get a commission. I think a box that does picture in picture would work great for this.
  • Privacy policy must be clear about what information we collect and retain
  • Every 30 days, we must verify the phone account is still active and not turned off/disconnected

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